Arkansas Administrative Code
Agency 016 - DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
Division 15 - Children and Family Services
Rule 016.15.22-003 - Development of Resource Homes and Support to Resource Parents

A. To prevent children from entering or remaining in Out-of-Home Placement due to the parents' financial inability to meet the children's basic needs; and

B. To pay for Out-of-Home Placement incidental items that exceed twenty-five dollars ($25.00) and are both outside of the contracting process and not covered by board payments. Examples include school field trips, camping dues, dance supplies, musical instruments, registration fees, and specialized school supplies such as graphing calculators required by the school. However, the following standard school supplies will be covered by personal needs monies within the board payment; sport fees or equipment, social club fees, summer programs, specialized art supplies, and school pictures:

A. If an initial clothing order is needed, discuss with the resource parent to determine which clothing items are needed and issue the authorized amount of clothing allowance using the DHS-1914 or P-card process:

B. Complete all actions identified in Policy III-A: General Services Case Opening and ReEvaluation;

C. Complete the IV-E and Medicaid application as prescribed in Procedure III-A2;

D. Complete all medical exam requirements for the child, including the Comprehensive Health Assessment (See Procedure VI-D1: Comprehensive Health Assessment and Health Plan for Children Receiving Out-Of-Home Placement Services);

E. Complete all case opening functions as outlined in Policy IV-A: Services Case Plan and IV-B: Case Staffing; and

F. Visit the child as required in Policy VII-I: Division Contact with Children in Out-of-Home Placements.

POLICY VI-J: TRUST ACCOUNTS FOR CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE

The Department of Human Services (DHS), Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS), maintains Trust Accounts for children in foster care who receive Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI), Social Security Administration (SSA) Title II Benefits, Child Support, Veterans Benefits (VA), Railroad Benefits (RR), or worker's compensation. These benefits will automatically be used to pay for the child's foster care expenses, which include the monthly board payments and contract payments. DHS will apply to become the payee for benefits collected, as appropriate.

DHS must monitor accounting for all children in foster care to protect against duplicated funding or other errors. Monetary payment to resource parents through DCFS board payment may be adjusted based on the amount of benefits a resource parent receives directly for a foster child. For details, review Policy VII-M: Financial Support to Resource Parents.

DCFS must ensure that potential changes in payee are assessed when a child receiving benefits initially enters foster care. The IV-E/Medicaid Eligibility Unit will screen all DCFS clients for potential SSI and SSA eligibility, based on information reported on the SSI Screening Questionnaire completed by DCFS field staff, and make applications for those who may meet SSA criteria. Ultimately, the authorizing agency of the benefits is the decision-making entity regarding payees for SSA and SSI benefits.

A. Two-thousand dollars ($2,000) for Non-IV-E Foster Care Medicaid (category ninety-one (91)).

B. Two-thousand dollars ($2,000) for Foster Care EC Medicaid (category ninety-six (96)), DDS Waiver Medicaid, Foster Care Spend Down Medicaid (category ninety-seven (97)), and Supplemental Security Income (SSI category forty-five (45)), Long Term Care Medicaid.

C. Ten thousand ($10,000) for title IV-E.

A. Income in a Regular Account has no restrictions, but spending must be appropriately prioritized according to the child's needs and disability.

B. SSI Income in a Dedicated Account may be used for the following with approval from the Social Security Administration:

A. Actively seek out relatives and fictive kin as emergency placement options for every child entering foster care.

B. Actively coordinate with professional organizations and minority groups to create public interest.

C. Contact community organizations and media to inform them about DCFS needs and successes.

D. Encourage resource parents to:

E. Conduct Information Meetings.

A. Conduct an annual assessment of current resource homes and identify the need for additional resource homes.

A. Ensure good communication among all team members, as well as mutual respect, understanding, and honesty.

B. Keep resource parents informed of DCFS programs, services, and policies that relate to foster care.

C. Support resource homes as needed in order to best serve children and families.

A. Discuss and assist resource parents in understanding their rights and responsibilities as resource parents as well as the rights and responsibilities of the Division.

B. Provide resource parents with the county on-call contact information sheet.

C. Visit homes quarterly for monitoring to ensure compliance with licensing standards and resource home requirements, address any issues, and offer support to the resource family.

D. Engage external stakeholders and share relevant information, thus supporting the practice model.

E. Inform resource parents of the internal review of adverse action procedure, when differences arise with DCFS which have not been resolved to the resource parents' satisfaction, as outlined in PUB-30: Resource Parent Handbook.

