(a) The department shall reimburse a social services district for the care of a child in a group emergency foster care program for a period not to exceed 90 days at any one time, unless:
- (1) the child is awaiting placement in a facility operated or supervised by the Office of Mental Health or the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities; and
- (2) the child's case record contains documentation that the child has been accepted for placement in the facility but cannot be placed until an opening becomes available.
- (b) A local district shall continue to receive reimbursement for the care of a child who meets the requirements of paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section until the child is placed in the facility; provided, however, the extension of reimbursement shall not continue beyond an additional 90-day period.
- (c) If a child is discharged from a group emergency foster care program but needs to reenter such program after he has been discharged, the social services district may receive reimbursement for such child for a total of 180 days during any 15-month period, with such 180-day period to include the period during which group emergency foster care was first provided.
The department shall establish rates of reimbursement for approved group emergency foster care programs pursuant to the provisions of section 398-a of the Social Services Law. The following limitations on reimbursement shall apply: