This Procedure Letter provides updates to the extension of foster
home recertifications and adoption approval dates per House Bill 404.
Foster Care Recertification and Adoption Update Timeframes
House Bill 197 of the 133rd Ohio General Assembly included language
to allow extension of foster home recertification and adoption updates through December
1, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Guidance regarding this flexibility and extension
of time is summarized in FCASPL 359.
House Bill 404 of the 133rd Ohio General Assembly includes language
to allow ODJFS to further extend all foster home recertifications and adoption updates
due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Pursuant to House Bill 404, ODJFS will be
extending all foster care recertifications and adoption updates scheduled to expire
by April 1, 2021. ODJFS and the SACWIS team will continue implementing data fixes
to extend affected foster care and adoption spans due to expire between March 1,
2020 and April 1, 2021 until July 1, 2021.
Please ensure that all foster care recertifications and adoption
updates due between March 1, 2020 and April 1, 2021 are completed in SACWIS by July
1, 2021. Those certifications and updates beginning April 2, 2021 must be completed
in SACWIS by the actual expiration date with no extension. Agencies are to be flexible
in allowing live synchronous and online training options to support the continued
education of their foster families. If families are unable to complete training
hours due to the reasons documented in the agency’s good cause policy but can complete
other recertification requirements, the recommending agency may recertify the home
in accordance with that policy. The family would then be required to complete the
hours in their next certification period, in addition to the training hours required
for that span.
If families meet the agency’s good cause policy or have been able
to complete training and other requirements for recertification and/or update, agencies
are highly encouraged to complete them as they are able. This will assist in avoiding
workload issues due to many families having the same expiration date every two years.
If there are any questions about this extension, please reach out
to the Office of Families and Children Help Desk at 1-866-886-3537, option 4.
INSTRUCTIONS:
The following chart depicts what materials should be deleted from
the Family, Children and Adult Services Manual (FCASM) and what materials are to
be inserted in the FCASM.
LOCATION
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REMOVE AND FILE AS OBSOLETE
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INSERT/REPLACEMENT
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PROCEDURE LETTERS
|
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FCASPL No. 363
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