Background

On February 9, 2018 the bipartisan Family First Prevention Services Act was signed into law.  This legislation requires residential agencies to meet the qualified residential treatment program (QRTP) requirements to receive Title IV-E reimbursable maintenance payments.  As of October 1, 2021, any residential agency that does not meet the QRTP requirements is not eligible for Title IV-E funding.  Further, all residential agencies must meet QRTP compliance by October 1, 2024 to maintain certification or licensure from either the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) or the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS). In preparation for Ohio’s implementation of QRTP requirements, ODJFS released two funding opportunities on September 16, 2020 to support residential agencies’ readiness activities through FCASPL 357 and FCASPL 358.

QRTP Compliance Timeline

A residential agency that is certified by ODJFS or OhioMHAS must meet the QRTP program requirements as follows:

Compliance Support

ODJFS is providing a one-time $10,000 grant opportunity to assist agencies certified by ODJFS and OhioMHAS in obtaining and maintaining compliance with the QRTP requirements.  This funding will provide resources and supports needed to meet QRTP requirements, as well as support implementation of best practices to enhance agency programming and promote QRTP sustainability. Funds cannot be approved for activities that have previously been funded through other Transition Act Funding opportunities. Below is additional information outlining eligible agencies, the amount of funding available and the services and supports that can be supported:

Eligibility:  

• Eligible Population:
  • Child serving ODJFS & OhioMHAS agencies (Children’s Residential Center, Group Home, Class 1 Residential, or Substance Use Disorder Residential/Withdrawal) certified or licensed prior to December 1, 2021.
• Ineligible Population:
  • Agencies involved with enforcement in their residential program.
  • Agencies not certified or licensed for the residential function by December 1, 2021.  

Allowable Funding Uses:

Permitted uses of the funding include:  

1.Accreditation:  

• Initial Accreditation of your residential program(s) with COA, TJC (JCAHO) or CARF
• Reaccreditation of your residential program(s) with COA, TJC (JCAHO) or CARF  

2.Trauma-Informed Care:  

• Support initial and continuing training of agency’s selected trauma model.  

3.Nursing and Clinical:  

• Costs incurred from developing an MOU or agreement for nursing and clinical requirement
• Legal costs incurred from developing an MOU or agreement for nursing and clinical requirement
• Assist in the development of a cross-agency approach to addressing the nursing capacity barriers such as contracting with an organization that hires nurses to make them available to QRTPs
  • Pool of nurses available to a QRTP must be identified through MOU or agreement process

1. Nurses must have all required background checks conducted by the QRTP
2. Nurses must have documentation of required trauma training  

4.Discharge Planning and After-Care Supports:

• Recruitment and retention of staff to coordinate after-care supports
• Documentation Requirements
  • Entering Discharge Planning and Aftercare activities into the Residential Treatment Information System (RTIS)
  • Medicaid billing activities

5.Other Services and Supports as approved by ODJFS or OhioMHAS  

Budget

A budget listing and detailing how the funds will be utilized must be provided with the application. Programs will need to retain receipts, invoices and documentation for auditing purposes.

Application

The menu of support application will open on November 15, 2021. An application may be submitted through January 16, 2022. Any applications not approved by April 15, 2022 will be denied. Eligible facilities must submit an application through the Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral Association (OCCRRA) dashboard at https://registry.occrra.org/​.

INSTRUCTIONS:

The following chart indicates what materials should be deleted from the Family, Children and Adult Services Manual (FCASM) and what materials are to be added in the FCASM.