District of Columbia Administrative Code

6014 PLANNING WITH THE AGENCY 6014.1 A resource parent shall take part in planning for the foster child and shall cooperate in pre-placement activities for any foster child to be placed in the home. 6014.2 A resource parent shall work with agency staff in the development and impl…

6015 WORKING WITH THE FOSTER CHILD'S FAMILY 6015.1 A resource parent shall work with the foster child's family members as set forth in the foster child's case plan. 6015.2 A resource parent shall be consulted by the foster child's social worker in planning for visits between the …

6016 FAMILY LIFE ACTIVITIES 6016.1 A foster parent shall incorporate each foster child into family activities, including family mealtimes, outings, and vacations. 6016.2 A foster parent shall accord the foster child privileges and responsibilities consistent with those provided o…

6017 CLOTHING AND PERSONAL BELONGINGS 6017.1 A resource parent shall provide each foster child with his or her own clean, well-fitting, in good condition, attractive, and seasonal clothing appropriate to the foster child’s age, gender expression, and individual needs, and compara…

6018 DISCIPLINE AND BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT 6018.1 A resource parent shall teach and guide each foster child with techniques that stress praise and encouragement. 6018.2 Discipline shall be appropriate to the age and disability, if any, of the foster child. 6018.3 A resource parent s…

6019 HEALTH CARE 6019.1 A resource parent and the agency shall cooperate with the CFSA on-site health clinic or other health care provider in identifying and meeting the health care needs of the foster child. 6019.2 The foster child’s health care shall include a medical screen wi…

6020 RELIGION AND ETHNIC HERITAGE 6020.1 A resource parent shall recognize, encourage, and support the religious beliefs, ethnic heritage, and language of a foster child and his or her family. 6020.2 A resource parent shall not coerce a foster child into attending or participatin…

6021 EDUCATION 6021.1 A foster child shall remain in the school in which the foster child is enrolled at the time of placement in the foster home, unless CFSA determines that it is contrary to the foster child’s best interest. 6021.2 If CFSA determines that a foster child may att…

6022 RECREATION AND COMMUNITY 6022.1 A resource parent shall provide opportunities for recreational and cultural activities that are appropriate to the age and abilities of the foster child. 6022.2 All organized activities shall be supervised by the resource parent, another adult…

6023 CONFIDENTIALITY 6023.1 A resource parent shall maintain the confidentiality of all information about a foster child and the foster child's family. A resource parent may transmit information about a foster child or the foster child's family only in accordance with District la…

6024 ABUSE, NEGLECT, OR OTHER RISKS TO FOSTER CHILD'S HEALTH OR SAFETY 6024.1 CFSA shall conduct an investigation, in accordance with the time lines set forth by District law, to assess compliance with this chapter of the DCMR and the ability of a resource parent to provide for a…

6025 VIOLATION OF THIS CHAPTER 6025.1 Any agency employee who receives information concerning or makes a personal observation of a violation of this chapter of the DCMR that is not required to be reported to CFSA pursuant to § 6024 shall immediately notify the agency. 6025.2 Upon…

6026 RESOURCE PARENT TRAINING 6026.1 An applicant shall participate in an information session offered by the agency. 6026.2 In addition to the information session required by § 6026.1, an applicant shall participate in and complete thirty (30) hours of pre-service training offere…

6027 TEMPORARY LICENSE FOR KIN 6027.1 CFSA may issue a temporary license to operate a foster home only if: (a) The applicant: (1) Is kin to each foster child who would be placed in the applicant’s home and exigent circumstances as set forth in § 6027.2 exist; or (2) Was licensed …

6028 LICENSING PROCESS 6028.1 The licensing process includes the following: (a) An initial contact between an applicant and the agency; (b) The agency’s provision of in-depth information about foster care in accordance with § 6028.2; (c) The opportunity for an applicant to assess…

6029 DENIAL OF LICENSE OR RENEWAL 6029.1 CFSA shall deny an application for a license or a renewal if it determines that the applicant or resource parent cannot provide for the health, safety, or welfare of foster children. Factors to be considered in determining whether an appli…

6030 ANNUAL RE-EVALUATION AND LICENSE RENEWAL 6030.1 The agency shall re-evaluate every two (2) years the ability of each resource parent and foster home to meet the requirements of this chapter of the DCMR. 6030.2 Re-evaluation shall include: (a) A thorough inspection of the fos…

6031 SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF LICENSE 6031.1 If, as a result of an investigation undertaken pursuant to § 6024, or through any other means, CFSA finds evidence of gross incompetence, misconduct in operating the foster home, supported neglect or abuse of children, or any other …

