Foster Care and Adoption Regulations for Licensure

Regulation Authority:

42-72-5

Purpose and Reason:

This proposed rule, Foster Care and Adoption Regulations for Licensure provides a comprehensive set of standards, in compliance with federal and state law and regulation, for the licensing of kinship and non-kinship (generic) foster and pre-adoptive families. The proposed rule, Foster Care and Adoption Regulations for Licensure provides quality of care standards intended for foster and pre-adoptive children in care and are also utilized to approve legal guardianship homes for placement. The proposed rule includes a definitions section; provides details relating to the licensing application, approval and re-licensing processes; includes references to statutory and regulatory provisions relating to lead and radon inspections and transportation safety, a statement of foster parent rights and protocol for emergency and disaster procedures. The following changes were made in the final rule: new applicants requesting licensing must comply with lead paint safety standards and foster/pre-adoptive parents with an active license must come into compliance with lead safety standards on or by July 1, 2013. The final rule also indicates that the caregiver ensures that a child in care of school age continues to attend his or her school or the caregiver enrolls a child in care of school age in an appropriate school within five days of the child's placement in the home as indicated by the Department.