The FSW will:

1. (1) Ensure that relatives and fictive kin who have already been approved as a provisional placement resource for a child under 9 CAR § 40-708 are not referred for processing as a relative or fictive kin volunteer (individuals already approved as provisional placement resources may also transport the relative/fictive kin child);

2. (2) If the relative or fictive kin transporter appears viable:

   1. (A) Interview the child, if age appropriate, to assess how the child may feel about routine contact with that person; and
   2. (B) Make individualized decisions on a case-by-case basis in the best interest of the child;
3. (3) Speak with the applicant and with the biological family to determine the current status of their relationship;

4. (4)

   1. (A) Provide volunteer applicant with a Volunteer Packet and instructions on completion.

   2. (B) The forms in the Volunteer Packet that the relative/fictive kin volunteer applicant will receive are:

      1. (i) CFS-316: Request for Child Maltreatment Central Registry Check;
      2. (ii) CFS-342: State Police Criminal Record Check;
      3. (iii) Federal Bureau of Investigation fingerprint card (if not using harvester) for any volunteer applicant who has not lived continuously in Arkansas for the past five (5) years;

      4. (iv)

         1. (a) (a) CFS-593: Arkansas State Vehicle Safety Program Additional Requirements for Division of Children and Family Services Drivers.
         2. (b) (b) VSP-001: Authorization to Operate State Vehicles and Private Vehicles on State Business.
      5. (c) (c) VSP-002: Authorization to Obtain Traffic Violation Record; and
      6. (v) W-9 form;
5. (5) Arkansas State Vehicle Safety Program Manual/Answer volunteer applicant questions, as applicable;
6. (6) Collect and review the Volunteer Packet forms listed above from the applicant once all forms have been completed;

7. (7)

   1. (A) Route all background check request forms to the appropriate units.

   2. (B)

      1. (i) Submit the completed CFS-316: Request for Child Maltreatment Central Registry Check to the Central Registry Unit for each volunteer applicant.
      2. (ii) The CFS-316 must be notarized.
      3. (iii) The Child Maltreatment Central Registry Check shall be repeated every two (2) years.
      4. (iv) Route each completed CFS-316 to the Central Registry Unit.
      5. (v) Document results in CHRIS relative volunteer tab of “collateral” screen.

   3. (C)

      1. (i) Submit the completed CFS-342: State Police Criminal Record Check for each volunteer applicant.
      2. (ii) The CFS-342 must be notarized.
      3. (iii) The Division of Arkansas State Police Criminal Record Check shall be repeated every two (2) years.
      4. (iv) Route each completed CFS-342 to the Criminal Records Unit.
      5. (v) Document eligible or ineligible results in CHRIS relative volunteer tab of “collateral” screen.

   4. (D)

      1. (i) Submit the signed CFS-593, VSP-1, and VSP-2 to the Vehicle Safety Program Coordinator along with a clear copy of the driver’s license for each volunteer applicant.
      2. (ii) Copy front and back of driver’s license.
      3. (iii) Document results in CHRIS relative volunteer tab of “collateral” screen.

   5. (E)

      1. (i) Work with the Division of Children and Family Services Criminal Records Unit to process a Federal Bureau of Investigation fingerprint-based Criminal Background Check for all volunteer applicants who have not lived in Arkansas continuously for the past five (5) years.

      2. (ii) There are two (2) options for processing the Federal Bureau of Investigation check:

         1. (a)
8. (1) (a)(1) Electronic fingerprint scanning.
9. (2) (2) Volunteer applicants do not need to fill out Federal Bureau of Investigation fingerprint card, as a request for electronic scanning will be done via CFS-342: State Police Criminal Record Check.
10. (3) (3) The Division of Children and Family Services County Supervisor or designee will route the completed CFS-342: State Police Criminal Record Check to the Division of Children and Family Services Criminal Records Unit.
11. (4) (4) The Criminal Records Unit will use the CFS-342: State Police Criminal Record Check to get a transaction number from the Division of Arkansas State Police.
12. (5) (5) The Criminal Records Unit will forward the transaction number to the Division of Children and Family Services County Supervisor or designee requesting the checks.
13. (6) (6) The Division of Children and Family Services County Supervisor or designee will forward the transaction number to the relative or fictive kin volunteer applicant.
14. (7) (7) Applicants must go to an approved electronic harvester to have fingerprints scanned.

15. (8) (8) The Division of Children and Family Services County Supervisor or designee will document eligible or ineligible results in CHRIS; and

    1. (b)
16. (1) (b)(1) Ink fingerprint.

17. (2)

    1. (A) (2)(A) Volunteer applicants will complete CFS-342: State Police Criminal Records Check and the Federal Bureau of Investigation fingerprint card with good, unsmudged prints.
    2. (B) (B) Take care not to staple through fingerprints on the Federal Bureau of Investigation fingerprint card.

18. (3)

    1. (A) (3)(A) If the prints are not readable, the volunteer will have to resubmit.
    2. (B) (B) Volunteer applicants may not use an electronic harvester if they have already submitted ink fingerprints and the attempt was unsuccessful.
19. (4) (4) If a legible set of fingerprints cannot be obtained after a minimum of two (2) attempts, a name-based Federal Bureau of Investigation check will be conducted instead.

20. (5) (5) The Division of Children and Family Services County Supervisor or designee will work with the Criminal Records Unit to process the check.

    1. (F) Enter all other required volunteer data in CHRIS relative and fictive kin tab of “collateral” screens;

21. (8) Provide the transaction number (upon receipt from the Division of Children and Family Services Central Office) to volunteer applicants who:

    1. (A) Have not lived in Arkansas continuously for the past five (5) years; and
    2. (B) Choose to use the harvester to conduct the Federal Bureau of Investigation fingerprint-based Criminal Background Check;

22. (9) If approval of a volunteer is received via conference with Supervisor (based on background check results and consultation about FSW’s assessment of the volunteer’s appropriateness for contact with the family):

    1. (A) Inform volunteer as soon as possible;
    2. (B) Assign volunteer an appropriate point of contact in the county office prior to commencement of any volunteer activities;
    3. (C) Provide W-9 to area Financial Coordinator and work with Financial Coordinator to obtain the volunteer applicant’s assigned AASIS vendor number;

    4. (D)

       1. (i) Provide the Division of Children and Family Services orientation to the volunteer prior to commencement of any volunteer activities, but preferably within two (2) weeks of approval notification to volunteer.
       2. (ii) Division of Children and Family Services travel forms.
       3. (iii) AASIS vendor number for completion of travel reimbursement requests.
       4. (iv) Case-specific information pertaining to the location, frequency, duration, and supervision requirements for parent-child or sibling visitation as appropriate;
    5. (E) Establish mutually agreed upon schedule for volunteer;
    6. (F) Handle complaints as needed; and
    7. (G) Notify the Division of Children and Family Services Central Office Foster Care Unit and Area Director if volunteer quits, concerns or issues arise, or the volunteer is asked to leave;
23. (10) If approval of volunteer is not received from Supervisor, inform the volunteer as soon as possible; and
24. (11) Document in CHRIS when volunteer resigns or is asked to leave, as applicable.

Codification Notes: “AASIS” means the Arkansas Administrative Statewide Information System. This section as promulgated prior to codification into the Code of Arkansas Rules provided as follows: "04/2018"