ࡱ> LNK@ T!bjbj.. =DDD7 8 \ ,LT T j j j j j j $R!(j j (j j =dj j V@zj H pȁI JX 4S0&TzzTj 0 "  j j j (( Zd 10 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 148 BUREAU OF SOCIAL SERVICES Chapter 7: RULES FOR THE AUTHORIZATION OF BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR PROSPECTIVE ADOPTIVE PARENTS SUMMARY: These rules provide for and describe the procedures for completion of background checks for prospective adoptive parents. These rules are designed to protect the health, safety and well-being of children adopted from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) or another licensed child placing agency with an adoption program. These rules apply for each prospective adoptive parent of a child in the Departments custody or in the custody of another licensed child placing agency. 1. GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY DHHS is committed to assuring that children in its care and custody have families that meet their needs for safety, permanency, and well-being. DHHS seeks a partnership with kinship/foster/adoptive parents and permanency guardians who can provide safe, stable, and nurturing home environments and who are supportive of children and their families. DHHS seeks kinship/foster/adoptive families and permanency guardians that reflect the diverse racial, ethnic, and minority status of the children in care. A background check is an integral part of assessment of the family and shall include a screening for child abuse cases in the records of the Department, a screening of Bureau of Motor Vehicle records, and criminal history record information obtained from the fb88 Criminal Justice Information system and federal authorities. Title 18-A M.R.S.A. 9-304 (a-2) , authorizes the Department to, at any time prior to the filing of the petition for adoption request each prospective adoptive parent to submit to having fingerprints taken for the purposes of obtaining national criminal history record information. State and federal criminal history record information may be used by the Department for the purpose of screening prospective adoptive parents at the time they make formal application to adopt. The information is confidential and may not be disseminated outside the Department except to a licensed agency conducting the home study assessment or a court where the petition to adopt is filed. 2. DEFINITIONS As used in these rules, the following definitions shall apply: a. "Department" refers to the Department of Health and Human Services. b. "Child" refers to a special needs child who is legally available for adoption and who is in the custody of the Department or a non-profit, private, licensed child placing agency with an adoption program in this State. c. "Family" refers to any single person or married couple who wishes to apply for adoption or has applied for adoption. d. Applicant refers to any individual or couple who has made application to adopt on forms provided by the Department and whose signature on said forms provides release for the process of background checks. e. Licensed child placing agency with an adoption program is any agency, person, group of persons, organization, association or society licensed to operate in this state pursuant to 22 M.R.S.A. 1671. 