GEORGIA FOSTER CARE:IV-E WAIVERS AND THE

FISCAL PICTURE

November 25, 2013

The IV-E Waiver and Georgia Foster Care Financing

The IV-E Waiver Opportunity Requirements Timing

IV-E Waiver and Georgia It’s possible, and has benefits

DFCS Out-of-Home Care financing Loss of state funds of $50M $70 million problem Questionable sustainability Loss of dollars leads to less contracting possibilities

that support great outcomes

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DFCS Foster Care Financing

We’re in a financial thunderstorm, with a chance of hail.

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Foster Care (aka Out of Home Care) Budgets 2008-Current

Loss of state funds by year compared to the children in foster care

State Budget

Year Ending June 30

Foster Care

Census at 9/30/20xx

Census Change

from Prior Year

State Funds (in millions)

TANF Funds (in

millions)

Change in State

Funds from Prior

2008 9,984 (18%) $98M $91M ($18M)

2009 8,068 (19%) $116M $100M $18M

2010 6,895 15% $66M $118M $(50M)

2011 7,591 10% $60M $101M ($6M)

2012 7,669 1% $63M $99M $3M

2013 7,559 (1%) $68M $91M $5M

2014 8,109* 7% $68M $91M $0M

9/30/2009 same census as 10/31/2013

But, with $50M less State funds, with less IV-E match

There were 7,695 children under the age of 18 in foster care as of 10/31/2013; 414 over the age of 18 who had signed themselves back into care. As state funds decrease, IV-E funds decrease, and corresponding with the number of IV-E eligible children – approx. 41%.

A drop in state funds, another loss in IV-E and the hole filled with TANF

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Buying Outcomes with New Resources How We Can Get the Outcomes We Expect

Reinvest the lost funding and leverage federal IV-E

Listen Well, Design Well, Make it Georgia-specific

Are there benefits to privatized systems? Yes Examples to learn from and apply to Georgia IV-E waivers help, but are not required

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How Can It Be Done?

Public/Private Partnership Group Listening sessions and a system design workgroup Outlines the Contracts Design and Accountability Objective: Measure outcomes, not process and

activities, and “buy well” Fund the Plan

With a comprehensive plan developed, new investment is then needed. State and IV-E supports the plan, with TANF funds for early intervention and aftercare

When New Contracts could go live July 2015

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