LCTS (Local Collaborative Time Study) Information

“What were you doing at 9:00 a.m.?”

What is LCTS?

The Local Collaborative Time Study (LCTS) is a federal funding source which reimburses Family Service Collaboratives for work some school district, public health and corrections employees do with at-risk children. The federal funds come from Title XIX (Medical Assistance) and Title IV-E (Foster Care and Assistance).

By law, the federal funds received from LCTS activities come back to our local Family Service Collaboratives which are both the Northern & Southern St. Louis County Family Service Collaboratives in St. Louis County. The Collaboratives are an organization made up of partners from the14 school districts, county Social Services and Public Health, Arrowhead Regional Corrections, non-profit organizations, Community Action agencies, and at-large volunteers. The Family Service Collaborative supports local partnerships  and efforts focusing on school success; early childhood initiatives and family and community support.

 

LCTS Overview

  • The time study measures activities of the time study participants randomly at specific moments throughout the year..
  • The percentage of time spent in certain activities is applied to the school district’s/agencies cost pool to determine what amount of money is spent on those activities.
  • The State then makes a claim to the federal government for reimbursement of certain costs.
  • The money that comes back to the Collaborative must be spent on expansion of prevention and intervention services to children and their families.
  • LCTS reimbursement history

What is the job of the time study participant?

1. To get started:

  • Post your Quick Code Tips somewhere visible so you will be ready when you're contacted about a random moment.

Public Schools Activity Code Selection Flow Chart

Public Schools Activity Code Table

Public Health Activity Code Table

Corrections Activity Code Table

2. When you are notified of a random moment, choose a code:

  • When you receive an e-mail notice of a random moment from DHS, choose the appropriate code using the Activity Code Table. For more extensive descriptions of the codes use the Activity Code Reference Guide.

LCTS Public School Activity Code Reference Guide

LCTS Public Health Activity Code Reference Guide

LCTS Corrections Activity Code Reference Guide

 

If you select codes B-C2 or F
The MN Department of Human Services requires that the child you were working with at the time of the random moment is currently in, out-of-home placement (example: foster care, group home, etc.).

3. After you have chosen a code:

  • Complete the e-mail by indicating briefly what you were doing at the time of the Random Moment and
  • indicate who you were with at the time of the Random Moment
  • Select submit and you are done

Please respond to your LCTS Random Moment as quickly as possible. The moment will become inactive in 7 days and will be a missed opportunity to respond and a loss of reimbursment money.

How does LCTS benefit your school district & Communty?

The money that is generated through the LCTS time study is used to develop and expand programs and services for children and families in St. Louis County. Click on the link below to read about programs supported by LCTS funds:

Validation of Random Moments

A randomly selected 5% of the entire state sample must be validated.  If you are a LCTS validator, you will be validating random moments that participants from your organization have completed. LCTS Web-based Instructions for the Validator

 

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