(A)A private child placing agency (PCPA), private noncustodial agency (PNA), or a consortium of such agencies that seeks to operate a preplacement training program or a continuing training program shallis to submit its training proposal(s) for approval to the agency's assigned Ohio department of job and family services (ODJFS) field office licensing specialist. Each training proposal submitted to ODJFS shallis to be approved for submission by the administrator or designee of the agency. Each training proposal submitted by a consortium shallis to be approved for submission by the administrator or designee of the primary agency of the consortium. Submission and approval of training proposals shallis to follow the time frames listed in paragraphs (B) and (F) of this rule.

(B)A training proposal shallis to be submitted to ODJFS by October fifteenth of every even-numbered year. An approved training proposal shall be valid for two calendar years beginning the first day of January each odd-numbered yearwhen the agency creates a new proposal or amends an existing plan. Any amendment to an approved training plan shallis to be submitted in accordance with paragraph (B) of rule 5101:2-5-13 of the Administrative Code.

(C)A training proposal submitted by a consortium of PCPAs or PNAs shallis to identify the primary agency that will act as the fiscal agent for the consortium and all other agencies participating in the consortium. The proposal shallis to be approved for submission by the administrator or designee of the primary agency.

(D)If ODJFS does not approve a PCPA's or PNA's training proposal, and the PCPA or PNA wishes to continue pursuing implementation of a training program, the PCPA or PNA shallis to submit a revised proposal within fifteen calendar days.

(E)If ODJFS does not approve a PCPA's or PNA's training proposal, or if a previously approved training proposal or plan expires, the PCPA or PNA shallwill not operate a preplacement or continuing training program for foster caregivers until a training proposal has been approved by ODJFS.

(F)Only a PCPA or PNA submitting a foster caregiver preplacement or continuing training proposal for the first time may submit a proposal at a time other than that specified in paragraph (B) of this rule. When approved, a training proposal submitted to ODJFS pursuant to this paragraph shall be valid only until December thirty-first of the next even-numbered year. Thereafter, the provisions of paragraph (B) of this rule shall apply.

(G)(F)  The proposal shallis to include the following information:

(1)The type(s) of training programs to be offered and the projected outcomes for each program. Types of training programs include the following:

(a)Preplacement training for prospective foster caregivers seeking certification to operate a foster home under the PCPA or PNA certified foster care function, including pre-adoptive infant foster home, family foster home, treatment foster home or medically fragile foster home.

(b)Continuing training for foster caregivers certified to operate a foster home under the PCPA or PNA certified foster care function, including pre-adoptive infant foster home, family foster home, treatment foster home or medically fragile foster home.

(2)A statement outlining the types of foster care certifications the training program addresses.

(3)The organization and structure of the training program which shallis to clearly identify who will be responsible for operating the training program, the staffing level of the program, the person(s) responsible for policy decisions regarding the training program, and whether part of the training program functions will be subcontracted to other individuals, agencies or entities.

(4)The policies and procedures of the training program which include, at a minimum, the following information:

(a)Policies and procedures for assessing foster caregiver training needs and utilizing foster caregivers continuing training plans as the basis for determining course offerings and learning activities such as workshops, coaching, distance learning and self-directed learning and the frequency of the course offerings and learning activities.

(b)Policies and procedures for developing and evaluating courses and learning activities which comprise the training program, including policies and procedures for assessing successful completion of a course and learning activities by the prospective foster caregiver or foster caregiver and procedures for notifying the recommending agency with which a prospective foster caregiver or a foster caregiver is affiliated of the successful completion of the course and learning activities.

(c)Policies and procedures for the selection and evaluation of qualified trainers.

(d)Policies and procedures for notifying agencies and foster caregivers of courses offered by the training program.

(e)Policies and procedures for accepting applications for training courses and scheduling training.

(f)Policies and procedures for maintaining training records, tracking attendance at the training by course offering and by foster caregiver, including notification to the agency of foster caregiver attendance.

(g)Policies and procedures for a written evaluation of the effectiveness of the courses offered and the overall effectiveness of the training program. The policies and procedures shallis to specify that these evaluations will take place at least once every two years.

(5)A description of course offerings and learning activities which contain, at a minimum, all of the following information:

(a)Course and learning activities title and description.

