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CHANGE NOTICE FOR MANUAL | |
DATE: |
February 16, 2009 |
MANUAL: |
Family Services Manual, Volume 1, Children’s Services, Chapter VI, Adoption Services and Chapter XIII, Child Welfare Funding Section 1600 |
TO: |
COUNTY DIRECTORS OF SOCIAL SERVICES |
ATTENTION:: |
CHILD WELFARE PROGRAM MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS CHILD WELFARE WORKERS |
RE: |
ADOPTION SERVICES AND ADOPTION ASSISTANCE POLICY CHANGES |
EFFECTIVE: |
IMMEDIATELY |
Family Services Manual, Volume 1, Children’s Services, Chapter VI, Adoption Services and Chapter XIII, Child Welfare Funding Section 1600 have been revised to reflect changes in adoption services policy approved by the Children’s Services Committee in August 2008. These revisions to the manuals are being sent to you via e-mail and will only be posted on-line—hard copies are not available.
Revised policy in Chapter VI, Adoption Services, incorporated new adoption statutes, system of care language and child welfare standards; provides guidance for legal risk placements, ICWA compliance, sharing of information with prospective adoptive families and other agencies, handling adoption disruptions and dissolutions; and an adoption glossary and checklists specifying requirements for legally sound adoptions are provided.
Revisions in Chapter XIII, Funding Manual, Section 1600 – Adoption Assistance Payments clarify eligibility requirements for adoption assistance benefits; include provisions for deferral and suspension of adoption assistance benefits and amendment to existing adoption assistance agreement when there is a change in child’s documented special needs, notification of termination of adoption assistance benefits, new criminal record check policy rescinding “opt-out” provision and procedures for processing adoption assistance requests for children in the custody of private agencies.
Please ensure that all staff members who have child welfare responsibility are provided copies of this material or can access it via the DSS web site. The Division of Social Services on-line manual web address is: http://info.dhhs.state.nc.us/olm/manuals/dss.
Should you have any questions, please contact Amelia Lance at (919) 334-1096 or Amelia.Lance @ncmail.net.
Sincerely,
Charisse S. Johnson, Chief
Child Welfare Services
cc: Sherry Bradsher
Sarah Barham
Child Welfare Team Leaders
Children’s Programs Representatives
Local Business Liaisons
Hank Bowers
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For questions or clarification on any of the policy contained in these manuals, please contact your local county office. |
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