ORS 418.016: Criminal records checks required for caregivers of children and for other persons in household; exception; rules.

(1) To protect the health and safety of children who are in the custody of the Department of Human Services and who may be placed in a foster home or adoptive home or with a relative caregiver, the department shall adopt rules pursuant to ORS 181A.195 and ORS chapter 418 to require that criminal records checks be conducted under ORS 181A.195 on: (a) All persons who seek to be foster parents, adoptive parents or relative caregivers; and (b) Any other individuals over 18 years of age who will be in the household of the foster parent, adoptive parent or relative caregiver. (2) Rules adopted under subsection (1) of this section shall include: (a) A requirement that persons who have been convicted of crimes listed in the rules adopted by the Oregon Department of Administrative Services under ORS 181A.215 are disqualified from becoming a foster parent, adoptive parent or relative caregiver; and (b) A provision that the Department of Human Services may approve a person who has been convicted of certain crimes listed in the rules if the person demonstrates to the department that: (A) The person possesses the qualifications to be a foster parent or adoptive parent regardless of having been convicted of a listed crime; or (B) The disqualification would create emotional harm to the child for whom the person is seeking to become a foster parent, adoptive parent or relative caregiver and placement of the child with the person would be a safe placement that is in the best interests of the child. (3) The Department of Human Services by rule may exempt an individual from the criminal records check requirement under subsection (1)(b) of this section if the individual was placed in the household by the department before the individual attained 18 years of age. [2001 c.686 §26; 2005 c.730 §23; 2007 c.611 §1; 2013 c.285 §5; 2025 c.317 §2]