Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 18 - HUMAN SERVICES › Part 6 - Division of Family and Children's Services › Chapter 1 - DFCS Policy Manual › Section 18-6-1-G - Adoption Policy › Section 18-6-1-G-IV - ADOPTIVE PLACEMENTS

Current through June 25, 2024
A.
Child
				  Assessment and Preparation for Adoption
Comprehensive Child Assessment:
The development of a document that contains information used to
					 identify and/or understand the child/youth's past and current experiences and
					 how they relate to current behavior, development and functioning. The
					 Comprehensive Child Assessment is used to ascertain the child/youth's future
					 needs and to facilitate timely decision making, planning, and placement with a
					 permanent family. It is the foundation for developing the child's ISP.
					 (Comprehensive Child Assessment Format, See Appendix E)
Child/Youth Preparation:
The sharing of information with the child/youth to assist him/her in
					 understanding past experiences. Child/Youth Preparation is used to engage the
					 child/youth in planning for the future, including placement with a permanent
					 family.
Collaboration:
The
					 structured cooperation of the Worker, family, other service providers,
					 caregivers, and other relevant persons. They work on shared goals to ensure
					 that the child/youth's best interests are the primary consideration during the
					 assessment, decision making, planning, preparation, and placement process.
The Adoption Specialist will work with every child in care
					 who has a permanent plan of adoption on the Comprehensive Child Assessment and
					 Preparation process. Each time contact is made with the child or new
					 information is gathered, the Comprehensive Child Assessment will be updated.
					 The Comprehensive Child Assessment must also include information from the
					 Strength and Risk Assessment (SARA) which is initiated by the COR Worker.
B.
Current Resource
				  Family Adoption
A Resource Parent, who has been providing foster care for
					 a child for 6 months or more, shall be given preference as an adoptive parent
					 for that child once he/she becomes legally available for adoption unless there
					 is documentation as to why the placement is unsuitable for adoption.
1.
Resource Parent Application To Adopt
				  A Particular Child
Form 471 (Foster Parent Application to Adopt a Particular
					 Foster Child) should be completed when the child's permanent plan is approved
					 as adoption in youth court or a TPR packet is submitted and the child has
					 resided in the current Resource Home six (6) months or more.
					 (
See
Appendix F).
Every adoption of a foster child initially placed in a
					 licensed Resource Home must have a child-specific adoptive home study, known as
					 the Adoption Addendum, completed and entered in Mississippi Automated Child
					 Welfare Information System (MACWIS). There are at least three (3) ways that
					 families who may be interested in adopting are licensed for placement of a
					 child: (Adoption Addendum,
See
Appendix G)
* The current Resource Family who plans to adopt was
					 licensed as an MDHS Resource Home approved for foster services, adoptive
					 services, or both foster and adoptive services.
* The current Resource Family was licensed as an MDHS
					 Foster Home only.
* The current Resource Family was licensed by a private
					 agency as a therapeutic foster care provider.
2.
Approval of Resource Parents to
				  Adopt
Upon completion of the Adoption Addendum, the Adoption
					 Specialist will submit the Family File, including the following to the Adoption
					 ASWS:
* Form 471 - Application to Adopt
* Copy of the original home study
* Adoption Addendum (also copied into family file in
					 MACWIS)
* Signed Background Information for each child
* Statement 11-5-91 (if there was publication on TPR for
					 either parent)
* Newly signed Discipline Statement
* Adoption Assistance Agreements (2 originals)
* Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Letter (if
					 applicable)
* Contingency Plan
* Option for Legal Representation (Private or Referral for
					 Law School)
The Adoption Specialist shall submit the Adoption Addendum
					 and all necessary documentation within 60 days of a child being freed for
					 adoption unless there are documented reasons for delay which is in the best
					 interest of the child. The Adoption ASWS will review and provide a written
					 approval or denial within 10 days of receipt of the documentation.
3.
Finalization of Resource
				  Parent Adoption
Written instructions to the Resource Parent(s) on how to
					 proceed with the adoption will be provided when the Adoption ASWS approves the
					 family to adopt through the Adoption Approval Letter. This approval letter will
					 also instruct the Resource Parent(s) to submit a copy of the Final Decree of
					 Adoption to the Adoption Specialist. The Adoption ASWS will forward the family
					 file and approval letter to the state office Adoption Unit where all legal
					 documents will be prepared and mailed to the representing attorney.
The Adoption Specialist shall provide a copy of the Final
					 Adoption Decree to the State Office Adoption Unit. When the Final Decree of
					 Adoption is received in the Adoption Unit, a letter will be sent to the COR
					 requesting the closed county case be sent to the Adoption Unit where it will be
					 secured in a sealed adoption file. All Direct Services are closed in MACWIS.
Note: If the Resource Family does not follow through with
					 the finalization within 6 months of receiving the adoption approval letter the
					 Adoption Unit will notify the resource family that recruitment efforts for an
					 Adoptive home for the child must be initiated.