Or. Admin. Code § 416-530-0070 - Standards for the Foster Home
(1) General.
(a) Schools, recreation, religious
activities, medical care, and cultural activities must be accessible to
adjudicated youth in the foster home.
(b) If care is to be provided to one or more
developmentally disabled or physically impaired adjudicated youth, OYA must
consult with the relevant professionals to identify necessary accommodations to
the foster home and ask the foster parent to implement the necessary
accommodations prior to placement.
(A) OYA
must coordinate the accommodations to the foster home.
(B) If the foster parent refuses to make the
necessary accommodations, the adjudicated youth must not be placed into the
foster home.
(c) Foster
homes must have a working telephone with service. Foster parents must secure an
alternative phone service within 24 hours of any disruption of existing phone
service and communicate the new telephone number to the Certifier.
(2) Kitchen.
(a) Foster homes must have the equipment
necessary for the safe preparation, storage, serving and cleanup of
meals.
(b) Foster parents must
ensure that all cooking and refrigeration equipment is sanitary and in working
condition.
(c) Foster parents must
ensure that meals are prepared and served in a safe and sanitary
manner.
(3) Living
areas.
(a) The foster home must have
sufficient living space that is comfortably furnished and accessible to all
members of the household, including adjudicated youth.
(b) Foster homes must be well-heated and
well-ventilated.
(4)
Bedrooms.
(a) Bedrooms occupied by adjudicated
youth must:
(A) Be safe and have adequate
living space for each adjudicated youth;
(B) Have windows that open and provide
sufficient natural light and ventilation;
(C) Have a bed for each adjudicated youth,
with clean bed linens, blankets (as appropriate to the season), and pillows;
and
(D) Have functioning smoke
alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, as prescribed in the OYA Foster Home
Safety Requirements Checklist.
(b) Adjudicated youth age 18 or older may not
share a bedroom with an adjudicated youth under age 18 without the prior
approval of the OYA Foster Care Program manager.
(c) Children or other members of the
household of foster parents are prohibited from sharing a bedroom with an
adjudicated youth.
(d) The
Certifier must determine the maximum number of adjudicated youth allowed to
occupy each bedroom based on room size and the availability of adequate
personal space for each adjudicated youth. Placement of more than the
determined maximum number of adjudicated youth allowed to occupy each bedroom
is prohibited.
(e) Each adjudicated
youth must be provided with adequate storage space in or near the bedroom the
adjudicated youth occupies for personal belongings and a designated space for
hanging clothes.
(f) Foster parents
must allow flexibility in the decoration of sleeping areas to accommodate the
personal tastes and expressions of the adjudicated youth in care.
(g) Adjudicated youth bedroom doors must not
have locks.
(h) Adjudicated youth
with a history of inappropriate sexual behavior or adjudicated for a sexual
offense must occupy a bedroom either individually, or in a group of three
adjudicated youth with histories of inappropriate sexual behavior or
adjudicated for a sexual offense. The assignment of two adjudicated youth with
histories of inappropriate sexual behavior or adjudicated for a sexual offense
to one bedroom must be authorized by the JPPO, Certifier and the OYA Foster
Care Program manager.
(i)
Adjudicated youth who have a history of inappropriate sexual behavior or have
been adjudicated for a sexual offense must not occupy a bedroom with someone
who does not have a history of inappropriate sexual behavior or who has not
been adjudicated for a sexual offense, unless authorized by the JPPO,
Certifier, and the OYA Foster Care Program manager.
(j) Bedrooms occupied by adjudicated youth
that are located in basements or above the ground floor must have safe and
direct emergency exits to the ground.
(5) Domestic animals.
(a) Foster parents must restrict access to
potentially dangerous animals.
(b)
Only domestic animals allowed by local ordinances may be kept as
pets.
(c) Domestic animals must be
properly cared for, supervised, and otherwise maintained in compliance with
local ordinances.
(d) Rabies
vaccination for pets must be kept current as required by law. Foster parents
must provide proof of rabies vaccination to OYA upon request.
(6) Deadly weapons.
(a) Foster parents must immediately notify
the Certifier anytime a deadly weapon is brought to the foster home.
(b) Deadly weapons must be stored behind
double locks that prohibit access and visibility to adjudicated youth. For
purposes of this rule, a double lock may be a locked compartment within a
locked room.
(c) Firearms.
(A) Any foster parent or member of the
household who possesses a concealed weapon permit must give OYA a copy of the
permit.