F. Collaborate with adoption staff as appropriate when a child's permanency goal is changed to adoption and when a child is transitioning from a resource home to an adoptive home.

G. Provide resource parents with information about the Division's opt-in text application used for placement purposes and the resource family provider portal. Encourage use of both programs during quarterly visits to resource homes.

A. Address the following topics at the Information Meeting:

B. Ensure a current or former resource parent is present and available to answer questions.

POLICY VII-C: RESOURCE HOME ASSESSMENT PROCESS

In order to ensure quality resource homes, DCFS will complete a thorough home assessment for each prospective resource family. The purpose of the assessment process is to educate prospective resource parents on the characteristics of children in out-of-home placement and evaluate their ability to meet those needs, as well as evaluate the applicants' compliance with the Minimum Licensing Standards for Child Welfare Agencies and DCFS policy requirements for resource homes. The home assessment is a mutual selection process. It involves several components including, but not limited to, background checks, an in-home consultation visit, preservice training, a home study, and ongoing consultation with the prospective resource parents to ensure that all appropriate criteria related to both compliance and quality are met.

BASIC CRITERIA

Basic criteria for consideration in determining the appropriateness of resource homes include but are not limited to the following.

Age

An applicant must be at least twenty-one (21) years of age. A policy waiver may only be approved in rare circumstances for provisional homes.

Citizenship

A traditional resource parent applicant must be a United States citizen or a legal permanent resident. However, persons who are undocumented may be considered as a resource home applicant for their relatives or fictive kin.

A. In a two (2) parent home, both parents will be joint applicants and both parents will actively participate in the approval process. The couple will demonstrate a stable relationship. In assessing relationship stability, considerations may include major life changes such as:

* Death or serious illness among family members.

* Marriage, separation, divorce, or other significant changes in the couple's relationship.

* Addition of household members (e.g., birth, adoption, aging relative moving in).

* Loss of or change in employment.

B. In a single parent home, the major life changes listed above will also be considered when assessing the person's ability to be an effective resource parent.

A. A person to whom a household furnishes lodging, meals, or both, for a reasonable monthly payment; and

B. Not a household member.

A. The resource home will be a house, mobile home, housing unit, or apartment occupied by an individual or a family and will be the primary residence of the individual or family. The location will be zoned for single family use and will have an individual address for emergency response purposes (i.e., 911).

B. Resource parents will reside in the same single-family unit with foster children and will not have separate living quarters.

C. The resource home, ground, and all structures on the property will be maintained in a clean, safe, and sanitary condition and in a reasonable state of repair within community standards.

D. The resource home will not have signage or advertising related to a supporting recruitment agency, to include signage on vehicles used to transport foster children.

E. The resource home interior and exterior will be free from dangerous objects and conditions, and from hazardous materials.

F. Space must be adequate to promote health and safety. Each bedroom should have at least fifty (50) square feet of space per occupant. This includes infants sleeping in master bedrooms.

G. The resource home will have a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning source, maintained in safe operating condition, that keeps the temperature a minimum of sixty-five (65) degrees and a maximum of eighty-five (85) degrees.

H. The resource home will be free of obvious fire hazards such as defective heating equipment or improperly stored flammable materials.

I. All firearms must be maintained in a secure, locked location, and stored separately from ammunition, which must also be locked.

J. The resource home will have proper trash and recycling disposal.

K. The resource home will be free of rodent and insect infestation.

L. All water hazards and dangerous pets will be assessed. Safeguard measures will be implemented, as appropriate.

M. The resource home will be responsible for their own meal planning.

N. Children of opposite sexes will have their own separate bedrooms if either child is four (4) years old or older, except for a mother in foster care with her child(ren). Resource parents will not co-sleep or bed share with a foster child of any age, including infants.

O. Water shall be provided by public water system or approved annually by the Department of Health.

P. Prospective resource parents who rent must obtain acknowledgement from their landlord that they plan to become a resource family on landlord's property if they are approved by DCFS to be a resource home.

Q. Prospective resource parents will be responsible for making their own decisions regarding which children to accept into their home, however, they will recognize the priority to maintain sibling groups.

