1. First National Conference on Substance Abuse, Child Welfare and the Dependency Court Improving the Child Welfare System’s Response to Families Affected by Substance Abuse Disorders: Lessons Learned from the Title IV-E Child Welfare Waiver Demonstrations in Illinois and New Hampshire Baltimore, MD July 14 - 15, 2004

2. Presenters Gail Collins, MPA Children’s Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Bernie Bluhm New Hampshire Division for Children, Youth and Families Glenda Kaufman Kantor, Ph.D. Family Research Laboratory, University of New Hampshire Rosie Gianforte, LCSW Illinois Department of Children & Family Services Joseph Ryan, Ph.D. Children and Family Research Center University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

3. Introduction Child welfare services are funded through multiple Federal, State and local sources. Title IV-E of the Social Security Act is the largest single source of Federal funding for child welfare programs.

4. Basics of Title IV-E Title IV-E provides funding to States for a portion of their foster care and adoption assistance costs for eligible children. IV-E is an open-ended entitlement program—there is no cap on the amount that States can claim. Use of IV-E funds is restricted.

5. Basics of Title IV-E IV-E pays for room and board for eligible children in foster care and for allowable administrative costs. IV-E funds can’t be used for services to prevent placement into foster care or to facilitate reunification of children with their families.

6. Title IV-E Waiver Projects Section 1130 of the Social Security Act authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to approve as many as 10 States per year to conduct demonstration projects involving the waiver of certain requirements of Title IV-E. Waiver demonstration projects are intended to test new approaches to the delivery and financing of child welfare services.

7. Title IV-E Waiver Projects Child welfare waiver demonstration projects must be cost neutral to the Federal government. Projects must be evaluated by an independent evaluator.

8. Title IV-E Waiver Projects 12 States are currently operating waiver demonstration projects. Project topics include capped flexible funding, subsidized guardianship, managed care, intensive service options, tribal administration of IV-E funds, adoption services, and substance abuse-related topics.

9. Title IV-E Waiver Projects New Hampshire and Illinois will present findings on working with families with substance abuse problems.