DCS Fast Pass Referrals
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The Department of Child Safety (DCS) Fast Pass application process was implemented to provide a streamlined application process for families receiving help from the Department of Child Safety.
Policy
A Department of Child Safety (DCS) specialist starts the DCS Fast Pass application process when it is determined the family they are assisting may need NA or CA benefits.
All of the following agencies are licensed to assist DCS with the application process:
●Aid to Adoption of Special Kids (AASK)
●Avia Children’s Services
●AZ Treasured Family
●AzCA
●Casa de Los Ninos
●Casey Families
●Catholic Community Services of Southern AZ
●Child Crisis Arizona
●Christian Family Care
●Grace Retreat Foster Care and Adoption Services
●Intermountain Foster Care LLC
●Lutheran Social Services
●Pinnacle Employment Services
●ResCare Inc. DBA A Place to Call Home
●Rise Arizona Family Services
●Southwest Human Development
●Youth Villages
The DCS Fast Pass application process includes all of the following timeframes:
●Interviews are conducted within one workday(g) of the date of application, when possible.
●Eligibility determinations are completed no later than 20 calendar days from the date of application when verification has been provided.
The caretaker (specified) relative requirement is met when all of the following apply:
●The child is in the custody of DCS, a Tribal Court or a Tribal Child Welfare Agency located in Arizona
●The child is placed in the home by DCS, a Tribal Court or a Tribal Child Welfare Agency located in Arizona
When a Kinship Foster Care family wants to apply for CA child only benefits, a DCS specialist or an agency licensed by DCS assists the Kinship Foster Care family with all of the following items in the FAA application process:
●Completion and submittal of the application.
●Completion of an interview for NA or CA applications during Fast Pass hours by calling the DCS Fast Pass Line. (The DCS Fast Pass Line is a telephone number to be used by DCS or DCS licensed agency specialists only.)
●Submittal of verification documents, when needed.
NOTE Fast Pass hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday (excluding state holidays)
During Fast Pass hours, DCS or a licensed agency specialist completes all of the following when the participant is not receiving NA, CA, or Medical Assistance (MA) benefits:
●Contacts the DCS Fast Pass Line with the participant present. DCS or the licensed agency specialist remains with the participant to assist them until the application is submitted and the interview, when needed, is conducted.
NOTE DCS or licensed agency specialists identify themself to FAA. (For example, DCS or the licensed agency specialist may state, "My name is (insert Name) with DCS or a DCS licensed agency (insert agency name) calling to initiate a Fast Pass application for services”.)
●Attaches any available verification for a benefit determination to an encrypted email to the DCS Fast Pass Specialized unit.
DCS Specialized Responsibilities
Outside of normal business hours, the DCS or a licensed agency specialist is responsible for all of the following:
●Informing Kinship Foster Care (KF) families that they may be potentially eligible for CA for their related or unrelated child being placed with them when the child is in the legal custody of DCS.
●Providing the KF family an FAA application.
●Assisting the applicant in completing the FAA application.
●Copying the application single sided and annotating in the upper right corner “KF/DCS/P” indicating the application is a child only Kinship Foster Care, Department of Child Safety Placement.
●Sending an encrypted email to the Specialized Fast Pass Unit containing all of the following:
The best contact number for the participant in the body of the email.
A scanned copy of the completed paper application as an attachment to the email.
Available verification as an attachment to the email.
All eligibility factors and verification requirements have to be met before approval. Denial processing timeframes remain the same.
Procedures
DCS Specialized Fast Pass Unit
The specialized Fast Pass worker must document the Department of Child Safety (DCS) case worker's contact information for all DCS applications in the case file(g).
During normal business hours, when a DCS or licensed agency specialist calls the DCS Fast Pass Line (a telephone number to be used by DCS or licensed agency specialists only), the specialized Fast Pass worker completes all of the following:
●Assists the participant in completing the application in HEAplus.
●Registers the case in AZTECS using site code 171C when NA or CA is requested.
●When beginning the keying process in AZTECS, key RESE with one of the following codes to indicate the case is a Preservation or Reunification case:
Code for Preservation Case: PV
Code for Reunification Case: RU
Code for Kinship Foster Care Case KF
●Continues the keying process as normal.
●Uploads any documents provided to OnBase.
●Completes an eligibility interview.
●Determines eligibility when all required verification has been provided.
●Transfers the case (when not already transferred) to site code 171C when NA or CA is requested, and keys one of the following in the UNIT and CASELOAD fields on CARC based on the status of the case:
Kinship Foster Care Case Pending/No Show: UNIT K CASELOAD 01 (K-01)
Pending Interview: P-01
Pending Verification: V-01
Expedite: X-01
Authorized (Inform DCS or licensed agency specialist): 5-55
Denied/Closed: 7-77
NOTE Once the case is complete, transfers the case to the site code that serves the participant’s residential ZIP Code. To ensure these cases are completed only by DCS Fast Pass workers and not pulled from the statewide queue, document the case file(g) with the following: DCS FP Unit Case.
●When information is needed, informs the participant of all missing information that is needed and sends an information request notice upon completion of the interview.
●Checks the [email protected] (internal group DCSFastPass) email box twice a day.
●Data enters the application into HEAplus when a paper application is sent via email.
●Makes outbound calls using the DCS Fast Pass Call Back process stated below to complete an interview, when needed. The interview must be completed within one workday of receiving an application notification email from DCS or a DCS licensed agency specialist.
●For approvals, completes the eligibility determination within two workdays of receiving all required verification to complete the determination.
●For denials, normal processing timeframes apply.
During the DCS Fast Pass Call Back Process, a member of the DCS Fast Pass specialized unit completes all of the following:
●When the participant is available, completes the interview.
