CHAPTER 5

CHILD PLACING AGENCIES

 

Section 1.Program Specific Certification Standards

 

(a)All Child Placing Agencies (CPA) must comply with all sections of this Chapter and the following Chapters and Sections of these Rules:

 

(i)Chapter 1:All;

 

(ii)Chapter 2:All; and

 

(iii)Chapter 3:Sections 1 through 18, Sections 20 through 29, and Sections 31 and 32.

 

Section 2.Program Description.

 

A CPA is any entity that arranges for the placement or temporary care, maintenance, and supervision of children in a place other than the home of their parents or relatives.  A CPA recruits, trains, approves and provides oversight for its own foster homes.

 

Section 3.Maximum Capacity.

 

(a)A CPA foster home shall not house more than five (5) foster children, and the total number of children in the home cannot exceed ten (10) children including the foster parents' own children.

 

(b)No more than two (2) infants under two (2) years of age, including the foster parent's own children, shall be placed in one (1) foster home. 

 

(c)A CPA foster home shall not have more than two (2) severely emotionally disturbed (SED) diagnosed children (including the CPA's family's own SED-diagnosed children) in their care at one time.

 

(d)The above guidelines must be observed at all times during the provision of respite. 

 

(i)Exceptions (e.g., to maintain family groupings) shall be approved on a case-by-case basis by the Administrator/Executive Director or designee and certifying authority.

 

 

 

 

Section 4.Admissions Criteria.

 

In order to qualify for placement in a CPA program, a child must be able to function in the community, attend public school, and live in a family environment.

 

Section 5.Program Personnel.

 

CPAs shall have, at a minimum, an Administrator/Executive Director.  Direct care is provided by CPA foster parents.

 

Section 6.Specialized Training (As described in Chapter 3, Section 11).

 

(a)CPA staff shall complete a twenty (20)-hour orientation program and twenty (20) hours of annual training to include training on children diagnosed with SED.

 

(b)All CPA foster parents shall complete an eighteen (18) hour orientation program before they work directly with children in care and eighteen (18) hours of annual training.

 

Section 7.CPA Foster Parent Requirements.

 

(a)The CPA program shall develop, adopt, follow and maintain on file written policies and procedures to recruit and approve foster parents (including the home study process) capable of providing quality services, while ensuring reasonable and adequate safeguards to children and their families.

 

(b)Foster parents shall be twenty-one (21) years of age or older.

 

Section 8.Home Study.

 

(a)All CPAs shall complete and keep on file the following prior to approving a foster home:

 

(i)Background checks on the prospective foster parent(s) and any other adults residing in the home as set forth in Chapter 3, Section 10;

 

(ii)References.  Five (5) positive references shall be obtained for each prospective foster parent:

 

(A)Three (3) non-relative references from persons who have known the applicant for at least two (2) years, and have a general knowledge about the applicant's ability to care for children; and

 

(B)Two (2) relative references (e.g., parents, siblings) to assess family relationships and support the appropriateness of the applicant to provide foster care.

(iii)Physician or other licensed professional statement verifying prospective foster parent(s) is physically, cognitively, and emotionally capable of providing care for the children;

 

(iv)TB testing as set forth in Chapter 3, Section 12; and

 

(v)Three (3) or more interviews with the prospective foster parent(s):

 

(A)Interview each prospective foster parent and household member separately;

 

(B)Provide sufficient information to acquaint the family with the CPA program and its philosophies and practices; and

 

(C)Two (2) of the three (3) interviews shall be conducted at the family home, with all family members present for one (1) of the in home interviews.

 

(b)Health and Safety Inspection.  The CPA program shall develop procedures to inspect and monitor every foster home to ensure a safe and healthy environment for children and shall perform a safety and health inspection of the home (addressing all items in Section 9 of this chapter).

 

 (c)Written Home Study.

