Notice for Proposed Model Family Foster Home Licensing Standards, 37495-37500 [2018-16380]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 148 / Wednesday, August 1, 2018 / Notices
did not contain any material
misrepresentations by the registered
entities.
Dated: July 25, 2018.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018–16398 Filed 7–31–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. CP18–531–000]
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Florida Gas Transmission Company,
LLC; Notice of Request Under Blanket
Authorization
Take notice that on July 19, 2018,
Florida Gas Transmission Company,
LLC (FGT), 1300 Main St., Houston,
Texas 77002, filed in the above
referenced docket, a prior notice request
pursuant to sections 157.205, 157.208,
157.210, and 157.211 of the
Commission’s regulations under the
Natural Gas Act (NGA) and Columbia’s
blanket certificate issued in Docket No.
CP82–553–000, for authorization to (1)
construct, install, own, maintain and
operate, certain natural gas pipeline
facilities (including 3.4 miles of
mainline looping) and appurtenant
facilities in Hillsborough and Polk
Counties, Florida and (2) install an
interconnection and appurtenant
facilities for gas delivery to a new Meter
and Regulation station to be
constructed/owned/operated by Florida
Public Utilities (FPU) in Martin County,
Florida. The approximate cost of the
Okeechobee Expansion Project is
approximately $19,500,000. This Project
will enable FGT to provide additional
capacity of 12,000 million British
thermal units per day (MMBtu/d) of
available firm transportation service to
the proposed interconnection with FPU
in Martin County, Florida, all as more
fully set forth in the application which
is on file with the Commission and open
to public inspection.
The filing may also be viewed on the
web at https://www.ferc.gov using the
‘‘eLibrary’’ link. Enter the docket
number excluding the last three digits in
the docket number field to access the
document. For assistance, please contact
FERC Online Support at
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll
free at (866) 208–3676, or TTY, contact
(202) 502–8659.
Any questions regarding this
application may be directed to Blair
Lichtenwalter, Senior Director of
Certificates, Florida Gas Transmission
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Company, LLC, 1300 Main St., Houston,
Texas 77002, at (713) 989–2605 or fax
(713) 989–1205 or Blair.Lichtenwalter@
energytransfer.com.
Pursuant to section 157.9 of the
Commission’s rules, 18 CFR 157.9,
within 90 days of this Notice the
Commission staff will either: Complete
its environmental assessment (EA) and
place it into the Commission’s public
record (eLibrary) for this proceeding; or
issue a Notice of Schedule for
Environmental Review. If a Notice of
Schedule for Environmental Review is
issued, it will indicate, among other
milestones, the anticipated date for the
Commission staff’s issuance of the EA
for this proposal. The filing of the EA
in the Commission’s public record for
this proceeding or the issuance of a
Notice of Schedule for Environmental
Review will serve to notify federal and
state agencies of the timing for the
completion of all necessary reviews, and
the subsequent need to complete all
federal authorizations within 90 days of
the date of issuance of the Commission
staff’s EA.
Any person may, within 60 days after
the issuance of the instant notice by the
Commission, file pursuant to Rule 214
of the Commission’s Procedural Rules
(18 CFR 385.214) a motion to intervene
or notice of intervention. Any person
filing to intervene or the Commission’s
staff may, pursuant to section 157.205 of
the Commission’s Regulations under the
NGA (18 CFR 157.205) file a protest to
the request. If no protest is filed within
the time allowed therefore, the proposed
activity shall be deemed to be
authorized effective the day after the
time allowed for protest. If a protest is
filed and not withdrawn within 30 days
after the time allowed for filing a
protest, the instant request shall be
treated as an application for
authorization pursuant to section 7 of
the NGA.
The Commission strongly encourages
electronic filings of comments, protests,
and interventions via the internet in lieu
of paper. See 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii)
and the instructions on the
Commission’s website (www.ferc.gov)
under the ‘‘e-Filing’’ link.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Dated: July 26, 2018.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
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Notice for Proposed Model Family
Foster Home Licensing Standards
Administration for Children
and Families, HHS.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Notice; Request for Comments.
The Family First Prevention
Services Act (FFPSA) directs the U.S.
Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS) to identify ‘‘reputable
model licensing standards with respect
to the licensing of foster family homes.
In response to this directive, the
Children’s Bureau (CB) solicits
comments on the proposed National
Model Family Foster Home Licensing
Standards.
SUMMARY:
Submit comments on or before
October 1, 2018.
DATES:
You may submit comments
by one of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal:
https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
All comments received will be posted
without change to https://
www.regulations.gov, including any
personal information provided.
• Email: CBComments@acf.hhs.gov.
Include [docket number and/or RIN
number] in subject line of the message.
• Mail: Submit written comments to
Kathleen McHugh, United States
Department of Health and Human
Services, Administration for Children
and Families, Director, Policy Division,
330 C Street SW, Washington, DC
20024. Please be aware that mail may
take an additional 3 to 4 days to process
due to security screening of mail.
ADDRESSES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kathleen McHugh, Director, Policy
Division, Children’s Bureau, 330 C
Street SW, Washington, DC 20201.
Email address: cbcomments@
acf.hhs.gov. Deaf and hearing impaired
individuals may call the Federal Dual
Party Relay Service at 1–800–877–8339
between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Eastern
Time.
Table of Contents
[FR Doc. 2018–16461 Filed 7–31–18; 8:45 am]
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Families
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I. Background
II. Overview of the Proposed National Model
Family Foster Home Licensing
III. Standards Summary of the Proposed
National Model Foster Care Licensing
Standards
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We are proposing one set of standards
for comment to apply to relatives and
non-relatives, as well as state and tribal
title IV–E agencies.
Prior to drafting these standards, CB:
• Reviewed several state and tribal
foster family licensing standards that
represented a mix of population
densities, state and county administered
states, and a range of geographic
locations;
• examined the ‘‘Model Family Foster
Home Licensing Standards’’ published
by the National Association for
Regulatory Administration (NARA
Standards);
• reviewed the ‘‘Development and
Implementation of Tribal Foster Care
Standards’’ published by the National
Indian Child Welfare Association
(NICWA); and
• consulted guidelines,
recommendations, and best practices for
foster care services including the
following:
• Council on Accreditation Family
Foster Care and Kinship Care Program
Accreditation Guidelines; and
• Child Welfare League of America
(CWLA) Standards of Excellence for
Family Foster Care Services.
