PREAMBLE The adoption intermediary commission was created in 1989 by C.R.S. 19-5-303. During the 2000 legislative session the Colorado general assembly amended the statute to allow child placement agencies to designate employees to conduct searches. The commission offers the following rules governing the conduct of the child placement agencies and their designated employees who conduct searches. These rules are promulgated under and in accordance with 19-5-301 et seq. as amended. STANDARDS INTRODUCTION Child placement agencies licensed for adoptions who accept consent forms from birth parents, adoptees and adoptive parents may perform a search for the sought party, subject to the requirement that an employee designated by the child placement agency meets the following training standards as set by the adoption intermediary commission. Child placement agencies who conduct searches shall be licensed and in good standing with the division of childcare.

The child placement agency shall demonstrate that employees selected to perform search functions meet standards of performance in the four basic categories: knowledge, interpersonal skills, search skills and procedures and ethics.

KNOWLEDGE All designated employees must have an historical understanding of adoption philosophies and practices. Designated employees must also have knowledge of the issues of adoptees, birth parents, adoptive parents, and others involved in the search process.

Designated employees must be able to maintain confidentiality of information, to handle confidential and sensitive information resulting from the search, and be able to recommend consultation with professionals when appropriate. This would include training in the psychodynamics of grief/loss and attachment Designated employees have a post-reunion role and must also be able to provide a post-reunion support system by knowledge of and referrals to, adoptee/birth parent/adoptive parent support groups, when appropriate, as well as adoption and social service organizations. The designated employees' knowledge should also include such technical information as the policies and procedures of the child placement agency under which he or she was trained. Designated employees must have a thorough working knowledge of the legal processes, which result in adoption. INTERPERSONAL SKILLS Designated employees must understand their own attitudes, prejudices, and biases in order to gain an understanding of how these can affect their contact with parties relevant to the search. They must further recognize when a search situation is triggering a personal response, which would cloud their management of the search.

Designated employees must be able to work with all persons, regardless of differing cultural or ethnic backgrounds. This includes the ability to empathize with others, to be discreet in dealing with sensitive feelings, and to recognize the emotions of adoption triad members. SEARCH SKILLS AND PROCEDURES.

The role of designated employees is primarily that of a facilitator. As such, designated employees should understand mat role as it differs from that of an advocate or counselor. Designated employees must demonstrate skill by working cases in a confidential and timely manner. Important skills include an aptitude for speaking with people, either in person or by telephone, and a genuine concern for other family members, friends, and other individuals involved in each case. Specific procedures must be followed by designated employees in conducting their search on behalf of a petitioner. Proper documentation of all phases of the search is necessary. Designated employees also must maintain the anonymity of all parties and confidentiality of all information. At the conclusion of the search, but not less than quarterly, the designated employee shall provide to the petitioner a statement of services rendered without violating the confidentiality. The designated employee must respect the privacy of all parties. Any consent to contact by the sought- after relative must be voluntary, informed and written. Designated employees shall attend all sessions of an approved training program and continuing education to stay updated on new search methods, procedures, and policies. ETHICS Designated employees shall conduct the search within the bounds of the law at all times. Since the designated employees act under commission, and the child placement agency, they shall perform their services in an honest and trustworthy manner and in accordance with this manual of standards and the child placement agency's stated policies.

Designated employees shall maintain the confidentiality of all information acquired during the process of the search and accept only such compensation for search services as is reasonable. All designated employees shall maintain the anonymity of all parties and confidentiality of all information until voluntary, informed and written consent for contact has been received. Designated employees shall not exert any undue pressure upon a sought-after relative in order to obtain consent for contact. All designated employees shall comply with this manual of standards and agree that the performance of their services shall be measured by this manual of standards and the child placement agency's stated policies. All designated employees shall read and understand the rules for removal. If a designated employee believes that either the petitioner or the sought-after relative may constitute a threat to other parties, he or she shall consult with the child placement supervisor. If the child placement supervisor concurs, the concerns will be documented and the child placement agency may decide not to proceed with the search.

