(a) Upon receipt of a request for a home study, the Services Supervisor will:

1. (1) Assign the case to a Family Service Worker or, if it is a request to conduct a nonrelative independent adoption study, forward the request to the Adoption Unit, Slot S565 for assignment to an Adoption Specialist; and
2. (2) Contact the Office of Chief Counsel if an in-state court ordered home study request is received on a private litigation case that does not contain indigent language indicating the responsible party is unable to pay.

(b) The Family Service Worker will:

1. (1)

   1. (A) Contact the family by letter to advise of the request to conduct a home study.
   2. (B) Enclose with the letter the appropriate forms to be completed by the family.
   3. (C) The family will be advised to return the following completed forms to the worker within seven (7) working days:

(i) CFS-316: Request for Child Maltreatment Central Registry Check;

1. (ii) CFS-342: State Police Criminal Record Check;

   1. (iii) Three (3) positive, confidential references; and

      1. (iv) Home study report;

2. (2)

   1. (A) Contact the family a second time if the family has not returned the completed forms within the seven-day period.
   2. (B) Advise the family that the completed forms must be returned within five (5) working days.
   3. (C) If the family does not respond to the second request, the worker will send a letter to the requesting party advising that the family has not responded to efforts to conduct the home study.
   4. (D) Completion of the home study should not proceed if the information forms are not completed.
   5. (E) Any assistance in completion of the forms should be provided or arranged by the worker in situations of physical or mental disabilities or illiteracy;
3. (3) Contact the family to schedule a home interview upon receipt of the completed forms;

4. (4)

   1. (A) Interview the family.
   2. (B) Follow the guidelines as outlined in policy for completing a home study.
   3. (C) The home study is to be completed within thirty (30) working days of receipt of the request.
   4. (D) Notify the requesting party if additional time will be required to complete the home study;

5. (5)

   1. (A) Forward the completed home study with a cover letter to the court and the requesting party if different.
   2. (B) A copy of the home study will be retained in the county office case file; and

6. (6) In CHRIS:

   1. (A) Enter the family as a resource by completing the general information screen, status screen, and homes screens; and
   2. (B) Close the family as a resource on the general information screen upon completion of the home study.