Family First Prevention Services Act: Qualified Individual Programs
The Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), passed in 2018, reformed federal child welfare law to prioritize keeping children safely with their families whenever possible. It also acknowledges that some children and youth in foster care may need short-term, high-quality residential treatment. When a child is in foster care, the goal is always to support timely, safe transitions back to their family.
To ensure this, FFPSA requires an independent Qualified Residential Treatment Program (QRTP) assessment before a child or youth is placed in this type of residential facility, or within 30 days, if placed urgently due to a crisis. In Minnesota, this requirement is outlined in Minnesota Statutes 260C.704, subd. 26c.
Foster care residence settings (formerly known as corporate foster homes) and residential treatment centers can become certified as QRTPs. These facilities must be licensed under Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 245A, or licensed/approved by a Tribal authority, and certified as QRTPs. An independent assessment is required for placements in these settings to qualify for federal reimbursement.
To meet this requirement for children in foster care, the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), along with county and Tribal social service agencies, implemented Qualified Individual (QI) programs. These programs ensure that QRTP assessments are conducted by trained, certified and independent professionals or community members called Qualified Individuals.
Under federal FFPSA regulations, local agencies use Juvenile Treatment Screening Teams (JTSTs) to recommend whether a QRTP placement is the most appropriate and least restrictive setting for a child. If the JTST recommends a QRTP, a Family and Permanency Team must be assembled. This team, which may include relatives, professionals and others close to the child, provides critical input to the QI during the assessment process and throughout the child or youth’s QRTP placement. Their involvement helps ensure that any placement supports the child’s emotional, behavioral or developmental needs and allows the child to stay connected to their family, community and culture during and after treatment.
When the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) applies, county agencies must contact the child’s Tribe immediately to provide the Tribe an opportunity to designate a QI. Agencies must also make reasonable and active efforts to include a Tribal representative on the Family and Permanency Team.
County and Initiative Tribal social service agencies’ Qualified Individual (QI) programs
County and Initiative Tribal social service agencies are responsible for creating and managing their own Qualified Individual (QI) programs. The respective county or Initiative Tribe must cover associated costs, except training and certification.
There are two options for county and Initiative Tribal agencies to develop a QI Program:
- Contracting directly with a community member; or
- Using a county or Tribal employee under a federal waiver.
Agencies may use any combination of a waiver and contracted QIs to support their program.
Waiver for county and Tribal employees
The federal Children’s Bureau has approved a waiver that allows certain county and Tribal employees to serve as Qualified Individuals (QIs) for QRTP assessments, provided they can maintain objectivity and independence in placement decisions, as required by federal law (42 U.S.C. 675a (D) (ii)).
Agencies have two waiver options for employees to be designated as Qualified Individuals (QIs):
- Waiver 1: designated agency employee outside of the child welfare system
- Waiver 2: designated agency employee per regional collaborative agreement between counties or Initiative Tribes.
For implementation guidance, agencies should refer to the Qualified Individual (QI) Waiver Instructions for County and Initiative Tribal Agencies.
State-contracted Qualified Individual (QI) program
The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) has established a pool of Qualified Individuals (QIs) to complete assessments when county or Tribal agencies recommend placement of children in Qualified Residential Treatment Programs (QRTPs). The state-contracted QI program supplements and supports the requirement that county and Tribal agencies have their own QIs to comply with the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA).
Agencies must complete and submit the QI Request Form (DHS-8415) to request a state-contracted QI. For more details on the referral and request process, please refer to the Referral process for the state-contracted Qualified Individual program.
How to request a state-contracted QI
The Department of Children, Youth, and Families requires the following steps for county and Tribal caseworkers when requesting a state-contracted QI.|
Step 1: Caseworker submits a request for a state-contracted QI immediately after the Juvenile Treatment Screening Team (JTST) recommends placement in a QRTP, or when immediate placement in a QRTP occurs due to crisis.
Step 2: Caseworker assembles the Family and Permanency Team as soon as possible or within 10 days of the JTST recommending placement in a QRTP or when immediate placement in a QRTP occurs due to crisis.
Step 3: Department staff respond to the request, confirming whether it is within the required time frame and whether a state-contracted QI will be assigned.
Step 4: After the request is assigned to a state-contracted QI, the caseworker sends the required information and documentation to the state-contracted QI within two days.
Step 5: The state-contracted QI completes the QRTP Assessment and sends it to the caseworker on or before the QRTP Assessment due date.
When to request a state-contracted QI
Prior to submitting a request for a state-contracted QI to the department, counties and American Indian Child Welfare Initiative Tribes must use their contracted QIs and/or employees approved under one of the federal waivers.
If a county or Tribe is unable to use its own QIs due to conflict of interest or availability, the county or Tribe can request a state-contracted QI from the department. These requests must be sent within the required time frames as outlined below and must include the reason the county or Tribe is unable to use its own QIs.
State-contracted QI request process
Caseworkers must use the QI Request Form (DHS-8415) to request a state-contracted QI. This is an automated form that, upon completion, will be directly sent to the department for review.
When the department receives a request for a state-contracted QI, an automatic email response will be sent to the county or Tribe as confirmation. The department then sends follow-up emails with next steps. Counties and Tribes must respond promptly to the department’s emails to move the request forward.
Assignment of a state-contracted QI depends on QI availability, priority timing needs and the needs of children and families.
Once a request for a state-contracted QI is assigned, the caseworker must submit all required information to the assigned QI no later than two days after the request is assigned. This information includes contact information for the child, parents/guardians and members of the Family and Permanency Team, the QRTP Assessment Referral Form from SSIS and the level of care determination that recommended residential treatment/QRTP placement.
