OAR 413-120-0035: Invitation to and Notification of Adoption Committee

(1) In preparation for and prior to scheduling an adoption committee, the caseworker for each child and the adoption worker for each potential adoptive resource must comply with the provisions of OAR 413-120-0700 to 413-120-0760. (2) No later than ten business days before the scheduled adoption committee, the Department must send the ADS and each individual identified in OAR 413-120-0025(1), (2), and (3) all of the following: (a) Notification of the date, time, and location of the adoption committee. (b) A copy of each of the adoption home studies and the written information released under OAR 413-120-0016(1) and (2). (c) Written information about the needs of each child under consideration. (d) A notice that confidential information may not be re-released, under OAR 413-120-0016(4). (e) A request to thoroughly review all of the information provided before the date of the adoption committee when the individual will be serving as a committee member. (3) Information in subsections (b) to (e) of section (2) of this rule need not be provided again to the caseworker for each child under consideration for adoption and the adoption worker for each potential adoptive resource. (4) Individuals identified in OAR 413-120-0025(1), (2), and (3) may request that the Department invite individuals to the adoption committee to present information regarding a child’s needs. (5) The Department has the discretion to invite the following individuals to attend and present information regarding the child’s current and lifelong needs to an adoption committee: (a) The child, on a case by case basis, when the child’s caseworker determines the child’s attendance is appropriate; (b) The child’s current or previous substitute caregiver, unless the individual is being considered as a potential adoptive resource for the child; and (c) Any other individual who has significant information about the current and lifelong needs of the child relevant to the selection of an adoptive resource. (6) Any individual invited to provide information related to the child’s needs may present information to the adoption committee in person, by telephone, through electronic communication, or in writing. (7) A potential adoptive resource may provide supplemental information regarding their ability to meet the current and lifelong needs of the child or sibling group under consideration for adoption through the adoption worker. An identified potential adoptive resource and their legal or personal advocate may not attend an adoption committee. (8) When the notification in section (2) of this rule has been provided and a child’s relative or current caretaker now expresses interest in being considered as a potential adoptive resource, the Child Welfare Program Manager must: (a) If the newly expressed interest is from a relative, review the diligent efforts to identify a child’s relatives under OAR 413-070-0060 to 413-070-0063; (b) If the newly expressed interest is from a current caretaker, review the efforts to determine if the current caretaker was given adequate and reasonable time to request consideration as the potential adoptive resource; (c) Consider the impact of a delay in achieving permanency on the best interests of the child; and (d) Make a determination whether it is in the best interests of the child for an adoption home study to be conducted with the relative or current caretaker despite the delay in achieving permanency. (9) The Child Welfare Program manager in consultation with the Child Permanency Program manager makes the determination whether to consider a relative or current caretaker under section (8) of this rule. (10) When a Child Welfare Program Manager informs the caseworker of the determination to consider a relative or current caretaker identified under section (8) of this rule, the caseworker must notify each individual identified in OAR 413-120-0025(1), (2), and (3) that the adoption selection process has been suspended. (11) When the adoption selection process has been suspended, the adoption workers must notify each identified potential adoptive resource that the adoption selection process has been suspended. (12) The timelines in this rule may be changed by the committee facilitator when the individuals identified in OAR 413-120-0025(1), (2), and (3) agree on a new timeline.