Smoking Restrictions

DCFS will not place or permit a child in foster care in any resource home if the resource parent smokes or allows anyone else to smoke in the presence of any child in foster care, unless it is in the child's best interest to be placed in or remain in the resource home. This includes the use of E-cigarettes and vaping. If the resource parent indicates smoking will not occur in the presence of a child in foster care, then DCFS will designate the home a "non-smoking" resource home. If a resource parent indicates that smoking will occur in the presence of a child in foster care, the resource home will be designated a "smoking" resource home, and no child may be placed or remain in the resource home unless it is in the child's best interest to be placed in or remain in the resource home. Second-hand smoke is detrimental to a child's health and, as such, it is generally not in a child's best interest to be placed in a resource home that permits smoking in the presence of a child in foster care. In addition, state law prohibits smoking in a vehicle if a child in the car is under the age of fourteen (14) and under DCFS policy this prohibition to smoking in a vehicle extends to all children in foster care regardless of age of the child in care.

Resources

The applicant must have sufficient resources to meet the financial, medical, physical, educational, emotional, and shelter needs of the child, without relying solely on state or federal financial assistance (e.g., SNAP, SSI, SSA, etc.) to meet those needs (although these forms of assistance may be used to supplement a family's income). DCFS may make some exceptions for applicants depending on the totality of their financial and other circumstances.

Recent check stubs and the previous year's income tax return are required to verify income and employment.

While the foster care board payment may be provided for a child, resource parents must have sufficient personal income to care for a child even without a board payment. The foster care board payment will not be considered a part of the resource family's income.

BACKGROUND CHECKS

In addition to ensuring that homes meet the basic criteria, the Division will only place children in approved resource homes where the resource parents and appropriate members of the household have been cleared through a series of background checks: the Child Maltreatment Central Registry, Arkansas State Police Criminal Record Check, and an FBI Criminal Background Check (with the exception that placements may be made in provisional resource homes before FBI results are received). Any household member who resides in the home for more than three (3) cumulative months in a calendar year (e.g., an adult biological child of the resource parents who is home for the summer and holiday breaks or a relative who visits for six (6) weeks twice a year) must clear all applicable background checks.

Child Maltreatment Central Registry

Resource parents and all other members of the household age fourteen (14) years and older, excluding children in foster care, must be cleared through the Arkansas Child Maltreatment Central Registry. The Arkansas Child Maltreatment Central Registry Check will be repeated every two (2) years on all appropriate household members. If applicable, a Child Maltreatment Central Registry Check will also be conducted on each household member age fourteen (14) years or older in any state of residence in which they have lived for the past five (5) years, and in their state of employment, if different, for reports of child maltreatment.

State Police Criminal Record Check

Resource parents and all other members of the household age eighteen and a half (18.5) years and older, excluding children in foster care, must be cleared through a State Police Criminal Record Check. As soon as possible after a household member, excluding children in foster care, reaches his or her 18th birthday, the paperwork to request the State Police Criminal Record Check must be initiated to ensure results are received by the time that household member reaches eighteen and a half (18.5) years of age. The State Police Criminal Record Check will be repeated every two (2) years on all appropriate household members. If a provisional State Police Criminal Record Check enters pending status DCFS staff may work with local law enforcement to obtain local verification of criminal record for the individual to expedite placement of the child in the home of the relative or fictive kin. DCFS staff will ensure follow up with State Police Criminal Record Check within two (2) business days of check entering pending status.

FBI Criminal Background Check

Resource parents and all members of the resource home who are eighteen and a half (18.5) years of age and older, excluding children in foster care, must also clear an FBI fingerprint-based Criminal Background Check. As soon as possible, after a household member (excluding children in foster care) reaches his or her 18th birthday, the paperwork to request the FBI Criminal Record Check must be initiated to ensure results are received by the time that household member reaches eighteen and a half (18.5) years of age. The FBI Check does not need to be repeated. Placement in a provisional resource home may be made prior to receipt of FBI Criminal Background Check results, when in the best interest of the child. When placement in a provisional home occurs, DCFS will ensure that FBI Criminal Background Checks are submitted for processing within five (5) business days. Barriers to completion within five (5) business days should be assessed on a case-by-case basis and decisions should be made relevant to the best interests of the youth(s) placed in the provisional resource home.

Traffic Violations Record Check

DCFS will check the Traffic Violations Record from the Office of Driver Services for each prospective resource parent and other applicable members of the household. This record returns the number of traffic offenses and other violations incurred by the resource applicant, to include the number of points assessed by the Office of Driver Services for convictions of moving traffic violations as per the Arkansas State Vehicle Safety Program (ASVSP).The Traffic Violations Record Check will be repeated every two (2) years. To ensure child safety, DCFS will carefully assess what, if any, safety concerns exist for any applicant or current resource parent accumulating ten (10) or more points on their Traffic Violation Record.