3. PROCEDURES The Department shall, upon receipt of an application to adopt from any family or individual, conduct background checks for each perspective adoptive parent of a minor child in custody. The background check must include criminal history record information obtained from the fb88 Criminal Justice Information System and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The criminal history record information from the fb88 Criminal Justice Information System must include a record of fb88 conviction data. The criminal history record information obtained from the Federal Bureau of Investigation must include other state and national criminal history record information. Each prospective adoptive parent shall submit to having fingerprints taken. The State Police shall forward those fingerprints to the State Bureau of Identification so that the bureau can conduct state and national criminal history checks. The subject of a criminal history record check may inspect and review the criminal history record information pursuant to applicable state or federal law. State and federal criminal history record information may be used by the Department for the purpose of screening prospective adoptive parents to ensure the safety and well-being of children placed for adoption by the Department. Information obtained through the criminal history checks is confidential and for official use only and may not be disseminated outside the Department except to licensed agencies conducting the home study assessments or courts where the petitions to adopt are filed. An applicant/s application will be denied if the applicant/s has any felony conviction of child abuse or neglect, spousal abuse, a crime against a child or children (including child pornography) or a crime involving violence, including rape, sexual assault, or homicide, but not including other physical assault or battery. An applicant/s application will be denied if the applicant/s has, within the five years prior to the application date (or after the application date) been convicted of a felony involving physical assault, battery or a drug related offense. In the case of any other criminal convictions, the Department has the sole discretion to determine whether it will approve the application, consent to the proposed adoption, or provide adoption assistance (consistent with the laws and rules for adoption assistance). This paragraph shall not be construed to prohibit the Department from denying an application because of criminal offenses not listed in this paragraph. The information from the criminal history check will be provided to the Probate Court upon filing the petition to adopt or upon any request to the District Court for Permanency Guardianship. The established fee for the fingerprint process will be the responsibility of the prospective adoptive family. In special circumstances that would present a barrier to the adoption of a specific child, an adoptive family may request assistance from the Department. Approval is required from the DHHS District Program Administrator for any financial assistance toward the fingerprint fee related to the adoption or permanency guardianship of a specific child. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE July 2, 2006 (filing 2006-311) 5. AUTHORITY 18-A MRSA 9-304 (a-2)     10-148 Chapter 7 page  PAGE 3 ,2KTUVXP Q B ŵ⦗yj[L[jhP7hTgCJOJQJaJhP7hVrCJOJQJaJhP7h4[CJOJQJaJhP7hCJOJQJaJhP7h.FCJOJQJaJh!YhP7CJOJQJaJh!Yh}NCJOJQJaJhP7hPO5CJOJQJaJh5CJOJQJaJhP7hP75CJOJQJaJhP7h}N5CJOJQJaJhP75CJOJQJaJ,-LM  , v1$^`vgd , gdN , &dPgdN , &dPgdP7 , j^`jgdP7 , gdP7!S! b c R V ɹj^OO@hP7hpB*CJaJphhP7hv!B*CJaJphhP7B*CJaJph)hP7hTg56B*CJ\]aJphhP7hB*CJaJphhP7hTgB*CJaJphhB*CJaJphhP7hTg5CJOJQJaJhP7h}N5CJOJQJaJh5CJOJQJaJhP7hP7CJOJQJaJh}NCJOJQJaJhP7h}NCJOJQJaJ @A , 0^`0gdP7 , 0^`0gdP7 , gdP7 , v1$]^`vgd , v1$^`vgd , 1$gdP7V #%'ô{l]]L] hP7hk>*B*CJaJphhP7hkB*CJaJphhP7hCB*CJaJphhP7ht~B*CJaJphhP7hB*CJaJphhP7hxdB*CJaJphhB*CJaJphhP7h]B*CJaJphhP7h4[B*CJaJphhP7hv!B*CJaJphhP7hpB*CJaJphhP7h=PB*CJaJph ?z%0AҺҫҫҫƐqbVGhP7h]CJOJQJaJhCJOJQJaJhP7hxdCJOJQJaJhP7h}N5CJOJQJaJhP7h}NCJOJQJaJhP7hf CJOJQJaJhB*CJaJphhP7h]B*CJaJphhB*CJaJphhP7B*CJaJphhP7hYB*CJaJphhP7hkB*CJaJphhP7h`B*CJaJphACDFl$dyV`hilmn!"