NORTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA
April 13, 2010

	PI- 10-04

TO:		Regional Supervisors, CSSB
		Division of Juvenile Services
		Directors, County Social Services

FROM:	Dean Sturn, Foster Care Administrator

SUBJECT:	Division of Juvenile Services – Foster Youth

PROGRAMS:	Foster Care Maintenance Payments - 623-05-15-75

RETENTION: 	Until Manualized

A request has been made to clarify when a child under the custody of the Division of Juvenile Services must be entered into the FRAME system and considered part of the foster care universe.

Children who are removed from their home and initially placed in the Youth Correctional Center (YCC), or non-foster care arrangement, are not to be entered into FRAME.    If at a later point the child enters a paid foster care placement, the case should then be entered into FRAME.  Accordingly, a case plan is required within 30 days from the date the child is placed in a paid foster care placement and all foster care requirements must be met.

Children who are subsequently moved to YCC, or to a non-foster care arrangement, and who are expected to return to a foster care setting should continue to be open in FRAME and included in the AFCARS reporting population.  The child’s move should be reported as a placement change and recorded as an institutional foster care setting.  If, however, DJS does not expect the child to return to a foster care setting, the child may be closed in FRAME as of the date the child left the foster care situation and a reason for discharge should be entered.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.  Thanks.