 

(i)The written home study shall include documentation of all interviews and information gathered during home study process and shall also include:

 

(A)Date of interviews and home visits;

 

(B)Identifying information about all household members including relationship in the family;

 

(C)Motivation for becoming a foster family;

 

(D)Social history and current functioning;

 

(E)Family of origin, composition, birth order, parents' marriages, separations, other children of prior relationships;

 

(F)Physical and mental health assessment;

 

(G)Parenting;

 

(H)Family relationships;

 

(I)Employment and finances;

(J)Substance use history of family living in the home; and

 

(K)Recommendation of approval or disapproval and basis for recommendation.

 

Section 9.Foster Home Health and Safety.

 

(a) The CPA program shall develop procedures for the maintenance of a safe, hygienic, and sanitary environment and monitor adherence to procedures in order to protect the health, safety and welfare of the residents.

 

(b)The CPA shall conduct and document in the foster home file an annual health and safety inspection of the foster home to ensure that the home meets the health and safety requirements in Chapter 3, Sections 18 and 20, as well as:

 

(i)All forms of tobacco and alcohol shall be stored out of reach of children in a locked or inaccessible area; and

 

(ii)Foster parents shall not engage in the excessive use of alcohol at any time they are in the presence of a foster child and shall not operate a motor vehicle while transporting a foster child if any alcohol has been consumed.

 

Section 10.Foster Home Certification and Re-certification.

 

(a)Approval/disapproval of foster homes is the responsibility of the program.

 

(b)No foster parent shall be approved to provide care prior to completing the required orientation training.

 

(c)Foster homes shall be certified to provide care for a specific number of children, based upon the ability of the foster parents and the size of the foster home, not to exceed five (5) placements and for a period not to exceed two (2) years.  A copy of the certificate with the expiration date of the certification must be sent to the regional DFS foster care coordinator with copies of the background checks for all of the foster parents.

 

(d)Foster homes shall be reviewed on an annual basis (including an update of the original home study, documenting any changes) and an in-home inspection must be completed and documented in the foster home file.

 

Section 11.Personal Possessions and Money.

 

(a)In addition to the requirements listed in Chapter 3, Section 26, the following requirements must be met:

 

(i)No child shall be required to participate in uncompensated work assignments unless the work is related to housekeeping, maintenance of the foster home or grounds, personal hygienic needs, or the work is part of an approved vocational or training program.

 

(ii)Foster children may be given permission to baby-sit with the approval of the Administrator/Executive Director or designee and the child's DFS caseworker and shall receive compensation based on current "market value" paid for babysitting.

 

(iii)Neither work experience or the length of time spent on non-paid chores shall interfere with a child's time for school, study periods, play, sleep, community contacts or visits with family, and shall be designed to serve the child's interest.

 

(iv)The foster family shall comply with applicable child labor laws.

 

(v)Children shall be provided proper supervision when working with or in proximity to power-driven machinery.

 

Section 12.Responsibilities of and Services Provided by the CPA.

 

(a)Develop comprehensive case management that support the child, the parents and/or legal guardian, and the foster parents.

 

(b)Maintain and document ongoing communication with the foster family by visiting in the foster home at least two (2) times each month, one (1) of which shall occur when the child is present, unless indicated more often based on the circumstances of the case.

 

(c)In addition to home visits, each child must be seen alone once each month.

 

(d)Develop and document a system of support services for the foster family that will adequately meet the needs of the child in foster care.

 

(e)Put in place a mechanism for the monitoring of service delivery which shall be accomplished at least every thirty (30) days or sooner if needed and shall meet the following criteria:

 

(i)Include a random selection of case files; and

 

(ii)Documentation must include input from the child and the foster parents.

 

Section 13.Respite Care.

 

(a)Respite is defined as a planned period of relief from direct care.

 

(b)Respite providers must meet one (1) of the following criteria:

 

(i)Be an approved foster home; or

 

(ii)Be approved by the Administrator/Executive Director.  Approval of a home, at a minimum, includes a completed application, two (2) or more positive references, home inspection, approval by DFS if the child is in DFS custody and a background check (pursuant to Chapter 3, Section 10).

 

(c)The respite provider shall be provided with information on how to obtain medical care for the children, instruction on addressing the needs of the children, contact information for the children's regular caregivers, caseworker, parents, counselors, and other emergency information.