Prior to and at the time the department places a child with a foster parent, the department shall disclose to the foster parent all information known by the person making the placement or reasonably accessible to the person making the placement that is necessary to provide adequate care and supervision for the child and to protect the health and safety of the child and the foster family. The information that must be disclosed pursuant to this section includes, but is not limited to, medical and mental health conditions and history of the child, the nature of abuse or neglect to which the child has been subjected, behavioral strengths and challenges, and matters related to the child's educational needs. If the department does not have this information at the time of making the placement, a member of the child's casework team or the child's caseworker shall contact the foster parent and provide the information known to the casework team or reasonably accessible during the first working day following the placement. The child's caseworker shall research the child's record and shall supplement the information provided to the foster parent no later than the end of the first week of placement if additional information is found. When the child's caseworker acquires new information which is likely to affect either the ability of the foster parent to provide adequate care and supervision for the child or is likely to place the health and safety of the child or the foster family at risk, the department shall disclose that information to the foster parent. The obligation to provide this information continues until the placement ends.

HISTORY: 2008 Act No. 361, Section 2; 2018 Act No. 165 (H.3699), Section 5, eff May 3, 2018.

Effect of Amendment

2018 Act No. 165, Section 5, rewrote the section.