A family member with no current valid Arkansas driver's license will be given twenty (20) days to apply and receive an Arkansas driver's license. If the resource family member does not wish to obtain an Arkansas license, a written explanation from the applicant is required and a traffic violations record check must be completed in the State of issuance for the currently held license. The applicant is responsible for obtaining and providing the traffic violations record check from the other State.

The requirement for a driver's license may be waived for provisional applicants if an acceptable plan to transport the children placed in their home to school, court dates, medical appointments, and similar engagements is approved.

IN-HOME CONSULTATION VISIT

The In-Home Consultation Visit allows resource staff to gather initial information on provisional applicants and additional information for traditional applicants that was not provided in the online application. The In-Home Consultation Visit will determine if the home meets approval requirements and, if not, what changes are needed to come into compliance. Resource home approval requirements include Minimum Licensing Standards for Child Welfare Agencies and DCFS policy requirements for resource homes.

A. Legal Rights;

B. Roles, responsibilities, and expectations of resource parents;

C. Agency structure, purpose, policies, and services;

D. Laws and regulations as related to resource homes or foster children;

E. The impact of childhood trauma;

F. Managing child behaviors;

G. Medication administration; and,

H. The importance of maintaining meaningful connections between the child and parentings, including regular visitation.

Central Registry and State Police Criminal Background checks must be cleared, and the FBI Criminal Background Check must have been submitted before a prospective resource parent can begin pre-service training. Traditional resource parents must also complete infant, child, and adult CPR and Standard First Aid Training and receive certification in both areas prior to placement of a child in their home. Provisional resource parents must complete infant, child, and adult CPR and Standard First Aid Training within six (6) months of the child being placed in their home, though the CPR and Standard First Aid Training is not an element that is required to move from provisional status to fully approved Relative Foster Family Home or Fictive Kin Foster Family Home status

New CPR and First Aid Training is not required for individuals certified as paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) if proof of current certification is provided to DCFS staff. Current certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) also meet the Minimum Licensing Standard for CPR if proof of current certification is provided to DCFS staff. All other medical professionals (including nurses) must have current CPR certification as outlined above and provide a copy of their current certification to DCFS staff. Additional First Aid training for nurses and other medical professionals (to include those with ACLS certification) is not required. If an applicant with a current BLS certification is a paramedic, EMT, or firefighter, additional First Aid Training is not required. A lay person with BLS certification may have to take a First Aid class if current certification in First Aid cannot be provided.

HOME STUDY

The home study assists in determining if a family is ready, willing, and able to become a suitable and safe placement resource for a child. At least two (2) home study visits must be conducted with a resource parent applicant. The preference is for both visits to take place in the resource applicant home, but, as needed, it is permissible for one visit to be in the resource applicant home while the other is conducted over a virtual conference platform (e.g., Zoom, Facetime) with the approval of the applicable DCFS Program Manager or designee who oversees home study provider contracts. The evaluator will interview each age-appropriate member of the household.

The Division's approved home study tool evaluates a family's dynamics including but not limited to, motivation for wanting to become a resource home, household composition, housing, safety hazards, income and expenses, health, education, childcare arrangements or plans, child rearing practices, daily schedules, social history, family activities, and support systems, (for more information, see PUB-30: Resource Parent Handbook). By learning more about these areas, the home study assists in ascertaining how members of a family function individually and as a unit, and, subsequently, helps inform the conclusions and recommendation as to whether a family should serve as a resource home.

If at any point throughout the home assessment process a prospective resource home is found to be out of compliance with a licensing standard or a DCFS policy, the non-compliance issue must be addressed. However, if the Resource Worker determines that the non-compliance issue would not endanger the safety or well-being of children placed in a home, an Alternative Compliance or DCFS Policy Waiver may be requested as appropriate, (particularly for relatives and fictive kin). An alternative compliance is a request for approval from the Child Welfare Agency Review Board to deviate from a minimum licensing standard. A policy waiver is a request to deviate from a DCFS policy or procedure. If the individual conducting the home study finds an area of non-compliance, he or she must notify the Resource Worker who should then take the appropriate steps as outlined in Appendix 8, to address the non-compliance issue.

