Section 5103.18 | Pre-placement report of child welfare system information search.
(A)(1) Prior to certification as a foster home under section 5103.03 of the Revised Code, a recommending agency shall obtain a summary report of a search of the uniform statewide automated child welfare information system, established under section 5101.13 of the Revised Code, from an entity listed in section 5101.132 of the Revised Code.
(2) Whenever a prospective foster parent or any other person eighteen years of age or older who resides with a prospective foster parent has resided in another state within the five-year period immediately prior to the date on which a criminal records check is requested for the person under division (A) of section 2151.86 of the Revised Code, the recommending agency shall request a check of the central registry of abuse and neglect of this state from the department of job and family services regarding the prospective foster parent or the person eighteen years of age or older who resides with the prospective foster parent to enable the agency to check any child abuse and neglect registry maintained by that other state. The recommending agency shall make the request and shall review the results of the check before the prospective foster parent may be finally approved for placement of a child. Information received pursuant to such a request shall be considered for purposes of this chapter as if it were a summary report required under division (A) of this section. The department of job and family services shall comply with any request to check the central registry that is similar to the request described in this division and that is received from any other state.
(B)(1) The summary report required under division (A) of this section shall contain, if applicable, a chronological list of abuse and neglect determinations or allegations of which a person seeking to become a foster caregiver of a child is subject and in regards to which a public children services agency has done one of the following:
(a) Determined that abuse or neglect occurred;
(b) Initiated an investigation, and the investigation is ongoing;
(c) Initiated an investigation, and the agency was unable to determine whether abuse or neglect occurred.
(2) The summary report required under division (A) of this section shall not contain any of the following:
(a) An abuse and neglect determination of which a person seeking to become a foster caregiver of a child is subject and in regards to which a public children services agency determined that abuse or neglect did not occur;
(b) Information or reports the dissemination of which is prohibited by, or interferes with eligibility under, the "Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act," 88 Stat. 4 (1974), 42 U.S.C. 5101 et seq., as amended;
(c) The name of the person who or entity that made, or participated in the making of, the report of abuse or neglect.
(C)(1) A foster home certification may be denied based on a summary report containing the information described under division (B)(1)(a) of this section, when considered within the totality of the circumstances.
(2) A foster home certification shall not be denied solely based on a summary report containing the information described under division (B)(1)(b) or (c) of this section.
(D) Not later than January 1, 2008, the director of job and family services shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code necessary for the implementation and execution of this section.
Last updated September 29, 2023 at 11:52 AM
Available Versions of this Section
- August 14, 2008 – Senate Bill 163 - 127th General Assembly [ View August 14, 2008 Version ]
- October 3, 2023 – Amended by House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly [ View October 3, 2023 Version ]
- January 1, 2025 – Amended by House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly [ View January 1, 2025 Version ]