1. (a)

   1. (1) In order to ensure continued quality of all the Division of Children and Family Services resource homes, the division will monitor resource homes at least quarterly and conduct a complete reevaluation of each resource home’s ability to care for children at least annually.

   2. (2) At least one (1) of the quarterly monitoring visits shall be:

      1. (A) Unannounced; and
      2. (B) Documented as unannounced in the resource home record.
2. (b) Resource staff shall use the division-approved monitoring and reevaluation forms and tools for the quarterly monitoring and reevaluation visits to include background check request forms and tools when a family’s Child Maltreatment Central Registry checks and state criminal background must be updated.

3. (c)

   1. (1) Quarterly monitoring and annual reevaluation visits will ensure the resource home remains in compliance with all Minimum Licensing Standards for Placement as well as division policy for resource homes and otherwise appropriately meeting the physical, mental health, and emotional needs of the children placed in the home.
   2. (2) Corrective action plans may be put into place as appropriate to bring a resource home into compliance with Minimum Licensing Standards and division policy or address any other issues identified.
   3. (3) Corrective action plans shall be time-limited, generally not to exceed sixty (60) days.

4. (d)

   1. (1) In addition, a reevaluation shall be conducted whenever there is a major life change.

   2. (2) Major life changes include:

      1. (A) Death or serious illness among the members of the resource family;
      2. (B) Marriage, separation, or divorce (see more detailed information concerning resource parents who plan to marry or divorce below);
      3. (C) Loss of or change in employment;
      4. (D) Change in residence;
      5. (E) Suspected child maltreatment of any child in the resource home; and
      6. (F) The addition of family members (e.g., birth, adoption, aging relative moving in).

5. (e)

   1. (1) If during the monitoring or reevaluation process or at any other time a resource home is found to be out of compliance with any Minimum Licensing Standard or division policy and does not come into compliance within the timeframe noted in a corrective action plan, the division may close a resource home.
   2. (2) In this event, a face-to-face meeting will occur with resource parents to discuss the closure of the home and a written notice will also be provided.

   3. (3)

      1. (A) This notice will include information regarding the process for an internal review of adverse action.
      2. (B) For additional information, PUB-30: Resource Parent Handbook regarding Internal Review of Adverse Action Involving Resource Parents.
   4. (4) The notice will also include a summary documenting the reasons for closure, as well as all efforts by the county office to rectify the problem.
   5. (5) The final assessment and determination of closure will be made by the Resource Worker, in collaboration with designated county staff, the Area Director, and Central Office staff, as appropriate.

6. (f) Single resource parents who plan to marry.

   1. (1)

      1. (A) In situations when a resource parent plans to marry (or otherwise move in with/live together with a partner) and wishes to continue providing care to children in foster care, the future spouse or partner will be considered an applicant seeking approval to serve as a resource parent.
      2. (B) The future spouse or partner must also complete preservice training and resource parent orientation.
      3. (C) The resource parent and fiancé or fiancée or partner will be informed that the reevaluation will have to be completed before the fiancé or fiancée or partner can take on the role of resource parent and reside with the children in the home.

   2. (2)

      1. (A) If the future spouse or partner does not clear any of the background checks or does not complete preservice training before moving into the home, the home must be made unavailable.
      2. (B) The division will also work toward closing the resource home.
      3. (C) However, decisions regarding when to close the home and move a child currently placed in the home will be made on a case-by-case basis and take into account the reason the future spouse or partner does not qualify as a resource parent (e.g., background checks, failure to complete training) and the impact of a placement move on the child.
      4. (D) The following shall participate in the decision regarding placement moves:

7. (i) Resource parent;

   1. (ii) Child placed in the home, as age and developmentally appropriate;

      1. (iii) Resource Worker;

         1. (iv) Child’s FSW;
         2. (v) Respective supervisors of the Resource Worker and FSW; and
         3. (vi) Child’s attorney ad litem.

8. (g) Two-parent homes that plan to separate or divorce.

   1. (1)

      1. (A) When approved resource parents who currently have children placed in their home plan to divorce or separate, the Resource Worker will conduct a reevaluation on the resource parent who has elected to continue the role of care provider using the division-approved update/reevaluation tools.
      2. (B) The household member who is no longer in the home will be end-dated in the division information system.
      3. (C) If both individuals wish to continue as resource parents, a new provider service must be initiated for the parent who will be residing at a new address.

   2. (2)

      1. (A) The completion and approval of all resource home monitoring visits and reevaluations must be documented in the division information system.
      2. (B) If a resource home reevaluation is not completed and documented annually in the division information system, any Title IV-E eligible child placed in the home will lose Title IV-E eligible claim ability until the reevaluation of the family is completed and documented.

9. (h) Continuing education requirements.

   1. (1)

      1. (A) In addition to continuing to meet all minimum licensing standards and division policy requirements as they relate to resource homes, resource parents must also complete a minimum of fifteen (15) hours of division-sponsored or division-approved in-service training annually after the first year of service.

      2. (B) Training classes may cover a wide range of topics related to:

         1. (i) Parenting;
         2. (ii) Child development and behavior; and
         3. (iii) Medical needs.

      3. (C) Continuing education hours may be earned through:

         1. (i) In-person/classroom trainings;
         2. (ii) Online courses;
         3. (iii) Video;
         4. (iv) Television programs; or
         5. (v) Books related to:
10. (a) (a) Child abuse;

11. (b) (b) Child development;

    1. (c) (c) Parenting;

       1. (d) (d) Trauma-informed care; and

12. (e) (e) Other approved topics.

    1. (D) Continuing education hours obtained through videos, books, online courses, or television programs for each resource parent must have prior approval by the assigned Resource Worker.

       1. (E) The Resource Worker will inform resource parents of any training and educational opportunities known to them.
       2. (F) Funds may be available to defray expenses for the resource parent continuing education opportunities.
       3. (G) Prior approval from the local Resource Unit is required for reimbursement.

    2. (2)

       1. (A) Resource parents must also maintain current CPR certification and standard first aid training.
       2. (B) Maintenance of CPR certification and first aid training is in addition to the fifteen (15) hours of continuing education and, therefore, cannot be counted as part of the annual fifteen-hour continuing education requirement.
       3. (C) Resource parents must complete their annual in-service training requirements before any additional children in care are placed in their home, unless an exception is granted.
       4. (D) Resource parents who do not meet the in-service training requirements will be notified that they must complete the in-service training requirements within sixty (60) days.
       5. (E) No additional children will be placed in the home during this sixty-day period.
       6. (F) If the resource parents’ annual in-service training requirements are more than sixty (60) calendar days overdue, then a reevaluation will also be required unless an extension to meet in-service training requirements has been granted by the Area Director.
       7. (G) Extensions should be the exception and not the rule.

Codification Notes: “CPR” means cardiopulmonary resuscitation. This section as promulgated prior to codification into the Code of Arkansas Rules provided as follows: "06/2022"