WAG 04-01-08-a: Children Removed From Home (Active Cases)

PM 04-01-08-a.

  1. (DCFS) Sends Notice of Foster Care Placement (CFS 1868) to the Family Community Resource Center when a child receiving TANF Cash is removed from the home. When it is a Norman case situation, NORMAN is stamped on the top of the form.
  2. (FCRC) Upon receipt of a NORMAN CFS 1868, use ACM or IPACS to enter:
    • Item 78 code D for the absent child(ren); and 
    • Reduce the number eating together in Item 23, excluding the absent child(ren) from the FS unit; and
    • a Category 98 cross-reference case number in Item 60 for each absent child; and
    • Item 80 code 173 NORMN with a 4-digit date (MM/YY) under PERSONS. This date is the month after the month in which DCFS plans to return the children to the home. If the return date is not set or is more than 3 months after the effective month, enter the 3rd month after the effective month.
  3. (FCRC) Complete the bottom section of CFS 1868 and distribute the copies as described on the form.

The case remains eligible for up to 6 fiscal months following the fiscal month in which the children were removed. Eligibility must be reviewed at least every 3 months or more often if a change is expected.

Case Review

  1. (FCRC) Review the case the month before the code 173 month.  Check with the Bureau of Local Office Transactions and Support Service (LOTS) at (217)785-3816 and the client and do the following:
    1. If the children have been returned to the home, change Item 78 code D to "-". Remove the 98 case number from Item 60 and code 173 from Item 80.  Increase the number eating together in Item 23 to include the child(ren) in the FS unit.
    2. If DCFS expects to return the children within another 3 months, change the code 173 date to the month after the expected return date. The absent child is not eligible for FS until returned to the home.
    3. If DCFS no longer expects to return the children to the home within 180 days from the date of removal and there is no other eligible child in the home, cancel the TANF case using TA 22/TAR 76, No Eligible Child in the Home.  If the case has active FS stamps, the system centrally issues Transitional Food Stamps (TFS) for the remaining eligible FS unit members. Enter the new number of eligible people for TFS in Code 172 box on the additional entry screen when the case is being canceled.
    4. If DCFS no longer expects to return the absent child(ren) to the home within 180 days from the date of removal and another eligible child is in the home, delete the absent child(ren) and Item 80 code 173.
  2. (System) Centrally cancels the case if code 173 is not updated or removed by terminal cut-off for the month after the code 173 month.

Scheduled Hearing on Return of the Children

DCFS notifies the Bureau of Family Community Resource Center Transactions and Support Service (LOTS), who notifies the Family Community Resource Center within 3 days of a scheduled hearing whether or not the child was returned to the home by DCFS.

When the children are returned to the home, remove the 98 case number from Item 60, change Item 78 code D to "-", and delete code 173 from Item 80.

If there are no eligible children in the home by terminal cut-off for the 7th fiscal month, cancel the case as follows:

  1. Use ACM or IPACS to enter TA 22/TAR 76, No Eligible Child in the Home.
  2. If the case has active FS, the system centrally issues Transitional Food Stamps (TFS) for the remaining eligible FS unit members. Enter the new number of eligible people for TFS in Code 172 box on the additional entry screen when the case is being canceled.

Example: The client's only child is removed by DCFS in fiscal 09/02. The CFS 1868 is stamped NORMAN and no return date is known. Effective fiscal 10/02, the Family Community Resource Center enters the child's 98 case number in Item 60, code D in Item 78 for the child, and code 173 NORMN with 01/03 under PERSONS in Item 80. In 12/02, the Family Community Resource Center does a case review. The child has not been returned to the home, but DCFS expects to take action by 03/03. The local office changes the code 173 date to 04/03. In 03/03 the Family Community Resource Center does another case review. If the child has not been returned by terminal cut-off for 04/03, cancel the case effective 04/03 due to no eligible child in the home (TA 22/TAR 76). If the case has active FS, the system centrally issues Transitional Food Stamps (TFS) for the remaining eligible FS unit members. The Family Community Resource Center enters the new number of eligible people for TFS in Code 172 box on the additional entry screen when the case is being canceled.