Foster Care Rate Setting

Rates Information for Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Programs (STRTP), Intensive Services Foster Care (ISFC) and Foster Family Agencies

General Information and Definitions

Regulations

 MPP Division 11, Chapter 11-400 Through 11-430

Foster Care Rates Lists

Foster Care Rates-Related Information Letters

All County Letters (ACL)

  • ACL 23-87 (October 8, 2023) Sharing Ratios for Foster Care Rates for Fiscal Year 2023-24
  • ACL 23-65 (July 27, 2023) AFDC-Foster Care California Necessities Index Increases for Fiscal Year 2023-24
  • ACL 22-76 (August 30, 2022) Sharing Ratios for Foster Care Rates for Fiscal Year 2022-23
  • ACL 22-59 (July 7, 2022) Aid To Families With Dependent Children-Foster Care And Home-Based Family Care California Necessities Index Increases And Other Rate Increases for FY 2022-23
  • ACL 22-21: (March 8, 2022) Guidelines For Counties To Request A Program-Specific Or Child-Specific Rate For An Innovative Model Of Care To Support Children And Non-Minor Dependents With Complex Needs Unable To Be Met In Existing AFDC-FC Programs Or Using Alternative Funding Sources
  • ACL 21-119: (October 1, 2021) Complex Care Funding Opportunity, Requirements and Guidelines
  • ACL 21-108: (September 27, 2021) Sharing Ratios for Foster Care Rates Fiscal Year 2021-22
  • ACL 21-103 (September 13, 2021) Guidelines for Placing Children with a Parent who is in a Licensed Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Facility, Using a Voluntary Placement Agreement
  • ACL 21-76: (June 26, 2021) Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) And Home-Based Family Care (HBFC) California Necessities Index (CNI) Increases and Other Rate Increases. FY 2021
  • ACIN I-38-21: (May 11, 2021) Re-Organization Of The Children And Family Services Division
  • ACL 20-104: (September 15, 2020) Wraparound Rate Correction To ACL 20-78 And Sharing Ratios For Foster Family Agencies, Intensive Services Foster Care, Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Programs, Community Treatment Facilities, Group Homes And Transitional Housing Placement – Non-Minor Dependent Programs For Fiscal Year 2020-21
  • ACL 20-78: (July 1, 2020) Aid To Families With Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) And Home-Based Family Care California Necessities Index (CNI) Increases And Other Rate Increases FY 2020
  • ACL 19-91: (September 6, 2019) Sharing Ratios For Foster Family Agencies, Intensive Services Foster Care, Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Programs, Community Treatment Facilities, Group Homes And Transitional Housing Placement – Non-Minor Dependent Programs For Fiscal Year 2019-20
  • ACL 19-70: Aid To Families With Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) And Home-Based Family Care (HBFC) California Necessities Index (CNI) Increases And Other Rate Increases FY 2019
  • ACL 18-145: Sharing Ratios For Foster Family Agencies, Intensive Services Foster Care, Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Programs, Community Treatment Facilities, Group Homes And Transitional Housing Placement Plus Foster Care Programs For Fiscal Year 2018-19
  • ACL 18-89: Aid to Families with Dependent Children- Foster Care Home Based Index Increases and other rate increases; rate policy as to youth ages 18-21
  • ACL 18-88: Establishment of a Services-Only Rate to secure additional services and supports
  • ACL 18-25: Implementation Of The Intensive Services Foster Care (ISFC) Program
  • ACL 18-06 ERRATA: Implementation date change for the home-based family care (HBFC) - Level of Care (LOC) rate determination protocol and instructions
  • ACL 18-06: Implementation date change for the home-based family care (HBFC) - Level of Care (LOC) rate determination protocol and instructions
  • ACL 17-111: Delayed implementation of the Home-Based Family Care Level of Care (LOC) Rate Determination Protocol
  • ACL 17-89: Sharing ratios for Foster Family Agency (FFA), Intensive Services Foster Care (ISFC), Short-term Residential Therapeutic Program (STRTP), Community Treatment Facility (CTF), Group Home (GH) and Transitional Housing Placement Plus Foster Care (THP+FC) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2016-17 and FY 2017-18 and CTF rate for FY 2017-18
  • ACL 17-75: (July 13, 2017) Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC_FC) California Necessities Index (CNI) increases and other rate increases
  • ACL 17-67: (July 5, 2017) Clarification on the "Supplement to the Rate Questionnaire", SOC 837 form, for Dual Agency Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC_FC), Adoption Assistance Program (AAP), and Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment (KIN-GAP) children
  • ACL 17-11: (January 31, 2017) Phase II Implementation Of The Continuum Of Care Reform (CCR) Home-Based Family Care (HBFC) And Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program (STRTP) Rates Structure And Conversion Process From The Old Rate Structure To The New Rate Structure
  • ACL 16-79: (September 22, 2016) Information About The Continuum Of Care Reform (CCR) Home-Based Family Care (HBFC) And Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program (STRTP) Rates Structure And Conversion Process From The Old Rate Structure To The New Rate Structure.
  • ACL 16-72: (September 7, 2016) Reimbursement Process For Accreditation Fees.
  • ACL 16-65: (August 19, 2016) Assembly Bill (AB) 403 Group Home Extension Request To Continue Placements And Current Rate Classification Level (RCL) Rate.
  • ACL 16-57: (July 1, 2016) Aid To Families With Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) California Necessities Index (CNI) Increases And Other Rate Increases.
  • ACL 16-54: Clarifying instructions regarding eligibility for the Dual Agency Rate
  • ACL 16-50: Additional payment for a Non-minor Dependent (NMD) Parent in a Supervised Independent Living Placement (SILP) Questions and Answers