(B) Firearms must remain
unloaded and stored in a locked gun safe or behind double locks that prohibit
access and visibility to adjudicated youth. For purposes of this rule, a double
lock may be a locked compartment within a locked room. Ammunition must be
stored in a separate locked compartment, separate from any firearm. Trigger
locks and glass front display cabinets are not permissible.
(C) Except for law enforcement personnel, no
person may carry a firearm when adjudicated youth are present.
(7) Safety.
(a) Swimming pools and hot tubs must be
maintained in a safe and clean condition, and must comply with local safety
regulations and ordinances.
(b) Any
safety hazard identified by OYA staff or a qualified trade service provider
must immediately be remedied by the foster parent.
(c) An emergency access must be available to
any room that has a lock.
(d)
Stairways must be equipped with handrails.
(e) All hazardous chemicals, solvents,
combustibles, and aerosol containers must be stored in locked storage
sufficient to prevent unauthorized access.
(f) In addition to section (4)(a)(D) of this
rule:
(A) At least one functioning smoke alarm
must be placed on each floor of the foster home and installed per
manufacturer's instructions;
(B) At
least one carbon monoxide detector must be placed within 15 feet of an
adjudicated youth's bedroom and installed per manufacturer's instructions;
and
(C) At least one carbon
monoxide detector must be placed on each floor of the foster home.
(g) At least one unexpired and
operable class 2-A-10BC or higher rated fire extinguisher must be available and
maintained on each floor of the foster home.
(h) Foster parents must have each fire
extinguisher inspected by a licensed professional annually. An updated
inspection tag must be attached to each fire extinguisher. Foster parents must
adhere to any further safety and testing measures identified by the licensed
professional.
(i) Dangerous tools,
equipment, and machinery must be stored in a manner sufficient to prevent
unauthorized access.
(j) The foster
parent must have an evacuation plan and verify the plan is practiced with each
adjudicated youth at the time of placement and at least once a year. An
evacuation diagram must be posted in a clearly visible and conspicuous
location.
(k) The use of space
heaters is limited to electric space heaters equipped with tip-over protection,
or propane space heaters equipped with approved venting. No extension cords may
be used with such heaters or in place of permanent wiring. Kerosene space
heaters are not allowed.
(l) Foster
homes must have two unrestricted emergency exits in case of fire.
(A) A sliding door or window that can be used
to evacuate adjudicated youth may be considered a usable emergency
exit.
(B) Barred windows used as
possible emergency exit in case of fire must be fitted with operable quick
release mechanisms.
(8) Sanitation and health.
(a) The foster home must be kept clean and
free of hazards to the health and physical well-being of the family. All areas
of the foster home must meet sanitation criteria as described in OYA
Cleanliness Checklist.
(b) Measures
must be taken to keep the house and premises free of vermin.
(c) First aid supplies must be stored in an
easily accessible place.
(d) A
continuous supply of safe, clean drinking water must be available.
(A) Private water sources and septic tank
systems must be kept safe and functioning properly.
(B) Private water sources must be tested and
approved by an appropriate official upon OYA request.
(e) Only pasteurized milk, juices, or
powdered milk may be used for adjudicated youth consumption.
(f) All plumbing must be kept in working
order, and an adequate supply of hot water for bathing and dish washing must be
available.
(g) Water heaters must
be accessible for inspection and equipped with a safety release valve and an
overflow pipe that directs water to the floor or to another approved
location.
(h) The foster home must
have a minimum of one bathroom with a flush toilet, one sink with running
water, and one bath or shower with hot and cold water.
(i) Pending regular removal, garbage and
refuse must be stored appropriately, with no accumulation of garbage, debris,
or rubbish that emits offensive odors.
(j) Adjudicated youth in the foster home must
not be subjected to second-hand smoke or vapor.
(9) Transportation and home insurance.
(a) All vehicles used to transport
adjudicated youth must have, at a minimum, liability insurance coverage in
accordance with Oregon law.
(b)
Foster parents and other members of the household who transport adjudicated
youth must be licensed and insured drivers, 21 years of age or older, and
provide proof of current coverage.
(c) At least one foster parent must possess a
valid license to drive, or demonstrate options for safe and accessible
transportation.
(d) The driver must
ensure that all passengers use seat belts during the transport.
(e) Adjudicated youth may not operate a
vehicle owned by a foster parent or member of the household if the vehicle
requires a state license to be operated on public roads.
(f) Adjudicated youth may engage in driver's
education provided by public school or driver training delivered by a licensed
provider in accordance with the adjudicated youth's case plan.
(g) Foster parents must provide current proof
of homeowner's insurance or renter's insurance.
Notes
Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 420A.025
Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 420.888 - 420.892
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