The CB relied heavily upon the NARA
standards in drafting the proposed
National Model Family Foster Home
Licensing Standards. The NARA
standards were developed by attorneys
at Generations United and the American
Bar Association who researched family
foster care licensing standards in state
codes, regulations, and policies for each
state and the District of Columbia.1 The
current NARA standards use model
language from state licensing standards
and language from the CWLA and the
Council on Accreditation with the goal
to create reasonable and achievable
safety standards for family foster home
licensing. NICWA assisted the Council
on Accreditation with developing foster
care and kinship care standards used to
accredit public and private agencies that
address the unique needs of Native
children and account for the protections
of the Indian Child Welfare Act.
CB assessed whether these materials
shared purposes, standards, and
categories to support the conclusion that
the NARA standards were appropriate
to use as a main source for the National
Model Family Foster Home Licensing
Standards. Through this review, CB
determined that while it is important for
standards to be flexible for title IV–E
agency implementation, overall, the
standards reviewed shared many
commonalities. Further, the NARA
standards are based in significant
research and input from experts in the
field; therefore, we consider them the
best available resource to base a federal
standard on, and reasonably flexible for
title IV–E agency implementation.
1 For the research results, please see: https://
www.grandfamilies.org/Portals/0/Improving
(1) Legislative Context
The President signed the Bipartisan
Budget Act of 2018, Public Law (Pub. L.)
115–123 into law on February 9, 2018.
Public Law 115–123 includes the
FFPSA in Division E, Title VII. Section
50731 of the FFPSA directs HHS to
‘‘identify reputable model licensing
standards with respect to the licensing
of foster family homes (as defined in
section 472(c)(1) of the Social Security
Act).’’
By April 1, 2019, title IV–E agencies,
which include all states and 12 tribes,
must provide the HHS specific and
detailed information about:
Æ Whether the state or tribal agency
foster family home licensing standards
are consistent with the model licensing
standards identified by HHS, and if not,
the reason; and
Æ Whether the state or tribal agency
waives non-safety licensing standards
for relative foster family homes
(pursuant to waiver authority provided
by section 471(a)(10)(D) of the Act), and
if so, how caseworkers are trained to use
the waiver authority and whether the
agency has developed a process or
provided tools to assist caseworkers in
waiving these non-safety standards to
quickly place children with relatives.
States and tribes have a long history
of developing and implementing their
own foster family home licensing
standards. These standards are typically
included in statutes, codes, or
regulations, but may also be included in
policy documents or guidance. In
reference to the title IV–E program,
section 471(a)(10) of the Act requires
title IV–E agencies to develop plans that
provide for the establishment and
maintaining of standards for foster
family homes and child care
institutions. These standards must be
reasonably in accord with related
standards developed by national
organizations, including standards
related to admission policies, safety,
sanitation, protection of civil rights, and
permit the use of the reasonable prudent
parent standard.
(2) Reviewing Foster Family Home
Licensing Standards
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CB did not examine the following
subject areas because this was outside
the scope of the legislative requirement:
• Foster home licensing procedures;
• Emergency placement procedures;
• Re-licensure procedures;
• Procedures for pre-service training;
• Care of children after placement in
a licensed foster home; and
• Post-licensing requirements, such
as foster parent recordkeeping and
reporting.
%20Foster%20Care%20Licensing%
20Standards.pdf.
I. Background
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II. Overview of the Proposed National
Model Family Foster Home Licensing
Standards
The proposed standards are
categorized into eight categories that
closely resemble the NARA standards:
A. Foster Home Eligibility
a. Threshold Requirements
b. Physical and Mental Health
c. Background Checks
d. Home Study
B. Foster Family Home Health and
Safety
a. Living Space
b. Condition of Home
C. Foster Home Capacity
D. Foster Home Sleeping Arrangements
E. Emergency Preparedness, Fire Safety,
and Evacuation Plans
F. Transportation
G. Training
H. Foster Parent Assurances
These categories cover the essential
components of licensing a foster family
in terms of ensuring the applicant’s
capacity to care for a child in foster care,
and also provide parameters for
licensing the physical home of the
family to ensure it is appropriate and
safe for a child in foster care.
The National Model Family Foster
Home Licensing Standards, based on the
NARA Standards, are designed to be
broad and flexible enough to respond to
individual circumstances, state and
tribal jurisdictions, and help ensure
children in out-of-home care have safe
and appropriate homes. The standards
do not include the many other agency
practices for how to conduct
assessments, good practice standards,
guidelines on re-licensing, or other
requirements that must be undertaken
with licensing foster family homes. In
addition, there are numerous state and
federal laws that agencies must consider
when licensing foster family homes that
we did not address. We encourage
agencies to utilize best practices, such
as engaging tribal communities or others
as appropriate in licensing families;
however, these standards do not address
such practices.
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III. Summary of the Proposed National
Model Foster Care Licensing Standards
Subject standard
Standard and summary
Foster Home Eligibility ........................................
A. Foster Home Eligibility: A family foster home license includes the following:
a. Threshold Requirements:
i. Applicants must be age 18 or older.
ii. Applicants must have income or resources to make timely payments for shelter,
food, utility costs, clothing, and other household expenses prior to the addition of a
child or children in foster care.
iii. Applicants must be able to communicate with the child in the child’s own language
and applicants must be able to communicate with the title IV–E agency, health care
providers, and other service providers.
iv. At least one applicant in the home must have functional literacy, such as having
the ability to read medication labels.
The proposed eligibility standards provide threshold requirements for a family foster home license to establish a first step in assessing the applicant’s age, financial stability, and ability
to communicate with the child and agency.
We propose that adult applicants are financially stable to meet their family’s needs prior to
placing a child in the home. We proposed communication standards which are flexible for
both the applicant and agency in that applicants must be able to follow agency and service
provider instructions as well as communicate directly with a child. The proposed standards
do not include requirements for English literacy so as not to dissuade potential foster family
applicants. However, we propose functional literacy to ensure at least one of the applicants
has the ability to read and write at the level necessary to participate effectively in the community in which they live.
b. Physical and Mental Health: All applicants must have recent (conducted within the prior
12 months) physical exams from a licensed health care professional that indicate that
the applicants are capable of caring for an additional child or children.
i. All household members must disclose current mental health and/or substance
abuse issues.
ii. All household members must provide information on their physical and mental
health history, including any history of drug or alcohol abuse or treatment.
iii. The title IV–E agency may require further documentation and/or evaluation to determine the suitability of the home.
iv. All children who are household members must be up to date on immunizations
consistent with the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, and the American Academy of Family Physicians, unless the immunization is contrary to the child’s health as documented by a licensed health
care professional.