Requests must be submitted no later than 15 days after QRTP placement
State and federal law requires a QRTP Assessment to be completed before a QRTP placement, or within 30 days of placement in a QRTP if a placement must occur immediately due to a crisis. To ensure a state-contracted QI can complete the QRTP Assessment within the required state and federal time frame, caseworkers must submit a request for a state-contracted QI to the department no later than 15 days after the QRTP placement date. This ensures the assigned QI has adequate time to complete a comprehensive QRTP Assessment.
If a request for a state-contracted QI is not received before or on the 15th day from the date a child was placed in a QRTP, the request will be declined. To prevent a request from being declined, caseworkers should request a state-contracted QI immediately after the Juvenile Treatment Screening Team (JTST) approves a QRTP placement.
State-contracted QIs are individuals who have contracted with the department to provide QI services for counties and Tribes. QI services are not full-time jobs and QIs’ availability fluctuates.
Practices for QRTP assessments
Releases of Information not required
Counties and Tribes are not required to have parents/guardians sign Releases of Information (ROIs) in order for a QI to interview the child, child’s parents/guardians and the Family and Permanency Team members. Counties and Tribes can disclose child welfare data to QIs because the information is required to comply with FFPSA and state and federal law. QIs are considered child welfare personnel who use data to coordinate and evaluate the need for services under Minnesota Statutes 13.46, subd. 2(5)-(7).
Assemble the Family and Permanency Team during the Juvenile Treatment Screening Team
Completion of QRTP Assessments requires QIs to engage with the child, the child’s parents/guardians and the child’s Family and Permanency Team members.
Once the JTST has recommended placement in a QRTP, the caseworker must consult with the parents/guardians and the child (if over 14 years old) about who the Family and Permanency Team members will be. Preparing for the QRTP Assessment immediately after the JTST supports family engagement and a thorough QRTP Assessment.
QRTP Assessments must be completed in consultation with the child, the child’s parents/guardians and the Family and Permanency Team members. The QI consults through phone interviews, so it is imperative that they interview a diverse group of individuals to understand the child’s needs and strengths. Information gathered through QI interviews will help determine the most appropriate and least restrictive placement setting for the child.
The family and permanency team should include family members and supportive individuals who can best speak to the child’s strengths and needs. This includes:
- All appropriate biological family members, the child’s parents, legal guardians or custodians, and relatives as defined in Minnesota Statutes 260C.007, subds. 26b and 27
- Foster care providers, and
- Appropriate professionals who are resources to the children and family, including teachers, medical or mental health providers, elders, clergy, etc.
Furthermore:
- If the child is 14 years of age and older, the team must also include members selected by the child
- For American Indian children, active efforts must be made to include the child’s Tribal representation on the team.
Counties and Tribes document the Family and Permanency Team members in the “QRTP Family and Permanency Team” screen in SSIS under the Permanency node. For more information, see the following SSIS resources:
- SSIS Video: QRTP Family and Permanency Team
- SSIS Job Aid: QRTP Family and Permanency Team
QRTP assessment requests
The process for requesting a QTRP assessment depends on whether an agency has a locally contracted or waivered QI, or needs to use a state-contracted QI. For locally contracted and waiver QIs, agency workers should follow their agency’s QI request process. To request a state-contracted QI, agency workers must utilize the QI Request Form (DHS-8415) to submit their request to DCYF.
Regardless of the type of QI, agency workers must send the following documents to the QI, using their agency’s encryption process:
- A completed QRTP Assessment Referral Form (available in SSIS under Participant/Documents)
- Level of care determination
- Names and contact information for all members of the Family and Permanency Team, including the child or youth.
Training and Certification
All QIs must attend a mandatory two-day training provided by the Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy (MNCWTA). This two-day (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) virtual training provides trainees with policy and processes for completing the QRTP assessment, training on the Minnesota Brief Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) and CANS certification.
All QIs must obtain initial certification and annual recertification to administer the Minnesota Brief CANS and remain in a QI role. Note: A QI cannot perform the assessment functions without being certified to complete the CANS first.
For general information regarding the CANS assessment tool, visit the Praed Foundation.
Registering for Training
- December 2-3, 2026
DCYF staff manage all registrations to ensure that only people who meet the requirements to become a QI attend the training. To register a new contracted or waiver QI, counties and Tribal agencies should send the QI’s name and contact information to: ffpsa.qualifiedindividual.dcyf@state.mn.us.
Qualified Individual portal
The Qualified Individual portal is a central location on the DCYF website where trained and certified QIs can find up-to-date announcements, forms, resources, and information to assist them in completing QRTP assessments. Upon completion of training and certification, QIs will receive access to the portal.
Resources
Extended Qualified Residential Treatment Program (QRTP) Placement Reviews Practice Guide (DHS-8120C) (PDF)
Qualified Residential Treatment Program (QRTP) Assessment Requirements: A practice guide for caseworkers (DHS-8120D) (PDF)
QRTP Assessment Flow Chart (PDF)
QI Request Form, DHS-8415 (to request a state-sponsored QI)
JTST Practice Guide, DHS-8120A (PDF)
Family and Permanency Team Practice Guide, DHS-8120B (PDF)
QRTP Families Guide, DHS-8442 (PDF)
Qualified Individual Practice Guide (PDF)
Qualified Individual (QI) Waiver Instructions for County and Initiative Tribal Agencies (PDF)
In September 2025, department staff hosted a webinar for caseworkers on QRTP placements, including an overview of QRTP requirements and best practices in QRTPs:
- Qualified Residential Treatment Program (QRTP) Placements and requirements video
- Slide deck
Contact
For more information, please email ffpsa.qualifiedindividual.dcyf@state.mn.us
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