Services to At Risk Youth (STAR)

1. Services to At Risk Youth (STAR) FY 13 STAR Program, Billing Guidelines & Overview of Contract Monitoring The Call-In Number is 1-877-848-7030 Passcode: 5935164

2. Billings VS Database • Billing and Database data entry are different and typically would not coincide. • Database information cannot be used for billing purposes. • Billing Procedure • Submit Billing Forms to Contract Manager/Contract Technician on a Monthly basis • Billing Forms include • Purchase Voucher (Form 4116x) • STAR Purchased Expenditure Report • Freeze Form • Client Services Summary (database report) • Back up documentation to show how # sessions were derived

3. Where to go for Program Assistance • STAR Request for Proposal • STAR Program Manual • STAR Training PowerPoint and Q&A Document • Policy Clarification Emails • Please Contact your Contract Manager for questions as they will provide Training & Technical Assistance

4. Definitions • Primary Caregiver (PCG)--the caregiver or parent registered in the STAR Program, receiving a delivered service type, and entered into the STAR database as the principal caregiver of the Target Youth (TY). This person does not have to be a guardian or head of household. They do have to live in the same household. • Secondary Caregiver (SCG)—the caregiver or parent registered in the STAR Program, receiving a delivered service type, and entered into the STAR database as a key caregiver of the Target Youth. SCG must live in the same household unless it is a parent in a divorce situation. In addition, in order to qualify as an SCG, the SCG must have a similar role to the care, discipline, and needs of the TY. It is not automatic that the other household members even if actual family will meet the requirement of an SCG. • Other Caregiver (OCG)—Caregivers who assist the PCG and/or SCG with care of the youth, who may or may not live in the same household, may or may not be a relative. OCG’s are able to participate in the family counseling process; however, their involvement cannot be billed. • Required Core Services— Family Counseling (FC), Individual Youth Counseling (IC), Youth Skills Group (YSG), Family Skills Group (FSG), Respite/Emergency Care, Universal Child Abuse Prevention (UCAP)/Street Outreach, Crisis Intervention, Toll-Free Hotline, Resource/Referral, Case Management • Billable Core Services– FC, IC, YSG, FSG, Respite/Emergency Care • Billable Type of Clients---Registered TY, Registered Siblings, Registered PCG, Registered SCG who receive a billable core service • Session—a period during which counseling/group meeting are held. If a session lasts more than the minimum or in the same day; it is only counted as one session.

5. Billing & Program Guidelines for Family Counseling • Family Counseling (Billing) • Each session that a Target Youth and Primary Caregiver/Secondary Caregiver attend and meet the Program requirements (listed below and in the approved plan of operation) is billed on a monthly basis. • The chart provides a variety of scenarios on how to bill for those sessions. • Family Counseling (Program) • Only face-to-face sessions can be billed • Each session must be a minimum of 35 consecutive minutes face-to-face. Most counseling sessions last longer than the minimum. In order to have the greatest positive impact on a family; sessions should last longer than the minimum requirement. • Clients must participate in more than one counseling session, with an expected average of three (3) hours of counseling per client. • Clients with less than three hours should have the justification sufficiently documented in their file. • Only one family counseling per day/per family is billable

6. Billing and Program Guidelines for Individual Counseling • Counseling provided to registered Youth on an individual basis. • Bill each session under Individual Counseling. • Only one session per registered youth per day is allowable. • A session can last from the minimum to several hours, but is only counted and billed as one session.

7. Billing & Program Guidelines for Family Skills Groups • Group based, parenting classes provided to caregivers. • Only registered PCG and SCG are able to be billed. • If the PCG and SCG both attend each session, only 1 session is billed. • If either the PCG or SCG attend a session, 1 session is billed. • If OCG attends a session without the PCG or SCG; you cannot bill the session. • If the PCG and/or SCG and the OCG attend a session; 1 session is billed. • Any unregistered caregiver including unregistered families who attends a group must be counted towards Universal Child Abuse Prevention (UCAP) in the database.

8. Billing and Program Guidelines for Youth Skills Group • Group based, life skills classes for youth. • Only registered youth are able to be billed. • If a registered youth and an unregistered sibling attend the group, 1 session of YSG can be billed for the registered youth. • Any unregistered youth including unregistered sibling who attends a group must be counted towards Universal Child Abuse Prevention (UCAP) in the database.

