OAR 413-120-0020: Adoption Placement Selection Options

When a child or sibling group has a permanency plan of adoption, the Department uses one of the three options below to make an adoption placement selection: (1) Selection by Caseworker. After considering the input from the child's team and following consultation with the supervisor, the caseworker may make the adoption placement selection for a child or sibling group using the process in OAR 413-120-0021 when the requirements of at least one of the following is met: (a) Pursuant to OAR 413-115-0090(3), if the child being considered for adoption alone or as part of a sibling group is an Indian child, and there is a single potential adoptive resource who: (A) Ensures compliance with the placement preference order prescribed by the Indian child's Tribe or under the Oregon Indian Child Welfare Act (ORS 419B.654 and OAR 413-115-0090(3)(c)); or (B) If placement under the established preference order is not available, has been identified as the placement preference by the court through a good cause order, in accordance with the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), the Oregon Indian Child Welfare Act (ORICWA), and OAR 413-115-0090(3)(c). (b) The child is identified as a refugee child and the adoption placement selection complies with OAR 413-070-0300 to 413-070-0380. (c) A relative of the child or sibling group is being considered alone as the potential adoptive resource unless subsections (c), (d), or (e) of section (3) of this rule apply. Prior to making a selection, ensure the Department has conducted a diligent search and there is no other identified relative who has expressed an interest in, or who is being assessed as a potential adoptive resource and there is no current caretaker who has expressed an interest in, or who is being assessed, as a potential adoptive resource. (d) A current caretaker of the child or sibling group is being considered alone as a potential adoptive resource unless subsection (c), (d), or (e) of section (3) of this rule applies. Prior to making a selection, ensure the Department has conducted a diligent search and there is no relative who has expressed an interest in, or who is being assessed as, a potential adoptive resource, and there is no other current caretaker who has expressed an interest, or who is being assessed, as a potential adoptive resource. (e) The child is under six years of age with no extraordinary needs and each potential adoptive resource is a general applicant, unless subsection (d) of section (2) of this rule or subsection (c), (d), or (e) of section (3) of this rule applies. Prior to making a selection, ensure the Department has conducted a diligent search and there is no relative who has expressed an interest in, or who is being assessed as, a potential adoptive resource, and there is no current caretaker who has expressed an interest, or who is being assessed, as a potential adoptive resource. (2) Local Adoption Committee and ADS. The local adoption committee recommends an adoptive resource and the ADS makes the adoption placement selection when section (3) of this rule does not apply and at least one of the following applies: (a) The child is six years of age or older. (b) The child has extraordinary needs. (c) A sibling group is being placed together for the purpose of adoption and each potential adoptive resource is a general applicant. (d) The identified potential adoptive resources include the child's current resource parent, who is not a current caretaker, being considered as a general applicant with other general applicants. (3) Central Office Adoption Committee and ADS. The central office adoption committee recommends an adoptive resource, and the ADS makes the adoption placement selection when one of the following applies: (a) The potential adoptive resources include: (A) More than one relative as defined in OAR 413-120-0000(64)(a)-(c); (B) A relative as defined in OAR 413-120-0000(64)(a)-(d) and a current caretaker; or (C) A relative, as defined in OAR 413-120-0000(64)(d) for whom an exception to the order of preference has been granted under OAR 413-120-0760. (b) The potential adoptive resources include more than one current caretaker being considered for siblings who will be placed together in adoption. (c) A Department staff member is a potential adoptive resource, and the requirements of the ODHS-060-002, "Conflict of Interest Policy" and the "Conflict of Interest Policy Addendum for CAF Employees" apply. (d) A non-Department staff member with a potential conflict of interest with the Department is a potential adoptive resource. (e) The potential adoptive resource is an individual living outside of the United States. (4) The caseworker, following consultation with the supervisor, may request that the adoption placement selection be made by an ADS following an adoption committee recommendation based on the complexities or dynamics of a case. The request must be approved by: (a) The Child Welfare Program Manager or designee for the use of a local adoption committee rather than a caseworker selection; or (b) The Child Permanency Program Manager, Assistant Child Permanency Program Manager, or designee for the use of a central office adoption committee rather than a local adoption committee.