OAR 413-120-0025: Composition of an Adoption Committee

(1) An adoption committee must be composed of the following individuals: (a) The caseworker of each child for whom adoption placement selection is being made; (b) Three individuals appointed by the Child Welfare Program Manager or designee for a local adoption committee, and by the Child Permanency Program Manager, Assistant Child Permanency Program Manager, or designee for a central office adoption committee: (A) The committee facilitator, who must be a Department staff person; and (B) Two other individuals, who may be a community partner or a Department staff person. (2) In addition to the committee members identified in section (1), the following individuals for each child for whom adoption placement selection is being made must be notified of the adoption committee and may be adoption committee members, if they so choose, under OAR 413-120-0053(1): (a) The CASA; (b) The child's attorney; (c) An authorized representative from the child's tribe, if the child is an Indian child; and (d) A member of the RCWAC, if the child is a refugee child. (3) The adoption worker for each identified potential adoptive resource must attend the full adoption committee. (4) With the approval of the committee facilitator, the following individuals may attend the adoption committee: (a) The supervisor for an individual identified in section (1), (2), or (3) of this rule; (b) Department staff who may have information about the child or sibling group under consideration for adoption or the potential adoptive resources being considered; and (c) Department staff, for training or observation purposes. (5) Committee members appointed under subsection (1)(b) of this rule must meet the following requirements: (a) Be knowledgeable of adoption and permanency issues; (b) Be knowledgeable of the importance of lifelong family and cultural connections; (c) Be knowledgeable of the importance of attachment and emotional ties to caregivers; and (d) Have no personal or current professional relationship to any of the children for whom adoption placement selection is being made or to the potential adoptive resources being considered. (6) The committee facilitator appointed under paragraph (1)(b)(A) of this rule must comply with all of the following subsections: (a) Hold the meeting in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 413 of the Oregon Administrative Rules; (b) Inform each individual who is present of the responsibilities of the committee; (c) Have each individual who is present sign a confidentiality agreement for the proceedings of the adoption committee meeting; (d) Ensure the individuals who are invited to attend and present information to the committee as described in OAR 413-120-0035(5) are: (A) Allowed to present information appropriate for consideration for each child for whom adoption placement selection is being made; and (B) Excused in a timely manner. (e) Give the committee recommendations to the ADS at the end of the adoption committee meeting. (7) The ADS: (a) Is appointed by the Child Permanency Program Manager or designee and must: (A) Have significant expertise in the areas of adoption and permanency issues; (B) Have experience with adoption placement planning; (C) Be knowledgeable of the importance of lifelong family and cultural connections; (D) Be knowledgeable of the importance of attachment and emotional ties to caregivers; and (E) Have no personal or current professional relationship to the child, sibling group under consideration for adoption, or the potential adoptive resources being considered. (b) Must attend the adoption committee and may ask clarifying questions, but does not participate in the deliberations or recommendations of the adoption committee.