(b)Target audience (family foster caregivers, treatment or medically fragile foster caregivers, pre-adoptive infant foster caregivers).

(c)Course learning objectives.

(d)Training hours.

(e)Course and learning activity outline.

(f)Qualifications of the trainer or coach.

(H)(G) A PCPA or PNA applying to be approved to operate a preplacement training program for persons seeking certification to operate a pre-adoptive infant foster home shallis to offer training courses addressing the required topics for a pre-adoptive infant foster home as described in rule 5101:2-5-33 of the Administrative Code.

(I)(H)   A PCPA or PNA applying to be approved to operate a continuing training program for persons seeking recertification foster caregivers certified to operate a pre-adoptive infant foster home shallis to offer training courses appropriate to the training needs of the pre-adoptive infant foster caregivers that will be trained by the program. Such courses may include, but are not limited to, the following:

(1)Infant care.

(2)Early childhood development, including developmentally appropriate activities.

(3)Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid.

(J)(I)    A PCPA or PNA applying to be approved to operate a preplacement training program for persons seeking certification to operate a family foster home shallis to offer training courses addressing the required topics for a family foster home as described in rule 5101:2-5-33 of the Administrative Code.

(K)(J)  A PCPA or PNA applying to be approved to operate a continuing training program for persons seeking recertificationfoster caregivers certified to operate a family foster home shallis to offer training courses appropriate to the training needs of the family foster caregivers that will be trained by the program.

(L)(K)  A PCPA or PNA applying to be approved to operate a preplacement training program for persons seeking certification to operate a specialized foster home shallis to offer training courses addressing the required topics for a specialized foster home as described in rule 5101:2-5-33 of the Administrative Code.

(M)(L)  A PCPA or PNA applying to be approved to operate a continuing training program for persons seeking recertificationfoster caregivers certified to operate a specialized foster home shallis to offer training courses appropriate to the training needs of the specialized foster caregivers that will be trained by the program. Such courses shallare to include continuous maintenance of certification incompletion of a first aid training program and a child and adult CPR certification training program such as those training programs offered by the American red cross, the American heart association, or the equivalent.

(N)(M) A PCPA or PNA submitting a training proposal(s) shallis to comply with payment and/or reimbursement procedures outlined in rule 5101:2-5-38 of the Administrative Code.

(O)(N) A PCPA, a PNA or a consortium of such agencies operating a preplacement training program or continuing training program approved by ODJFS shallis to make the program available to prospective foster caregivers or foster caregivers without regard to the type of recommending agency from which a prospective foster caregiver or a foster caregiver seeks a recommendation and without charge to the foster caregiver. A PCPA or PNA may condition the enrollment of a prospective foster caregiver or a foster caregiver based upon the availability of space in the training program.

(P)(O) A regional training center of the Ohio child welfare training program (OCWTP) operating a preplacement or continuing training program may condition the enrollment in a preplacement or continuing training program of a foster caregiver whose recommending agency is a PCPA or a PNA on either or both of the following:the availability of space in the training program.

(1)Availability of space in the training program.

(2)Assignment to the program by the foster caregiver's recommending agency of the private recommending agency's training allowance payment due under rule 5101:2-5-38 of the Administrative Code.

(Q)(P) A PCPA or PNA may contract with an individual or a public or private entity to administer a preplacement or continuing training program operated by the agency and approved by ODJFS.

(R)(Q) A public children services agency (PCSA) is not required to submit a training proposal to ODJFS. All foster caregiver training for prospective foster caregivers and foster caregivers recommended for certification by a PCSA is provided or arranged by a regional training center of the OCWTP or arranged by the PCSA with a preplacement or continuing training program operated by a PCPA or PNA that is approved by ODJFS.

Effective: 2/15/2024

Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 11/21/2023 and 02/15/2029

Certification: CERTIFIED ELECTRONICALLY

Date: 01/26/2024

Promulgated Under: 119.03

Statutory Authority: 5103.0316

Rule Amplifies: 5103.034, 5103.302, 5103.038, 5103.036, 5103.035

Prior Effective Dates: 01/01/2003, 08/22/2005, 12/11/2006, 05/22/2008, 07/01/2014, 05/01/2019