Revised 5-15-08

1.   (a) Adoption consultation.  The adoption consultation process includes:

(1) monthly review of Report YI602, Adoption Permanency Plan Case Goal Report, by the adoption specialist and adoption transition specialist.  Initial consultation occurs within 30 calendar days after the child's name first appears on Report YI602 or after e-mail notification is received;

(2) scheduling criteria staffings for each child on Report YI602;

(3) documenting all adoption consultations and criteria staffings in the permanency planning case KIDS Contacts screen and all Swift services referrals in KIDS Adoption Efforts screen;

(4) sending the child's biological KK case record to Departmental Services Unit to be copied;

(5) researching all Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) files related to the child, including any Family Support Services Division services records and medical records within the database maintained by Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA);

(6) completing Form 04AN023E, Child Profile Referral, to submit to the Swift profile contractor after the criteria staffing.  The referral packet includes, at a minimum:

(A) copy of the child's biological KK case;

(B) copy of child's full-certified birth certificate;

(C) copy of all legal orders pertaining to custody status and disposition of the child, including, but not limited to the:

(i) original deprived petition;

(ii) amended deprived petition;

(iii) Emergency Custody Order;

(iv) Temporary Custody Order;

(v) Adjudication Order;

(vi) Disposition Order;

(vii) Termination of Parental Rights Order for mother; and

(viii) Termination of Parental Rights Order for father;

(D) KIDS reports, including Forms:

(i) 04KI028E, Client Information Report, attached for each child and biological parent;

(ii) 04KI029E, Case Contacts Report;

(iii) 04KI030E, Client Medical/Psychological; and

(iv) 04KI010E, Placement Worksheet;

(E) signed Form 08HI003E, Authorization to Disclose Medical Records, on each medical, dental, psychological, Form 04MP001E, Consent for Release of Information, for each educational provider identified in the case records or within the database maintained by OHCA;

(F) Form 04AN012E, Perinatal Information, that is mailed to the hospital where the child was born;

(G) Oklahoma State Department of Health Form ODH 347, Medical and Social History Report for Adoption;

(H) Form 04AN026E, Assessment of Child by Caregiver;

(I) OKDHS Publication No. 85-67, revised 7/2005, My Feelings About Adoption, for children up to 12 years of age, and OKDHS Publication No. 05-09, revised 7/2005, Adoption Guidebook, for children age 13 and older; and

(J) Form 04AN020E, Adoptive Placement Criteria Staffing;

(7) initiating Forms ODH 347 and 04AN026E and OKDHS Publication No. 85‑67, revised 7/2005, and 05-09, revised 7/2005.

(A) If not previously completed by the Child Welfare (CW) worker, these are completed as part of Swift services.  Swift services may be completed by the adoption specialist, adoption transition specialist, or CW worker.  When appropriate, former foster parents, CW workers, and relatives may be contacted for additional information.

(B) The resource assessment contractor completes Form 04AN022E, Child Profile Assessment for Adoption, including attachments;

(8) arranging for the child to be staffed at the next statewide adoption staffing, when there is no identified adoptive family;

(9) faxing copies of all recommended resource family assessments to the appropriate CW worker within three working days of statewide adoption staffing;

(10) assisting the CW worker with the selection and recommendation process; and

(11) assisting the CW worker with referrals for media recruitment, adoption parties, and adoption exchanges, when there is no recommended resource family for the child.

(b) To facilitate the recruitment of adoptive homes, the adoption specialist and adoption transition specialist:

(1) develop an annual local recruitment plan in coordination with area adoption and county foster resource staff;

(2) use a combination of child-specific and more general targeted recruitment strategies, including registration of children on www.AdoptUsKids, ensuring participation at adoption parties, and facilitating participation in the Waiting Child television campaign and photograph exhibit project;

(3) coordinate recruitment activities with Children and Family Services Division Adoption Services Section; and

(4) jointly recruit foster homes.

