Caregiver Resources

FCS (Family and Children’s Services) Supports:

While your assigned social worker is always available to help, the resources listed below are also available to you through Family and Children’s Services.

Resource Support Unit (RSU)

• RSU Supervisor: (831) 755-8423, RSU@co.monterey.ca.us

Resource Family Approval (RFA) Unit

• RFA@co.monterey.ca.us

Child Abuse Hotline

• 1-800-606-6618
• 831-755-4661
• Suspected Child Abuse Report (SCAR)
• Suspected Child Abuse Report
• Suspected Child Abuse Report Instructions
• Suspected Child Abuse Report
• Confidential Email: ReportChildAbuse@co.monterey.ca.us
• Child Abuse Prevention Council (CAPC)
  • The goal of CAPC of Monterey County is to reduce the incidence of child abuse and neglect. To achieve this goal CAPC coordinates prevention and awareness efforts in Monterey County. They provide free training for mandated reporters, educators, child care workers, and non-profit agencies that work with children. CAPC is a prime sponsor in support of community events and non-profit agencies who provide an array of family services. Members of the Council are appointed by the Board of Supervisors and represent a broad cross section of public officials, service organizations, and Monterey County citizens.
  • CAPC Director: (831) 769-8784

Relative Caregiver Supports:

Seneca Family of Agencies: Family Ties Program

The Family Ties Program offers comprehensive case management services to near kin and relative caregivers who have unexpectedly taken on the care of children.

• Address: 124 River Road, Salinas, CA 93908
• Address: 1180 Broadway Street, King City, CA 93930
• Phone: 831-443-0662
• Website: http://www.kinshipcenter.org/services/kinship-care/service-locations/monterey-county.html

Cash aid, Food Stamps, Medi-Cal

Financial assistance for relatives caring for children who are NOT in the foster care system

• Website: https://mc-choice.co.monterey.ca.us/programs/calworks/
• Salinas
  Address: 1000 S. Main Street, Suite 216, Salinas CA 93901
  Phone: 831-755-4650
  Toll Free: 1-866-323-1953
• Seaside
  Address: 1281 Broadway Avenue, Seaside, CA 93955
  Phone: 831-899-8001
  Toll Free: 1-866-323-1953
• King City
  Address: 116 Broadway Street, King City, CA 93930
  Phone: 831-385-7400
  Toll Free: 1-866-323-1953

Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment Program (Kin-GAP)

The Kin-GAP Program offers financial assistance and other support services such as Medi-Cal for a child who is placed with an approved relative legal guardian.

• Website for Information: https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/foster-care/kinship-guardianship-assistance
• Contact your assigned social worker or eligibility worker

Relative & Identified Placement Emergency (RIPE)

Financial reimbursement for relatives and nearkin, for items which will remove barriers to placement, and to maintain or establish a placement with a relative or nearkin placement. Contact your assigned social worker or RSU worker to apply.

Engaging Kinship Caregivers with Joseph Crumbley

• https://www.aecf.org/blog/engaging-kinship-caregivers-with-joseph-crumbley/

Financial Supports:

To access any of the below financial supports please contact your social worker.

Foster Care Reimbursement

• The current foster care monthly reimbursement rates in the state of California can be found on the CDSS website: https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/foster-care/foster-care-audits-and-rates/foster-care-rate-setting
• Monterey County FCS recommends the following breakdown of the monthly foster care reimbursement:

Level of Care Supplement

What is LOC?
The LOC Rate Protocol is a strengths-based approach for determining foster care rates. The protocol matches the individual care and supervision needs of foster children with a resource parent’s level of support.

LOC Assessment
Care and supervision needs of a child will be identified based on five core domains and scored based on a weighted point system. The LOC domains in the protocol tool are: Physical, Behavioral/Emotional, Educational, Health, and Permanency/ Family Services. The county social worker will utilize a domain matrix and scoring sheet to determine the LOC rate.

Timelines
The county social worker will complete a LOC Assessment at initial placement, change of placement, transition from a group home/ISFC home, and when requested by a resource parent. The social worker has 60 days from the time of placement to complete the LOC Assessment. If the resource parents requests a LOC Assessment, the social worker has 30 days from the date of the request to complete the assessment.

LOC Domains

1. Physical
   To meet the child’s activity of daily living needs
2. Behavioral/Emotional
   To promote resilience and emotional well-being, and to encourage child/ youth to engage in pro-social behavior and activities that can help to develop healthy relationships.
3. Educational
   To promote student achievement, foster educational excellence, and equal access to services; and when required, respond to suspensions and/or expulsions.
4. Health
   To promote the child’s health by arranging and facilitating health care and ensuring access to services that address special health care needs.
5. Permanency/Family Services
   To promote the development and maintenance of lifelong, supportive connections with members of biological families, natural support systems, and community of origin which promotes a sense of belonging, identity, and connection to culture.

