Service Provision

(1) Method of Providing Service. (a) Children must not be accepted into group care before it is clearly established that their own families, with help, cannot offer them a home. They must not be admitted simply because they are in need of care away from their own homes, but because they are in need of the specific kind of care and services a particular agency has to offer. (b) The facility must not admit any children in excess of its license capacity. (Refer to 0250-4-5- .12 Emergency Shelter Care, for exception). STANDARDS FOR RESIDENTIAL CHILD CARING AGENCIES CHAPTER 0250-4-5 (c) Children under five (5) years of age must not be admitted into a Residential Child-Care Agency. The only exception to this rule can be the acceptance of one child under five (5) years of age who is admitted with an other sibling group. This child must not be under three (3) years of age and must live with the sibling group in one cottage. The cottage must have no more than six (6) children with a man and wife serving as house parents. (Refer to 0250-4-5- .12 Emergency Shelter Care, for exception). (2) Admission and Discharge Policies and Procedures. The agency must have written policy and procedures for Admission and Discharge which must be available to all appropriate parties involved with the child. (a) Admission. Admission criteria must include the following: 1. A description of the population served, defined needs of this population, and a description of agency services related to these needs. 2. A positional statement when appropriate that surrender for adoption is not a criterion for admission. 3. A defined pre-admission summary which must require a written evaluation addressing the appropriateness of resident needs to agency services. 4. A description of agreed upon pre-placement procedures which must include pre- placement visits when feasible. (b) Discharge. Discharge policy must set forth the legal requirement that a custody transfer may only be made through court action after proper investigation by a designated agency. Discharge criteria must require: 1. A description of conditions under which a resident may be discharged. 2. A description of procedures for preparing a child for discharge to include designated time frames. 3. A documented discharge plan which addresses the resident’s continuing needs and planned services to meet these needs. 4. Provision for a written agreement assuming responsibility for the child to be signed by the resident’s legal custodian. (3) Casework Services: (a) There must be at least one hour per week of casework services for each child in care. (b) Casework services must be provided by a graduate of an accredited four-year college or university with a major in social work or a related degree in the field of human behavior. (c) Casework services must include but are not limited to: 1. A written intake/pre-evaluation study focused on determining whether group care is appropriate for a particular child. 2. Preparation of the child and his family or prior placing agency for admission to include pre-placement visits when feasible. STANDARDS FOR RESIDENTIAL CHILD CARING AGENCIES CHAPTER 0250-4-5 3. An individual plan of care setting forth the agency services to be provided each resident, the rationale for this service, and documentation of the service as it is provided. 4. Periodic evaluation of the family situation and their ability and willingness to make a home for the child according to the timetables set forth in the foster care review law. 5. Serving as liaison and communicator between family, custodian, and agency. 6. Working with appropriate staff toward evaluating the needs of the child and obtaining resources to meet those needs. 7. Assuring that all provisions of the Foster Care Review law are met (Refer to Appendix C. Refer to 0250-4-5-.12 Emergency Shelter Care for exception.) (4) Restriction to one type of care. Residential child-caring agencies providing full time care must not provide part-time care to children except with the prior knowledge and consent of the Department. (5) Provision of Continuous Supervision. A responsible adult must be with the children in care at all times. A written plan must be developed to obtain additional adult help for times of emergency. Older teenagers may be left unattended for brief periods of time when they have demonstrated their ability to responsibly handle freedom. (Regardless of age, emergency shelter care requires the presence of a responsible adult at all times.)