The proposed physical and mental health standards ensure each applicant is physically, mentally, and emotionally capable of caring for an additional child or children through a required
physical exam. We are not requiring that household members undergo a physical exam,
however, they must provide a health history, including any history of drug or alcohol abuse
or treatment.
c. Background Checks:
i. Applicants must submit to criminal record and child abuse and neglect registry
checks as required in section 471(a)(20) of the Social Security Act (the Act).
The proposed background check standards mirror the requirements under section 471(a)(20)
of the Act which requires title IV–E agencies to perform criminal and child abuse and neglect registry background checks as part of meeting the IV–E requirements. The state or
tribe must not grant final approval to the applicant if a record check reveals a felony conviction for:
• Child abuse or neglect;
• Spousal abuse;
• A crime against children (including child pornography);
• A crime involving violence, including rape, sexual assault, or homicide, but not including
other physical assault or battery;
• Physical assault, battery, or a drug-related offense within the last five (5) years; and
Title IV–E agencies must check any child abuse and neglect registry maintained by the state
or tribe for information on any applicant and on any other adult living in the prospective foster home. Further, title IV–E agencies must request any other state or tribe in which any
such applicant or other adult has resided in the preceding five (5) years.
d. Home Study: Applicant must have completed an agency home study, which is a written
comprehensive family assessment in collaboration with the applicants to include the following elements:
Summary—Foster Home Eligibility .....................
Foster Home Eligibility—Physical and Mental
Health.
Summary—Foster Home
and Mental Health.
Eligibility—Physical
Foster Home Eligibility—Background Checks ....
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Summary—Foster
ground Checks.
Home
Eligibility—Back-
Home Study ........................................................
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Subject standard
Standard and summary
Summary—Home Study .....................................
Foster Family Home Health and Safety .............
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Summary—Foster Family Home Health and
Safety.
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i. At least one scheduled on-site visit to assess the home to ensure that it meets the
state, tribal and/or local standards applicable to the safety and care of the home.
ii. At least one scheduled in home interview for each household member to observe
family functioning and assess the family’s capacity to meet the needs of a child or
children in foster care.
iii. The title IV–E agency has discretion on whether to interview or observe each
household member based on his or her age and development.
iv. Multiple applicant references that attest to the capability of the applicant to care for
the child, including at least one from a relative and one from a non-relative.
We propose a broad home study standard that requires the title IV–E agency to conduct inperson and on-site interviews and obtain references for all applicants. Most states have
home study requirements in law and regulation which include explicit home study and interview standards.
B. Foster Family Home Health and Safety:
a. Living Space: The home must be a house, mobile home, housing unit or apartment occupied by an individual or a family. The home, grounds, and all structures on the
grounds of the property must in a reasonable state of repair within community standards. The home must have:
i. A continuous supply of safe drinking water.
ii. A properly operating kitchen with a sink, refrigerator, stove, and oven;
iii. At least one properly operating bathroom with a toilet, sink and tub or shower.
iv. Heating and/or cooling as required by the geographic area, consistent with accepted community standards and in safe operating condition.
v. A working phone or access to a working phone in close walking proximity.
b. Condition of the Home: The applicants’ home, grounds, and all structures on the
grounds of the property must be properly maintained in a clean, safe, and sanitary condition and in a reasonable state of repair within community standards. The interior and
exterior must be free from dangerous objects and conditions, and from hazardous materials. The home must meet the following requirements:
i. Have adequate lighting, ventilation and proper trash and recycling disposal.
ii. Be free from rodents and insect infestation.
iii. Proper water heater temperature.
iv. Weapons and ammunition (separately) stored, locked, unloaded, and inaccessible
to children.
v. Pets are vaccinated in accordance with state, tribal and/or local law.
vi. Swimming pools, hot tubs, and spas must meet the following to ensure they are
safe and hazard free (and additionally must meet all state, tribal and/or local safety
requirements):
1. Swimming pools must have a barrier on all sides.
2. Swimming pools must have their methods of access through the barrier
equipped with a safety device, such as a bolt lock.
3. Swimming pools must be equipped with a life saving device, such as a ring
buoy.
4. If the swimming pool cannot be emptied after each use, the pool must have a
working pump and filtering system.
5. Hot tubs and spas must have safety covers that are locked when not in use.
vii. Prevent the child’s access, as appropriate for his or her age and development, to
all medications, poisonous materials, cleaning supplies, other hazardous materials,
and alcoholic beverages.
The title IV–E agency may include other specific standards as appropriate to their jurisdiction.
Foster Family Home Health and Safety—These proposed standards apply to the foster family
home itself, which includes the grounds and all structures found on the grounds. These proposed standards are written broadly to: (1) Address the large amount of variance in home
hazards across jurisdictions; and (2) prevent potential biases against rural or urban families.
These standards are divided into two sections: Living space and condition of the home. The
NARA standards as well as the state standards reviewed include specific requirements to
address jurisdictional and geographical concerns. For example, requirements around water
hazards such as swimming pools may not be a priority in all jurisdictions.
a. Living Space—The proposed living space standards are flexible in order to determine
that a home includes basic essentials such as safe drinking water (which may include
water from a municipal drinking source, a private well, or other source), proper kitchen
and bath facilities and such. This ensures that the home is a suitable and safe foster
family home, and allows potential foster families to reside in a variety of types of homes
and locations, such as low-income or rural areas, may qualify as foster parents. A key
factor is whether the home, grounds, and all structures on the grounds of the property
are in a reasonable state of repair within community standards taking into account
neighborhood norms while being mindful of any potential health and safety risks.
b. Condition of the Home—The proposed condition of the home standards, address the
overall condition and safety of the home to ensure the home is safe and in a reasonable state of repair considering the community where the home is located. Housing and
living arrangements must be safe and clean, and hazardous conditions mitigated. The
proposed standards include specific safety requirements for pools, hot tubs and spas as
these pose a particular preventable danger to children.
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Subject standard
Standard and summary
Foster Home Capacity ........................................
