Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 12, December 1, 2024
(1) The
Department's implementation of its strengths-and-needs-based system-of-care
model for delivering client services has placed an increased emphasis on
providing the child and the child's primary care giver with the individualized
services they need in a timely manner. The client's strengths and needs are
collaboratively identified by the following parties:
(a) The child, if appropriate;
(b) The primary care giver;
(c) Members in addition to the primary care
giver;
(d) Appropriate employees of
the Department;
(e) Other
interested parties.
(2)
Services are designed to meet the child's needs and reach the agreed-upon
outcomes.
(3) The SOC short-form
contract helps the Department's staff expedite the contracting. It is designed
to:
(a) Provide nonresidential services to
meet the needs of a child.
(b)
Increase the resource pool of service contractors by allowing the use of both
traditional and nontraditional contractors.
(c) Provide more timely delivery of services
by delegating approval authority for SOC short-form contracts to local Child
Welfare program managers and supervisors.
(4) An SOC short-form contract can be used
when the following conditions are met:
(a)
The contractor is an independent contractor.
(b) The services are:
(A) Provided for a specific child, sibling
group, or primary care giver.
(B)
Provided to help the caseworker, the child, and the child's family reach
mutually agreed-upon outcomes.
(D) Limited to a
maximum length of 12 months. The expectation is that the mutually agreed-upon
outcomes will be reached within that time period.
(E) Limited to a maximum dollar amount of
$4,000. The expectation is that the mutually agreed-upon outcomes will be
reached without spending more than that amount.
(c) The contracted services do not include:
(A) Services the recipient is eligible to
receive that are available from another public agency or institution or from a
private contractor under an existing contract; or
(B) The same services or services similar to
those being provided by Department staff.
(d) Funds are available and authorized for
the type of service and client to be served by the contract, and the cost is
reasonable and commensurate with the cost of similar services.
(5) The statement of work, in an
SOC short-form contract, is written to describe the agreed-upon outcomes and
the services to be provided. Outcomes must be specifically related to one or
more of the following goals:
(a) Safety -- to
prevent placement or re-entry into care and to ensure the child's safety in the
home.
(b) Permanency -- to prevent
movement in care and to ensure stability in the living situation or facilitate
permanency for a child for whom the plan is categorized as an "other planned
permanent living arrangement."
(c)
Facilitate reunification -- to facilitate the child's return home and preserve
continuity of family relationships and permanency for the child.
(d) Permanency -- to facilitate the child's
permanency plan of adoption or guardianship.
(e) Well-being -- to facilitate the child's
well-being by enhancing the family's capacity to provide for its children's
needs.
(f) Well-being -- to
facilitate the child's well-being by ensuring the child receives adequate and
appropriate services to meet medical, physical, mental health, social,
emotional-development, or educational needs.
(6) Contracted services must be provided by
the contractor. The SOC short-form contract does not allow subcontracting. A
traditional contractor may use an employee or volunteer to provide the
contracted services. A nontraditional contractor must provide the services
himself or herself and cannot use an employee or volunteer to provide the
contracted services.
(7) The
Department may terminate an SOC short-form contract upon written notice to the
contractor.
(8) The printed
contract cannot be altered. If the format is changed by anyone, regardless of
the reason or circumstances, the contract cannot be executed and is
void.
(9) Within 24 hours after the
contract is signed by both parties, the contract and cover sheet must be sent
by facsimile to the Technical Assistance Unit.
Forms referenced are available from the
agency.
Stat. Auth.: ORS
418.005
Stats. Implemented: ORS
279.727 &
279.729