The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) is dedicated to supporting resource parents who open their homes to children in foster care. To assist with the costs associated with caring for these children, ODHS provides various types of financial payments. These payments are designed to help resource parents meet the diverse needs of children in their care. This guide breaks down the different categories of financial support available through the Oregon Foster Care Program.
Types of Foster Care Payments in Oregon
ODHS offers several types of payments to resource parents, each designed to cover specific aspects of a child’s care. These include base foster care rates, shelter care payments, enhanced shelter care payments, CANS level of care payments, personal care services payments, child care reimbursement, and mileage reimbursement. Understanding each of these payment types is crucial for resource parents in Oregon.
Base Foster Care Rate
The base foster care rate is a foundational payment intended to cover the everyday needs of a foster child. This monthly payment is provided to resource parents or relative resource parents to assist with the following essential expenses:
- Food: This includes all meals and snacks, as well as costs associated with any special dietary needs or nutritional requirements a child might have.
- Clothing: Covers the purchase and replacement of clothing items to ensure children have appropriate attire.
- Housing: This portion helps with household expenses like utilities, furnishings, and general household equipment maintenance.
- Personal Incidentals: This covers personal care items, entertainment, books, magazines, and other miscellaneous personal expenses.
- Transportation: This includes local transportation costs such as gas, vehicle maintenance, and repairs related to transporting children to extracurricular activities, childcare, recreational events, and cultural activities.
It’s important to note that the base rate payment is not provided to certified families who are also receiving shelter care or enhanced shelter care payments during the same period. The current base rate payments are structured as follows:
- Ages 0 – 5 years: $958 per month
- Ages 6 – 12 years: $963 per month
- Ages 13 – 20 years: $1,022 per month
Shelter Care Payment
Shelter care payment is a short-term, one-time payment designed to support certified families during a child’s initial transition into foster care. This payment is specifically for the first 20 days of substitute care when a child or young adult is newly placed in ODHS custody. It’s a service provided only once per child during their entire time in ODHS custody, meaning it is not repeated if a child moves to a different resource parent.
The daily shelter care payment rates are:
- Ages 0 – 5 years: $39.38 per day
- Ages 6 – 12 years: $39.55 per day
- Ages 13 – 20 years: $41.49 per day
Enhanced Shelter Payments
Enhanced shelter care payments are also for the first 20 days of substitute care with a certified family, but they apply in specific circumstances. This rate is provided when a child or young adult is placed with a certified family after being in a Behavior Rehabilitation Service provider placement, and no current level of care payment determination is in place. This recognizes the potentially higher needs of children transitioning from specialized behavioral services.
The enhanced shelter care daily rates are:
- Ages 0 – 5 years: $63.05 per day
- Ages 6 – 12 years: $63.21 per day
- Ages 13 – 20 years: $65.15 per day
Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) Level of Care
The CANS level of care payment is designed to provide additional financial support based on a child’s specific needs for enhanced supervision. Determined through a CANS screening, this payment is available to approved or certified resource families, guardians, pre-adoptive families, or adoptive families. Enhanced supervision refers to the extra support, direction, observation, and guidance needed to ensure the safety and well-being of a child who qualifies for this level of care.
The monthly CANS level of care payments are:
- Level 1 (moderate needs): $240 per month
- Level 2 (intermediate needs): $468 per month
- Level 3 (advanced needs): $960 per month
Personal Care Services
Personal care services payments are intended to support children with specific needs related to functional activities. These services cover assistance with mobility, transfers, personal hygiene, toileting, nutrition, medication management, and delegated nursing tasks. The level of personal care payment is provided to qualified providers who deliver these services to eligible children. More detailed information can be found in the ODHS Personal Care Services policy (Child Welfare Manual Ch. 5).
The monthly personal care service payment levels are:
- Level 1 (moderate care): $352 per month
- Level 2 (intermediate care): $705 per month
- Level 3 (advanced care): $1,057 per month
- Level 4 (intensive care): Determined individually by ODHS based on the intensity and frequency of services provided.
Child Care Reimbursement
To support resource parents and relative caregivers who are working, ODHS offers child care reimbursement. This program helps to offset the costs of childcare, enabling resource parents to maintain employment while providing care.
- Child Care Reimbursement Rate: $375 per month, per child up to age 12. Reimbursement may be available for children older than 12 if there is a documented need for supervision.
More information about the Child care reimbursement program and application process is available online.
Mileage Reimbursement
Mileage reimbursement is available to certified families for specific transportation needs related to foster care. Reimbursement is paid at the current department mileage rate for Child Welfare staff and covers:
- Maintaining School Enrollment: Transportation to ensure a child can remain in their original school after entering foster care.
- Family Visitation: Travel to and from visits when family visitation is part of the child’s service plan.
- In-State Air Travel: Airline transportation within Oregon for children, pre-approved if it is more cost-effective than transportation by car.
Conclusion
The Oregon Foster Care Program provides a comprehensive system of financial support to resource parents. By offering various payment types like base rates, shelter care, CANS level of care, and reimbursements for childcare and mileage, ODHS strives to ensure that resource parents have the necessary resources to provide stable, nurturing homes for children in foster care. Understanding these financial supports is a vital step for anyone considering becoming a foster parent in Oregon. For the most current and detailed information, always refer to the official Oregon Department of Human Services resources.