The successful completion of all home assessment components as outlined above will allow the Division to assess the quality and capability of resource homes. The home assessment process will also assist prospective resource parents in determining if fostering is appropriate for them and, if so, prepare them for their new role.

The home study may be conducted by designated Division staff, by staff contracted through the MidSOUTH Training Academy or other contract providers, or by volunteers trained by designated DCFS staff. The evaluator will complete the Division-approved home study in accordance with established protocols.

A. Expectations and responsibilities of the Division, the staff, and the resource parents

B. Services to be provided

C. Financial arrangements for the children placed in the home

D. Authority that the resource parents can exercise for the children placed in their home

E. Actions that require DCFS authorization

F. Legal responsibility for damage or risk resulting from children in their home

G. DCFS' process and procedures for investigating complaints

H. DCFS' procedure for giving advance notice of termination of a placement except for documented emergencies.

POLICY VII-D: DENIAL OF A RESOURCE APPLICANT

If at any point during the home assessment process the Division determines that an applicant does not meet the standards or any other criteria of a quality resource home, DCFS will deny approval of the home.

A. Share the results with the applicant and inform them of their ineligibility to attend training.

B. For denials related to criminal background check record results, ensure that a CFS-508-A: Letter of Denial was previously sent to the applicant via certified, restricted mail and document the letter in Provider Contact Information Screen in the Division information system.

C. Document the results of the background check in the Division's information management system selecting the appropriate reason for end date.

D. Specify why the home was closed.

A. Inform the family of their non-compliance with any identified standard or policy and determine if the family is willing or able to implement a safeguard measure in a timely manner in order to achieve compliance. The family cannot be approved to open as a resource home until the safeguard measure is implemented.

B. If the family chooses not to address compliance issues or, despite trying, fails to achieve compliance, share the non-compliance with the family and document it on the CFS-446: In-Home Consultation Visit Report with all signatures. The family will sign the In-Home Consultation, acknowledging non-compliance.

C. Recommend non-approval for training if the family cannot comply with all approval standards.

D. End date the resource family service on the Provider Services Tab by, selecting the appropriate reason for the end date in the Division information system.

E. Specify why the home was closed in the comment box on the Provider Services Tab.

A. If a family fails to address non-compliance issues, disapprove the family and provide them with a copy of the CFS-446: In-Home Consultation Visit Report with all signatures.

A. Send a denial letter to all applicants who are not approved and document in Provider Contact Information Screen in the Division information system.

B. End date the resource family service on the Provider Service tab, by selecting the appropriate reason for the end date in the Division information system.

C. Specify why the home was closed in the comment box on the Provider Services Tab.

POLICY VII-E: RESOURCE HOME MONITORING AND REEVALUATION

In order to ensure continued quality of all DCFS resource homes, the Division will monitor resource homes at least quarterly and conduct a complete reevaluation of each resource home's ability to care for children at least annually. At least one of the quarterly monitoring visits shall be unannounced and shall be documented as unannounced in the resource home record.

Resource staff shall use the Division-approved monitoring and reevaluation forms and tools for the quarterly monitoring and reevaluation visits to include background check request forms and tools when a family's Child Maltreatment Central Registry Checks and State Criminal Background must be updated.

Quarterly monitoring and annual reevaluation visits will ensure the resource home remains in compliance with all Minimum Licensing Standards for Placement as well as DCFS Policy for resource homes and otherwise appropriately meeting the physical, mental health, and emotional needs of the children placed in the home. Corrective action plans may be put into place as appropriate to bring a resource home into compliance with Minimum Licensing Standards and DCFS policy or address any other issues identified. Corrective action plans shall be time-limited -generally not to exceed sixty (60) days.

A. Death or serious illness among the members of the resource family

B. Marriage, separation, or divorce (see more detailed information concerning resource parents who plan to marry or divorce below.)

C. Loss of or change in employment

D. Change in residence

E. Suspected child maltreatment of any child in the resource home

F. The addition of family members (e.g., birth, adoption, aging relative moving in)

If during the monitoring or reevaluation process or at any other time a resource home is found to be out of compliance with any Minimum Licensing Standard or DCFS policy and does not come into compliance within the timeframe noted in a corrective action plan, the Division may close a resource home. In this event, a face-to-face meeting will occur with resource parents to discuss the closure of the home and a written notice will also be provided. This notice will include information regarding the process for an internal review of adverse action (for additional information, PUB-30: Resource Parent Handbook regarding Internal Review of Adverse Action

Involving Resource Parents). The notice will also include a summary documenting the reasons for closure, as well as all efforts by the county office to rectify the problem. The final assessment and determination of closure will be made by the Resource Worker, in collaboration with designated county staff, the Area Director and Central Office staff, as appropriate.