C. Foster Home Capacity: The total number of children in foster care in a family foster home,
must not exceed six (6) consistent with section 472(c)(1)(A)(ii)(III) of the Act. Per section
472(c)(1)(B) of the Act, the number of foster children cared for in a foster family home may
exceed this numerical limitation at the option of the title IV–E agency for any of the following
reasons:
a. To allow a parenting youth in foster care to remain with the child of the parenting youth.
b. To allow siblings to remain together.
c. To allow a child with an established meaningful relationship with the family to remain
with the family.
d. To allow a family with special training or skills to provide care to a child who has a severe disability.
Foster Home Capacity—The proposed foster home capacity standards mirror the requirements
section 472(c)(1)(A)(ii)(III) that the total number of children in a foster family home, must not
exceed six (6). Per section 472(c)(1)(B) of the Act, the title IV–E agency may make an exception to this numerical limitation for the following reasons:
• To allow a parenting youth in foster care to remain with the child of the parenting youth.
• To allow siblings to remain together.
• To allow a child with an established meaningful relationship with the family to remain
with the family.
• To allow a family with special training or skills to provide care to a child who has a severe disability.
D. Foster Home Sleeping Arrangements: Applicants must provide a safe sleeping space including sleeping supplies, such as mattress and linens, for each individual child, as appropriate for the child’s needs and age and similar to other household members. Foster parents
must not co-sleep or bed-share with infants.
The proposed sleeping arrangement standard ensures children in foster care sleep in safe and
comfortable sleeping spaces with appropriate furnishings to meet their basic needs and ensure privacy. All children in the home must be treated equitably. For example, children in
foster care should not sleep in public living spaces if other children have their own bedrooms. Further, sleeping arrangements should be age and developmentally appropriate for
the children who are placed in the home. Co-sleeping or bed-sharing, when a parent(s) and
infant share a sleeping surface (such as a bed, sofa or chair), is prohibited.
We included this prohibition because approximately 3,500 infants (children under 12 months of
age) die annually in the United States from sleep-related causes, such as sudden infant
death syndrome (SIDS) and accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed.2 Both bed sharing with infants and sleeping with infants sleeping on couches or armchairs increase the risk
of infant death, including sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), entrapment, and suffocation. Room-sharing, i.e., when an infant shares a room with a parent(s), but sleeps on a
separate sleeping surface is not prohibited as it is considered a safe sleep practice that is
linked to a reduced risk of SIDS.3
E. Emergency Preparedness, Fire Safety, and Evacuation Plans: The applicant must have
emergency preparedness plans and items in place as appropriate for the home’s geographic
location. The applicants’ home must meet the following fire safety and emergency planning
requirements:
a. Have at least one smoke detector on each level of occupancy of the home and at least
one near all sleeping areas.
b. Have at least one carbon monoxide detector on each level of occupancy of the home
and at least one near all sleeping areas.
c. Have at least one operable fire extinguisher that is readily accessible.
d. Be free of obvious fire hazards, such as defective heating equipment or improperly
stored flammable materials.
e. Have a written emergency evacuation plan to be reviewed with the child and posted in
a prominent place in the home.
f. Maintain a comprehensive list of emergency telephone numbers, including poison control, and post those numbers in a prominent place in the home.
g. Maintain first aid supplies.
Emergency Preparedness, Fire Safety, and Evacuation Plans—The proposed standards help
protect children and household members from harm in the event of an emergency, a fire, or
a need to evacuate. The proposed standards are written broadly allowing them to be tailored to unique emergencies, such as natural disasters, that may occur in specific jurisdictions. Safety procedures and emergency plans, and the communication thereof, increase the
probability of safety and injury prevention for household members. Emergency readiness information provided by the Department of Homeland Security is available at https://
www.ready.gov.
F. Transportation: Applicants must ensure that the family has reliable, legal and safe transportation with safety restraints, as appropriate for the child. Reliable transportation would include a properly maintained vehicle or access to reliable public transportation, if one is
owned; legal transportation would include having a valid driving license, insurance and registration as appropriate and safe transportation would include safety restraints and only
adults in the home having a driving record in good standing transport the child.
Summary—Foster Home Capacity .....................
Foster Home Sleeping Arrangements ................
Summary—Foster
ments.
Home
Sleeping
Arrange-
Emergency Preparedness, Fire Safety, and
Evacuation Plans.
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Summary—Emergency
Preparedness,
Safety, and Evacuation Plans.
Fire
Transportation .....................................................
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Subject standard
Standard and summary
Summary—Transportation Standards ................
The proposed transportation standards focus broadly on the applicant having a reliable, legal,
and safe mode of transportation for a child in foster care to attend appointments, visitation,
and meetings. We also propose that only adults in the home be permitted to transport children in foster care and only those having a driving record in good standing. We specifically
avoid proposing standards that could impact a foster parent based on geographic location
and income. For example, some states require foster parents to have their own vehicle.
However, applicants in states with a high urban population may not have access to or need
a vehicle. Rather, they rely upon public transportation.
G. Training: a. Applicants must complete pre-licensing training on the following topics: legal
rights, roles, responsibilities and expectations of foster parents; agency structure, purpose,
policies, and services; laws and regulations; the impact of childhood trauma; managing child
behaviors; first aid (including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for the ages of the children in placement) and medication administration; and the importance of maintaining meaningful connections between the child and parents, including regular visitation. Foster parents
must participate in ongoing training to receive instruction to support their parental roles and
ensure the parent is up to date with agency requirements. Further, this training may also include child-specific training and/or may address issues relevant to the general population of
children in foster care.
The proposed training standards include both pre-licensing and ongoing training and include
mandatory training topics. The purpose of the pre-licensing training standards is to provide
information to applicants so they can make an informed decision about their commitment to
foster a child. In addition, the pre-service training is to prepare the applicant to be licensed
as a foster parent. This includes training on the reasonable and prudent parent standard per
section 471(a)(24) of the Act. The ongoing training is to ensure the parent receives ongoing
instruction to support their parental roles and remain up to date on policies, requirements,
and services. Therefore, there are no mandatory topics, as these depend on agency priorities and specific individual needs.
H. Foster Parent Assurances: Applicants must agree to comply with their roles and responsibilities as discussed with the title IV–E agency once a child is placed in their care. The title
IV–E agency must require assurances including:
a. Applicants will not use corporal or degrading punishment
b. Applicants will not use any illegal substances, abuse alcohol by consuming it in excess
amounts, or abuse legal prescription and/or nonprescription drugs by consuming them
in excess amounts or using them contrary to as indicated.
b. Applicants and their guests will not smoke in the family foster home, in any vehicle
used to transport the child, or in the presence of the child in foster care.
c. Applicants will adhere to the title IV–E agency’s reasonable and prudent parent standard per section 472(c)(1)(A)(ii)(I) of the Act.
