Alaska Admin. Code tit. 7, § 53.205 – Determination that a child is a hard-to-place child with special needs

(a) For purposes of determining eligibility under 7 AAC 53.222 or 7 AAC 53.223, the department will determine that a child is a hard-to-place child with special needs if
1. (1) the child cannot or should not be returned to the parental home because
  1. (A) parental rights have been terminated; or
  2. (B) a determination has been made by a state court, or by a tribal court with jurisdiction of the child, that the child cannot or should not return to that home;
2. (2) a specific factor or condition makes the child a hard-to-place child within the meaning of AS 25.23.240; for purposes of this paragraph, a specific factor or condition includes any of the following, if it supports a reasonable conclusion that the child cannot be placed without a subsidy:
  1. (A) older age or membership in a sibling group;
  2. (B) a physical or mental disability, or an emotional disturbance;
  3. (C) a recognized high risk of physical or mental disease because of
    1. (i) abandonment or neglect;
    2. (ii) alcohol or drug abuse in the child's home of origin;
    3. (iii) domestic violence in the child's home of origin;
    4. (iv) emotional, physical, or sexual abuse;
    5. (v) prenatal exposure to alcohol, cocaine, or another addictive drug; or
    6. (vi) the mental illness of a parent; and
3. (3) a reasonable, but unsuccessful, effort has been made to place the child without a subsidy; this paragraph does not apply if placement without a subsidy would be against the best interests of the child, including
  1. (A) the existence of significant emotional ties with a prospective adoptive parent or guardian while in the care of that person as a foster child; or
  2. (B) adoption or guardianship by a relative.
(b) Notwithstanding (a)(2) of this section, the department will determine an applicable child under 7 AAC 53.223 to be a hard-to-place child with special needs if the child meets
1. (1) the provisions of (a)(1) and (3) of this section; and
2. (2) the medical or disability requirements of Title XVI, adopted by reference in 7 AAC 53.299, with respect to eligibility for SSI benefits.

(Eff. 3/31/2005, Register 173; am 4/13/2011, Register 198; am 7/1/2022, Register 242)

Authority: AS 13.26.153, AS 25.23.200, AS 47.14.100, AS 25.23.180, AS 25.23.230