SINGLE RESOURCE PARENTS WHO PLAN TO MARRY

In situations when a resource parent plans to marry (or otherwise move in with/live together with a partner) and wishes to continue providing care to children in foster care, the future spouse or partner will be considered an applicant seeking approval to serve as a resource parent. The future spouse or partner must also complete pre-service training and resource parent orientation. The resource parent and fiancé(e) or partner will be informed that the reevaluation will have to be completed before the fiancé(e) or partner can take on the role of resource parent and reside with the children in the home.

If the future spouse or partner does not clear any of the background checks or does not complete pre-service training before moving into the home, the home must be made unavailable. The Division will also work toward closing the resource home. However, decisions regarding when to close the home and move a child currently may be currently placed in the home will be made on a case-by-case basis and take into account the reason the future spouse or partner does not qualify as a resource parent (e.g., background checks, failure to complete training) and the impact of a placement move on the child. The following shall participate in the decision regarding placement moves:

C. Document the results of the background check in the Division's information management system selecting the appropriate reason for end date.

D. Specify why the home was closed.

A. Resource parent

B. Child placed in the home, as age and developmentally appropriate

C. Resource Worker

D. Child's FSW

E. Respective supervisors of the Resource Worker and FSW

F. Child's attorney ad litem

TWO PARENT HOMES THAT PLAN TO SEPARATE OR DIVORCE

When approved resource parents who currently have children placed in their home plan to divorce or separate, the Resource Worker will conduct a reevaluation on the resource parent who has elected to continue the role of care provider using the Division approved update/reevaluation tools. The household member who is no longer in the home will be end dated in the Division information system. If both individuals wish to continue as resource parents, a new provider service must be initiated for the parent who will be residing at a new address.

The completion and approval of all resource home monitoring visits and reevaluations must be documented in the Division information system. If a resource home reevaluation is not completed and documented annually in the Division information system, any IV-E eligible child placed in the home will lose IV-E eligible claim ability until the reevaluation of the family is completed and documented.

CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

In addition to continuing to meet all Minimum Licensing Standards and DCFS Policy requirements as they relate to resource homes, resource parents must also complete a minimum of fifteen (15) hours of Division-sponsored or Division-approved in-service training annually after the first year of service. Training classes may cover a wide range of topics related to parenting, child development and behavior, and medical needs. Continuing education hours may be earned through in-person/classroom trainings, online courses, video, television programs, or books related to child abuse, child development, parenting, trauma-informed care, and other approved topics. Continuing education hours obtained through videos, books, online courses, or television programs for each resource parent must have prior approval by the assigned Resource Worker. The Resource Worker will inform resource parents of any training and educational opportunities known to them. Funds may be available to defray expenses for the resource parent continuing education opportunities. Prior approval from the local Resource Unit is required for reimbursement.

Resource parents must also maintain current CPR certification and Standard First Aid training. Maintenance of CPR certification and First Aid training is in addition to the fifteen (15) hours of continuing education and, therefore, cannot be counted as part of the annual fifteen (15) hour continuing education requirement.

Resource parents must complete their annual in-service training requirements before any additional children in care are placed in their home, unless an exception is granted. Resource parents who do not meet the in-service training requirements will be notified that they must complete the in-service training requirements within sixty (60) days. No additional children will be placed in the home during this sixty (60)-day period.

If the resource parents' annual in-service training requirements are more than sixty (60) calendar days overdue, then a reevaluation will also be required unless an extension to meet in-service training requirements has been granted by the Area Director. Extensions should be the exception and not the rule.

POLICY VII-F: RESOURCE HOME REOPENING

In order to secure the best placement for each child in foster care, the Division seeks to maintain a large pool of quality resource homes. For this reason, the Division will consider reopening resource homes when situations arise where resource parents who previously self-elected to close their home or whose home was closed by the Division would like to reopen. Requirements vary depending on circumstances surrounding the resource home closure.

