5101:2-48-17 Assessor visits and contacts with children in adoptive homes prior to finalization.

 

 

 

TO BE RESCINDED

 

5101:2-48-17               Prefinalization services.

 

 

 

(A)     Within four days after an adoptive placement , an assessor from the agency responsible for supervising the adoptive placement shall contact the adoptive parent(s) by telephone to determine how the placement is progressing. An assessor shall make a face-to-face home visit with the adoptive parent(s) and child no later than seven days following the adoptive placement.

 

(B)   The assessor shall make face-to-face post placement visits in the adoptive parent(s) home with the adoptive parent(s) and the child throughout the finalization period. .

 

(1)   The post placement visit shall occur no later than thirty days after the assessor's last face-to-face home visit with the adoptive parent(s) and the child. Post placement visits shall continue to be held by the assessor in the home within thirty days from each of the last proceeding visits.

 

(2)   The assessor shall make face-to-face contact at least every sixty days with all other household members.

 

(3)   The assessor shall gather and document at minimum information to determine how the placement is progressing from the perspective of the adoptive parent(s), child, and all other household members. Documentation made by the assessor shall include information relevant to paragraphs (E)(1) to (E)(11) of this rule, if applicable to the person(s) the assessor is making contact.

 

(C)   When an adoptive child is placed in an approved adoptive parent(s) home and the adoptive parent(s) or other household member(s) knowingly make a false statement that results in the assessor reassessment of an approved or updated homestudy, the adoptive parent(s) or household member(s) is guilty of the offense of falsification under section 2921.13 of the Revised Code. The assessor shall report incidents of falsification according to procedures pursuant to rule 5101:2-33-13 of the Administrative Code.

 

(D)   Prefinalization services shall be provided to the adoptive parent and the child from the date of adoptive placement of the child until the issuance of a final decree of adoption. The PCSA or PCPA assessor shall provide or arrange for, at a minimum, the following prefinalization services, as applicable:

 

(1)   Case management;

 

(2)   Counseling;

 

 

 

(3)   Crisis services;

(4)   Diagnostic; and

(5)   Therapeutic services.

(E)     Prefinalization services listed in paragraph (C) of this rule shall be provided or arranged for by the assessor for the child and the adoptive parent through one or more of the following:

(1)   Information and referral services to community resources;

(2)   Direct services from the PCSA, PCPA, or PNA; or

(3)   Services from community service providers.

(F)    The assessor shall complete the JFS 01699 "Prefinalization Adoption Assessment Report" (rev. 12/2006) prior to the issuance of a final decree of adoption or finalization of an interlocutory order of adoption. The report shall include the following information:

(1)   Dates of contacts with the adoptive parent(s), the child and all other household members according to this rule.

(2)     Information regarding the child, adoptive parent(s) and all other household members adjustment to the adoptive placement;

(3)    Present and anticipated needs of the child, the adoptive parent(s) and all other household members for adoptive services, adoption subsidies assistance, and medicaid;

(4)   Physical, mental and developmental condition of the child;

(5)    Biological family background of the child, including identifying information about the biological or other legal parent(s), if known;

(6)      Reasons for the child's placement with the adoptive parent(s) and the circumstances under which the child was placed in the home of the adoptive parent(s) ;

(7)    Adoptive parent(s) and all household members' attitudes toward the proposed adoption;

(8)    If the child is an Indian child as defined in 25 U.S.C.A. 1903 (4), how the placement  complies  with  the  "Indian  Child  Welfare  Act  of  1978",  25

U.S.C.A. 1901;

(9)   Prefinalization services which have been requested, provided or agreed upon;

(10)   Prefinalization services planned, but not provided, and the reason the services were not provided; and,

(11)    The child's psychological background, if known, including prior history of abuse and behavioral problems of the child.

(G)    The assessor shall file the JFS 01699 with the court where the adoption petition is pending no later than twenty days prior to the date scheduled for the final hearing on the adoption unless the court determines there is good cause for filing the report at a later date.

(H)   Unless a court determines that it is in the best interest of the child and orders that an assessor conduct a prefinalization assessment, the JFS 01699 is not required if the prospective adoptive parent is the child's stepparent.

(I)   A copy of the JFS 01699 shall be provided to the prospective adoptive parent no later than twenty days prior to the date scheduled for the final hearing on the adoption. All identifying information about the biological or other legal parent(s) shall be deleted prior to providing a copy of this report to the prospective adoptive parent.

(J)   The agency having custody of the child shall maintain in the child's case record a copy of the JFS 01699 provided to the prospective adoptive parent, including the date the information was provided, and the prospective adoptive parent's written acknowledgment of receipt. The agency shall provide a copy of the acknowledgment of receipt to the prospective adoptive parent.

(K)   The adoptive family case record shall contain a copy of the JFS 01699 provided to the adoptive family and written acknowledgment of the family's receipt of the information.

Effective:                                                     05/15/2009

R.C. 119.032 review dates:                         08/28/2008

CERTIFIED ELECTRONICALLY

Certification

04/07/2009

Date

Promulgated Under:                           119.03

Statutory Authority:                           3107.12, 5153.166

Rule Amplifies:                                  3107.031, 3107.032, 3107.101, 3107.12, 5153.16

Prior Effective Dates:                         12/30/66, 10/1/86, 7/01/90, 9/18/96, 2/13/98 (Emer.),

5/14/98, 2/15/02, 9/1/03, 12/11/06