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Emergency Placement Funds <br />Emergency Placement Funds are intended to temporarily assist county departments of social services in addressing <br />identified placement needs for children in the custody of the agencies who are awaiting a Medicaid leveled treatment <br />placement. While children await the location of the placement, these funds can be used to prevent them from staying <br />in a DSS office. <br />The Emergency Placement Fund is to be used to temporarily provide and arrange for essential needs of the <br />individual to establish or maintain a placement. The youth must be opened for 109 Foster Care Case Management <br />Services on a DSS-5027 or in the Child Welfare Information System in order for client specific costs to be claimed for <br />purposes of use #2 or #3 below. <br />NC DSS has identified the following promising practices which can be supported with these funds: <br />1. Maintain a crisis placement through a contract that pays a retainer to an identified placement provider who will <br />accept a temporary emergency placement until the appropriate behavioral health treatment placement is <br />located. <br />2. Pay a short-term temporary enhanced rate to an identified placement provider who is currently or will provide <br />care and supervision to youth who have behaviors that require an exceptional level of supervision. For children <br />who are awaiting a Medicaid leveled treatment placement, these funds can be used to pay a placement that will <br />aid in meeting the child's immediate needs. The amount above the board rate will be reimbursed by submitting <br />the DSS-1571 Part 11. <br />3. Other local solutions that prevent a child in DSS custody from spending a night in the DSS office while waiting on <br />the appropriate treatment placement as approved by NCDSS. The DSS Approved Alternative Option form must <br />be emailed to emergency placement fund(@dhhs.nc.gov. Determination will be made and emailed within 2 <br />business days. <br />To ensure sufficient funding for all counties including small counties, for SFY 2024-2025, all counties will receive a <br />base amount of $20,000 and the remainder of the funds will be allocated based on each county's percentage of <br />the foster care census. These amounts are listed on the attached spreadsheet. <br />The Emergency Placement Funds are available for use. No prior approval is needed by your agency to utilize this <br />funding for purposes of use #1 or #2, only for option #3. Expenditures from all EPF options must be reported on the <br />DSS-1571 Part II and counties should maintain documentation of costs claimed for audit purposes. <br />A Frequently Asked Questions document is available online here and will be updated as needed. <br />Utilization of funds will be monitored, and your agency may be contacted to determine if allocated funds will be <br />expended by May 31, 2025. If there are remaining funds in SFY 2024-2025, they may be reallocated to counties in <br />need of additional funds or to support other behavioral health initiatives. <br />If you have questions or need additional information regarding Emergency <br />Placement Funds, please send inquiries to <br />emergency placement fund(cDdhhs.nc.gov. <br />If you have questions or need additional information regarding bridge funding, please contact Erin Dickmeyer, Child <br />Welfare Financial Officer, at erin.dickmeyer(a0hhs.nc.gov. <br />NC DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES • DIVISION OF SOCIAL SERVICES <br />LOCATION: 820 S. Boylan Avenue, McBryde Building, Raleigh, NC 27603 <br />MAILINGAODREss: 2401 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-2401 <br />www.ncdhhs.gov • TEL:919-527-6404 • FAx:919-733-3052 <br />AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY / AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER <br />Page 269 <br />