La. Admin. Code tit. 67 § V-3503

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section V-3503 - Reimbursement Rates for Residential Facilities

A. Office of Community Services (OCS) will implement a competitive solicitation process as a means to select all private residential facility-based programs to serve foster children and to establish per diem rates for that residential service. The department's published Prospective Provider Procedure will be followed. The department may adjust the cycle for the competitive solicitation process when the appointing authority of the OCS determines that an emergency situation exists or other exigent circumstances require the adjustment of the cycle in order to facilitate the provision of appropriate services to children.

B. Individuals and/or agencies currently providing residential services to OCS foster children and those that contact the Department of Social Services, Office of Community Services (OCS) wishing to provide residential services to foster children funded by OCS are placed on a prospective provider list. All persons and agencies on the list will be notified at the time that the office seeks to develop residential services for foster children in a specific geographic area. The current and prospective residential providers will be mailed a full description of the type and scope of programs sought in geographic areas along with an invitation to submit to OCS a proposal for that service. The notification will include a list of other materials that providers may request/need to assist proposers in preparation of their proposals. The name and telephone number of an OCS representative will be given to prospective providers to contact for more information.

1. A committee of professionals from OCS will evaluate the proposals according to criteria included in the packet of materials. The committee will select the program(s) most fitting the needs of the Foster Care Program.

C. Each proposal will include a submitted per diem cost bid with a budget in accordance with the instructions for the solicitation. This competitive process, resulting selections and final negotiations constitutes OCS' rate setting process as rates will be based on market economy and proposer's fiscal projections for programs. The final rate for each provider can be negotiated down from the bid rate, but in no case will be higher than the bid rate. The use of the residential beds at the rate set through this process will be done on a case-by-case basis by the OCS case worker(s) as the need arises. There are no guarantees of specific sums of monthly or annual payments or referrals of clientele.

D. The department reserves the right to cancel the solicitation if the expenditures for the aggregately selected proposals would result in OCS exceeding available funds. In the event the department cancels the solicitation process, the department will freeze the rates for the current programs at the current amount. For rates issued for the 2000/2001 rate year, the department continues freezing the rates at the 1999/2000 amount.

La. Admin. Code tit. 67, § V-3503

Promulgated by the Department of Social Services, Office of Community Services, LR 14:542 (August 1988), amended LR 20:898 (August 1994), LR 25:1144 (June 1999), LR 26:1342 (June 2000), LR 27:735 (May 2001), LR 32:645 (April 2006).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S.15:1084.