  • ACL 16-05:(January 21, 2016) Nationally Recognized Accreditation Agencies Identified By The California Department Of Social Services (CDSS) To Be Used For Accreditation By Foster Family Agencies And Short-Term Residential Treatment Centers (STRTCs).
  • ACL 15-74: Sharing Ratios For Group Home Programs Fiscal Year 2015-16 (October 14, 2015)
  • ACL 15-67: Additional payment for Non-minor Dependent (NMD) Parent in a Supervised Independent Living Placement (SILP)
  • ACL 15-58E: Errata To Aid To Families With Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) California Necessities Index (CNI) Increases And Other Rate Increases (July 20, 2015)
  • ACL 15-58: Aid To Families With Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) California Necessities Index (CNI) Increases And Other Rate Increases (July 2, 2015)
  • ACL 15-07: Notice of forms and instructions for Foster care Overpayments
  • ACL 14-104: Transitional Housing Placement Plus Foster Care (THP+FC) California Necessities Index (CNI) Increase; Update On Sharing Ratios (December 23, 2014)
  • ACL 14-74 : Sharing Ratios For Group Home Programs Fiscal Year (FY) 2014-15. (October 9, 2014)
  • ACL 14-44: Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) California Necessities Index (CNI) Increases and Other Rate Increases (July 28, 2014)
  • ACL 14-18:Sharing Ratios For Transitional Housing Program Plus Foster Care (THP+FC) Programs, Fiscal Year (FY) 2012-13 And 2013-14 (February 13, 2014)
  • ACL 13-92: Sharing Ratios for Group Home Programs Fiscal Year 2013-14 (November 20, 2013)
  • ACL 13-62E:Aid To Families With Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) California Necessities Index (CNI) Increases and Other Rate Increases (dated November 25, 2013)
  • ACL 13-62:Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) California Necessities Index (CNI) Increases and Other Rate Increases (dated August 14, 2013)
  • ACL 12-57: Sharing Ratios For Group Home Programs Fiscal Year (FY) 2012-13 (dated November 2, 2012)
  • ACL 12-44: Transitional Housing Placement-Plus-Foster Care and Changes to Transitional Housing Placement Program and Transitional Housing Program-Plus (dated September 11, 2012)
  • ACL 12-43: Aid To Families With Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) California Necessities Index (CNI) Increases And Other Rate Increases; Clarification Of The Continuation Of AFDC-FC Benefits Beyond Age 19 (dated August 16, 2012)
  • ACL 12-40: Continued Moratorium On The Acceptance And Processing Of Group Home Rate Applications (dated September 18, 2012)
  • ACL 11-75:Sharing Ratios For Group Home Programs Fiscal Year (FY) 2011-12
  • ACL 11-71: Extension Of Moratorium On The Acceptance And Processing Of Group Home Rate Applications (dated October 20, 2011)
  • ACL 11-54: Aid to Families with Dependent Children - Foster Care (AFDC-FC) California Necessities Index (CNI) Increase in Group Home (GH) Rates (dated July 27, 2011)
  • ACL 10-66: Moratorium on the Acceptance and Processing of Group Home Rates Applications (dated December 24, 2010)
  • ACL 10-50: Sharing Ratios For Group Home Programs Fiscal Year (FY) 2010-11 Sharing Ratios For Group Home Programs Fiscal Year (FY) 2010-11 (dated November 10, 2010)
  • ACL 10-38: California Alliance of Child and Family Services v. Cliff Allenby, et.al. Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) California Necessities Index Increase in Group Home Rates (dated July 20, 2010)
  • ACL 10-15: California Alliance of Child and Family Services v. Cliff Allenby, et.al. (dated March 15, 2010)
  • ACL 10-02: Aid To Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) Foster Family Agency Rates and Group Home Adjusted Point Ranges (dated January 29, 2010)
  • ACL 09-76: California Alliance of Child and Family Services v. John Wagner, et.al. Preliminary Injunction Prohibiting Reductions to Group Home Rates (dated November 25, 2009)
  • ACL 09-72: California Alliance of Child and Family Services v. John Wagner, et.al. Temporary Restraining Order Prohibiting Reductions to Group Home Rates (dated November 9, 2009)
  • ACL 09-65: Sharing Ratios for Group Home Programs Fiscal Year 2009-10 (dated November 5, 2009)
  • ACL 09-45:Aid To Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care, Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment Program and Adoption Assistance Program (dated September 30, 2009)
  • ACL 09-18: Revisions to Various Eligibility, Operational, Reporting, and Foster Parent Training Components of Intensive Treatment Foster Care Programs (dated June 3, 2009)
  • ACL 08-01: Aid To Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care, Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment Program and Adoption Assistance Program Rates (dated January 17, 2008)
  • ACL 07-36: Sharing Ratios For Group Home Programs (dated October 15, 2007)
  • ACL 07-15EII: Erratum II: Correction To All-County Letter (ACL) 07-15, DATED MARCH 21, 2007 and Erratum to ACL 07-15, DATED March 29, 2007 (dated June 28, 2007)
  • ACL 07-15E: Erratum: Correction To All-County Letter (ACL) 07-15,
    (dated March 29, 2007)
  • ACL 07-15: Overpayment Collection and Reporting Requirements of Federal Title IV-E Funds for the Foster Care and Adoption Assistance Program (dated March 21, 2007)
  • ACL 06-48: Title IV-E Foster Care and Adoption Assistance Program Improper Payments (dated December 11, 2006)
  • ACL 06-12: Sharing Ratios for Group Home Programs (dated July 26, 2006)
  • ACL 06-04: Minor Dependent Parents in Foster Care (dated June 20, 2006)
  • ACL 05-25: Biennial Rate Application Requirements (dated September 30, 2005)
  • ACL 05-24: Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) and Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment (kin-gap) Program Rates (dated September 22, 2005)
  • ACL 01-55 Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) and Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment (Kin-Gap) Program Rates (dated August 22, 2001)

