BACKGROUND:

Resource Family Approval (RFA) is a method of approving caregivers to foster, adopt or provide legal guardianship for the care and supervision of youth ordered to foster care placement by the Juvenile Delinquency or Dependency Courts.

OVERVIEW:

Probation collaborates with Child Welfare Services (CWS) to assist caregivers in completing the RFA process on an emergency or non-emergency basis.  Resource Family (RF) homes are considered “matched” if they have the intent to provide care to a particular youth or “unmatched” if they are willing to consider providing care to any youth referred to them by CWS or Probation. RFA is a streamlined approval process that combines elements of prior practices that once separated out requirements for foster care licensing, relative approval, guardianship and adoption approval.  RFA approves a RF to provide care for a ward or dependent on a short term (foster care) or permanent (adoption or legal guardianship) basis.  The RFA process includes specialized training and a health screening for potential caregivers as well as background checks, a home environment assessment and a permanency assessment, all intended to be completed within 90 days of placement. 

EMERGENCY PLACEMENT

A youth may be placed with a caregiver prior to RFA approval if the caregiver is a relative or Non-Relative Extended Family Member (NREFM). The PO shall do the following before placing a youth in a relative or NREFM home on an emergency basis pending RFA completion.

1. Provide the caregiver with an RFA Brochure and have them fill out an RFA Application – RFA-01(A).
2. Forward RFA Application to CWS RFA Supervisor along with information that Probation is conducting an emergency placement.
3. Provide the caregiver with an Orientation Booklet for Relative or Non-Relative Extended Family Member Caregiver Packet (DSS CWS 667).
4. Review the requirements noted in the Resource Family Approval Home Environment Checklist (RFA-03) with the caregiver.
5. Have the caregiver fill out the Information on Approved Homes form (DSS CWS 716).
6. Get a copy of the caregiver’s driver’s license or other form of identification (photo ID, passport, etc…)
7. Provide caregivers with Live Scan instructions (DSS CWS 639) and the Request for Live Scan Service form (all adults living in the home will need to have background check and Live Scan completed within 10 business days of placement).
8. Email Professional Standards Unit Supervising Deputy Probation Officer (SDPO) with names of all adults referred for Live Scan so results will be sent to PO upon receipt.
9. Fill out Child Abuse Central Index (CACI) search (BCIA 4084) for all adults and fax to (916) 227-5054.
10. Request CWS history on all adults by emailing their identifying information to CWS at SS_Intake.
11. Have all adults fill out RFA Criminal Record Statement – RFA-01(B).
12. Run a California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS) and Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) check on all adults for any criminal history.
13. If any of the adults have any criminal history, ensure the crimes are not listed on the Federal and State Criminal Records Clearance Non-Exemptible Convictions list (DSS CWS 711) and have them fill out a Caregiver Exemption Request form (DSS CWS 660).
14. Complete a home environment assessment using the RFA Home Environment Checklist (RFA-03).  If needed, complete and attach an Alternative Action Plan (DSS CWS 487) and/or Corrective Action Plan (DSS CWS 486).
15. Complete the following additional forms
    1. Caregiver Assessment (SOC 818)
    2. Approval of Family Caregiver Home (SOC 815)
    3. Provisions of Care Assessment
    4. Substitute Care Provider Support Assessment
    5. Substitute Care Provider Support Assessment Supplemental items
    6. Leave a copy of Rights of Children in Foster Care handout (DSS CWS 706) with caregiver
    7. Leave a copy of Reporting Guidelines – Incident report (DSS CWS 708-A) with caregiver
    8. Leave a copy of Reporting Guidelines – Pets and Animals with caregiver
    9. Leave a copy of Caregiver Internet/Email/Social Media Guidelines and Acknowledgement (DSS CWS 418) with caregiver
16. Make copies of the entire packet for Probation File and forward completed packet to CWS RFA Supervisor.
17. CWS RFA Supervisor will assign to RFA SW to complete the rest of the RFA process.
18. CWS RFA SW will notify PO once RFA process is completed and whether approval is recommended.
19. Probation will have final say on whether caregiver home is approved.
20. CWS will keep a record of approved homes in RFA Database.
21. CWS RFA SW will complete annual approval updates on RFA homes.

NON-EMERGENCY PLACEMENT (matched or unmatched):

1. Provide the potential caregiver with an RFA Brochure and have them fill out an RFA Application – RFA-01(A).
2. Forward RFA Application to CWS RFA Supervisor.