There are four proposed foster parent assurances are broadly written to apply across title IV–
E jurisdictions which cover corporal punishment, alcohol and drug use, the reasonable and
prudent parent standard and smoking. Assurances help potential foster family to have a
clear understanding of expectations prior to approval as a foster home, cover behaviors
which cannot be verified as part of the home study and typically are expectations after a
home is licensed. Title IV–E agencies may wish to develop additional assurances as appropriate to their jurisdiction.
Training ...............................................................
Summary—Training ............................................
Foster Parent Assurances ..................................
Summary—Foster Parent Assurances ...............
Dated: July 24, 2018.
Steven Wagner,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Children and
Families.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
[FR Doc. 2018–16380 Filed 7–31–18; 8:45 am]
[Docket No. FDA–2017–N–0007]
BILLING CODE 4148–25–P
Food and Drug Administration
Outsourcing Facility Fee Rates for
Fiscal Year 2019
AGENCY:
Food and Drug Administration,
HHS.
ACTION:
Notice.
The Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) is announcing the
fiscal year (FY) 2019 rates for the
establishment and re-inspection fees
related to entities that compound
human drugs and elect to register as
outsourcing facilities under the Federal
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the
FD&C Act). The FD&C Act authorizes
FDA to assess and collect an annual
establishment fee from outsourcing
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
2 Task
Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
‘‘SIDS and Other Sleep-Related Infant Deaths:
Updated 2016 Recommendations for a Safe Infant
Sleeping Environment.’’ Pediatrics, 138, no. 5
(2016): 1, https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/
content/138/5/e20162938.
3 Ibid., 2–4.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
20:07 Jul 31, 2018
Jkt 244001
PO 00000
Frm 00042
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
facilities, as well as a re-inspection fee
for each re-inspection of an outsourcing
facility. This document establishes the
FY 2019 rates for the small business
establishment fee ($5,461), the nonsmall business establishment fee
($18,375), and the re-inspection fee
($16,382) for outsourcing facilities;
provides information on how the fees
for FY 2019 were determined; and
describes the payment procedures
outsourcing facilities should follow.
These fee rates are effective October 1,
2018, and will remain in effect through
September 30, 2019.
For
more information on human drug
compounding and outsourcing facility
fees: Visit FDAs website at: https://
www.fda.gov/Drugs/Guidance
ComplianceRegulatoryInformation/
PharmacyCompounding/default.htm.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
E:\FR\FM\01AUN1.SGM
01AUN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 148 (Wednesday, August 1, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37495-37500]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-16380]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Notice for Proposed Model Family Foster Home Licensing Standards
AGENCY: Administration for Children and Families, HHS.
ACTION: Notice; Request for Comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) directs the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to identify
``reputable model licensing standards with respect to the licensing of
foster family homes. In response to this directive, the Children's
Bureau (CB) solicits comments on the proposed National Model Family
Foster Home Licensing Standards.
DATES: Submit comments on or before October 1, 2018.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by one of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments. All comments received
will be posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov, including
any personal information provided.
Email: [email protected]. Include [docket number and/
or RIN number] in subject line of the message.
Mail: Submit written comments to Kathleen McHugh, United
States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for
Children and Families, Director, Policy Division, 330 C Street SW,
Washington, DC 20024. Please be aware that mail may take an additional
3 to 4 days to process due to security screening of mail.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathleen McHugh, Director, Policy
Division, Children's Bureau, 330 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20201.
Email address: [email protected] Deaf and hearing impaired
individuals may call the Federal Dual Party Relay Service at 1-800-877-
8339 between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
I. Background
II. Overview of the Proposed National Model Family Foster Home
Licensing
III. Standards Summary of the Proposed National Model Foster Care
Licensing Standards
[[Page 37496]]
I. Background
(1) Legislative Context
The President signed the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, Public Law
(Pub. L.) 115-123 into law on February 9, 2018. Public Law 115-123
includes the FFPSA in Division E, Title VII. Section 50731 of the FFPSA
directs HHS to ``identify reputable model licensing standards with
respect to the licensing of foster family homes (as defined in section
472(c)(1) of the Social Security Act).''
By April 1, 2019, title IV-E agencies, which include all states and
12 tribes, must provide the HHS specific and detailed information
about:
[cir] Whether the state or tribal agency foster family home
licensing standards are consistent with the model licensing standards
identified by HHS, and if not, the reason; and
[cir] Whether the state or tribal agency waives non-safety
licensing standards for relative foster family homes (pursuant to
waiver authority provided by section 471(a)(10)(D) of the Act), and if
so, how caseworkers are trained to use the waiver authority and whether
the agency has developed a process or provided tools to assist
caseworkers in waiving these non-safety standards to quickly place
children with relatives.
States and tribes have a long history of developing and
implementing their own foster family home licensing standards. These
standards are typically included in statutes, codes, or regulations,
but may also be included in policy documents or guidance. In reference
to the title IV-E program, section 471(a)(10) of the Act requires title
IV-E agencies to develop plans that provide for the establishment and
maintaining of standards for foster family homes and child care
institutions. These standards must be reasonably in accord with related
standards developed by national organizations, including standards
related to admission policies, safety, sanitation, protection of civil
rights, and permit the use of the reasonable prudent parent standard.
(2) Reviewing Foster Family Home Licensing Standards
We are proposing one set of standards for comment to apply to
relatives and non-relatives, as well as state and tribal title IV-E
agencies.
Prior to drafting these standards, CB:
Reviewed several state and tribal foster family licensing
standards that represented a mix of population densities, state and
county administered states, and a range of geographic locations;
examined the ``Model Family Foster Home Licensing
Standards'' published by the National Association for Regulatory
Administration (NARA Standards);
reviewed the ``Development and Implementation of Tribal
Foster Care Standards'' published by the National Indian Child Welfare
Association (NICWA); and
consulted guidelines, recommendations, and best practices
for foster care services including the following:
Council on Accreditation Family Foster Care and Kinship
Care Program Accreditation Guidelines; and
Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) Standards of
Excellence for Family Foster Care Services.
