The Cabinet may not deny any person the opportunity to become a non-familial or relative/fictive foster or adoptive parent based on race, color, or national origin of the person or the child involved (title IV-E section 471(a)(18)(A) of the Social Security Act). Non-familial foster parents have no previously established relationship with the child(ren) in OOHC. Relative/fictive placement parents possess a previously established relationship with the child (ren) in OOHC.
Placement considerations for the following vulnerable populations coming into care will be of the utmost importance concerning assessing risk for health conditions:
- Children under the age of two (2);
- Children coming into care without current immunizations; and
- Children with existing complex health conditions.
Children designated, or potentially designated, as medically complex must be placed in non-familial or relative/fictive foster and adoptive homes where all household members have received vaccinations.
Placement decisions outside of the provisions in the two (2) bulleted points above must be approved by the SRA or designee with the risk assessed to the child in placement, considering the specific health care needs of the child, and documented in the child's case record.
Non-familial foster and adoptive parent applicants will be disqualified if a member of the prospective foster or adoptive parent's home presents a health and safety risk to a child in foster care as assessed by a health care professional and documented on the DPP-107 Health Information for Required Foster or Adoptive Parents, Applicants or Adult Household Members or the DPP-108 Health Information Required for Foster or Adoptive Parents or Applicants Regarding Dependent Children.
If there is an epidemic in a given area, the Cabinet may by emergency regulation require the immunization of all persons within the area of epidemic against the disease responsible for the epidemic.
Interested non-familial foster and adoptive home applicant(s) must attend at least one (1) information meeting.
A married, single, or unmarried person may apply to become a non-familial or fictive/relative foster and adoptive home parent(s).