§49-13-4. Amount and form of payment.

(a) The bureau shall issue an initial clothing allowance for a minimum of $375.

(b) The department shall designate one of the following methods to pay for the initial clothing allowance and any supplementary clothing allowance, listed in priority order:

(1) A reloadable electronic-transfer payment card will be issued to the placement provider specifically for the purpose of this article;

(2) A child welfare worker or case aid will use a purchasing card issued to him or her pursuant to the purchasing card program in §12-3-10a of this code; or

(3) The Bureau will reimburse a placement provider for purchases made using the placement provider’s own funds. This method may be used only when another method is not feasible.

(c) Payment card. — This subsection applies when using a payment card.

(1) The bureau shall issue a new payment card to a placement provider or re-load an existing payment card with funds within 48 hours of a child being placed with the placement provider.

(2) A payment card may be used online or in any store that accepts an electronic payment transaction.

(3) The department shall:

(A) Adopt a policy regarding requirements for using a payment card, which includes, but is not limited to:

(i) An explanation of proper purchases that may be made using the payment card;

(ii) An explanation of how and when the payment card can be re-loaded;

(iii) A requirement to retain receipts for reconciling purchases; and

(iv) A requirement that reimbursements under this section are limited to the funds available to the placement provider under the initial or any supplementary clothing allowance available during the relevant placement period; and

(B) Provide the policy to a placement provider when issuing the payment card.

(d) Purchasing card. — For any item purchased using a purchasing card, the child welfare worker or case aid shall retain the receipt and follow the reconciliation process required by the purchasing card program.

(e) Reimbursement to a placement provider. —

(1) A kinship placement provider who purchases any adequate wardrobe item or approved necessities, using his or her own funds and expecting reimbursement, shall submit the purchase receipt to the child welfare worker or case aid for reimbursement from the department.

(2) A foster care placement provider who purchases any adequate wardrobe item or approved necessities, using their own funds and expecting reimbursement, shall submit the purchase receipt to their child placing agency. The child placing agency shall submit an invoice for the purchase to the department who shall provide reimbursement.