a. Operation and conduct of home
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Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, North Dakota, Guam
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b. Financial capability of foster parent
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Arizona, Alabama, Colorado, California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Guam, Puerto Rico
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c. Participation in case planning
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Alabama, Kentucky, New Jersey, Washington (foster parent bill of rights laws)
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d. Number of persons required to care for children
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Alabama, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, New Jersey, Texas, Guam, Puerto Rico
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e. Adherence to standards of care established by the department
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Alaska, Hawaii, Missouri, North Dakota
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f. Minimum age
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Louisiana (21 for kinship foster care); Maryland (18); South Carolina (21 for kinship care); Tennessee (21 for relative care)
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g. Character, suitability, and conduct of foster parents
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Alabama, California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington, Wyoming, Guam, Puerto Rico
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h. Reference checks
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Arizona, California, Iowa
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i. Provisions for food, clothing, education
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Illinois, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Texas, Guam, Puerto Rico
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j. Protection of legal rights of children
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Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, New Hampshire, Guam
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k. Smoking prohibited
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Michigan, Washington
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l. Maintain connections to bio family
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Florida, Kentucky, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Texas
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m. Address suitable discipline
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Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, West Virginia, Guam
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n. Foster parent emotionally and physically suited
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Michigan, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Puerto Rico
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o. Foster parent free from disease
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Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Guam, Puerto Rico
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p. Protection of the child’s religious faith/ethnic and cultural identity
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Florida, Illinois, Missouri, Guam
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q. Trained in smoke detectors, fire safety
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North Dakota, Wyoming
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r. Trained in safe sleep, SIDS, crib safety, swimming pool, electrical equipment safety
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Kansas |
s. CPR training
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Michigan |
t. Separation of foster child’s and foster parent’s funds
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Minnesota |
u. Training in operating life-saving medical or monitoring equipment
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Minnesota |
v. Car seat training
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Nebraska
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w. Standards for kinship, relative, grandparent eligibility
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Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah
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x. Standards for Indian children
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Iowa, Nebraska, New Mexico
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Home Study Standards/Inspections: 33 states and the District of Columbia address home study standards and/or inspections in statute
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Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
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Capacity Standards: 29 states, Guam and Puerto Rico set capacity standards in statute
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Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Guam, Puerto Rico
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Sleeping Standards: 3 states specifically address sleeping standards
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Kansas (trained in safe sleep practices), Minnesota (training in crib safety), Rhode Island (50 square feet for a child in a junior size bed and/or 1 infant in a bassinet for every 24 square feet)
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Other Living Space Standards: 7 states and the District of Columbia
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Arizona, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Wyoming
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Fire Safety/Evacuation Standards: 23 states address fire safety and related issues
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Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia
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Additional Health/Safety Standards: 15 states, the District of Columbia and Guam address additional health and safety standards
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Alabama, Arkansas, the District of Columbia, Indiana, Kansas, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Guam
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Criminal History Records Check Standards
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All 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam require checks of state and national criminal records as part of the background investigation of prospective foster and adoptive parents and other caregivers. Nearly all states also require checks of national criminal records.
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Abuse and Neglect/Background Check Standards
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All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico require checks of the child abuse and neglect registries that are maintained by the state.
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Pre-License and On-going Training: 36 states address pre-licensing and on-going training requirements
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Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia.
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Facilities Exempted: 34 states exempt certain facilities (such as religious schools or classes, persons caring for children not more than 90 days, residential schools, children’s camps, facilities operated by state agencies other than the child welfare agency, medical care facilities, casual/irregular care, relative caregiver homes, etc.) from compliance with established standards for foster care homes.
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Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, NC, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Guam, Puerto Rico
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