Title IV-E Waiver demonstration project

Q: What is a Title IV-E Waiver?
Oregon is one of a select few states to receive a Waiver to use IV-E funds to test pilot programs intended to prevent or reduce foster care. The IV-E Waiver allows Oregon to lead the nation in demonstrating exceptional solutions and services through the efficient use of Title IV-E dollars, rather than simply to pay for foster care.
 

Q: When was Oregon's IV-E Waiver implemented?

• The federal government approved Oregon's first Waiver on October 31, 1996.
• Implementation of Oregon's pilot projects began on July 1, 1997.
• In June 1999, the federal government approved a subsidized guardianship option.
• Implementation of Oregon's subsidized guardianship program began in September 1999.
• An extension of Oregon's Waiver was granted for an additional five years on April 1, 2004.
• Oregon's current Waiver ends on March 31, 2009.

Q: Will there be an extension of the existing Waiver?
The Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) has requested an additional five-year renewal from the federal government. However, to renew the IV-E Waiver, DHS must make significant improvements to the current pilot program methodology. DHS was granted an interim extension through Jan. 31, 2010 to allow time to submit a new proposal for renewal with improvements.
 

Q: Are there specific requirements for receiving and renewing a Waiver?
Yes, programs and services must contribute to overall knowledge of best practices in child welfare by developing and testing innovative approaches that can be sustained and replicated. Approaches must emphasize family preservation and reunification and cannot cost more than the same amount that would have been spent for foster care. Pilot programs must be independently evaluated and reported twice a year to the federal government. Portland State University is the independent evaluator for Oregon.
 

The federal government also expects states with Waivers to improve methodologies in developing and piloting services to reduce foster care, improve evaluation design, provide the oversight needed to effectively implement and evaluate the demonstration project and make corrections based upon lessons learned throughout the history of the IV-E Waiver.
 

Q: What improvements will be proposed?
DHS will propose to implement and rigorously evaluate only one or two pilot projects instead of a variety of programs. These changes will not impact the subsidized guardianship program.
 

Q: What is the anticipated impact on clients?
Some services will be phased out of Waiver funding, and we will attempt to find alternative funding streams for those services. Overall, however, changes in how Oregon uses waiver funding will ultimately result in better services to our children and families, allowing:

• More consistent and systematic foster care prevention services across the state, based on best practices.
• Intensive monitoring and immediate feedback, so interventions can be modified to improve outcomes for children and families.
• Better evaluation and stronger practices.
• An effective, replicable, sustainable model process that could be adapted and adopted by other agencies.

Q: What is the anticipated impact on partner agencies?
DHS must rework the pilot methodology and determine which program to continue. The proposed changes will potentially impact existing services. We will carefully examine whether or not alternative sources of funding exist that would allow us to continue current programs.
 

Q: How are you involving stakeholders?
DHS values our partners and stakeholders and recognizes the importance of their experience and perspectives in these issues. We will be eliciting input and involvement from our stakeholder community in developing the proposal. Our partners will be invited to meetings at various locations throughout the state at the beginning of the coming year for further discussion.
 

Q: What are the next steps?
Our next step is to inform provider agencies and current contractors of the change in methodology. Local districts will work with provider agencies to determine the potential impact of the change and discuss the best use of the ten-month interim extension period.
 

Then an internal workgroup will review the research and current programs to narrow our pilots to best fit with the intention of the Waiver. Once the workgroup has determined a short list of programs that meet the Waiver criteria, we will be eliciting input from stakeholders. We intend to select the program that will be implemented statewide by May 2009. The remainder of the interim ten-month extension will be used to prepare for implementation of the new program and to phase out existing programs where necessary.
 

Q: Who do I contact if I have questions about the Waiver?
Contact Jolynne Batchelor at 503-945-6654 or Jolynne.Batchelor@state.or.us.