Alabama Administrative Code › Title 660 - ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES › Chapter 660-5-28 - FOSTER CARE FOR CHILDREN › Section 660-5-28-.06 - Requirements Of Public Law 96-272 For Reunification Efforts

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 9, June 28, 2024
(1) Child's Case
			 Plan. One requirement necessitates the development of a written case plan for
			 the child within 30 days from the time of placement. For children in foster
			 care or related care less than 30 days, this case plan requirement is waived. A
			 brief case plan statement will suffice. The case plan is to be recorded in the
			 narrative of the child's personal record and dated. A copy of the case plan is
			 to be made available to the parent(s). The child's case plan must include the
			 following:
(a) Description of the type of
			 home or child-care facility in which child is to be, or has been,
			 placed;
(b) Justification of the
			 appropriateness of the placement as whether it is:
1. in the least restrictive (or family-like)
			 setting available, relative placement to be given first consideration, after
			 which foster family care, group home care, and institutional care are to be
			 considered, in that order; or
2. in
			 close proximity to the parent's or family home: resources within the
			 community/locale of child's family to be sought first, then resources within
			 county, then out-of-county resources.
(i)
			 out-of-county resources, especially those at great distances from the child's
			 family, are to be considered only as a last resort.
3. consistent with the best interests and
			 special needs of the child: to be considered in conjunction with a. and b.
			 above and can take precedence over either or both, but reasons must be
			 documented;
(c) An
			 analysis of the circumstances which necessitate the child's placement, together
			 with a statement of:
1. what efforts were
			 made and what services were provided to prevent the child's
			 placement;
2. what conditions in
			 the child's own home need improving before the child can be returned;
			 and
3. what services are to be
			 provided to improve these conditions;
(d) A statement of the plan for assuring that
			 the child receives proper care while in placement which encompasses:
1. placement in a duly licensed facility or
			 approved home together with needed and appropriate supervision;
2. services to:
(i) the providers to facilitate and support
			 the child's adjustment in placement.
(ii) the child to address his needs, together
			 with a discussion of the appropriateness of the services provided to address
			 those needs; and
3. a
			 statement of the transitional independent living plan based upon an assessment
			 of the needs of each child age 16 and over.
(e) A statement of the child's permanent
			 plan, developed in conjunction with the child's family, and the child as
			 appropriate;
(f) A description of
			 the extent to which the parents or other relatives, and the child if of
			 appropriate age, participate in the development of the permanent plan for the
			 child. Appropriate age for the child means that he is able to understand the
			 circumstances and implication of the situation he is involved in and able to
			 participate in the decision, or the process of arriving at a decision, without
			 excessive anxiety or fear;
(g) A
			 statement of the requirements of the court or the recommendations of the
			 administrative review panel, in connection with the required six-months' case
			 review, and how the Department will meet those requirements and
			 recommendations;
(h) An estimated
			 date by which a decision will be made to return the child to the parents or
			 seek an alternative permanent placement; and
(i) A summary statement of what efforts will
			 be (or have been) made and what services will be (or have been) provided to
			 re-unify the child with his family.
(j) Effective April 1, 1990, health and
			 education records of the child, to the extent available and accessible which
			 includes the following:
1. The names and
			 addresses of the child's health and educational providers;
2. The child's grade level
			 performance;
3. The child's school
			 record;
4. Assurances that the
			 child's placement in foster care takes into account proximity to the school in
			 which the child is enrolled at the time of the placement;
5. A record of the child's
			 immunizations;
6. The child's known
			 medical problems;
7. The child's
			 medications; and
8. Any other
			 relevant health and education information concerning the child determined to be
			 appropriate by the agency.