1. (a)

   1. (1) The Division of Children and Family Services will conduct home studies or provide supervision services when ordered by the juvenile division of the circuit court.
   2. (2) The division will also conduct home studies for cases in which the division is a party of the litigation and for Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC), Arkansas Code § 9-29-201 et seq., cases.
   3. (3) A court order to conduct a home study is not required for cases in which the division is a party to the litigation or for ICPC cases.
   4. (4) Requests for home studies on adoption cases requested from other states will only be conducted through ICPC.
2. (b) The division will not be required to conduct a court ordered home study, investigation, or supervision related to private litigation cases (i.e., divorce, custody) unless the court has first determined that the responsible party is indigent, and the investigation, study, or supervision is to take place within the State of Arkansas.

3. (c)

   1. (1) The following policy statements are in accordance to the Revised Uniform Adoption Act, Arkansas Code § 9-9-201 et seq.
   2. (2) The Department of Human Services or any licensed social worker shall conduct a home study before placement of a child in the home of the petitioner.
   3. (3) Home studies on non-Arkansas residents may also be conducted by the person or agency in the same state as the person wishing to adopt as long as the person or agency is authorized under the law of that state to conduct home studies for adoptive purposes.

4. (d) The department shall not be ordered by any court to conduct an adoptive home study, unless:

   1. (1) The court has first determined the responsible party to be indigent or the child to be adopted is the subject of an open dependency-neglect case and the goal of the case is adoption; and
   2. (2) The person to be studied lives in the State of Arkansas.
5. (e) The home study shall be prepared and submitted in conformity with regulations promulgated pursuant to the Child Welfare Agency Licensing Act, Arkansas Code § 9-28-401 et seq., as stated in PUB-04.
6. (f) The home study shall not be waived when the case is a fast-track adoption of a Garrett’s Law baby under Arkansas Code § 9-9-702.

Codification Notes: This section as promulgated prior to codification into the Code of Arkansas Rules provided as follows: "01/2011"