SECTION 340:75-7-53. Difficulty of care (DOC) payments for the eligible child

(a)   DOC payments available for the eligible child in certain types of foster care placements.

(1)   DOC rates are available to reimburse the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS), tribal, supported, or coordinated foster care resource parent for additional care and supervision required due to the child's extraordinary physical, mental, or emotional needs.

(2)   DOC reimbursement is not available to the child in a specialized community home, specialized foster care and agency companion through Developmental Disabilities Services, community-based residential care, inpatient care, or a therapeutic foster care home.

(3)   The resource parent is eligible for pro-rated DOC payments when the child attends an Indian boarding school, Oklahoma Schools for the Deaf or Blind, or a similar residential program and returns to the resource home for weekends or school vacations.

(A)   When the child returns to the resource home for school vacations the monthly DOC rate is used.

(B)   The days the child spends in the resource home are documented in KIDS and the DOC payment is automatically generated.

(4)   The resource parent is eligible for the DOC payment for up to 10-calendar days during each of the child's health or behavioral health hospitalization events when the child is expected to return to the resource home.

(b)   DOC rates and descriptions. DOC reimbursements are provided for the eligible child in addition to the foster care maintenance or adoption assistance payment, per DHS Appendix C-20, Child Welfare Services Rates Schedule.

(1)   The descriptions in DHS Appendix C-20 are used as guidelines from which DHS makes the most appropriate increase recommendation.

(2)   Not every situation clearly fits in one rate category.

(3)   The child's age is considered when determining the appropriate rate category.

(4)   When approved, DOC payments are:

(A)   not retroactive unless an exception was approved; and

(B)   available the first day of the month the DOC rate is requested.

(c)   DOC request. The resource parent or DHS may initiate the request for DOC payments.

(1)   The DOC review process is completed within 10-calendar days after receipt of all information necessary to make a determination.

(2)   Each DOC authorization is limited to six months.

[Source: Amended at 13 Ok Reg 3927, eff 4-29-96 (emergency); Amended at 14 Ok Reg 656, eff 12-12-96 (emergency); Amended at 14 Ok Reg 2288, eff 6-12-97; Amended at 15 Ok Reg 416, eff 11-1-97 (emergency); Amended at 15 Ok Reg 1663, eff 5-11-98; Amended at 19 Ok Reg 2226, eff 6-27-02; Amended at 21 Ok Reg 2385, eff 6-25-04; Amended at 22 Ok Reg 1242, eff 5-26-05; Amended at 25 Ok Reg 1335, eff 6-1-08; Amended at 30 Ok Reg 839, eff 7-1-13; Amended at 35 Ok Reg 1695, eff 9-17-18]