Federal Reimbursement Unit

Title of Project: Federal Reimbursement Unit

Principal Investigator (PI): Melony A. Price-Rhodes, PhD

Key Community Partners: Fairfax County Dept of Family Services (Child Protective Service and Foster Care and Adoptions Program, Fairfax/Falls Church Children’s Services Act)

Key University Partners: Virginia Tech Institute for Policy and Governance 

Description of Project: Virginia Tech, through the implementation of the Federal Reimbursement Unit (FRU), has a long-term contractual relationship with a local government in the implementation of a unique model program to maximize local revenues for multiple child welfare programs. The FRU team works intimately with agency management and staff from the Fairfax County’s Department of Family Services Foster Care and Adoptions Program, Child Protective Services Program and the Fairfax-Falls Church Children’s Services Act (CSA) providing technical assistance and expertise in processes for reimbursements for the youth and families they serve as the programs continue to be challenged as they respond to the increasingly complex needs of children and youth within a progressively demanding fiscal environment. 

Project Goals: The goal of the FRU team is to identify, pursue, and provide a seamless process in maximizing resources from federal entitlement and state programs to reduce the local costs of providing services to children in foster care and those in receipt of CSA services. In addition, the receipt of benefits received while in receipt of County services can make recipients eligible for additional benefits after services end.