Sec. 8.

(1) The department shall promulgate rules under the administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to 24.328, to ensure the comprehensive, high-quality training of foster care and adoption workers. The department shall consult and may contract with colleges and universities, child placing agencies, and professional organizations for the design and implementation of the training. The training shall stress cultural sensitivity, interagency cooperation, and respect for individuals and families.

(2) The department shall maintain a directory of children under the jurisdiction of the department who are available for adoption. The department shall ensure that interested individuals have reasonable access to the directory.

(3) The department shall maintain a registry of adoptive homes to be used as a central clearinghouse for information about prospective adoptive parents. The department shall accept information from a prospective adoptive parent who has received a preplacement assessment with a finding that the individual is suitable to be the parent of an adoptee. The information shall be filed in a form and manner that will permit it to be readily accessible to biological parents or child placing agencies seeking adoptive homes for children. The department shall provide information in the registry without charge to biological parents or child placing agencies who request it.

(4) The department may establish as pilot projects foster parent resource centers. Each resource center shall provide at least support for and coordination of respite care and assistance to foster parents in obtaining child care. Resource center staff shall pursue other activities designed to promote permanency for children, particularly children with special needs, such as support aimed at retaining foster parents. The department may fund the pilot foster parent resource centers using money appropriated to the department for the current fiscal year. After the pilot project has been in operation for 2 years, the department shall evaluate the pilot project on its organization, effectiveness, and success.

History: 1994, Act 203, Eff. Jan. 1, 1995 ;-- Am. 2002, Act 646, Imd. Eff. Dec. 23, 2002 ;-- Am. 2015, Act 106, Eff. Sept. 28, 2015 ;-- Am. 2018, Act 287, Eff. Sept. 27, 2018