Section 4.08C - Fees for All Services Other Than Substitute Care(1) For all Department services subject to a sliding fee, other than substitute care services, the Department may assess a fee based solely on the family's income. Guardians will not be subject to this fee. The fee for services will never exceed the actual cost of services. No fee will be charged to any family whose income is at or below 150% of the federal poverty level as revised annually and published by the United States Department of Health and Human Services in the Federal Register. When determining whether a family's income falls at or below the federal poverty level, the federal poverty levels for each size family will be used.
The fee for all services other than substitute care will be calculated as follows:
(a) The Department will determine the family's gross income. Supplemental Security Income (551), Title II benefits, an adoption subsidy, or a guardianship subsidy for a child will not be included in calculating gross income.(b) If the family's gross income is at or below 150% of the federal poverty level for that size family unit, none of the fees listed in 110 CMR 4.08C will be charged.(c) If the family's income is above 150% of the federal poverty level, the family will be charged as the fee, a specified amount based upon their income as set forth in a sliding fee scale established by the Department.(2) If a family fails to pay the assessed fee, the family shall receive a warning letter. If a family receives a warning letter for three consecutive months, the family may receive a notice of termination and the Department may refer the case for debt collection.(3) The provisions of 110 CMR 4.08A(2) through 4.08A(5) and 4.08A(7) apply equally to 110 CMR 4.08C.