$/56ָָָ帩||pahP7hCJOJQJaJhP7CJOJQJaJhP7hrb CJOJQJaJhP7h,CJOJQJaJhP7htCJOJQJaJhP7h,t:CJOJQJaJhP7h}CJOJQJaJhP7h`CJOJQJaJhP7h}NCJOJQJaJhCJOJQJaJhP7h{CJOJQJaJ!ij678FG78 , ^gd & F , ^`gd , ^gd & F s, gdP7 , 0^`0gdP7 , gdP7678;FG[\o678hȹ}nbVG;GhCCJOJQJaJhP7hCCJOJQJaJhCJOJQJaJhP7CJOJQJaJhP7hf CJOJQJaJhP7hl\CJOJQJaJhP7hzOCJOJQJaJhP7h\CJOJQJaJhP7h47CJOJQJaJhP7hWjCJOJQJaJhP7hWj5CJOJQJaJh5CJOJQJaJhP7hCJOJQJaJh}NCJOJQJaJh8@Ahij.NOPʻ񬠑vggXI:hP7ht~CJOJQJaJhP7hhCJOJQJaJhP7hGCJOJQJaJhP7hw`CJOJQJaJhCJOJQJaJhP7h7R:CJOJQJaJhP7hCJOJQJaJhUCJOJQJaJhP7h$CJOJQJaJhP7hCJOJQJaJhP7hzOCJOJQJaJhCJOJQJaJhP7CJOJQJaJhP7hUCJOJQJaJijOPZ[23 , gdP7 , 1$^gd & F s, 1$gdP7 , ^gd & F s, gdP7&*+01DRYZ[_j47=O123񻬡xxmxmbZhCJaJhP7h=2CJaJhP7h0#CJaJhP7h"JCJaJhP7CJaJhP7hl;:CJaJhP7hCJaJhP7h7R:CJaJhP7hCJOJQJaJhw`CJOJQJaJhP7CJOJQJaJhP7hXHCJOJQJaJhP7ht~CJOJQJaJhP7hhCJOJQJaJ37G{bfm  ĹĮČ}p`PhP7h\5CJOJQJaJhP7hB5CJOJQJaJh5CJOJQJaJhP7hCJOJQJaJhBCJOJQJaJhP7hLCJaJhP7hu/CJaJhP7h4:CJaJhP7hDDCJaJhP7h`?CJaJhP7hCJaJhiCJaJhP7hiCJaJhCJaJhP7h\-CJaJ !!!! !!!!!!!! !"!#!%!&!(!E!˼ogcgcgcgcThhNCJOJQJaJhjhUhP7hW5CJOJQJaJhP7h'q5CJOJQJaJhP7hPO5CJOJQJaJhP7hB5CJOJQJaJh5CJOJQJaJhP7hCJOJQJaJhBCJOJQJaJhP7hBCJOJQJaJhCJOJQJaJhP75CJOJQJaJ !!!!!!!!"!$!%!'!(!)!*!+!P!Q!R!S!T!$ !#&dPa$gd $ !#a$ , gdP7E!F!L!M!N!O!Q!R!S!T!귳hP7hPO5CJOJQJaJhhNhhNCJOJQJaJ%h0JCJOJQJaJmHnHu hhN0JCJOJQJaJ)jhhN0JCJOJQJUaJ ; 000&PP:pP7/ =!"#$%R@R Normal)B*CJOJQJ_HaJmH phsH tH DA@D Default Paragraph FontViV  Table Normal :V 44 la (k(No List ^@^ Header !5$7$8$9DH$B*CJOJQJaJphVOV Tg Default Text1$7$8$H$B*CJOJQJph4 @4 AEFooter  !.)@!.  Page NumberH2H !Y Balloon TextCJOJQJ^JaJTD,-LM@ A   i j 6 7 8 F G 78ijOPZ[23!)*+PQRU00000000x0000x000x00x00x0x0000000000000x0x00x00000x 00 0G 0 0G 0 00 00 00 00 00 00 0x00000x0000000x0000@0@0x@0x@0@000400 666669 V A6h3 E!T!!  T! S!)029!  4   U%%U9*urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttagsplace9*urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttagsState8*urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttagsdate 220067DayMonthYearCG!"$%'(RU!"$%'(RU8 G !"$%'(+EOPRUCG!"$%'(RU|wGu;'iO|-{Ңʻ808^8`0o(. ^`hH. pLp^p`LhH. @ @ ^@ `hH. ^`hH. L^`LhH. ^`hH. ^`hH. PLP^P`LhH.$ 88^8`56o(.$ LL^L`.$ L^`L.$ ^`.$ ^`.$  L ^ `L.$ \ \ ^\ `.$ ,,^,`.$ L^`L.s]s^s`]o(.^`o(.  L ^ `LhH.   ^ `hH. xx^x`hH. HLH^H`LhH. ^`hH. ^`hH. L^`LhH.u;'i|wG-{^;R        ~:^       ONev!{`?rb f ki=2BLeTLNCU0#\-G0m0*6474:l;:7R:,t:'s@CAEXH"J}NzO=P-QW!Y4[l\d]w`xdTghWjJjp%q'qVr.F}PYDD#r\>@u/,9,GtV]POP7]`t~L$!$'RU@GG6 GGT`@UnknownGz Times New Roman5Symbol3& z Arial_ BaskervilleGoudy Old Style5& zaTahoma"1hF,&F ] -] -"4d2QHP?#r10 DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICESMandy Milligan don.wismer   Oh+'0 ,8 T ` l x 10 DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES0 DMandy MilliganFandand Normal.dotg don.wismerg6n.Microsoft Word 10.0@vA@0Ò@Fl@I]՜.+,0 hp  State of fb88 - DHSF- O  10 DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES Title  !"$%&'()*,-./0123456789:<=>?@ABDEFGHIJMRoot Entry F0RȁIOData #1Table+WordDocument=DSummaryInformation(;DocumentSummaryInformation8CCompObjj  FMicrosoft Word Document MSWordDocWord.Document.89q