SECTION 340:75-15-82. Adoptive family recruitment

(a)   The Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) recruits and develops adoptive families for children in DHS custody who are legally-free for adoption and recognizes each child has unique life experiences that require adoption service components to be child focused.

(1)   DHS seeks an adoptive parent that meets the child's needs rather than seeking a child that meets the adoptive parent's needs.

(2)   Potential adoptive family assessments are completed, per Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC) 340:75-15-82 through 340:75-15-89.

(b)   Recruitment program. Adoptive family recruitment is an ongoing, proactive adoption services component. A comprehensive recruitment plan consisting of general, child-specific, and targeted recruitment is used.

(c)   Minority adoption recruitment. As part of the Multiethnic Placement Act of 1994 (MEPA), as amended by the Interethnic Provisions of 1996 (IEP), efforts are made to recruit potential adoptive families who reflect the ethnic and racial diversity of children in DHS custody for whom adoptive families are needed.

(d)   Adoptive family recruitment through adoption exchanges.

(1)   When funds are available for such purposes, DHS contracts with or joins the Oklahoma Children's Adoption Resource Exchange or other in-state, out-of-state, or national adoption exchange (adoption exchange) for purposes of increasing and promoting the placement and adoption of children in DHS custody, per Section 7510-2.1 of Title 10 of the Oklahoma Statutes (10 O.S. § 7510-2.1).

(2)   DHS provides certain, specified information to the adoption exchange.

(e)   Photographs and descriptions provided to the adoption exchange. DHS, per 10 O.S. §§ 7510-2.1 and 7510-2.2, provides a recent photograph and description of each child who is legally free for adoption and for whom no adoptive family has been found:

(1)   to the adoption exchange specified by DHS; and

(2)   within 90-calendar days of the date the child became legally free for adoption or as otherwise required by the adoption exchange.

(f)   Exemptions to utilizing an adoption exchange. Children who are exempt from 10 O.S. §§ 7510-2.1 through 7510-2.5 provisions, include those:

(1)   12 years of age and older who choose not to be adopted, per the Oklahoma Adoption Act;

(2)   for whom permanent placement plans were made that do not include adoption, such as permanent placement with relatives or long-term foster care;

(3)   who, because of medical or psychological reasons as determined by a licensed psychiatrist, psychologist, or physician, are not ready for adoption;

(4)   who is missing from care and whose present location is unknown; and

(5)   who are currently in an adoptive placement, per 10 O.S. § 7505-6.3.

(g)   Child's status change reported to adoption exchange. DHS reports any change in the child's status to an adoption exchange, per 10 O.S. § 7510-2.4 within 20-business days of the change.

(h)   Withdrawing a child from an adoption exchange. When a child is placed with an adoptive family, DHS notifies the adoption exchange that the child is no longer available, per 10 O.S. § 7510-2.5.

[Source: Added at 11 Ok Reg 651, eff 11-15-93 (emergency); Added at 11 Ok Reg 3281, eff 6-27-94; Amended at 14 Ok Reg 998, eff 1-24-97 (emergency); Amended at 14 Ok Reg 2288, eff 6-12-97; Amended at 15 Ok Reg 417, eff 11-1-97 (emergency); Amended at 15 Ok Reg 1663, eff 5-11-98; Amended at 16 Ok Reg 102, eff 10-13-98 (preemptive); Amended at 17 Ok Reg 3531, eff 9-7-00 (emergency); Amended at 18 Ok Reg 2128, eff 6-11-01; Amended at 18 Ok Reg 3067, eff 7-12-01; Amended at 19 Ok Reg 2208, eff 6-27-02; Amended at 20 Ok Reg 2072, eff 6-26-03; Amended at 24 Ok Reg 1323, eff 6-1-07; Amended at 26 Ok Reg 884, eff 5-15-09; Amended at 29 Ok Reg 635, eff 6-1-12; Amended at 30 Ok Reg 839, eff 7-1-13; Amended at 35 Ok Reg 1695, eff 9-17-18]