(c) For the assessment and preparation of adoptive families, the adoption specialist:

(1) enrolls the adoptive applicant in required pre-service training, including Behavior Crisis Management Training (BCMT); and

(2) completes Form 04AF009E, Referral for Resource Family Assessment, and sends the form to the resource assessment contractor within two weeks of receipt of the completed application along with:

(A) Form 04AN020E, if applicable;

(B) Form 04AF004E, House Assessment, completed at the initial home visit by the adoption specialist on all new inquiries.  The resource assessment contractor completes Form 04AF004E on all conversion assessments;

(C) Form 04AF001E, Resource Family Assessment Application;

(D) Form 04AN022E, Child Profile Assessment for Adoption, for conversion assessments;

(E) Form 04AF007E, Records Check;

(F) Form 04AD003E, Request for Background Check, for all household members age 18 years or older;

(G) fingerprinting results, if available;

(H) copy of all KIDS Pre-Resource and Resource contacts;

(I) copy of entire resource record, including re-evaluations, for kinship and foster families applying to adopt; and

(J) any other forms or documentation that the applicant returns to the adoption specialist.  The contractor completes the assessment using Form 04AF002E, Guidelines for Resource Family Assessment.

(d) The case review process begins when the adoption transition specialist receives primary assignment to any child in a Permanency Planning case and includes a review of the:

(1) case plan.  The child must have a case plan goal of adoption and current Form 04KI008E, Treatment Plan, or 04KI012E, Individualized Service Plan (ISP), must reflect services and activities appropriate to an adoption goal;

(2) court information.  KIDS Court Hearing, Report/Progress Report, Parental Rights, and Status screens are reviewed.  Missing or inaccurate termination of parental rights and legal status data is entered or corrected;

(3) placement history and current placement;

(4) educational history and current information.  KIDS Client/Education screen must reflect the child's current school information, grade level, education status, school performance, and educational strengths and needs;

(5) medical history and current information.  KIDS Client/Medical screens must reflect current medical treatment and needs of the child, including all medications, immunizations, and mental health information;

(6) adoption efforts.  KIDS Adoption Efforts screen is reviewed for history and updated by completing contacts related to adoption efforts.  These contact purposes include adoption consultation, adoption criteria staffing, adoption matching party, and adoption statewide staffing;

(7) KIDS contacts.  In order to gain a better understanding of the child and history of the case through the CW process, KIDS Contacts are reviewed especially those contacts with relatives or other important persons in the child's life that may have expressed an interest in the child's placement; and

(8) CW paper case record.  The child's paper case record must contain applicable reports and information as referenced in OAC 340:75-1-26.  All sections are checked and missing documents obtained, including a copy of the child's birth certificate and Social Security card.

(e) Placement services are provided by the adoption transition specialist per OAC 340:75-6-85.3 and 340:75-6-85.4.  The adoption transition specialist:

(1) discusses his or her role with the child's current caregiver; and

(2) discusses the child's preparation for adoption and OKDHS adoption efforts with the child's current caregiver and requests current Form 04AN026E, Assessment of Child by Caregiver.

(f) Child assessment and preparation begins with the case review and continues with developing Form 04KI012E.  Children who are old enough to participate in case planning are included in this process.  Other child assessment and preparation activities include initiating the child's Life Book and completion of OKDHS Publication No. 85-67, revised 7/2005, for children up to 12 years of age, and OKDHS Publication No. 05-09, revised 7/2005, for children age 13 and older.  The Companion Book for Social Workers is used to assist adoption transition specialists with OKDHS Publication No. 05-09, revised 7/2005.

(g) The adoption transition specialist for the child and adoption specialist for the family:

(1) consult with each other regarding the offer of the child to the family and full disclosure.  The adoption transition specialist may be asked to assist with full disclosure either by direct participation or availability to the family in case of questions; and

(2) in the event that the resource family accepts the offer of a child, collaborate with each other to develop a pre-adoptive visitation plan that is in the child's best interest.  At a minimum, the adoption transition specialist participates in the first pre-adoptive visit.  Additional adoption transition specialist responsibilities include:

(A) preparing the child's case for transfer to the adoption specialist.  All KIDS information must be current;

(B) maintaining an open assignment and reporting to the court as needed;

(C) requesting consent to the adoption from the court of jurisdiction; and