Out-of-State Placements in Foster Care Group Home or Residential Child Care Facility - Procedure 623-05-20-50

(Revised 1/26/07 ML #3051)

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Prior to a child being placed in group care or residential child care outside of North Dakota, the following steps must be accomplished:

  1. Court Order with the required findings.
  2. Psychological Evaluation.
  1. To help the caseworker and the family team identify the treatment needs of the child.
  2. To provide information to the case manager and the family team which will help them in selecting the appropriate treatment facility for the child.
  1. Family team review of the social information, educational information, psychological evaluation, and case plan, together with review of the proposed placement to insure it is consistent with permanency planning and state policy. Children placed in family or residential child care out of North Dakota must be visited in their placement setting (by a caseworker from either state) not less frequently than every 6 months, and a report on the visit submitted to Children and Family Services, North Dakota Department of Human Services. How visitation and reporting will be accomplished needs to be considered in planning for the child. Permanency planning requirements (624-05) shall serve as a guideline in assuring conformity with state policy.
  2. Interstate compact procedures must be followed.
  3. If the child’s needs can be met at a facility within North Dakota, referral and placement in North Dakota must be considered. The reasoning of the Family Team in making a decision relative to placement should be included in the case plan.
  4. Children ages 13 and under: If a child age 13 and under appears in need of out-of-state residential care, an evaluation and assessment must be done by PRIDE-Manchester House to determine the need for residential care, to co-develop a treatment plan, and to determine whether the child’s needs could be met at PRIDE-Manchester.
  5. The Regional Supervisor will consult with the foster care administrator in the pre-placement planning stages if information is needed regarding an out-of-state facility (i.e. foster care licensure status, appropriateness for specific problems, reimbursement, and our experience with the facility). Children and Family Services maintains several directories and other resource material regarding facilities appropriate for foster care placement.