1. (a)

   1. (1) In order to secure the best placement for each child in foster care, the Division of Children and Family Services seeks to maintain a large pool of quality resource homes.
   2. (2) For this reason, the division will consider reopening resource homes when situations arise where resource parents who previously self-elected to close their home or whose home was closed by the division would like to reopen.
   3. (3) Requirements vary depending on circumstances surrounding the resource home closure.

2. (b) A reconsideration by the Resource Family Review Committee is required for any closed resource home that has any history of child maltreatment investigations involving the provider as an alleged offender, regardless of:

   1. (1) The outcome of the investigation;
   2. (2) Whether the resource home was closed by the division or closed at the resource parent’s request; or
   3. (3) Whether there is documentation indicating the reason for closure was related to the investigation.

3. (c)

   1. (1) The reconsideration to reopen packet will be submitted to the committee via the Foster Care Manager who will present the request to the committee for consideration.
   2. (2) If a reconsideration to reopen packet is sent to the committee, the assumption is that local staff who submitted the packet are in support of the request.
   3. (3) The committee will review and make recommendations to the Director of the Division of Children and Family Services or designee regarding whether to reopen a resource home.
   4. (4) The director or designee will make the final decision regarding the request.

Codification Notes: This section as promulgated prior to codification into the Code of Arkansas Rules provided as follows: "06/2022"