How to Request a Higher LOC Rate
Ask your county social worker for a LOC assessment. You may also use the Resource Family Reporting Tool to inform your social worker of the care and supervision you are providing.

LOC Rates
There are 3 LOC rates based on the care a supervision provided by the resource parent. These rates are in addition to the base foster care rate:

Intensive Services Foster Care
The goal of ISFC is to ensure that children receive services they need in a home-based setting instead of a group home. The program requires a specially trained resource parent. If you believe your child needs ISFC and you are interested in training, consult with the social worker.

LOC FAQ’s

Specialized Care Increment (SCI)

What is SCI?
SCI is a supplemental payment to the family home provider, in addition to the Level of Care (LOC) rate, for the cost of providing supervision to meet the additional daily needs of a child who has behavioral, emotional, physical, and/or health challenges.

Monterey County’s New SCI Plan
Beginning April 1, 2021, county SCI plans are changing to align with the new LOC protocol. The SCI rates are being reduced to account for LOC rate increases. The new SCI will be paid only to address the behavioral, emotional, and physical requirements of a child in care above and beyond those covered by LOC.

SCI Rates Will Change
If you are currently receiving a SCI, you might see a change in your rate. The implementation of the new LOC protocol and SCI plan could cause an increase, decrease, or termination of SCI rates, which will be calculated at your next annual SCI reassessment. Please discuss the changes with the county social worker.

SCI Criteria
The foster child in your home must meet one of the following criterial to receive SCI:

1. Medical Conditions
   Drug/alcohol exposure, respiratory difficulties, diseases, failure to thrive, diabetes/heart disease, hemophilia, seizures, physical disabilities, brain injury, visual/hearing impairments, immune disorder, orthopedic abnormalities, or severe burns.
2. Developmental Disabilities
   Developmental delays, developmental disabilities (i.e. intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum, etc.), learning delays/disabilities, or sensory integration disorder.
3. Behavioral Issues
   Running away, aggressive, assaultive, animal cruelty, commercially sexually exploited child (CSEC), substance use, gang activity, fire setting, severe mental health issues (including suicidal ideation and/or self-harm), psychiatric hospitalizations, adjudicated violent offenses, significant property damage, sex offender/perpetrator, habitual truancy, or 3 or more placements due to child’s behavior.

How to Request a SCI
Ask your county social worker for a SCI assessment. The SCI criteria and supervision you provide will be discussed at the next Child and Family Team (CFT) meeting.

SCI Rates
There are 3 SCI tiers that a child can qualify for based on the number of criteria that the child meets:

Rate Determination
The county social worker will first complete a LOC assessment to determine a base rate. If the child has needs above and beyond those covered by LOC, the child will be assessed for a SCI.

SCI FAQ’s

CFT Flex Funds

There are funds available to meet a family or caregiver’s need that might come up during a Child and Family Team (CFT) meeting. Each family may use up to $500 in CFT flex funds to meet the identified need. If you are in need of a service or tangible item to help the child placed in your care, please discuss the need during the CFT meeting. The funds must be approved by the team.

Best Friends Funds

Best Friends Funds are used to provide supports to youth with an open child welfare care in participating in enhancement activities. Examples of common utilization for this fund is: fees for sports participation, arts and sports lessons (up to 3 months), special event clothing (i.e., prom wear, uniforms for boys and girl scouts, etc.), supporting costs of special trips (senior trips, family trips with caregivers, etc.)

SCIAP (Specialized Care Incentive and Assistance Program) Funds

SCIAP funds are used to assist with covering one time medical expenses not covered by Medi-Cal. This is a reimbursement fund, meaning the caregiver must cover the cost and submit receipts in order to be reimbursed. There are limitations of what may be covered, and what amounts can be covered. Contact your social worker for additional information.

RIPE (Relative and Identified Placement Emergency) Funds

RIPE Funds are utilized to assist with removing barriers to a foster care placement with a relative, or to support needs to ensure a relative placement remains secure. Examples of utilization for this fund include: furniture needed for the child(ren), clothing stipend for children while relatives are pending a resource family application approval, and support for items needed for the home to be considered suitable for placement (i.e. fire detectors, locks, baby gates, etc.). This is a reimbursement fund. Maximum reimbursement amounts may apply. Please contact your social worker for additional information.

Independent Living Program (ILP) Funds

Graduation Stipend
Youth about to graduate from high school may receive up to $400 to assist with graduation expenses such as graduation attire, class ring, yearbook, etc.

NYTD Survey
Youth are eligible to receive a stipend when they complete the NYTD survey. The stipend is $50-$100 based on the youth’s age at the time of completion.

