A woman contacted the Ombudsman because she had not been paid for five months of foster care. She provided care for children that the Office of Children’s Services placed in her home before she was officially licensed. Three months later OCS still had not reimbursed her. The Ombudsman contacted the agency’s Provider Payment unit and learned that because these payments are outside agency regulation, they require a special process for payment. In this case, the approval process was nearly complete, and it was, in fact, on the desk of the final approving authority. The request was approved and processed the same day the Ombudsman called, resolving the complaint. (A2015-1186)