●When verification is needed, provides a verbal list of the verification required to make a benefit determination and sends an Information Request notice.
●When the participant is not available for the first call, the Fast Pass specialist leaves a message indicating that another call is going to be made to the participant in 2 to 3 minutes.
●When the participant does not answer the 2nd call, the FAA worker completes all of the following:
Leaves a message and request the participant contact the DCS Fast Pass specialized unit to complete their interview.
After leaving a message, sends an encrypted email to the DCS or the licensed agency specialist stating the DCS Fast Pass specialized unit was unable to contact the budgetary unit for an interview.
Documents all phone interview attempts in HEAplus Case Notes.
NOTE When the case is registered in AZTECS by a worker, the Appt Notice (X902) goes out at the end of the day. The notice identifies the due date for the interview. Do not issue a second Appointment Notice in AZTECS for the same application.
●Ensures all information is keyed in HEAplus and AZTECS for the application.
●Ensures all documents have been uploaded into OnBase or HEAplus.
●When NA or CA is requested, transfers the case on CARC.
To ensure these cases are completed only by DCS Fast Pass workers and not pulled accidentally from the statewide queue, document the case file with DCS FP Unit Case.
Kinship Foster Care (KF) Child Only Applications
A DCS or Tribal child only case is prospectively eligible(g) when it meets the CA Payment Standard Income test.
Kinship Foster Care (KF) applications emailed from DCS or a DCS licensed agency, a Tribal Court or a Tribal Child Welfare Agency in Arizona or turned in to FAA by the caretaker relative are given special considerations in all of the following:
●Application process time frames
●Verification process
●CA eligibility requirements
The DCS Fast Pass Unit registers the application in AZTECS, then uploads the application to OnBase.
The date of application is the date the application is received by FAA. FAA staff must ensure the participant is contacted within the required five-day time frame.
When the CA KF application is received by FAA, designated FAA staff must ensure that all of the following apply to the KF application:
●The dependent child is under the care and control of DCS, a Tribal Court or Tribal Child Welfare Agency in Arizona.
●The application is filed by the nonparent specified relative. (Use the court order or minute entry as verification of relationship)
●The application is for CA benefits for the child only.
●The FC code displays next to TYPE on CLPR.
When the application is emailed to the DCS Fast Pass Unit, the application is annotated in the upper right corner with “KF/DCS/P”. This indicates the application is a child only CA Kinship Foster Care application.
FAA staff must ensure the applicant of a KF Child Only application is contacted within five calendar days from the date of application. A determination must be completed as soon as possible, but no later than 20 calendar days from the date of application.
When the dependent child's parent or siblings are also living in the home, they are not considered part of the budgetary unit.
The FAA worker must document the DCS case worker's contact information for all DCS applications in the case file(g).
When the nonparent caretaker relative(g) has a current CA case or applies for their own children, the Kinship Foster Care child only case must remain separate from the specified relative's current CA case.
When the nonparent caretaker relative does not have eligible minor children and chooses to be included in the child only CA case, the case is no longer a child only case. When this occurs, the case is processed in accordance with CA Personal Responsibility Agreement (PRA) eligibility requirements and regular CA time frames.
Verification
An official FAA application with the KF/KS/LP stamp received from any of the following verifies the application is referred by the Department of Child Safety (DCS):
●DCS
●A Tribal Court
●A Tribal Child Welfare Agency
A court order or minute entry verifying who has legal custody.
AZTECS Keying Procedures
DCS Fast Pass Keying Process – FAA Responsibilities
FAA staff must complete all of the following:
●Register the case in AZTECS using site code 171C when NA or CA is requested.
●When beginning the keying process in AZTECS, key RESE with one of the following codes Referral Source Codes:
PV for Preservation cases
RU for Reunification cases
KF for Kinship Foster Care cases
●Continue the keying process as normal and authorize benefits on AFED when all required verification has been provided.
●When NA or CA is requested, key SITE CODE: 171 on CARC and one of the following UNIT and CASELOAD fields based on the status of the case:
Kinship Foster Care Case Pending/No Show: UNIT K CASELOAD 01 (K-01)
Pending Interview: P-01
Pending Verification: V-01
Expedite: X-01
Authorized (Inform DCS or licensed agency specialist): 5-55
Denied/Closed: 7-77
Once the determination is completed, key CARC with the site code that serves the participant’s residential ZIP Code.
Kinship Foster Care
Complete all of the following for Kinship Foster Care (KF):
●Register the application for the programs requested by the applicant.
●Use the date the application is received by FAA as the date of application.
●On REAP, key KF in the REFERRAL SOURCE field.
For a KF Child Only application, the KF Referral Source Code must display next to the PI keyed OU in the PT field on SEPA, and next to the child for whom benefits are being requested.
When the REFERRAL SOURCE field is keyed on REAP, the Referral Source Code displays on RESE next to all participants. Remove the KF Referral Source Code on RESE that displays next to all participants not included in the Kinship Foster Care benefit, other than the PI.
When the Referral Source Code does not display on RESE, key the KF Referral Source Code on RESE next to the PI coded OU, and the child coded IN or BC in the PT field on SEPA.
A child who is not in the custody of the Department of Child Safety (DCS), a Tribal Court, or a Tribal Child Welfare Agency in Arizona is placed with a relative in unlicensed foster care, the child only case is considered a Kinship Care case. Key the KS Referral Source Code in the REFERRAL SOURCE field on REAP. For more information on unlicensed foster care relative placements, see Kinship Care (KS) Child Only.
Legal Authorities
7 CFR 273.2(k)(1)
AAC R6-12-102
AAC R6-12-203
AAC R6-12-306(A)(4)
AAC R6-12-309 - 310
A.R.S. § 35-148
TANF State Plan
PL 21-04 U.S.
last revised 06/10/2024