(A) The department of job and family services may issue or renew a certificate under section 5103.03 of the Revised Code to a foster home for the care of a child who is in the custody of a public children services agency or private child placing agency pursuant to an agreement entered into under section 5103.15 of the Revised Code regarding a child who was less than six months of age on the date the agreement was executed if the prospective foster caregiver or foster caregiver successfully completes the following amount of training:

(1) For an initial certificate, at least twelve hours of preplacement training through a preplacement training program approved by the department of job and family services under section 5103.038 of the Revised Code or preplacement training provided under division (B) of section 5103.30 of the Revised Code;

(2) For renewal of a certificate, at least twenty-four hours of continuing training in the preceding two-year period in accordance with the foster caregiver's needs assessment and continuing training plan developed and implemented under section 5103.035 of the Revised Code.

(B) A foster caregiver to whom either division (B)(1) or (2) of this section applies shall be given an additional amount of time within which to complete the continuing training required under division (A)(2) of this section in accordance with rules adopted by the department of job and family services:

(1) The foster caregiver has served in active duty outside this state with a branch of the armed forces of the United States for more than thirty days in the preceding two-year period.

(2) The foster caregiver has served in active duty as a member of the Ohio organized militia, as defined in section 5923.01 of the Revised Code, for more than thirty days in the preceding two-year period and that active duty relates to either an emergency in or outside of this state or to military duty in or outside of this state.

Effective Date: 01-01-2004; 09-03-2004; 09-21-2006.