Review of Kinship Foster Care Costs Which the New York State Department of Family Assistance Retroactively Claimed to the Emergency Assistance Program

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

This final report points out that New York retroactively claimed kinship foster care costs as emergency assistance (EA) costs, but claims, totaling $11.7 million (Federal share $5.8 million), did not meet Federal reimbursement requirements under the EA program. A statistical sample of 100 claims showed that 99 contained costs which were unallowable because the costs represented services provided outside the 12-month statutory limit for reimbursement under the EA program. One case was missing the needed authorization form. Since the Administration for Children and Families deferred these claims pending our review, we recommended that New York reduce their retroactive claim by $11.7 million.