29-2260.02.

Department of Health and Human Services; administer Title IV-E state plan; Office of Probation Administration; powers and duties.

The Department of Health and Human Services, as the single state agency administering the Title IV-E state plan, has the authority to enter into the agreement with the Office of Probation Administration to act as a surrogate of the Department of Health and Human Services to administer the Title IV-E state plan for children it has placement and care authority of. The Department of Health and Human Services as the public agency administering or supervising the administration of the Title IV-E state plan in accordance with section 472(a)(2)(B)(ii) of the federal Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 672(a)(2)(B)(ii), to obtain federal reimbursement for allowable maintenance, administrative, and training expenses in accordance with Title IV-E of the federal Social Security Act, Public Law 96-272, Public Law 105-89, and Public Law 110-351, maintains the ultimate responsibility to supervise the Office of Probation Administration's activities regarding the Title IV-E requirements for eligible children served under the agreement.

The Office of Probation Administration has placement and care responsibility for juveniles in out-of-home placement, also known as foster care, described in subdivision (1), (2), (3)(b), or (4) of section 43-247. Placement and care constitutes accountability for the day-to-day care and protection of juveniles. The responsibility of having placement and care includes the development of an individual case plan for the juvenile, including periodic review of the appropriateness and suitability of the plan and the foster care placement, to ensure that proper care and services are provided to facilitate return to the juvenile's own home or to make an alternative placement. The case plan activities include such items as assessing family strength and needs, identifying and using community resources, and the periodic review and determination of continued appropriateness of placement. Placement and care does not include rights retained by the legal custodian, including, but not limited to, provisions and decisions surrounding education, morality, religion, discipline, and medical care.