What are Caregiver Supports?

The Caregiver Supports Contract is for all caregivers taking care of DCYF children and youth placed in out-of-home care (foster care). This includes relatives and kin. The goal is to match caregivers with needed services and supports and increase placement stability by preparing caregivers to support children and youth placed in their care.

The type and level of support each caregiver gets is based on the child’s documented Caregiver Supports Resource Level. The level is decided on when a child or youth enters foster care.

Caregiver Supports Resource Level Assessment (Rate Assessment)

Rate Assessment Timeline

In January 2024, DCYF replaced their previous assessment system with a new, seven-level caregiver supports model.  

When children and youth enter out-of-home care, DCYF staff gather information from several places. This includes the youth, parents, Health Care Authority, and other significant people in the child’s or youth’s life etc. All this information helps them in assigning a Caregiver Supports Level.

Each Caregiver Supports Level has its own foster care payment rates for licensed caregivers. Each level also has placement support services available to both licensed and unlicensed caregivers.

DCYF staff will make an introductory assessment within the first seven days of placement. Next, we will finalize the level using information about the youth that we get from the Health Care Authority.

• If a caregiver believes information about the child's needs was missed or not considered in a level assessment, they can appeal to make sure that information is reviewed and considered.
• Caregivers can request a re-assessment of the caregiver resource level whenever there is a change in health-related circumstances or a new diagnosis. 

Payments

For more payment information, visit All Families & Caregivers Supports & Resources.

Placement Support Services

These services are provided by contractors awarded through a bidding process and are based on the location of the caregiver’s home. Caregivers must have current placement of a DCYF dependent child or youth to receive placement support services. The type and frequency of support services are determined by a DCYF child or youth’s assessed caregiver resource level on an ongoing basis (see above).

Caregivers are eligible to receive caregiver support services if they choose to assist in meeting the unique needs of the young person in their care. Placements or additional services in which the caregiver and young person would not be eligible to receive support services include:

• If the young person moves out of the caregiver’s home
• If the young person begins to receive Behavioral Rehabilitation Services (BRS)
• If the caregiver is certified through a Child Placing Agency (CPA)
• If the young person moves out of state through an Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC)
• If the young person transitions to Trial Return Home 
• If the young person is in Extended Foster Care (EFC) and receives foster care payments directly through a Supervised Independent Living (SIL) arrangement

Read the Caregiver Supports Project FAQ for more information.

Caregiver Support Types 

All caregivers have two different resources available for support:

1. A local Caregiver Supports Contractor (you'll find all important information on this page)
2. Alliance Caregiver Retention, Education, and Support (CaRES) program.

Both services support caregiver longevity by providing placement supports and resources. Caregiver Supports are tied to a young person being placed in your home and are based on the young person’s support level. CaRES is available at all points in a caregivers’ fostering journey, and the same resources are available before, during, and after placement.

What does support look like?

• Education advocacy
• Coordinating medical and health related appointments 
• Child care support
• Care that is appropriate for children and youth’s culture and stage of development
• Ways to support children as they become adults
• Creating strategies to manage behavioral health
• Help during crisis and emergencies
• Pre-authorized Case Aide hours for children with a support level of 3 - 7

What are Contractors Required to Do?

• Outreach to caregivers following placement of DCYF youth.
• Creation of a Caregiver Support Plan (CSP) within 60 days of outreach. This includes working with people the caregiver picked as support persons. This plan is updated every three months
• Ongoing and on-call placement support services.

Behavioral Case Aide Hours

DCYF Caregivers who accept placement of children and youth whose support level are between 3 and 7, will have access to pre-authorized Behavioral Case Aide hours. The type and level of support each caregiver gets is based on the child’s documented Caregiver Supports Resource Level.

Catchment Area Providers by Location