8412.2 Support Groups
8412.21 Identifying Available Services
CPS November 2006
Contractors must ensure that adoptive families and children have access to support groups that can help them deal with issues related to adoption and caring for children with special needs. Contractors can meet this requirement by organizing and running support groups themselves, subcontracting with other parties to organize and run support groups, or referring clients to support groups that already exist in the community.
8412.22 Determining Eligibility
CPS November 2006
Any member of an adoptive family or a prospective adoptive family may participate in a contracted or subcontracted support group. Other interested individuals may also participate when space is available. The contractor sponsoring or operating a support group must maintain a log of all clients participating in it.
Exception, Service-planning: When the only service that an adoptive family receives is its participation in a support group, the contractor is not required to develop a service plan for the family.
8412.23 Identifying Allowable Costs
CPS November 2006
Contract budgets for support groups may include, but are not limited to, the following allowable costs:
• mailing expenses incurred to inform group members and the community at large about meetings, projects, and issues of concern;
• telephone expenses that are not covered through other sources;
• rental space for meetings, unless meeting space is available at no charge;
• fees and expenses for speakers and consultants whose services are needed, but who are not available as volunteers;
• the cost of office supplies and office equipment;
• the cost of printing informational material for group members and the community at large; and
• child care to permit attendance at meetings.