Or. Admin. R. 413-040-0008 - Requirements for a Family Engagement Meeting
(1) When the child has been
placed in substitute care or the Department is working a
cooperative in-home plan for more than 30 days, the Department must schedule an
FEM. The meeting is scheduled between the 30th and 60th day of the out-of-home
care placement or from the time of safety threat
identification resulting in a cooperative in-home case.
(2) Prior to the FEM, the Department must
conduct and document reasonable inquiries to promptly locate and invite the
parents and an Indian child's tribe. The Department may conduct and document
reasonable inquiries to promptly locate and invite grandparents and any
other family member who has had significant, direct contact
with the child in the year prior to the substitute
care
placement. Other participants in the meeting
must include the child,if the child is 12
years of age or older, and for a child 14 years of age and older, at their
option, up to two members of the case planning team who are chosen by the
child. Other participants in the meeting may include a child
younger than 12 when appropriate, other professionals, foster parents,
neighbors, and family and friends of the family.
(3) Family members or an Indian child's tribe
who are located after reasonable inquiries must be notified by the Department
of the FEM in a timely manner to allow them the opportunity to
be prepared for and attend the meeting.
(4) Other participants may be jointly
identified by the parents, guardians, Indian custodian of the
child, and the Department, and the Department must notify
identified participants in a timely manner to allow them the opportunity to
prepare for and attend the meeting.
(5) To assist the family in developing the
family's plan for the child, the Department must provide
participants with information regarding the federal timeline for determining
permanency for the child and the Oregon Administrative Rules
that govern the sufficiency of a safety plan, conditions for
return, and reunification.
(6) The located family members may attend the
FEM unless the other participants determine that a
family member may threaten or place other participants at
risk. The Department may exclude family members it determines are violent,
unpredictable, or abusive or an alleged perpetrator of sexual abuse, domestic
violence, or severe physical assault.
(7) Family members who are not invited or
allowed to participate may submit written information and recommendations to
the caseworker prior to the scheduled meeting concerning the subjects of the
FEM, including feedback regarding the
placement of the child, permanency
plan, concurrent permanent plan, and
services.
(8) During the
FEM, family members may develop a family plan
for the child.
(9)
Any family member or tribal representative participating in an
FEM must sign a written acknowledgment of the content of the family
plan developed at the meeting and of his or her attendance at the
meeting.
(10) The Department must
send a copy of the family plan developed at the FEM within 21
days after the date of the meeting to family participants, including those who
participated by submitting written information and recommendations.
(11) The Department must incorporate the
family plan developed at the FEM into the Department
case plan to the extent that the family plan
protects the child, builds on family strengths, and focuses on
achieving permanency for the child within a reasonable time.
If the family's plan developed at the meeting cannot be incorporated into the
Department's case plan, the reasons shall be documented in the
Department's case plan.
(12) The Department is responsible for
confirming that any family plan developed at an FEM is
sufficient to ensure the safety or permanency of the child
before implementing a family plan developed at an FEM.
Notes
Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 418.005 & ORS 409.050
Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 418.005 & ORS 409.010
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