NORTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA
November 5, 2008

	PI-08-16
TO:		Directors, County Social Service Boards
		Division of Juvenile Services
		Regional Supervisors
		Tribal Social Services

FROM:	Don Snyder, Administrator, Foster Care Program

SUBJECT:	School Transportation Costs Related to P.L. 110-351

PROGRAMS:	Foster Care Maintenance Payment 623-05-05-25; Category 50 – Transportation Costs 623-05-30-25 and
		Irregular payment charts (A) and (B)

On October 7, 2008, President Bush signed the H.R. 6893 “Fostering Connections to 
Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008” (P.L. 110-351).  Part of this new legislation requires state child welfare agencies to improve educational stability for children in foster care by coordinating with local education agencies to ensure that children remain in the school they are enrolled in at the time of placement into foster care, unless that would not be in the child’s best interests.  The cost of transportation from a child’s foster home to that child’s school is now an allowable cost through foster care maintenance.

Effective October 7, 2008, a separate foster care maintenance payment is available to foster parents who transport the foster child to the school in which the child is enrolled at the time of placement.  Reimbursement will not exceed the State rate.  

Foster parents can be reimbursed through the CCWIPS payment system as an irregular payment.  Use Code 51, under Category 50, to claim reimbursement for allowable school transportation expenses.  

If you have questions, please fee free to contact me.