Arkansas Administrative Code › Agency 016 - DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES › Division 15 - Children and Family Services › Rule 016.15.12-004 - Revisions to policy & publications - Allowing foster parents to obtain CPR and First Aid Certification through online courses provided

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 6, June, 2024
DCFS recognizes the child's right to be placed in a home able
				to deal with the special problems and traumas of out-of-home care. Foster
				parenting is a specialized field, different from parenting one's own children,
				and for which special training is essential. As foster parenting is far too
				complex to be covered in one course, DCFS will provide opportunities for
				training of prospective foster parents and training related to the special
				needs of children in out-of-home placements. An individualized training plan
				will be developed taking into consideration the age and characteristics of
				children for whom the foster parent has expressed preferences.
Pre-Service
Training
Successful completion of the assessment and, if applicable,
				approval of alternative compliance or policy waiver, is necessary before
				referral to pre-service training. Training of prospective foster parents will
				be done by using group processes, but may be done on an individual basis when
				necessary. Foster parents must complete the Division's pre-service training
				curriculum which includes 27 hours of Foster/Adopt PRIDE training and three
				hours of DCFS orientation prior to placement of a child. Foster parents shall
				have current CPR and First Aid Training. No child will be placed in the foster
				home until each foster parent has obtained CPR Certification and completed
				First Aid training.
First Aid and CPR training and certification will only be
				accepted from a certified trainer associated with the American Heart
				Association, the National Safety Council, or the American Red Cross.
Online CPR and First Aid training is acceptable provided the online
				course is offered through American Heart Association, the National Safety
				Council, or American Red Cross. In addition, it must require participants to
				demonstrate the skills learned through the online portion in the presence of a
				certified trainer in order to complete certification
.
Prospective foster parents must obtain a certification card
				from the trainer representing the certifying national organization. DCFS staff
				will coordinate the CPR and First Aid training with the national
				organization.
Continuing Education
DCFS will require participation in local educational and
				training opportunities. Each foster parent shall annually participate in a
				minimum of 15 hours of approved training. This additional 15 hours becomes due
				at the end of the second year that a foster home is in operation. The same
				training classes cannot be repeated yearly. Training classes may cover a wide
				range of topics related to parenting, child development, behavior problems,
				medical needs, etc., and may be offered by educational systems (college,
				university, local school system), Health Department, Community Mental Health
				Centers, the Foster Parent Association and others. Special TV programs related
				to child abuse, parenting adolescents, etc. may also be considered training.
				However, videos, TV programs, online courses and books are only accepted on
				a
EXCERPTS PUB-30: Foster Parent Handbook limited basis. No more
				than five hours of videos, books, or online courses or TV programs for each
				foster parent will be accepted per year and must have prior approval by the
				Area Director or designee. To be considered as training these programs must be
				discussed with the Resource Worker assigned to the foster parents and receive
				prior approval before the program is viewed. Participation shall then be
				documented in the foster home case record. The DCFS County Office will inform
				all foster parents of any training and educational opportunities known to them.
				CPR training is not allowed to be counted toward the required 15 hours.
Online CPR training is acceptable provided the online course is
				offered through American Heart Association, National Safety Council, or
				American Red Cross. In addition, it must require participants to demonstrate
				the skills learned through the online portion in the presence of a certified
				trainer in order to complete certification
.
A statewide foster parent training conference and area
				conferences are held yearly, if funds are available, to give foster families
				the opportunity to obtain the required hours. Both in-state and out-of-state
				conferences may be considered training. Funds may be available to defray
				expenses for these educational opportunities. Prior approval is required for
				reimbursement. Contact a Resource Worker.
The appropriate DCFS County Office will maintain the training
				record, both DCFS and non-DCFS sponsored. Foster parents are responsible for
				reporting to their Resource Worker participation in non-DCFS sponsored
				training. Evidence of attendance (training certificate, etc.) will be needed to
				document participation.
Both travel and baby-sitting expenses incurred when attending
				mandatory local and DCFS sponsored training are reimbursable. A Resource Worker
				must be contacted prior to the training for approval of such
				expenses.