7 AAC 53.030. Standard rate and rate adjustments

(a) Subject to (b) of this section, the department will pay a standard rate for foster care for children placed by the department. The standard rate is to assist in meeting the costs for

(1) food, including meals and snacks;

(2) clothing replacement;

(3) shelter, including utilities and use of household furnishing and equipment, but not including excessive damages or loss covered in 7 AAC 53.110;

(4) daily supervision, including those activities that a parent would normally carry out to assure protection, emotional support, and care of the child;

(5) personal items and grooming care for the foster child, such as toothbrushes, diapers, haircuts, and other essentials;

(6) school supplies and regular school activities;

(7) games, toys, books, recreational equipment, and other items costing less than $100 per item that are appropriate to the ages of children in care and sufficient in quantity to promote normal growth and development;

(8) general recreation of the foster child, such as picnics, community sports, and movies;

(9) usual transportation expenses on behalf of the foster child, including the purchase of bus passes for a child old enough to take a bus, and reasonable local travel to the child's home for visitation;

(10) an allowance for the foster child;

(11) and child care, except as provided in 7 AAC 53.050(b) (5); and

(12) other items that are normal and usual in the care and supervision of a child.

(b) The department may propose to the legislature each year a standard rate for child foster care after reviewing the current United States Health and Human Services Poverty Guidelines for an Alaska family unit of one and the current state cost-of-living differentials determined by the Department of Administration under AS 39.27.030 . Based on legislative appropriations, the department will establish a standard rate. Any change in the standard rate takes effect the following state fiscal year. The standard rate will be applied to an individual child placement in accordance with the following:

(1) a percentage of the standard rate will apply to the following age ranges:

(A) birth through 29 months - 90 percent (B) 30 months through 11 years - 80 percent (C) 12 years through 19 years - 95 percent

(2) the standard rate adjusted by percentage for age will be multiplied by the geographic cost-of-living differential as set by Kenneth M. McCaffres in his arbitrated decision on Alaska Geographic Wage Differentials dated October 24, 1986, and adopted by reference, except in a location where the rate calculated under the differential would be below the rate in effect on July 1, 1998; in such a location, the department's rate in effect on July 1, 1998 applies.

(d) The department will publish the in-state child foster care rate schedule, containing rates to be paid under this section, before the state fiscal year to which they apply.

(e) Notwithstanding (b) of this section, if a reduction in the standard rate becomes necessary because legislative appropriations are insufficient, the number of children needing foster care increases, or appropriations are withdrawn, reduced, or limited in any way for payment of standard rates for foster care under the formula described in (b) of this section, the department will notify foster parents, in advance and in writing, of the amount of the reduction.

History: Eff. 7/1/90, Register 114; am 11/16/94, Register 132; am 3/31/2005, Register 173

Authority: AS 47.05.010

AS 47.10.970

AS 47.14.010

Editor's note: A copy of the Alaska Geographical Wage Differentials dated October 24, 1986, adopted by reference in 7 AAC 53.030(b) , and a copy of the current rate schedule referred to in 7 AAC 53.030(d) may be obtained or reviewed by contacting the Office of Children's Services, P.O. Box 110630, Juneau, Alaska 99811-0630.

The substance of 7\n AAC 53.030 was formerly contained in 7\n AAC 50.720.

The substance of 7\n AAC 53.030(e) was formerly contained in 7\n AAC 53.130.

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