POLICY AND PROCEDURE
House of New Hope
POLICY: JFS-2-5-13-A4
TITLE:Assessment Activities
EFFECTIVE DATE: 1/93AUTHORIZED BY: Board of Trustees
REVISION DATE:
Revised: 1-26-98
Revised: 7-26-99
Revised: 8-5-99
Revised: 9-30-99
Revised: 11-3-99
Revised: 12-7-99
Revised: 2-9-01
Revised: 12-9-02
Revised 4-27-07
Revised: 10-16-08
Revised: 7-16-10
Revised: 10-2015
Revised: 12-2015
Revised: 5-2016
A.House of New Hope may request additional information on any foster applicant as deemed necessary such as, but not limited to: medical statements, psychological evaluations, work assessments, alcohol and drug assessments, local police checks, well water tests, and driving records.
B.House of New Hope may also administer a variety of questionnaires that provide valuable information about a prospective foster caregiver’s relationship to home and community, family, family of origin, parenting and discipline, and foster child preferences, including, but not limited to the Casey Foster Family Assessments.
C.House of New Hope may also administer a questionnaire to the biological children regarding their expectations of a foster child sharing their home.
D.House of New Hope may also request that the prospective foster caregiver acknowledge their confidentiality requirements, grant permission to administer a random drug screen, and provide a clearing/dispositional letter from counties of residence.
E.All applicants for certification as a foster parent shall complete the JFS 01691 “Application for Child Placement.
F.The applicant will be required to provide the material including, but not limited to the following (5101:2-5-20 and 5101:2-5-21):
1.Proof that applicant is a legal resident of the United States and resides in Ohio.
2.Authorization to conduct a SACWIS/Central Registry search on each foster caregiver applicant and adult household member to determine abuse and neglect report history and within 10 days of the addition of any new adult member of the applicant’s household once the applicant has been certified.
3.At least three unrelated references. Additional references if the applicant was previously certified as a foster caregiver or provided care and supervision of children.
4.Completion of the JFS 01348 “Safety Audit” of the foster home.
5.The applicant shall provide a statement for all members of the household on the JFS 01653 "Medical Statement for Foster Care/Adoptive Applicant and All Household Members" (rev. 2/2003), completed by a licensed physician, physician assistant, clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse practitioner, or certified nurse-midwife within six months prior to an initial recommendation by the agency for certification. Any written documentation of the physical examination shall be completed by the individual who conducted the examination. Such statement shall document that the applicant and all members of the household are free from any physical, emotional, or mental condition which would endanger children or seriously impair the ability of the household members to care for a foster child. House of New Hope may require that the medical statement(s) be provided before the person may participate in any pre-placement training required by rule 5101:2-5-33 of the Administrative Code.
6.The Agency shall require that each applicant provide the name of any other agency or organization with which the applicant has been previously recommended for certification as a foster caregiver or has provided care and supervision of children, as well as a written and signed release of information statement in order that any such reference may be contacted.
7.Per 5101:2-5-09.1, the agency shall request that the superintendent of BCII conduct a criminal records check with respect to the prospective foster caregiver and all other persons eighteen years of age or older who reside with the foster caregiver.
8.Per 5101:2-5-09.1, the agency mayshall request that BCII include information from the FBI in the criminal records check for each foster caregiver or applicant subject to a criminal records check.
9.A local police check when provided by local law enforcement.
10.Proof of homeowner’s/renters insurance.
11.Ohio Driver’s License Record Report
12.Tuberculosis Attestation
G.An agency shall not recommend for certification any applicant whose residence is licensed, regulated, approved, or operated under the direction of, or otherwise certified as a facility, to provide overnight substitute care for unrelated persons
1.The department of youth services
2.The department of mental health
3.The department of alcohol and drug addiction services
4.A community alcohol, drug addiction and mental health board
5.The department of developmental disabilities
6.A county board of developmental disabilities
7.The department of health
8.A juvenile court.
H.Each initial application for certification of a foster home shall be approved through an assessor’s evaluation of the residence, a prospective foster caregiver, and household members.
I.To submit a recommendation for certification of a foster home:
1.If the agency has access to SACWIS the agency shall enter the required information in the system.
J.Upon receipt of a JFS 01317, ODJFS will determine the effective and expiration dates of the certificate.
K.The effective date of an initial foster home certificate shall be no earlier than the day of the JFS 0137 is received by ODJFS as evidenced by the receipt date stamp or the date of recommendation is routed to ODJFS in SACWIS.
L.A summary report shall be placed in the applicant's file, and if the applicant is subsequently certified as a foster caregiver, the summary report shall also be placed in the record of each child placed in the caregiver's home. Prior to the placement of each child in the caregiver's home, the summary report shall be considered as a tool to help determine the appropriateness of the placement.