Federal Revenue Maximization

 

Federal Programs Graphic

Overview

The mission of the Federal Revenue Maximization Unit is to ensure the Department of Juvenile Justice maximizes federal reimbursement funding for all eligible expenditures. 

The vision of the Federal Revenue Maximization Unit is that all eligible youth will have access to federal resources to facilitate and support their placement and service needs. 

The Goals of the Federal Revenue Maximization Unit include: 

  • Maximize federal Title IV-E funding for eligible and reimbursable community case management, placement and training expenditures. 
  • Ensure eligible youth in and awaiting community residential placements maintain access to healthcare services through Medicaid. 
  • Support reentry and youth independence by assisting eligible youth in accessing Supplemental Security Income and other human services benefits. 

 

Medicaid

The Federal Revenue Maximization Unit only provides Medicaid for committed youth in non-secure community residential placement, also known as Room, Board and Watchful Oversight (RBWO) placements. However, the Federal Revenue Maximization Unit can provide Medicaid eligibility information for all youth in the community. 

Youth serving long-term secure confinement dispositions in YDCs or RYDCs are not eligible for Medicaid once they are adjudicated. Parents/guardians of youth serving long-term confinement dispositions in YDCs or RYDCs should contact the Georgia Division of Family and Children’s Services (DFCS) to terminate their youth’s Medicaid.

Otherwise, DJJ may notify the Georgia Department of Community Health that the youth is confined and his/her Medicaid will be terminated. 

Please contact [email protected] for questions for additional information about Medicaid.

 

Georgia Families 360° 

On March 3, 2014, the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) transitioned 27,000 children, youth and young adults in foster care, children and youth receiving adoption assistance, and youth involved in the juvenile justice system who are placed in residential programs into Georgia Families 360°, the State's managed care program. Amerigroup Community Care is the Care Management Organization (CMO) that manages this population. 

Members of the Georgia Families 360° program will receive the following services to improve care coordination, access to care and health outcomes: 

  • A primary care provider and primary dental provider for each member 
  • Access to preventive care and screenings 
  • Regional Care Coordination Teams to help coordinate care and schedule appointments 
  • Assigned Care Managers to identify and refer for needed services 
  • 24/7 Intake Line 
  • Oversight of psychotropic medication 

If you have any additional questions, please contact: 

DJJ's Federal Revenue Maximization Unit at [email protected]. 

Georgia Gateway

Gateway, the Common Point of Access to Social Services, serves as a single access point for application for several benefit programs for Georgians. Individuals and community-based organizations have the ability to screen for, apply for and renew a broad range of social programs through the use of the Gateway website. The Department of Juvenile Justice has an agreement with DFCS to be a Gateway Community Partner. As a Gateway Community Partner, the Federal Revenue Maximization Unit provides both training and technical support to designated Gateway individual users within the agency. 

Gateway-trained DJJ employees can assist YDC youths and their families with the application process for the following benefits through COMPASS the day the youth is released from a YDC: 

  • Medicaid 
  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) 
  • Child Care 
  • PeachCare for Kids® 

Prior to a youth’s release from YDC, the Federal Revenue Maximization Unit provides an email notification for youth who had any of the federal benefits listed above before they entered a YDC. This notification is sent to the appropriate Juvenile Probation/Parole Specialist, Regional Treatment Service Specialist, Operations Support Manager, and/or Juvenile Program Manager. Select DJJ employees who are trained Gateway individual users are able to assist these youth with prior eligibility apply for benefits or add the youth to their family’s existing case through Gateway. 

DJJ COMPASS users can also assist with benefit applications for youth supervised in the community.  

Please contact [email protected] for questions or additional information about Gateway. 

Title IV-E

Title IV-E of the Social Security Act helps states pay for foster care placements for children who meet federal eligibility criteria. Title IV-E provides reimbursements to states for placement, administration and training costs associated with youth in foster care. For DJJ, potentially Title IV-E eligible youth are not in foster care, but in “foster care-like placements” such as non-secure community residential programs (also known as room, board and watchful oversight or RBWO placements). 

DJJ and the Department of Human Services (DHS) enter into a yearly agreement which permits DJJ to claim Title IV-E funding for eligible youth. The Federal Revenue Maximization Unit is responsible for identifying and determining the eligibility of youth who meet Title IV-E criteria, implementing the Random Moment Survey (RMS), and monitoring the various programmatic requirements for the Title IV-E program. 

The Random Moment Survey (RMS) is the federally-required process used by the Federal Revenue Maximization Unit to demonstrate how certain Community staff within DJJ spend their time.  Based on the results of the survey, the Federal Revenue Maximization Unit determines the amount of Title IV-E reimbursement DJJ can earn for eligible case management costs.

Please contact [email protected] for questions or additional information about Title IV-E.  Please contact [email protected] for additional questions about the Random Moment Survey or to respond to a missed moment.

Pre-Release Program for Social Security Benefits

Youth may lose their eligibility for Social Security benefits while in a RYDC or YDC. For youth who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, DJJ reports to the Social Security Administration (SSA) when youth are confined in a RYDC or YDC. Their SSI benefits are then suspended after they are confined in a RYDC or YDC for more than 30 days. The SSI benefits remain in suspension for a year while the youth is in a RYDC or YDC. However, after one year of confinement, the benefits are then terminated. 

For youth who receive other Social Security benefits, such as survivor’s benefits, DJJ reports to SSA when youth have received a secure confinement disposition from the Court. Their social security benefits are then suspended. The benefits remain in suspension for a year while the youth is in a RYDC or YDC. However, after one year of confinement, the benefits are then terminated. 

To support a successful reentry into the community after leaving long-term secure confinement, the SSA created the Pre-Release Program for Social Security and Supplemental Income Benefits.  This program provides an expedited process for confined youth to apply for their SSI or Social Security benefits that they will need to cover medical and living expenses after release from long-term secure confinement.

DJJ's participation in the Pre-Release Program allows youth scheduled for release from long-term secure confinement to start the process of reinstating their SSI benefits 90 days prior to their scheduled release date.  The Federal Revenue Maximization Unit functions as a liaison between case managers and SSA by ensuring the Pre-Release application is completed and submitted according to the guidelines established by SSA.  Prior to a youth's release from long-term secure confinement, the Federal Revenue Maximization Unit provides an email notification to DJJ staff for youth who had SSI or Social Security benefits prior to their confinement to begin the Pre-Release application process.

Please contact [email protected] for questions and additional information about the Pre-Release Program. 

Social Security Organizational Representative Payee Program   

The Federal Revenue Maximization Unit and the Office of Financial Services manage SSI and Social Security benefits of eligible youth upon their admittance into residential placement. DJJ will receive the youth’s benefit check to help support the costs of placement and/or to help the youth plan to live independently. 

Social Security Administration regulations require us to provide these youth with a $30 monthly allowance.  The $30 monthly allowance can be saved or used to purchase items at the youth’s discretion, within the guidelines established by the Social Security Administration and the current residential placement provider.

Please contact [email protected] for questions and additional information about the Social Security Organizational Representative Payee Program.

For additional information or questions, inquiries can be sent to: