Mich. Admin. Code R. 400.12310

Current through Vol. 24-22, December 15, 2024

Section R. 400.12310 - Initial evaluation

Rule 310.

(1) An agency social service worker shall complete a written initial foster home evaluation, on a form provided by the department, before certifying the home for licensure.

(2) The report must include the dates and places of contacts and persons interviewed or observed.

(3) The agency shall assess all the following:

(a) The applicant or licensee's family and marital status and history, including current and past level of family functioning and relationships, and any incidents of domestic violence, elder abuse, or child abuse, as a perpetrator.

(b) The circumstances surrounding any criminal convictions or arrests for each member of the household, including minor children.

(c) Physical, mental, and emotional health of each member of the household, including any history of substance use disorder or treatment.

(d) Current mental health or substance use, or both.

(e) Parenting skills and strategies for building healthy relationships with children.

(f) Methods of discipline of children.

(g) Adjustment and special needs of the applicant's own children, including children not living in the home.

(h) Previous licenses or experience in providing child foster care, child day care, or adult foster care.

(i) Existence of a social support system including alternate care providers.

(j) Willingness to accept a child's spirituality, or religious beliefs or practices, even if they differ from the foster parent.

(k) Willingness to accept and support a child's SOGIE.

(l) Safety and maintenance of the applicant's house and property, including but not limited to, the following:

(i) Sufficient beds and sleeping space.

(ii) Pets.

(iii) Weapons.

(iv) Fire or water hazards.

(m) The age, number, gender, race, ethnic background, and characteristics of children preferred by the applicants, including those characteristics that an applicant or licensee would not accept.

(4) The agency will collect all the following:

(a) Three current references, related or non-related, from the applicant or licensee.

(b) A medical statement that includes all treatments, prescriptions, and medications for each adult member of the household that indicates that the member has no known condition which would affect the care of a foster child. The statement must be signed by a physician, physician's assistant, or nurse practitioner within the 12-month period preceding the date of the initial evaluation. Any subsequent household member added to the household must provide the medical statement within 90 days.

(c) Information regarding any past or current, or both, mental health or substance use disorder treatment by any member of the household.

(d) The inspection results in compliance with R 400.9305.

(5) An agency shall document placement specifications consistent with the information contained in the evaluation. The placement specifications must include the following:

(a) The age, number, SOGIE, race, ethnic background, and characteristics of children preferred by the applicants.

(b) Characteristics of children best served by the family,

(c) Children who may not be placed in the home. The child's racial, ethnic, and cultural identity, heritage, and background may only be considered if an assessment of the individual child indicates that such consideration is in the best interests of the child.

(6) An agency shall inform the applicant of the department's policies and procedures regarding concurrent planning.

(7) An agency shall provide the applicant with a copy of the final initial evaluation.

Mich. Admin. Code R. 400.12310

1998-2000 AACS; 2007 AACS; 2014 AACS; 2023 MR 12, Eff. 6/26/2023