All County Information Letters (ACIN)

  • ACIN I-73-23 Level of Care Rate Determination Protocol Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) (December 14, 2023)
  • ACIN I-86-22 Guidance To Counties And Providers On Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program Placement And Institution For Mental Disease Transitions (December 30, 2022)
  • ACIN I-36-19: Fifth Group Home Rate Extensions; Requirements For Counties To Continue Group Home Placements And The Implications For Placement Funding
  • ACIN I-79-18: Phase Four Group Home Extension Request To Continue Placements And Current Rate Classification Level (RCL) Rate, And The Implications For Placement Funding (dated November 15, 2018)
  • ACIN I-37-18: Continuum of Care Reform (CCR) Group Home Extension request to continue placements and current Rate Classification Level (RCL) Rate
  • ACIN I-75-17: Assembly Bill (AB) 403 Group Home Extension Request to continue placements and current Rate Classification Level (RCL) Rate
  • ACIN I-50-16: Continuum Of Care Reform (CCR) (Assembly Bill (AB) 403 General Information) (July 8, 2016)
  • ACIN I-42-16:Assessments To Determine The Appropriateness Of The Group Home Placement For Children And Youth In Group Home Care Over One Year In Duration And Plans For Transitioning Into A Home-Based Family Care Setting (dated June 30, 2016)
  • ACIN 1-02-15:Title IV-E Foster Care Eligibility Review (dated January 15, 2015)
  • ACIN I-61-07: Online Change Reports for Group Home Rate Information (dated October 26, 2007)
  • ACIN I-43-98: Rate Termination of Group Home Programs With Self-Dealing Transactions, Including Affiliated Leases (dated August 5, 1998)

Foster Care Audits and Rates Letters (FCARL)

  • FCARL NO. 2022-01 - Attachment A - Transition Plan
    • Second Round of Transition Funding Availability and Application Process for Eligible STRTP Providers Potentially Impacted by Institution of Mental Disease (IMD) Determinations (October 24, 2022)
  • FCARL NO 2021-02 -  Attachment A - Transition Plan 
    • Extended Due Date - March 4, 2022  Funding Availability and Application Process for Eligible STRTP Providers Potentially Impacted by Institution of Mental Disease (IMD) Determinations  (December 16, 2021)

Rate Application Requirements

Contact Us

Children and Family Services Division

System of Care Branch

Foster Care Rates and Data Section 
744 P Street, MS 8-3-570 
Sacramento, CA 95814
Fosterca@dss.ca.gov