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Critical Needs Fund for Child Welfare High-Risk Populations

 

 

THE CRITICAL NEEDS FUND WILL RE-OPEN ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15 AT 8:00 AM, FOR MEDICAL FOSTER HOMES ONLY

 

About the Critical Needs Fund for Child Welfare High-Risk Populations​

 

The goal of the Critical Needs Fund for Child Welfare High-Risk Populations is to prevent placement disruption and/or instability due to the financial impacts of COVID-19 in Florida. Children in the targeted population groups are particularly vulnerable, as de-stabilized placements could lead to preventable exposure to COVID-19, and/or result in other adverse health and well-being outcomes. The CWSP Reinvestment Fund aims to offer a low-barrier application process which will expedite distribution of needed funds. Applicants may receive up to $500 in assistance per qualifying child.

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For the currently available round of funding, qualifying children must meet both of the following two criteria:

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  1. The child must be currently enrolled in the Sunshine Health Child Welfare Specialty Plan, and

  2. The child must be designated as a Medical Foster Care placement.

 

 

Awarded funds may only be used for expenses that are not covered by Medicaid.

IMPORTANT: Applications will be evaluated in the order in which they are received.

 

About the Sunshine Health Child Welfare Specialty Plan Reinvestment Fund:

 

The Sunshine Health Child Welfare Specialty Plan Reinvestment Fund was created in 2017 by the partners of the Sunshine Health Child Welfare Specialty Plan, a Florida Medicaid Managed Medical Assistance Program designed to provide services to Florida Medicaid-eligible children under the age of 21 years who have an open case in the Florida Safe Families Network (FSFN) and Florida Medicaid-eligible children who have been adopted through the state’s child welfare system and are receiving a state adoption subsidy. The Child Welfare Specialty Plan is administered by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), which contracts with Sunshine Health to serve this specialty population. Sunshine Health sub-contracts with Community Based Care Integrated Health (CBCIH) to perform critical functions of the Child Welfare Specialty Plan.

 

While tremendous strides have been made in providing comprehensive healthcare coverage to youth in foster care under Sunshine Health’s Child Welfare Specialty Plan, gaps in coverage still exist. In addition to working alongside colleagues at the Florida Department of Children and Families to expand coverage, this partner-funded reinvestment plan is designed to proactively address the following priorities:

 

  • Fund programs designed to increase system capacity and to make the provider network more robust.

  • Fund programs designed to address gaps in Medicaid coverage for youth in foster care.

 

The CWSP Reinvestment Fund is managed on behalf of the partners by Embrace Families Foundation, Inc.

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