OAR 413-030-0013. Requirements when Obtaining Medical, Psychological, or Psychiatric Evaluations

(1) The caseworker may secure an expert evaluation of the parent, guardian, Indian custodian or child, when appropriate, to determine treatment or service needs or to assist in assessing child safety when there is a specific condition or behavior that requires additional professional information regarding a person’s functioning. Assessments of parents or children must be individualized and based on the best available objective evidence. Examples include, but are not limited to: (a) The parent, guardian, Indian custodian or child is displaying unusual or bizarre behaviors that are indicative of emotional or behavioral problems; (b) Physical illness, physical disability, or mental illness; (c) Suicidal ideation; or (d) Homicidal ideation. (2) The caseworker must obtain the consent of the parent, guardian, or Indian custodian prior to arranging an expert evaluation of the parent, guardian, or Indian custodian. (3) Parenting evaluations of individuals with disabilities who may need adapted services or reasonable modifications must be evidence or research based, conducted by qualified professionals, and tailored to assess actual parenting ability and specific areas of disability-related needs. Parenting evaluations must be fully accessible to people with disabilities and shall not be based on a single general intelligence quotient or measure of the person’s disability, rather than their parenting ability.