Model Family Foster Home Licensing Standards

This webinar will provide an update on NARA’s partnership with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Generations United and the American Bar Association to develop the first set of model licensing standards for foster homes. These standards, which are the only comprehensive national guidelines, fill a previous void by giving the federal government a set of clear and practical requirements to reference and guide states in their efforts to license homes. Under federal law, states have extraordinary flexibility to create family foster home licensing standards; it requires only that states develop guidelines “reasonably in accord” with national organizations’ recommendations.

The model standards, which encompass all the necessary components to license a family foster home, should not be considered “minimum” criteria. These standards are flexible enough to respond to individual circumstances, but most importantly they help ensure that children in out-of-home care have safe and appropriate homes.

The model standards are accompanied by an interpretative guide and crosswalk tool. The guide summarizes the purpose of each standard and provides instructions necessary for compliance determinations. The crosswalk tool helps states assess and align their current standards with the model standards. This session will discuss how best to implement the model standards in each state.

Presenters:

Ana Beltran, Attorney, Special Advisor, Generations United

Heidi Redlich Epstein, Director of Kinship Policy and the Assistant Director of State Projects, American Bar Association’s Center on Children and the Law

Donna Sabo, NARA Consultant and Trainer

Joyce DeBolt, NARA representative 

While this speaker has been carefully chosen by NARA to present relevant information to our members, the views and opinions expressed in this webinar, unless expressly stated otherwise, are those of the speaker and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of NARA.

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