ORGANIZATION STANDARDS EDUCATION Child placement agency employees who will be approved to perform search functions will minimally have a bachelors degree in social work and/or a related human services field. All employees must be under the direct supervision of the agency's state certified placement supervisor, who meets all standards set forth in the rules governing licensed adoption agencies. The child placement supervisor shall have substantial knowledge and experience in search methods and procedures, in handling confidential information. Designated employees who hold a bachelor's degree are assumed to have the knowledge base and interpersonal skills to perform the work. This includes understanding motivation, expectations, dealing with emotions, working with difficult individuals and dealing with sensitive information. The child placement supervisor will determine if the designated employee requires additional training to meet these standards.

Designated employees who hold a master's degree in social work and/or a related human service field and two or more years of child placement experience will receive a minimum of 6 hours of training in search. Designated employees with a bachelor's degree and less than two years of direct adoption experience in child placement will receive a minimum of 10 hours of expanded adoption and search- training related specific to search.

If a designated employee with the appropriate degree has prior search experience the child placement supervisor will determine if additional training is required. The child placement agency shall also conduct continuing education on a regular basis, so that the designated employee shall take a minimum of 16 hours of training every two years.

TRAINING The child placement agency shall submit to the adoption intermediary commission a copy of the curriculum used to train the designated employees in search skills and procedures and ethics. The curriculum should outline the numbers of sessions and time involved in completing the training. The child placement agency may write a curriculum or utilize a recognized search curriculum that already exists. Curriculum developed shall include instructions on search techniques, addressing how to understand documents such as court decrees and hospital/agency records, piecing together the story, including looking for and understanding the significance of clues, using directory assistance, whether to speak with relatives, use of discretion throughout the search, interviewing former neighbors and landlords, using city directories and crisscross guides, state records (marriage, divorce, death, voting, motor vehicles, bankruptcy, civil, criminal, real and personal property, probate), school records (yearbooks, alumni, etc.) Professional organizations, church records, town newspapers, town historians, worker's compensation records, military records, genealogy records, use of internet and resources, utility records, foreign adoptions, illegal adoptions (and those with no paperwork), brainstorming techniques, using intuition and creativity, and using other search groups.

Training shall include instructions about the role of the employees conducting searches, addressing confidentiality, maintenance of a search log (including contacts, replies, organizing information, keeping track of expenses, etc.), Maintaining contact with the parties searching, contact with the sought-after relative, handling various responses, closing case/uncompleted cases and a review of the commission's rules for child placement agencies, rules for removal, rules of procedure and the child placement agencies stated policies regarding searches.

EVALUATION OF TRAINING The child placement agency shall be responsible for ongoing written evaluation of all employees conducting searches in keeping with Colorado rules and regulations for child placement agencies. The child placement agency will provide evidence of quality assurance that incorporates feedback from individuals requesting search services.

MONITORING AND SUPPORT The child placement agency shall identify a training director who shall be responsible for training designated employees conducting searches as well as for coordinating continuing education. It is the responsibility of the child placement supervisor to provide assistance and counsel to the designated employee.

REPORTS TO THE COMMISSION The child placement agency shall submit to the commission along with the training curriculum the names of the employees for each agency who will be performing search functions, the name and credentials of the agency personnel who will be assigning searches and supervising the employees performing search functions and documentation that the employees and supervisors have completed search training and the number of hours of training they received.

The child placement agency shall maintain records of the current status of each case, the number of requests received for search services and the number of complaints received. These records shall be compiled on a quarterly basis and shall be available for inspection, upon request by the commission. This information shall be provided in a written annual report to the commission, along with the names of any designated employees conducting searches who have been removed during the year as a result of disciplinary action, resignation, or for other reasons. COMPLAINTS Complaints concerning an employee conducting search who works for a specific child placement agency should be referred to the director of the child placement services. The child placement agency should inform the adoption intermediary commission as to how the complaint is handled. The commission may hold further hearings, which could result in removal of the designated employee conducting searches as well as removal of the child placement agency from conducting searches. FEES The child placement agency shall clearly state its fees in written form and provide this fee schedule to individuals who are searching in advance of services being performed. The commission encourages child placement agencies to include procedures for providing services to parties who are unable to pay. (2/6/01)