A. The outcome of the investigation;

B. Whether the resource home was closed by the Division or closed at the resource parent's request; or

C. Whether there is documentation indicating the reason for closure was related to the investigation.

The reconsideration to reopen packet will be submitted to the Resource Family Review Committee via the Foster Care Manager who will present the request to the Committee for consideration. If a reconsideration to reopen packet is sent to the Resource Family Review Committee, the assumption is that local staff who submitted the packet are in support of the request. The Resource Family Review Committee will make review and make recommendations to the Division Director or designee regarding whether to reopen a resource home. The Division Director or designee will make the final decision regarding the request.

A. Complete new background checks (i.e., Arkansas Child Maltreatment Central Registry Check, applicable out of state child maltreatment checks if the applicant has lived or worked in another state outside of Arkansas in the last five (5) years, Arkansas State Police Record Check, FBI Background Check, Vehicle Safety Checks) on all appropriate members of the household regardless of whether previous background checks are still current.

B. Conduct a reevaluation of the prospective home as an annual reevaluation of any standing resource home would be completed to determine if the prospective resource home would still be an appropriate placement for a child in care, based on the following:

C. Submit a reconsideration to reopen request to the Resource Family Review Committee via the Foster Care Manager for any resource home that was previously closed and has any history of child maltreatment investigations.

D. For resource homes closed two (2) years or less, in addition to the steps above:

E. For resource homes closed more than two (2) years, complete the steps above with the exception collecting documentation of fifteen (15) hours of continuing education training completed and:

F. Notify resource parent of determination and any additional requirements to be completed prior to the resource home re-opening, such as CPR/First Aid, current physical report, current proof of insurance, etc.

*The exception to this requirement is for a family who is eligible for the streamlined adoption process per Arkansas Code section 9-9-701. A family is eligible for the streamlined adoption process if the family has adopted a child from the Department and then chooses to adopt another child from the Department and DHS selects the family to be the adoptive parents of a child in DHS custody. An adoptive family is not eligible for the streamlined adoption process if more than five (5) years have passed since the adoptive family finalized the initial adoption. If a family qualifies for the streamlined adoption process or if there are questions regarding a family's eligibility for the streamlined adoption process, please consult with the local Office of Chief Counsel (OCC) attorney for additional information and next steps.

POLICY VII-G: ALTERNATE CARE FOR CHILDREN IN OUT-OF-HOME PLACEMENT

Alternate care for children in out-of-home placement may be used to assist resource parents when circumstances requiring supervision by an appropriate adult other than the resource parents exist. The Division also promotes the use of certain types of alternate care (e.g., normal age appropriate activities, interaction with a Resource Family Support System) among children and youth to foster normalcy in the lives of children and youth in out-of-home placements.

A. Normal Age-Appropriate Activities - Children in all out-of-home placement types will be encouraged to participate in extracurricular, enrichment, cultural, or social activities that are age and developmentally-appropriate for a child. Age and developmentally appropriate activities are those that are generally accepted as suitable for children of the same chronological age and that are determined to be developmentally-appropriate for a child, based his or her cognitive, emotional, physical, and behavioral capacities. Examples of normal age- and developmentally appropriate activities include, but are not limited to, overnight visits with friends, school field trips, school sports or other sport leagues, faith-based activities, and short-term summer camps.

Resource parents, contract placement providers, and any private provider with whom the Division maintains a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will uphold the reasonable and prudent parent standard in regard to children participating in age- and developmentally appropriate activities. The reasonable and prudent parent standard requires resource parents and other out-of-home placement providers to exercise careful and sensible consideration when determining whether an activity for a particular child will not only encourage the emotional and developmental growth of the child, but also maintain the health, safety, and best interests of the child.

The resource family or authorized official of a contract placement provider will:

B. Child Care - Child care may be routinely provided as a part of an out-of-home placement case. Childcare providers must be on the voucher system and licensed by the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education (DCCECE) or on the Voluntary Child Care Registry. Every attempt should be made to place children in care in a quality child care setting.

Child care for children may also be provided as a part of an out-of-home placement case to provide assistance to foster parents for non-routine circumstances that relate to the retention or support of the resource home such as resource parent training. Child care provided for such purposes may be reimbursed by the Division.

C. Babysitting - Babysitters may be used to provide occasional care for children in the resource home for no more than eight (8) continuous hours at one (1) time. Resource parents will exercise careful consideration when evaluating the character and competence of any individual asked to babysit. Resource parents may reimburse the babysitter if they choose to do so. The Division will not reimburse for babysitting services. Babysitters will not transport children. Background checks are not required.