9. Universal Child Abuse Prevention (UCAP) • Universal Child Abuse Prevention is one of the core, required components of the STAR program. • The costs are included in the unit rates negotiated and approved. • It is required to input all UCAP to include street outreach into the STAR database. • It is required to keep samples and documentation of the types of UCAP and Street outreach activities such as media campaigns documentation, brochures, etc.

10. Emergency Care • Services to registered Youth who need a short time out/cooling off period to prevent child abuse/neglect. • Services to the PCG are required in order to swiftly reunite the youth with their family. • Each full day is billable per registered youth who is in emergency care. In order to bill, all service requirements listed in prior training, in Program Manual, and RFP must be provided. • As a reminder, the use of emergency care is a last resort and eligibility and amount of time in emergency care will be closely monitored.

11. Contract Monitoring • Contracts are chosen by the Contract Oversight and Support (COS) division of DFPS based on the risk value of a contract. • All PEI contracts are considered the highest risk in the agency due to funding stream. • Contractors must ensure that all federal and state rules and regulations are met for fiscal, administrative and programmatic elements of the contract. • 3 Types of Monitoring • Ongoing Monitoring—this is monitoring that occurs throughout the year including billing reviews, performance measure reviews, etc. • On-site Full Monitoring—this type of monitoring is a site visit that includes fiscal, administrative and program monitoring for a minimum of 3 months worth of transactions and files. There is preliminary information that PEI must receive prior to the onsite visit (PEI will provide timeframe of when and type of information to submit). • Documents must be received by PEI in the timeframe set in order to reduce the amount of time spent onsite and to ensure a faster turnaround of the results of monitoring and is a contractual requirement. • Targeted Monitoring (Desk Review)—this type of monitoring is a desk review (it can include a site visit) with typically administrative and either fiscal or program elements are reviewed. However, in many cases, all three levels of monitoring (fiscal, administrative and program) are performed with a minimum of 2 months worth of transactions. • Documents must be received by PEI in the timeframe set to ensure a faster turnaround of the results of monitoring and is a contractual requirement.

12. Overview of Contract Monitoring • Contract Monitoring will begin as early as January 2013 for STAR. • Monitoring will include Programmatic, Administrative and Fiscal components of the contract. • Contractors will be required to submit information to DFPS within a specified timeframe via the upload process, FedEx, and to have all original documents and files ready for review when contract manager visits in person or during a desk review. It is important to note that any information PEI requests is a contractual obligation.

13. Program Monitoring • PEI will review all components of client files to ensure deadlines strong service delivery mechanisms, and quality core services are provided to include, but not limited to: • Action Plans • Progress Notes • Registration Form (2075) • Assessments • Resource/Referral • Data accuracy (service units entered in STAR database) • Protective Factor Survey • Completed Follow-Ups • Interview of Clients • Interview with Program Director • Interview with Program Counseling Staff (this is a one on one session with DFPS and individual staff) • Interview with STAR clients • PEI will randomly select clients to complete on-site or telephone interviews • Contractors will not be present during the interviews • Performance Measure Attainment • Service delivery to include, but not limited to, policies/procedures, toll-free hotline, listing in 2-1-1, reporting abuse/neglect procedures, etc. • UCAP and Street Outreach was provided • Very rural areas that do not have a homeless population must show official documentation from the city/county.

14. Administrative Monitoring • Background Checks • ICSQ Reviews • Training • General Policies and Procedures • Personnel files • I-9’s • Application for Employment/Resume • Job Descriptions

15. Fiscal Monitoring • Review Policies and Procedures regarding fiscal management • An example, adequate oversight including separation of duties is performed, subcontractor oversight/monitoring • Review Single Audits/Independent Audit reports • Review billing submitted • Cross referencing information from client files (progress notes) with what was billed to ensure accuracy and ensure that DFPS was billed properly. • If the progress notes (to include time in/out to verify amount of time) do not support what was billed based on what contractor was submitted; contractor will be required to refund DFPS those sessions.

16. Monitoring Report • Once the monitoring is completed on-site or as a desk review; your contract manager will send an initial monitoring report with the results. • Contractors are able to respond to the findings/issues in the initial monitoring report with supporting documentation, a corrective action plan (if applicable), and/or repayment of disallowed costs (if applicable). Once that information is obtained, a final monitoring report is issued to conclude the monitoring.

17. Closing • If you have questions throughout the contract year, please email your contract manager