Ky.gov
Effective: 10/01/2024

13.14 Referral of a Child to the Kentucky Adoption Profile Exchange (KAPE)

Legal Authority

Introduction

​90​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The Kentucky Adoption Profile Exchange (KAPE) was established to facilitate permanency and adoptive placements for children. Children shall be referred to the Adoption Services Branch to be registered with KAPE if the below factors are met. The referral should be made at the time of the termination of parental rights (TPR). Service regions are responsible for establishing and documenting protocol for KAPE referrals including which staff are responsible for completing the referral within the specified timeframes. Regions are also responsible for developing a plan for disseminating this protocol to field staff.1

  • The child has the goal of adoption; 
  • TPR has been granted; and 
  • They do not have any identified adoptive families being considered.


Practice Guidance

​​The KAPE packet must include:

  • The completed DPP-196 KAPE Referral form; 
  • KAPE Referral Presentation sheet; 
  • Current color photo (must be electronic in JPEG format); 
  • Child’s profile narrative (do not include any personal health information (PHI) or any negative comments to be placed on the KAPE and AdoptUSKids websites); and 
  • TPR order.

All the items above must be e-mailed together to the Adoption Services Branch. Please call (502) 564-2147 to obtain the appropriate email address.

​​The KAPE specialist with Adoption Services Branch is responsible for:​

  • ​​Making the public aware of the child's availability for adoption using in-state media including the internet (recruitment resources, adoption activities, and the KAPE and AdoptUSKids websites); and 
  • Utilizing technology and national resources to ensure timely adoptive placements and permanency for children enrolled in the KAPE.

A hold on a child is referenced when:

  • It is not in the best interest of the child(ren) to recruit adoptive families at that time. A memorandum signed by the service region administrator (SRA) or designee must be sent to the KAPE specialist outlining the justification to place the child on hold along with supporting documentation from the child's mental health provider ​for this type of request; ​or 
  • The child is placed with a family who has expressed interest in adopting the child but has not signed a DPP-198 Intent to Adopt or DPP-195 Adoptive Placement Agreement. A memorandum signed by the SRA or designee must be sent to the KAPE specialist outlining the current situation, how the Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) supports and assesses the placement, and the plan to monitor the family's commitment to adopting the child.2

Children may only be placed on hold for ninety (90) calendar ​days. If additional time is needed, an updated memorandum must be approved by the Adoption Services Branch Manager. 

​A child will be listed as referred when:

  • ​The KAPE specialist receives notification that an adoptive family is actively engaged in the adoption process and working with the child's adoption review committee in moving forward with the adoption process and finalization; and 
  • ​​​ KAPE central office staff receives a signed DPP-198 Intent to Adopt or the DPP-195 Adoptive Placement Agreement for an adoption that will be finalized.​3

Withdrawal is requested when the:

  • The KAPE specialist receives a signed DPP-195-Adoptive Placement Agreement for an adoption that will be finalized in Kentucky; 
  • The goal is changed from adoption; or 
  • The child turns age eighteen (18).

The SSW may contact KAPE central office staff to request a child be placed on hold or withdrawn from the KAPE program.

If a child’s situation changes after withdrawal from KAPE, the SSW may re-enroll a child following the guidelines of procedure #1 in this SOP.


​

Procedure

The SSW or the CFRM specialist is responsible for:

  1. Emailing a KAPE packet (please see required documents below) to central office and copying their FSOS. 
  2. Providing the Adoption Services Branch staff and/or a member of the child's adoption review committee any requested information regarding the current status of a child enrolled in the KAPE program; 
  3. Contacting the foster parent (or caregiver) to obtain information about the child, and meeting the child within thirty (30) working days of the referral to KAPE to explain the recruitment process; 
  4. Developing an individualized recruitment plan within ninety (90) working days of the child's referral to KAPE; 
  5. Updating the KAPE specialist within five (5) calendar days following any changes in the child's status such as changes in the family’s commitment to the child, the child’s permanency goal, custody status, etc.; and 
  6. Updating the KAPE specialist on the action plan and current status of the youth following monthly visits if a HOLD has been approved as described above.

Footnotes

  1. If the child has not been previously referred to CFRM, a referral should be made to both KAPE and CFRM at the time of TPR.  The referral is made within thirty (30) calendar days if the child’s placement, which had previously been identified as an adoptive placement, disrupts or the adoptive parent(s) change their decision about adopting the child.
  2. The memo should be completed using the KAPE Referral Hold Request template. 
  3. Examples of active engagement include participation in a pre-placement conference, having transitional visits with the youth, meeting with recruitment and certification (R&C)​ regarding subsidy completion, etc​.

Documents

Revisions

​8/9​/2023

The Kentucky Adoption Profile Exchange (KAPE) was established to facilitate permanency and adoptive placements for children. Children shall be referred to the Adoption Services Branch to be registered with KAPE if the below factors are met. The referral should be made at the the tome of the termination of parental rights (TPR). Service regions are responsible for establishing and documenting protocol for KAPE referrals including which staff are responsible for completing the referral within the specified timeframes. Regions are also responsible for developing a plan for disseminating this protocol to field staff.1


5.  Updating KAPE as necessary including changes in the family’s commitment to the child, the child’s permanency goal, custody status, etc.​.​​​


Footnotes​

  1. If the child has not been previously referred to the CFRM, a referral should be made to both KAPE and the CFRM at the time of TPR.  The referral is made within thirty (30) calendar days if the child’s placement, which had previously been identified as an adoptive placement, disrupts or the adoptive parent(s) change their decision about adopting the child.

6/2024

Children may only be placed on hold for ninety (90) days six (6) months. If additional time is needed, an updated memorandum must be approved by the Adoption Services Branch Manager. SRA or designee and submitted to the KAPE specialist.


The KAPE specialist receives notification that an adoptive family is actively engaged in the adoption process and working with the  has been identified and the child's adoption review committee in moving forward with the adoption process and fini​ with the identified adoptive family. KAPE central office staff receives a signed DPP-198 Intent to Adopt or the DPP-195 Adoptive Placement Agreement for an adoption that will be finalized.​

5.  Updating the KAPE specialist within five (5) calendar days following any changes in the child's status such as as necessary including changes in the family’s commitment to the child, the child’s permanency goal, custody status, etc.; and
6. Updating the KAPE specialist on the action plan and current status of the youth following monthly visits if a HOLD has been approved as described above.​

Footnotes
3.  Examples of active engagement include participation in a pre-placement conference, having transitional visits with the youth, meeting with recruitment and certification (R&C)​ regarding subsidy completion,  etc​​