The CB relied heavily upon the NARA standards in drafting the
proposed National Model Family Foster Home Licensing Standards. The
NARA standards were developed by attorneys at Generations United and
the American Bar Association who researched family foster care
licensing standards in state codes, regulations, and policies for each
state and the District of Columbia.\1\ The current NARA standards use
model language from state licensing standards and language from the
CWLA and the Council on Accreditation with the goal to create
reasonable and achievable safety standards for family foster home
licensing. NICWA assisted the Council on Accreditation with developing
foster care and kinship care standards used to accredit public and
private agencies that address the unique needs of Native children and
account for the protections of the Indian Child Welfare Act.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ For the research results, please see: https://www.grandfamilies.org/Portals/0/Improving%20Foster%20Care%20Licensing%20Standards.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
CB assessed whether these materials shared purposes, standards, and
categories to support the conclusion that the NARA standards were
appropriate to use as a main source for the National Model Family
Foster Home Licensing Standards. Through this review, CB determined
that while it is important for standards to be flexible for title IV-E
agency implementation, overall, the standards reviewed shared many
commonalities. Further, the NARA standards are based in significant
research and input from experts in the field; therefore, we consider
them the best available resource to base a federal standard on, and
reasonably flexible for title IV-E agency implementation.
CB did not examine the following subject areas because this was
outside the scope of the legislative requirement:
Foster home licensing procedures;
Emergency placement procedures;
Re-licensure procedures;
Procedures for pre-service training;
Care of children after placement in a licensed foster
home; and
Post-licensing requirements, such as foster parent
recordkeeping and reporting.
II. Overview of the Proposed National Model Family Foster Home
Licensing Standards
The proposed standards are categorized into eight categories that
closely resemble the NARA standards:
A. Foster Home Eligibility
a. Threshold Requirements
b. Physical and Mental Health
c. Background Checks
d. Home Study
B. Foster Family Home Health and Safety
a. Living Space
b. Condition of Home
C. Foster Home Capacity
D. Foster Home Sleeping Arrangements
E. Emergency Preparedness, Fire Safety, and Evacuation Plans
F. Transportation
G. Training
H. Foster Parent Assurances
These categories cover the essential components of licensing a
foster family in terms of ensuring the applicant's capacity to care for
a child in foster care, and also provide parameters for licensing the
physical home of the family to ensure it is appropriate and safe for a
child in foster care.
The National Model Family Foster Home Licensing Standards, based on
the NARA Standards, are designed to be broad and flexible enough to
respond to individual circumstances, state and tribal jurisdictions,
and help ensure children in out-of-home care have safe and appropriate
homes. The standards do not include the many other agency practices for
how to conduct assessments, good practice standards, guidelines on re-
licensing, or other requirements that must be undertaken with licensing
foster family homes. In addition, there are numerous state and federal
laws that agencies must consider when licensing foster family homes
that we did not address. We encourage agencies to utilize best
practices, such as engaging tribal communities or others as appropriate
in licensing families; however, these standards do not address such
practices.
[[Page 37497]]
III. Summary of the Proposed National Model Foster Care Licensing
Standards
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject standard Standard and summary
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Foster Home Eligibility...... A. Foster Home Eligibility: A family
foster home license includes the
following:
a. Threshold Requirements:
i. Applicants must be age 18 or
older.
ii. Applicants must have income or
resources to make timely payments for
shelter, food, utility costs, clothing,
and other household expenses prior to
the addition of a child or children in
foster care.
iii. Applicants must be able to
communicate with the child in the
child's own language and applicants must
be able to communicate with the title IV-
E agency, health care providers, and
other service providers.
iv. At least one applicant in the home
must have functional literacy, such as
having the ability to read medication
labels.
Summary--Foster Home The proposed eligibility standards
Eligibility. provide threshold requirements for a
family foster home license to establish
a first step in assessing the
applicant's age, financial stability,
and ability to communicate with the
child and agency.
We propose that adult applicants are
financially stable to meet their
family's needs prior to placing a child
in the home. We proposed communication
standards which are flexible for both
the applicant and agency in that
applicants must be able to follow agency
and service provider instructions as
well as communicate directly with a
child. The proposed standards do not
include requirements for English
literacy so as not to dissuade potential
foster family applicants. However, we
propose functional literacy to ensure at
least one of the applicants has the
ability to read and write at the level
necessary to participate effectively in
the community in which they live.
Foster Home Eligibility-- b. Physical and Mental Health: All
Physical and Mental Health. applicants must have recent
(conducted within the prior 12
months) physical exams from a
licensed health care professional
that indicate that the applicants are
capable of caring for an additional
child or children.
i. All household members must
disclose current mental health and/
or substance abuse issues.
ii. All household members must provide
information on their physical and mental
health history, including any history of
drug or alcohol abuse or treatment.
iii. The title IV-E agency may require
further documentation and/or evaluation
to determine the suitability of the
home.
iv. All children who are household
members must be up to date on
immunizations consistent with the
recommendations of the American Academy
of Pediatrics, the Advisory Committee on
Immunization Practices of the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, and
the American Academy of Family
Physicians, unless the immunization is
contrary to the child's health as
documented by a licensed health care
professional.
Summary--Foster Home The proposed physical and mental health
Eligibility--Physical and standards ensure each applicant is
Mental Health. physically, mentally, and emotionally
capable of caring for an additional
child or children through a required
physical exam. We are not requiring that
household members undergo a physical
exam, however, they must provide a
health history, including any history of
drug or alcohol abuse or treatment.
Foster Home Eligibility-- c. Background Checks:
Background Checks. i. Applicants must submit to criminal
record and child abuse and neglect
registry checks as required in section
471(a)(20) of the Social Security Act
(the Act).
Summary--Foster Home The proposed background check standards
Eligibility--Background mirror the requirements under section
Checks. 471(a)(20) of the Act which requires
title IV-E agencies to perform criminal
and child abuse and neglect registry
background checks as part of meeting the
IV-E requirements. The state or tribe
must not grant final approval to the
applicant if a record check reveals a
felony conviction for:
Child abuse or neglect;
Spousal abuse;
A crime against children
(including child pornography);
A crime involving violence,
including rape, sexual assault, or
homicide, but not including other
physical assault or battery;
Physical assault, battery, or a
drug-related offense within the last
five (5) years; and
Title IV-E agencies must check any child
abuse and neglect registry maintained by
the state or tribe for information on
any applicant and on any other adult
living in the prospective foster home.
Further, title IV-E agencies must
request any other state or tribe in
which any such applicant or other adult
has resided in the preceding five (5)
years.
