CFS Licensing Unit 622-05-06

(NEW 6/1/22 ML #3677)

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The Children and Family Services (CFS) Division created the CFS Licensing Unit, which was implemented on April 1, 2022 based on legislative intent to redesign program and service delivery. The CFS Licensing Unit is responsible for creating and updating statewide policy and procedures with an overall goal to implement standardized procedures, which offer consistency and efficiencies for licensing specialists, providers and case managers. The unit will provide training and technical assistance, as well as collaborate closely with other department divisions to best meet the needs of licensed foster care providers, authorized agents and children in foster care statewide. Highlights of the task the CFS Licensing Unit will manage:

  1. Licensing decision/determination for applicants seeking to provide foster care for children across the state.
  2. Licensing decision/determination for applicants presented by an authorized agent (Tribal Nation, Nexus PATH, etc.) approved by the department to complete home studies and assessment of foster care providers.
  3. Level of Care decisions specific to children in foster care.
  4. Licensing of Qualified Residential Treatment Programs, Licensed child Placing Agencies, Maternity homes, and certified shelter care programs.
  5. Oversight of the ND Recruitment and Retention State Plan.

Contact Information

Children and Family Services

CFS Licensing Unit

600 E. Boulevard Ave #325

Bismarck ND 58503

Email: cfslicensing@nd.gov

Phone: 701-328-2322 or 1-888-334-1330

Unit Roles and Responsibilities

The CFS Licensing Unit requires planned and coordinated activities between the unit employees and foster care case managers, both engaging daily with foster care providers. Despite their interrelatedness with foster care cases, there are clearly defined distinction in roles, activities, and responsibilities. The roles and responsibilities for foster care case managers can be located in policy chapter 624-05-15-30-20.

 

CFS Licensing Unit Coordinator:

This position is responsible to determine licensing for authorized licensing agents (Tribal Nation, Nexus PATH, etc.), provide direct technical assistance, resource and referral to current and prospective foster care providers. This position will offer coordination of licensing referrals, respond to inquiries, complete prospective foster parent reference checks, assist with data entry for direct deposits, manage the email inbox and unit call center for immediate communication with constituents. The coordinators will maintain the ND Provider List of current homes licensed by the CFS Licensing Unit, engage in local recruitment and retention coalitions, training of providers and statewide partners, while reviewing compliance of licensing files and providing general technical assistance and quality assurance on behalf of the CFS Licensing Unit.

 

CFS Licensing Specialist:

This position is responsible to facilitate initial and ongoing face-to-face onsite home study assessments in efforts to license a prospective individual or family to provide foster care to children. Assessments include traveling to meet face-to-face with families for interviewing, visual home inspection, review of policy, offering of training, coordination of licensing files and ability to maintain accurate details required of the ND Provider list of homes licensed by the CFS Licensing Unit. This position will provide pre-service training to prospective foster parents, maintain ongoing relationships, engage in local recruitment and retention coalitions, identify ongoing supports to retain families, while engaging in general quality assurance for the CFS Licensing Unit.

 

CFS Licensing and Level of Care Specialist:

This position is responsible to facilitate initial and ongoing face-to-face onsite assessments for Qualified Residential Treatment Program (QRTP), Licensed child Placing Agency (LCPA), maternity home licensing as well as certification of shelter programs. This position is responsible to assist the Licensing and Level of Care Administrator in creating level of care standards to support child welfare case managers in making placement decisions, level of care decisions when children are placed in a licensed child placing agencies and facility providers. This position will manage the statewide shelter and respite program including claim and reimbursement to providers, while offering support and coverage for the CFS Licensing Unit in completing home study assessments for family foster care providers and engaging in general quality assurance for the Licensing Unit.