Within Alaska, CPAs have responsibilities for the care and service coordination for children who may not be in the care of a state agency. Child placement agencies can include private adoption agencies or agencies that assist families and children with developmental disabilities or severe emotional disturbances.
CPAs are licensed by OCS and are responsible for licensing, monitoring, and investigating a home(s) used by the placement agency. A CPA must adhere to the foster care licensing standards required by OCS. CPAs may have additional policies and procedures for their foster homes in addition to required state regulations.
Foster homes operating under a CPA are recruited and evaluated for licensing by a CPA rather than OCS. This allows for the CPA to specialize the care for the children. CPA foster homes typically provide specialized services such as services for medically fragile children, private adoption services, or services to children with intensive mental health or therapeutic needs. Children placed in CPA foster homes do not have to be in the custody of a state agency to receive services.
Child placement agencies are responsible for completing all of the licensing processes with foster homes for their agency, inclusive of training, supporting and coordinating the plan of care for a child(ren) placed in a child placement agency foster home.
CPAs are usually operated by a non-profit social service agency, a mental health agency, an agency that provides services for children with development disabilities, or a Tribal organization. CPAs review applications, complete home studies, and recommend homes to be licensed. However, OCS is the agency that issues all foster care licenses in the state, based on recommendations from the CPA.
If you are working with a specific placement agency, you will be supervised by the placement agency that places children in your home. You must get permission from your primary agency before taking a placement from another agency including a child in state custody.
If a complaint is made against the foster home operating under a CPA, the CPA will consult with OCS and may investigate licensing violations with the approval of the OCS licensing representative 7 AAC 56.560. If an allegation of child abuse or neglect is made, the CPA foster home is subject to the same investigation and assessment protocol as an OCS foster home. OCS has discretion to determine which agency (OCS or the CPA) investigates any concerns or licensing violations within the CPA foster home. If there is a protective services report, OCS staff will conduct an initial assessment to determine if the abuse or neglect is substantiated.
Payments for CPA foster homes may be paid directly from the CPA, or partially from the CPA and the state agency. Check with the individual CPA to determine what the payment procedures are for that agency.