D. Resource Family Support System - The Resource Family Support System (RFSS) may be comprised of up to three (3) other households identified by the resource family. RFSS members may provide care for children when the resource parent is unable to do so on anticipated or unanticipated events.

Resource parents will exercise careful consideration when evaluating the character and competence of any household asked to serve as an RFSS member. RFSS members must be at least twenty-one (21) years of age. There is not a standard maximum age limit for RFSS members, but RFSS members must be physically, mentally, and emotionally capable of caring for children for up to seventy-two (72) hours. Adoptive parents may not be RFSS members unless they are related to the resource parent (i.e., parent or sibling to the resource parent). Resource parents may reimburse an RFSS member if they choose to do so. The Division will not reimburse RFSS members.

Members of a Resource Family Support System may transport children and care for children in the resource home or in the home of the RFSS member. However, an RFSS member will not provide care for more than seventy-two (72) continuous hours at one (1) time regardless of the location in which care is provided or regardless of which RFSS member is providing care. However, for extenuating circumstances only, the Area Director may approve for a child to stay with an RFSS member for more than seventy-two (72) hours, but no more than seven (7) days. To go beyond the seventy-two (72) hour timeframe requirement, a written request must be submitted to the Area Director explaining the reasons for the extension request. The Area Director must approve or deny the request in writing. The FSW will be notified when an RFSS member will provide care for more than twenty-four (24) continuous hours. RFSS members taking children out-ofstate for overnight trips are prohibited.

The Resource Family Support System will not be used in place of respite care or as an out-of-home placement. The number of children placed in an RFSS member household must meet all Minimum Licensing and DCFS Policy requirements.

All prospective RFSS members must be cleared through the Child Maltreatment Central Registry and a State Police Criminal Record Check. The Division will request any other state where the prospective RFSS member has resided in the preceding five (5) years to check its child abuse and neglect registry. The Division will provide documentation in the case record that the Child Maltreatment Central Registry and State Criminal Record Checks were received on the prospective RFSS member.

The Division will check the Traffic Violations Record for each potential RFSS member. The Arkansas State Vehicle Safety Program sets the maximum number of traffic violation points an RFSS member resource parent may be allowed.

Proposed RFSS members' background checks will be processed once the primary resource home with which the RFSS members are associated is approved and opened.

Documentation of at least one (1) visual inspection of the home for evaluation purposes is required of all prospective RFSS members.

E. Respite Care - When a Resource Family Support System member is not available to provide needed care on a short-term basis; respite care may be utilized in order to temporarily relieve the foster family of the ongoing responsibilities and stresses of care. There are two (2) types of respite care:

A. Notify the child's secondary FSW, Transitional Youth Services (TYS) Coordinator (if applicable), and attorney ad litem within two (2) hours via email, phone, or text.

B. Notify the child's custodial or non-custodial parent of the discovery of the child's disappearance within two (2) hours (or sooner depending on the age of the child) by phone or (preferably) a visit to the home.

C. Notify the state police, local police department, and sheriff's office, as applicable, within two (2) hours after receiving information on missing or abducted children or youth. The notification, which may occur via email, text, or phone, will include:

D. Once a police report has been filed, contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, (NCMEC) at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843 -5678), no later than twenty-four (24) hours after receiving information on missing or abducted children or youth, to provide the following information to NCMEC per the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and NCMEC:

E. Upon NCMEC's request, release to NCMEC any additional requested information and records that are relevant to locating the missing child.

F. Keep NCMEC informed with up-to-date information regarding the missing child.

G. Contact the local Office of Chief Counsel (OCC) and request that OCC complete and file a pick-up order, and a motion and order to notify the court that the child is missing, no more than twenty-four (24) hours after receiving notification of a missing child:

H. Provide the order regarding the missing child to the designated TYS representative in Central Office who will assist in locating the youth.

I. Update the child's placement information in the Children's Reporting and Information System (CHRIS) within two (2) business days, to include completion of fields regarding the required reports made to local law enforcement and NCMEC:

J. Communicate regularly with the child's secondary FSW caseworker and TYS Coordinator, if applicable, and the designated TYS representative in Central Office.

K. When an Arkansas child in foster care has run away and is located in another state, notify the Administrator of the Interstate Compact for Juveniles (ICJ) of the Division of Youth Services (DYS):

L. If the child is not found:

A. Notify the local police department and sheriff's office, as applicable, within two (2) hours after receiving information on missing or abducted children or youth. The notification, which may occur via email, text, or phone, will include: