Okla. Admin. Code § 340:75-15-88

Current through Vol. 41, No. 19, June 17, 2024

Section 340:75-15-88 - Resource Family Assessment (RFA) disposition

(a)Adoptive applicant approval or denial. Upon completion of the RFA, a decision regarding approval or denial is made after assessing the information gathered. The Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) may approve or deny the adoptive applicant when he or she does or does not meet requirements, per Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC) 340:75-15.

(b)Exceptions to assessment guidelines. Upon the applicant's or child welfare specialist's request, DHS may, at its discretion, grant an exception of specific rules or standards that do not compromise a child's safety and do not violate federal or state statutes. Exceptions may be granted, provided adequate standards affording protection for the child's health, safety, and welfare exist and will be met in lieu of the exact requirements of the rule or standard in question.

(c)Adoptive applicant denial. Denial reasons may include, but are not limited to:

(1) poor management of available income or a lack of stable, adequate income to meet the applicant's or household needs;

(2) a home environment that is inadequate to accommodate the addition of children into the applicant's home or that presents health or safety concerns;

(3) the applicant or any person residing in the home with a history of:

(A) alleged or confirmed child abuse or neglect; or

(B) arrests or convictions;

(4) the applicant who has, or is living with a person with a criminal history for any felony, a relevant misdemeanor, or pending charges;

(5) unstable and unsatisfactory relationships in the household;

(6) the applicant's health or any other condition that would impede his or her ability to parent, provide age-appropriate activities, and care for a child on a permanent basis into the child's adult years;

(7) the applicant's or household member's behavioral health that would impede the applicant's ability to care for a child;

(8) references that are guarded or have reservations in recommending the applicant;

(9) the applicant, who does not complete the required pre-service training within one year of application;

(10) the applicant, who applied to adopt a child of a certain age, race, or other characteristic that DHS reasonably believes may not be available for adoption in the foreseeable future, per Oklahoma Administrative Code 340:75-15-84; or

(11) one or more factors regarding the applicant or household members or conditions in the home, renders the applicant or home environment inappropriate as an adoptive resource.

Okla. Admin. Code § 340:75-15-88

Added at 11 Ok Reg 651, eff 11-15-93 (emergency); Added at 11 Ok Reg 3281, eff 6-27-94; Amended at 13 Ok Reg 483, eff 11-14-95 (emergency); Amended at 13 Ok Reg 2199, eff 6-14-96; Amended at 14 Ok Reg 998, eff 1-24-97 (emergency); Amended at 14 Ok Reg 2288, eff 6-12-97; Amended at 15 Ok Reg 1463, eff 3-30-98 (emergency); Amended at 16 Ok Reg 102, eff 10-13-98 (preemptive); Amended at 16 Ok Reg 2740, eff 4-14-99 (emergency); Amended at 16 Ok Reg 1950, eff 6-11-99; Amended at 17 Ok Reg 445, eff 10-19-99 (emergency); Amended at 17 Ok Reg 1311, eff 5-11-00; Amended at 17 Ok Reg 3531, eff 9-7-00 (emergency); Amended at 18 Ok Reg 2128, eff 6-11-01; Amended at 18 Ok Reg 3067, eff 7-12-01; Amended at 20 Ok Reg 2072, eff 6-26-03; Amended at 22 Ok Reg 1242, eff 5-26-05; Amended at 24 Ok Reg 1323, eff 6-1-07; Amended at 25 Ok Reg 269, eff 11-1-07 (emergency); Amended at 25 Ok Reg 1335, eff 6-1-08; Amended at 26 Ok Reg 884, eff 5-15-09; Amended at 29 Ok Reg 635, eff 6-1-12; Amended at 30 Ok Reg 839, eff 7-1-13

Amended by Oklahoma Register, Volume 32, Issue 24, September 1, 2015, eff. 9/15/2015.

Amended by Oklahoma Register, Volume 35, Issue 24, September 4, 2018, eff. 9/17/2018