18.2.2 Placement Process
Once the Screening/Selection team has determined that a foster youth requires a resource approved to provide elevated needs Level A foster care services, the licensing worker will share all referral information with the prospective resource parent(s) and assess with them their ability to meet the youth’s needs.
The Children’s Service Worker will then carry out any of the following actions, as appropriate to the youth being placed:
- Coordinate all planning with the service county, if the county of current placement is different from the case manager county:
- Receive notification when a resource becomes available; and
- Notify the licensing worker in writing if the placement is no longer needed. The Children’s Service Worker shall receive notification of the date of the pre-placement visit(s).
The Children’s Service Worker shall receive notification of the date of the pre-placement visit(s).
The pre-placement visits are vital to a successful placement and should not be rushed.
Furthermore, the Children’s Service Worker will share a thorough description of the potential Level A resource family with the youth and assess his/her interest in them, assess the Level A resource family’s commitment to the permanency goal and, as appropriate, willingness to work with birth parent(s), and potential adoptive resource. Transportation for the youth to/from the pre-placement visits needs to be assured.
- The Children’s Service Worker must gain commitment from both the youth and resource family and then proceed with the placement. The worker will assure the youth’s arrival at the resource home when all parties agree the child is ready.
- Update the Alternative Care Client Information Screen in FACES.
- When the permanency goal is reunification, introduce the family and the Level A resource provider as early in the process as possible to increase family involvement and promote a family/Level A resource provider relationship.
A Level A resource parent may not care for more than four (4) youth with a maximum of two who are qualified for Level A care simultaneously. The other two children in the home must be at the traditional level of care.
In rare cases, special approval may be sought to accommodate siblings of the elevated needs youth. Foster homes shall not exceed the number of children in the home as outlined in the licensing rules however there may be times when placement may be necessary to meet the needs of the child. Homes that need to exceed the licensing rules may be granted an exception by submitting a completed Resource Home Capacity Exception approval Form, CD-157, to Central Office prior to placement.
Memoranda History:
CD07-77, CD08-106, CD10-08, CD13-50, CD16-45
Chapter Memoranda History: (prior to 01-31-07)