Home Study................... d. Home Study: Applicant must have
completed an agency home study, which
is a written comprehensive family
assessment in collaboration with the
applicants to include the following
elements:
[[Page 37498]]
i. At least one scheduled on-site
visit to assess the home to ensure
that it meets the state, tribal and/
or local standards applicable to
the safety and care of the home.
ii. At least one scheduled in home
interview for each household member to
observe family functioning and assess
the family's capacity to meet the needs
of a child or children in foster care.
iii. The title IV-E agency has discretion
on whether to interview or observe each
household member based on his or her age
and development.
iv. Multiple applicant references that
attest to the capability of the
applicant to care for the child,
including at least one from a relative
and one from a non-relative.
Summary--Home Study.......... We propose a broad home study standard
that requires the title IV-E agency to
conduct in-person and on-site interviews
and obtain references for all
applicants. Most states have home study
requirements in law and regulation which
include explicit home study and
interview standards.
Foster Family Home Health and B. Foster Family Home Health and Safety:
Safety.
a. Living Space: The home must be a
house, mobile home, housing unit or
apartment occupied by an individual
or a family. The home, grounds, and
all structures on the grounds of the
property must in a reasonable state
of repair within community standards.
The home must have:
i. A continuous supply of safe
drinking water.
ii. A properly operating kitchen with a
sink, refrigerator, stove, and oven;
iii. At least one properly operating
bathroom with a toilet, sink and tub or
shower.
iv. Heating and/or cooling as required by
the geographic area, consistent with
accepted community standards and in safe
operating condition.
v. A working phone or access to a working
phone in close walking proximity.
b. Condition of the Home: The applicants'
home, grounds, and all structures on the
grounds of the property must be properly
maintained in a clean, safe, and
sanitary condition and in a reasonable
state of repair within community
standards. The interior and exterior
must be free from dangerous objects and
conditions, and from hazardous
materials. The home must meet the
following requirements:
i. Have adequate lighting, ventilation
and proper trash and recycling disposal.
ii. Be free from rodents and insect
infestation.
iii. Proper water heater temperature.
iv. Weapons and ammunition (separately)
stored, locked, unloaded, and
inaccessible to children.
v. Pets are vaccinated in accordance with
state, tribal and/or local law.
vi. Swimming pools, hot tubs, and spas
must meet the following to ensure they
are safe and hazard free (and
additionally must meet all state, tribal
and/or local safety requirements):
1. Swimming pools must have a barrier on
all sides.
2. Swimming pools must have their methods
of access through the barrier equipped
with a safety device, such as a bolt
lock.
3. Swimming pools must be equipped with a
life saving device, such as a ring buoy.
4. If the swimming pool cannot be emptied
after each use, the pool must have a
working pump and filtering system.
5. Hot tubs and spas must have safety
covers that are locked when not in use.
vii. Prevent the child's access, as
appropriate for his or her age and
development, to all medications,
poisonous materials, cleaning supplies,
other hazardous materials, and alcoholic
beverages.
The title IV-E agency may include other
specific standards as appropriate to
their jurisdiction.
Summary--Foster Family Home Foster Family Home Health and Safety--
Health and Safety. These proposed standards apply to the
foster family home itself, which
includes the grounds and all structures
found on the grounds. These proposed
standards are written broadly to: (1)
Address the large amount of variance in
home hazards across jurisdictions; and
(2) prevent potential biases against
rural or urban families. These standards
are divided into two sections: Living
space and condition of the home. The
NARA standards as well as the state
standards reviewed include specific
requirements to address jurisdictional
and geographical concerns. For example,
requirements around water hazards such
as swimming pools may not be a priority
in all jurisdictions.
a. Living Space--The proposed living
space standards are flexible in order
to determine that a home includes
basic essentials such as safe
drinking water (which may include
water from a municipal drinking
source, a private well, or other
source), proper kitchen and bath
facilities and such. This ensures
that the home is a suitable and safe
foster family home, and allows
potential foster families to reside
in a variety of types of homes and
locations, such as low-income or
rural areas, may qualify as foster
parents. A key factor is whether the
home, grounds, and all structures on
the grounds of the property are in a
reasonable state of repair within
community standards taking into
account neighborhood norms while
being mindful of any potential health
and safety risks.
b. Condition of the Home--The proposed
condition of the home standards,
address the overall condition and
safety of the home to ensure the home
is safe and in a reasonable state of
repair considering the community
where the home is located. Housing
and living arrangements must be safe
and clean, and hazardous conditions
mitigated. The proposed standards
include specific safety requirements
for pools, hot tubs and spas as these
pose a particular preventable danger
to children.
[[Page 37499]]
Foster Home Capacity......... C. Foster Home Capacity: The total number
of children in foster care in a family
foster home, must not exceed six (6)
consistent with section
472(c)(1)(A)(ii)(III) of the Act. Per
section 472(c)(1)(B) of the Act, the
number of foster children cared for in a
foster family home may exceed this
numerical limitation at the option of
the title IV-E agency for any of the
following reasons:
a. To allow a parenting youth in
foster care to remain with the child
of the parenting youth.
b. To allow siblings to remain together.
c. To allow a child with an established
meaningful relationship with the family
to remain with the family.
d. To allow a family with special
training or skills to provide care to a
child who has a severe disability.
Summary--Foster Home Capacity Foster Home Capacity--The proposed foster
home capacity standards mirror the
requirements section
472(c)(1)(A)(ii)(III) that the total
number of children in a foster family
home, must not exceed six (6). Per
section 472(c)(1)(B) of the Act, the
title IV-E agency may make an exception
to this numerical limitation for the
following reasons:
To allow a parenting youth in
foster care to remain with the child
of the parenting youth.
To allow siblings to remain
together.
To allow a child with an
established meaningful relationship with
the family to remain with the family.
To allow a family with special
training or skills to provide care to a
child who has a severe disability.
Foster Home Sleeping D. Foster Home Sleeping Arrangements:
Arrangements. Applicants must provide a safe sleeping
space including sleeping supplies, such
as mattress and linens, for each
individual child, as appropriate for the
child's needs and age and similar to
other household members. Foster parents
must not co-sleep or bed-share with
infants.
Summary--Foster Home Sleeping The proposed sleeping arrangement
Arrangements. standard ensures children in foster care
sleep in safe and comfortable sleeping
spaces with appropriate furnishings to
meet their basic needs and ensure
privacy. All children in the home must
be treated equitably. For example,
children in foster care should not sleep
in public living spaces if other
children have their own bedrooms.
