1. (a) If a current private licensed placement agency (PLPA) resource home wishes to become a Division of Children and Family Services resource home, the Resource Worker will:

   1. (1) Request a referral on the family from the PLPA while confirming with the PLPA that the resource home is being closed out by the PLPA;

   2. (2)

      1. (A) If the referral is positive, ensure that all required Division of Children and Family Services background checks (i.e., Child Maltreatment Central Registry check, Adult Maltreatment Central Registry check, Division of Arkansas State Police criminal record check, Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal background check, and vehicle safety check) are in place and current.
      2. (B) Complete appropriate Children’s Reporting and Information System (CHRIS) screens (see Procedure VII-C1: Background Check Processing);
   3. (3) Once background checks have been verified, conduct an in-home consultation visit (see Procedure VII-C2: In-Home Consultation Visit) with the family;

   4. (4) Verify that the family has completed:

      1. (A)

2. (i) Preservice training with the PLPA.

   1. (ii) If the family did not complete preservice training with the PLPA, refer the family to MidSOUTH for preservice training upon successful completion of all background checks and the in-home consultation visit (see Procedures VII-C3: Initiation of Pre-Service Training and VII-C4: Pre-Service Training);

      1. (B)

         1. (i) CPR and standard first aid certification.
         2. (ii) First aid and CPR training and certification will only be accepted from a certified trainer associated with the:
3. (a) (a) American Heart Association;

4. (b) (b) National Safety Council;

   1. (c) (c) American Red Cross; or

      1. (d) (d) Health & Safety Institute.

         1. (iii) First aid training provided through the National Safety Council must be the standard first aid, not basic first aid.
         2. (iv) If the family does not have current CPR and standard first aid certification, assist the family in accessing appropriate training; and

      2. (C)

         1. (i) Fifteen (15) hours of continuing education related to fostering within the past calendar year.
         2. (ii) If the family has not earned fifteen (15) hours of continuing education within the past calendar year, they are responsible for obtaining the remaining hours.
         3. (iii) The time spent during the in-home consultation visit and orientation may count toward the fifteen-hour continuing education requirement;
   2. (5) Obtain a copy of the family’s SAFE home study and any SAFE home study updates for review and assessment;
   3. (6) If based on the review of the information described above, the family will continue with the approval process, invite the County Supervisor or designee to accompany FSW on the final face-to-face visit and final visual inspection of the home;
   4. (7) Conduct a final face-to-face visit with the prospective resource parents to include a final visual inspection of the home (preferably with the County Supervisor or designee) and review of the approval packet (see Procedure VII-C6: Final Approval of Resource Homes);
   5. (8) Complete the CFS-462: Initial Resource Family Agreement with the family;
   6. (9) File the CFS-462 in the resource home record; and

   7. (10)

      1. (A) Enter a disposition as to the approval/denial of the resource home within three (3) working days of receipt of the Area Director’s approval or denial.

      2. (B) If the recommendation is approval, then:

         1. (i) If the orientation has not already taken place, schedule a date for a county or area orientation session for newly approved resource parents;
         2. (ii) Complete provider alternate care screen in CHRIS if family has determined they are willing to serve as an informal respite home and, using CFS-419: Resource Family Support System (RFSS) Information, enter all appropriate identified resource family support system individual members including information on their cleared background checks (see 9 CAR § 40-814, alternate care for children in out-of-home placement);
         3. (iii) Enter begin date on availability status on provider service status screen and request approval on provider service detail screen in CHRIS;
         4. (iv) If the family has indicated interest and been approved to foster children/youth with specific characteristics, identify the appropriate disability willing to accept selection under the preferences tab in the provider services/admission criteria button; and
         5. (v) File the approval letter in the resource home record.

      3. (C) If the recommendation is denial, then:

         1. (i)
5. (a) (a) Send a “Letter of Denial to the applicants who were not approved.

6. (b) (b) See 9 CAR § 40-807, denial of a resource home applicant, and document in provider contact information screen in CHRIS;

   1. (ii) End date the foster family service on the provider services tab selecting the appropriate reason for end date; and

      1. (iii) Specify why the home was denied in the comment box on the provider services tab.

7. (b) The County Supervisor or designee is encouraged to participate in the final face-to-face visit and final visual inspection of the home with the Resource Worker.

   1. (c)
   2. (1) The Area Director or designee will, if appropriate, approve the resource worker request for approval in provider service detail screen in CHRIS to finalize the approval of the resource family.
   3. (2) Upon approval, CHRIS automatically provides the resource family approval letter to be printed, mailed, and filed in the resource home record.

Codification Notes: This section as promulgated prior to codification into the Code of Arkansas Rules provided as follows: "08/2020"