The Minnesota Department of Human Services (department) is committed to supporting county and tribal agencies in meeting Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) requirements. As part of that commitment, Child Safety and Permanency Division staff are conducting two types of quality assurance case reviews in the Social Services Information System (SSIS) of children placed in qualified residential treatment programs (QRTP) as of Sept. 30, 2021 and emailing notification that a review is due to agency staff.
- Review of a child’s SSIS case file to determine if federally required documentation for a QRTP placement has been completed.
- Review of a child’s SSIS case file to notify agency an extended QRTP placement review is due and subsequent case review to determine if the extended placement review was completed according to federal requirements.
If an agency receives notification, they will have 14 days to update SSIS with the required documentation/screens, including completing the extended QRTP placement review screen by the identified due date. Questions relating directly to a specific case review can be directed back to the email case workers receive.
The extended QRTP placement review requirements apply to county social service agencies and tribes participating in the American Indian Child Welfare Initiative (Initiative).
When a county or Initiative tribe places a child in a QRTP, one of the requirements of FFPSA is the completion of an extended QRTP placement review. [475A(c) (4) of the Social Security Act and Minn. Stat. 260C.714]
Timely extended placement reviews are a crucial component to ensuring children are not remaining in child care institutions longer than necessary. The purpose of an extended placement review is to:
- Review, reflect and analyze information learned since a child was placed in a QRTP to determine if that child must remain in this restrictive setting in order to receive necessary services that cannot be provided in their community.
- Confirm agency staff submitted required QRTP placement information at the most recent court review/permanency hearing and Judge reviewed the information as required in Minn. Stat. 260C.712.
When an extended placement review finds placement in a QRTP facility is no longer necessary, a child’s discharge plan is implemented and aftercare services are offered.
The extended placement review dates are calculated in SSIS by the number of days and are different for children under age 13. The review must be completed (based on the child’s age) by day 180, day 360 or day 540 of QRTP placement. Timelines include consecutive and non-consecutive placements during a continuous placement episode.
What is a consecutive placement? During a continuous placement episode, a child is placed in the same QRTP for more than 12 months for youth 13 years and older or 6 months for a child under age 13. When a child moves from one QRTP to a different QRTP the time for extended review results in a non-consecutive timeline.
What is a non-consecutive placement? During a continuous placement episode, a child placed in and out of the same or different QRTP settings for a total of 18 month for youth 13 years and older and 6 months for a child under age 13. If a child is age 13 or older and has been in same QRTP for 12 months and moves to a different or same QRTP after the 12 months, the non-consecutive time-frame applies.
To record an extended QRTP placement review, a caseworker initiates an SSIS entry under the new “Extended QRTP Placement Review” screen under the Permanency Node - QRTP Documentation.
After a caseworker initiates the entry and gathers all relevant documentation, this information is reviewed and approved by an agency administrator/director or designee with the authority to approve QRTP extended placement reviews. The director or designee cannot be the same caseworker preparing the case for review. Federal guidance identifies the “head of the Title IV-E agency” as the individual to complete this approval. However, as noted in ACYF-CB-IM-18-02 issued April 12, 2018, this means county director or designee, could complete this approval. This approval process must be completed by day 180, day 360 or day 540 of QRTP placement as required by a child’s age.
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