Further, sleeping arrangements should be
age and developmentally appropriate for
the children who are placed in the home.
Co-sleeping or bed-sharing, when a
parent(s) and infant share a sleeping
surface (such as a bed, sofa or chair),
is prohibited.
We included this prohibition because
approximately 3,500 infants (children
under 12 months of age) die annually in
the United States from sleep-related
causes, such as sudden infant death
syndrome (SIDS) and accidental
suffocation and strangulation in bed.\2\
Both bed sharing with infants and
sleeping with infants sleeping on
couches or armchairs increase the risk
of infant death, including sudden infant
death syndrome (SIDS), entrapment, and
suffocation. Room-sharing, i.e., when an
infant shares a room with a parent(s),
but sleeps on a separate sleeping
surface is not prohibited as it is
considered a safe sleep practice that is
linked to a reduced risk of SIDS.\3\
Emergency Preparedness, Fire E. Emergency Preparedness, Fire Safety,
Safety, and Evacuation Plans. and Evacuation Plans: The applicant must
have emergency preparedness plans and
items in place as appropriate for the
home's geographic location. The
applicants' home must meet the following
fire safety and emergency planning
requirements:
a. Have at least one smoke detector on
each level of occupancy of the home
and at least one near all sleeping
areas.
b. Have at least one carbon monoxide
detector on each level of occupancy of
the home and at least one near all
sleeping areas.
c. Have at least one operable fire
extinguisher that is readily accessible.
d. Be free of obvious fire hazards, such
as defective heating equipment or
improperly stored flammable materials.
e. Have a written emergency evacuation
plan to be reviewed with the child and
posted in a prominent place in the home.
f. Maintain a comprehensive list of
emergency telephone numbers, including
poison control, and post those numbers
in a prominent place in the home.
g. Maintain first aid supplies.
Summary--Emergency Emergency Preparedness, Fire Safety, and
Preparedness, Fire Safety, Evacuation Plans--The proposed standards
and Evacuation Plans. help protect children and household
members from harm in the event of an
emergency, a fire, or a need to
evacuate. The proposed standards are
written broadly allowing them to be
tailored to unique emergencies, such as
natural disasters, that may occur in
specific jurisdictions. Safety
procedures and emergency plans, and the
communication thereof, increase the
probability of safety and injury
prevention for household members.
Emergency readiness information provided
by the Department of Homeland Security
is available at https://www.ready.gov.
Transportation............... F. Transportation: Applicants must ensure
that the family has reliable, legal and
safe transportation with safety
restraints, as appropriate for the
child. Reliable transportation would
include a properly maintained vehicle or
access to reliable public
transportation, if one is owned; legal
transportation would include having a
valid driving license, insurance and
registration as appropriate and safe
transportation would include safety
restraints and only adults in the home
having a driving record in good standing
transport the child.
[[Page 37500]]
Summary--Transportation The proposed transportation standards
Standards. focus broadly on the applicant having a
reliable, legal, and safe mode of
transportation for a child in foster
care to attend appointments, visitation,
and meetings. We also propose that only
adults in the home be permitted to
transport children in foster care and
only those having a driving record in
good standing. We specifically avoid
proposing standards that could impact a
foster parent based on geographic
location and income. For example, some
states require foster parents to have
their own vehicle. However, applicants
in states with a high urban population
may not have access to or need a
vehicle. Rather, they rely upon public
transportation.
Training..................... G. Training: a. Applicants must complete
pre-licensing training on the following
topics: legal rights, roles,
responsibilities and expectations of
foster parents; agency structure,
purpose, policies, and services; laws
and regulations; the impact of childhood
trauma; managing child behaviors; first
aid (including cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR) for the ages of the
children in placement) and medication
administration; and the importance of
maintaining meaningful connections
between the child and parents, including
regular visitation. Foster parents must
participate in ongoing training to
receive instruction to support their
parental roles and ensure the parent is
up to date with agency requirements.
Further, this training may also include
child-specific training and/or may
address issues relevant to the general
population of children in foster care.
Summary--Training............ The proposed training standards include
both pre-licensing and ongoing training
and include mandatory training topics.
The purpose of the pre-licensing
training standards is to provide
information to applicants so they can
make an informed decision about their
commitment to foster a child. In
addition, the pre-service training is to
prepare the applicant to be licensed as
a foster parent. This includes training
on the reasonable and prudent parent
standard per section 471(a)(24) of the
Act. The ongoing training is to ensure
the parent receives ongoing instruction
to support their parental roles and
remain up to date on policies,
requirements, and services. Therefore,
there are no mandatory topics, as these
depend on agency priorities and specific
individual needs.
Foster Parent Assurances..... H. Foster Parent Assurances: Applicants
must agree to comply with their roles
and responsibilities as discussed with
the title IV-E agency once a child is
placed in their care. The title IV-E
agency must require assurances
including:
a. Applicants will not use corporal or
degrading punishment
b. Applicants will not use any illegal
substances, abuse alcohol by consuming
it in excess amounts, or abuse legal
prescription and/or nonprescription
drugs by consuming them in excess
amounts or using them contrary to as
indicated.
b. Applicants and their guests will not
smoke in the family foster home, in any
vehicle used to transport the child, or
in the presence of the child in foster
care.
c. Applicants will adhere to the title IV-
E agency's reasonable and prudent parent
standard per section 472(c)(1)(A)(ii)(I)
of the Act.
Summary--Foster Parent There are four proposed foster parent
Assurances. assurances are broadly written to apply
across title IV-E jurisdictions which
cover corporal punishment, alcohol and
drug use, the reasonable and prudent
parent standard and smoking. Assurances
help potential foster family to have a
clear understanding of expectations
prior to approval as a foster home,
cover behaviors which cannot be verified
as part of the home study and typically
are expectations after a home is
licensed. Title IV-E agencies may wish
to develop additional assurances as
appropriate to their jurisdiction.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dated: July 24, 2018.
Steven Wagner,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Children and Families.
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\2\ Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. ``SIDS and Other
Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Updated 2016 Recommendations for a Safe
Infant Sleeping Environment.'' Pediatrics, 138, no. 5 (2016): 1,
https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/138/5/e20162938.
\3\ Ibid., 2-4.
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[FR Doc. 2018-16380 Filed 7-31-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4148-25-P
