In the fall, RCPA notified member providers of implementation of a statewide time study process for all placement services that are eligible for Title IV-E reimbursement. As part of that initial plan providers were slated to attend training on the standardized time study process during the early months of 2020. Initial time study periods were planned for April/May 2020. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the efforts to stop the spread of this virus, trainings for the standardized time study process scheduled for late March/early April were cancelled.

With stress and operational challenges that providers are facing and are expected to continue facing in the upcoming months, OCYF is suspending the training and implementation of time study reporting periods for Title IV-E eligible placement services until 2021.

While the official standardized time study training and implementation of time study reporting periods is delayed until 2021, OCYF will continue to prepare for launch of the standardized statewide time study process. This includes working with individual Title IV-E eligible providers that have been identified as needing to participate in the identification and coordination of time study needs, and revising the instructions for the upcoming budget packet submissions to incorporate the statewide time study process.

See this letter from OCYF Deputy Secretary Jon Rubin for full details. For further information, please contact RCPA Children’s Division Director Jim Sharp.