Claims Paid Under Title IV-E Foster Care Program for Children in Castille Contracted Detention Facilities From October 1, 1997, to September 30, 2002

The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (the State agency) did not always claim Title IV-E maintenance and associated administrative costs for Philadelphia County's Castille program in accordance with Federal requirements.  Based on the sample results, we estimated that the State agency improperly claimed $7,090,323 in Title IV-E maintenance costs.  Including associated administrative costs of $4,521,499, we estimated that the State agency improperly claimed at least $11,611,822 of the total $28,424,124 (Federal share) claimed for Title IV-E reimbursement on behalf of the Castille program.

We recommended that the State agency (1) refund to the Federal Government $11,611,822 in unallowable costs for the period October 1997 through September 2002, (2) work with ACF to determine the allowability of the remaining $16,812,302 claimed, (3) work with the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to identify and resolve any unallowable Castille program claims made after September 2002 and refund the appropriate amount, and (4) discontinue claiming Title IV-E reimbursement for ineligible services and children.  The State agency disagreed with the recommendations.