Technology Resources:

Loaves, Fishes & Computers

• Address: 938 S Main St. Salinas, CA 93901
• Phone: (831) 393-9260
• Website: https://www.loavesfishescomputers.org/

Federal Communications Commission – Lifeline Program

• Phone: (800) 234-9473
• Website: https://www.fcc.gov/lifeline-consumers

iFoster

• Phone: 1-855-936-7837
• Website: https://portal.ifoster.org/Default.aspx

Monterey County Office of Education

• Address: 901 Blanco Cir. Salinas, CA 93901
• Phone: (831) 755-0300
• Website: https://www.montereycoe.org/

Mental/Behavioral Health Resources:

Monterey County Children’s Behavioral Health

• Website: https://www.co.monterey.ca.us/government/departments-a-h/health/behavioral-health/how-to-get-started/children-s-services
• Address: 951 Blanco Cir. Salinas, CA 93901
• Phone: (831) 784-2150
• Address 1000 South Main #210B, Salinas, CA 93901
• Phone: (831) 796-1500
• Address: 299 Twelfth St. Suite A, Marina, CA 93933
• Phone (831) 647-7652
• Address: 359 Gabilan Drive, Soledad, CA 93960

San Andreas Regional Centers

• Address: 1370 South Main St. Salinas, CA 93901
• Phone: (831) 900-3636
• Website: https://www.sanandreasregional.org/

Ohana – Montage Health

• Address: 40 Ryan Ct. Suite 200, Monterey, CA 93940
• Phone: (831) 642-6201
• Website: http://www.montagehealthohana.org/

NAMI (National Association of Mental Illness)

• Address: 1355 Abbot St., Suite #3, Salinas, CA 93901
• Phone: (831) 422-6264
• Website: https://namimonterey.org/

Wraparound

Please contact your social worker for more information.

• https://www.senecafoa.org/kinshipcenter/

Therapeutic Behavioral Services (TBS)

Please contact your social worker for more information.

• https://www.co.monterey.ca.us/government/departments-a-h/health/behavioral-health/bh-home/programs/children-youth-services?q=therapeutic+behavioral+services

Equine Therapy

Wonder Wood Ranch

• Address: 8100 Wild horse Rd, Salinas, CA 93907

Hope, Horses, & Kids

• Address: 22400 Indian Springs Rd. Salinas, CA 93908
• Phone: (831) 596-6693
• Website: https://hopehorseskids.org/

The Equine Healing Collaborative

• Address: 8767 Carmel Valley Rd., Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93923
• Phone: (831) 582-1017
• Website: https://www.theequinehealingcollaborative.com/

MCSTART

• Address: 130 Church St, Salinas, CA 93901
• Address: 60 W. Market St., Ste. #140, Salinas, CA 93901
• Phone: (831) 755-8155
• Website: https://www.mcstart.org/

Substance Abuse Treatment:

Door to Hope – Integrated Co-Ocurring Treatment for Youth

• Address: 130 W. Gabilan St. Salinas, CA 93901
• Phone: (831) 758-0181
• Website: http://doortohope.org/programs/outpatient/ict/

Community Human Services – D.A.I.S.Y

• Website: https://chservices.org/substance-abuse/d-s-y/
• Silver Star Resource Center
  • Address: 855 E. Laurel Sr. Bldg. H, Salinas, CA 93905
  • Phone: (831) 233-9029
• Family Service Center
  • Address: 1178 Broadway Avenue, Seaside, CA 93955
  • Phone: (831) 394-4622

Sun Street Centers Youth Outpatient

• Address: 1201 Echo Ave., Seaside, CA 93955
• Phone: (831) 899-6577
• Website: https://sunstreetcenters.org/

Valley Health Associates Youth Outpatient

• Address: 427 Pajaro St. Suite 4, Salinas, CA 93901
• Phone: (831) 424-6655
• Website: https://www.valleyhealthassociates.com/youthprogram

Monterey County Rape Crisis Center

• Monterey Phone: (831) 373-3955
• Salinas Phone: (831) 771-0411
• Website: https://www.mtryrapecrisis.org/

YWCA

• Address: 11 Quail Run Circle Salinas, Ca 93901
• Phone: (831) 422-8602
• Website: https://www.ywcamc.org/

Seneca Family of Agencies: Mobile Crisis

• Website: https://www.senecafoa.org/kinshipcenter/#:~:text=Mobile%20Crisis%20Response%20Team,21%20can%20use%20this%20service
• Address: 124 River Road, Salinas, CA 93908
• Phone: (831) 455-9965

Training Calendar:

Disaster Preparedness Resources:

Disaster ready guide

• English: https://kcet-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com/legacy/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Disaster-Ready-Guide-Digital-SelfPrint-Eng.pdf
• Spanish: https://kcet-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com/legacy/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Disaster-Ready-Guide-Digital-SelfPrint-Spa.pdf