Current through all regulations passed and filed through September 16, 2024
(A) Except as outlined in rule
5101:2-48-11.1 of the
Administrative Code, when a foster caregiver who is not an approved adoptive
parent through the joint homestudy process expresses an interest in being
approved as an adoptive parent, an agency's assessor is responsible for the
following:
(1) Assist the foster caregiver in
completing the applicable sections of the current JFS 01691, "Application for
Child Placement" on file or
completing a new JFS 01691. The foster caregiver shall sign the revised JFS
01691 or a new JFS 01691 indicating they would like to be approved for
adoption.
(2) Review and compile in
the record the following information to determine the appropriateness of the
foster caregiver for adoptive placement:
(a)
The most recent JFS 01653, "Medical Statement for Foster Care/Adoptive
Applicant and All Household Members."
(b) JFS 01349, "Foster Home Homestudy"
or the JFS 01673,
"Assessment for Child Placement (Homestudy)," , the JFS 01673-A "Child Characteristics Checklist for Foster
Care and/or Adoption" and
the JFS 01530 "Multiple Children/Large Family Assessment,"
as applicable.
(c) All JFS 01385 "Assessment for Child
Placement Update" forms, if applicable.
(d) Documentation from the foster home record
including but not limited to the most recent training records, fire inspection
reports, safety audits, foster home exit interviews, and copies of all
complaint or rule violation investigations and any applicable corrective action
plans. If there are any outstanding complaints or rule noncompliance
investigations, or corrective action plans that have not been fully
implemented, the sending agency, if different, shall notify the agency
completing the adoption approval of the nature of the investigations or
corrective action plans.
(e) Case
record information documented by the placement worker's visits to the foster
home.
(f) If the agency completing
the adoption homestudy approval is different than the agency that recommends
the foster home, the foster care agency shall forward copies of all applicable
documents in the foster home record within fifteen business days of receipt of
the signed release of information.
(3) If the agency initiates an adoptive
homestudy with an applicant from another county, it shall notify the PCSA in
the county the applicant resides in accordance with the procedures outlined in
rule 5101:2-48-12 of the
Administrative Code.
(4) Once the
documentation in paragraph (A)(2) of this rule is received, the assessor shall:
(a) Review information contained on the JFS
01691 and all supporting documentation.
(b) Conduct a home visit.
(c) Complete the JFS 01530, if applicable, as
outlined in rule
5101:2-48-12 of the
Administrative Code when a family has a total of five or more children residing
in the home, including foster children and children in kinship care; or if the
family will have a total of five or more children who will reside in the home
upon the adoptive placement of a child.
(d) Observe the interaction between the
child, foster caregiver and other members of the household, if
applicable.
(e) Discuss how the
foster caregiver is working with the child on problems identified in the case
plan and how they will deal with long term issues the child may have.
(f) Discuss the differences between foster
care and adoption with the foster caregiver, and the reason for the request for
adoption approval at this time.
(g)
Discuss the availability of adoption assistance and postfinalization adoption
services with the foster caregiver.
(h) Complete the bureau of criminal
investigation
(BCI)
and federal bureau of investigation (FBI) reports as outlined in rule
5101:2-48-10 of the
Administrative Code.
(i)
The national sex offender registry is located at
https://www.nsopw.gov/. In accordance with rule
5101:2-5-09.1 of the
Administrative Code, a national sex offender registry check is to be completed
for the adoptive applicant and each adult who resides with the adoptive
applicant. The results are to be reviewed prior to the agency's approval of the
adoption homestudy. The application may be denied based solely on the results
of the search.
(j) If the agency has the ability to complete the
search in SACWIS, the agency shall complete a search of abuse and neglect
report history through the system for each foster caregiver and adult household
member. If the agency does not have the ability to complete the search in
SACWIS, the agency shall request a search of the system from ODJFS for each
foster caregiver and each adult household member. The report with the results
of the search shall be placed in the foster home record.
(i) This search is to be used to determine
the suitability of the adoptive applicant as an adoptive parent.
(ii) The search shall also be conducted
within ten days of the addition of any new adult member of the household once
the homestudy has been approved.
(k) Request a check of
the child abuse and neglect registry of any other state an applicant or other
adult household member has resided in the five years immediately prior to the
date of the criminal records check as required by division (A) of section
2151.86 of the Revised
Code.
(5) Based upon
information obtained through interviews and the review of documentation
outlined in paragraph (A) of this rule, the assessor shall complete any
sections of the JFS 01673 not completed on the previous
homestudy.
(B) The PCSA
or PCPA shall follow procedures contained in rule
5101:2-48-12 of the
Administrative Code for approval or denial of an applicant for adoptive
placement. The approval date shall be the same as the approval signature date.
The expiration date of the adoption approval span shall be equal to the
expiration date of the current foster care certification span, not to exceed
two years.
(C) When a PCSA, PCPA,
or PNA determines any statement or document provided during the homestudy
process is falsified, the PCSA or PCPA or PNA shall follow the procedures
outlined in rule
5101:2-33-13 of the
Administrative Code.
(D) No PCSA,
PCPA or PNA shall release a homestudy to any other agency or court if the
application, homestudy, or any document provided during the homestudy process
is determined to contain a false statement knowingly made or submitted by the
applicant(s).
(E) The agency shall
complete the homestudy assessment within one hundred eighty days of the date
the agency received the application. An agency failing to complete a homestudy
within one hundred eighty days shall document on the JFS 01673 the reason(s)
the agency is unable to meet this requirement.
(F) If a homestudy is not completed within
one year of the application date it shall be terminated unless the agency makes
the determination the homestudy should not be terminated. The decision not to
terminate shall be made at the agency's discretion and documented on the JFS
01673. If the agency decides to terminate the homestudy, it shall notify the
adoptive applicant in writing no less than thirty days prior to the
termination. Written notification shall include the reason for termination and
the procedures for requesting a review of the agency's decision.