6032 APPEAL PROCEDURE 6032.1 A person aggrieved by a decision of CFSA to deny, suspend or revoke a license or the renewal of a license may appeal the decision in accordance with 29 DCMR Chapter 59. SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 48 DCR 6617 (July 27, 2001). District of Col…

6033 BACK-UP CAREGIVER 6033.1 The resource parent shall identify a back-up caregiver to provide care and supervision, including short-term overnight care, for a foster child if the resource parent needs to be away from the foster home on an irregular basis. 6033.2 Unless the back…

6034 EXTENDED CAREGIVER 6034.1 The resource parent shall identify an extended caregiver to provide care and supervision for a foster child if the resource parent is absent from the home on a regular basis, such as for employment. 6034.2 Unless the extended caregiver is licensed t…

6035 LEAD-BASED PAINT HAZARDS 6035.1 A foster home built before 1978 in which a foster child under six (6) years of age may be placed shall be maintained free of lead-based paint hazards. 6035.2 A foster home shall be inspected for lead-based paint hazards if: The foster home was…

6099 DEFINITIONS 6099.1 The following terms and phrases shall have the meanings described: "Activities of daily living" - Eating, dressing, clothing, and grooming. “Adult” – A person, other than a foster child in the care and custody of CFSA, who is eighteen (18) years of age or …

6100 SCOPE 6100.1 The purpose of this chapter of the DCMR is to establish criteria and procedures regarding permanent guardianship subsidies for kinship caregivers. 6100.2 This chapter of the DCMR shall apply to all permanent guardianship subsidies provided through CFSA. 6100.3 T…

6101 ELIGIBILITY 6101.1 To the extent that funds are available, an applicant is eligible to receive a permanent guardianship subsidy if each of the following criteria are met: (a) The court has awarded the applicant permanent guardianship over a child; (b) The applicant was the k…

6102 APPLICATION PROCESS 6102.1 An applicant shall apply for a permanent guardianship subsidy by filing an application with CFSA. The application shall: (a) Be filed prior to the filing of a motion for permanent guardianship with the Court; (b) Be made using a form provided by CF…

6103 PERMANENT GUARDIANSHIP SUBSIDY 6103.1 A permanent guardianship subsidy may include: (a) Short-term payments, which are time-limited and intended to meet the cost of integrating a child into the family; and (b) Long-term payments, which are intended to help a permanent guardi…

6104 PERMANENT GUARDIANSHIP SUBSIDY AGREEMENT 6104.1 A person shall enter into a permanent guardianship subsidy agreement with CFSA prior to receiving a permanent guardianship subsidy. 6104.2 The permanent guardianship subsidy agreement is the sole and complete statement of the f…

6105 REVIEW 6105.1 CFSA shall conduct a review of a permanent guardianship subsidy: (a) Annually; (b) Whenever CFSA has information that indicates that the factors set forth in § 6104.4 apply; (c) Whenever changes in the foster care board and care payments or the child's age woul…

6106 APPEAL PROCEDURE 6106.1 An applicant or recipient who is aggrieved by a decision of CFSA in connection with the denial, reduction, or termination of a permanent guardianship subsidy, including a failure to act on a request for review pursuant to § 6105.1(d), may appeal the d…

6107 CONFIDENTIALITY 6107.1 CFSA shall maintain the confidentiality of information and records concerning an application for or receipt of a permanent guardianship subsidy. Information or records may only be released as provided by applicable provisions of District or federal law…

6199 DEFINITIONS 6199.1 The following terms and phrases shall have the meanings described: "Applicant" - A kinship caregiver who is applying for a permanent guardianship subsidy. "Application" - A written request to be approved for a permanent guardianship subsidy submitted pursu…

6201 STATEMENT OF PURPOSE 6201.1 The purpose of this Chapter is to provide for the health, safety, and welfare of children who are receiving care in a youth shelter, runaway shelter, emergency care facility, or youth group home through the formulation, application, and enforcemen…

6202 APPLICABILITY 6202.1 This Chapter applies to youth residential facilities which shall include youth shelters, runaway shelters, emergency care facilities, and youth group homes. 6202.2 This Chapter does not apply to foster homes, independent living programs, secure juvenile …

6203 STATEMENT OF RESIDENT’S RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES 6203.1 A resident in a facility not intended exclusively for children who have been abused or neglected has the following rights. The facility shall conspicuously post the “Statement of Residents’ rights and Responsibilitie…

6204 REPORTING OF ABUSE, NEGLECT OR OTHER RISKS TO RESIDENTS' HEALTH AND SAFETY 6204.1 Any staff member who receives information concerning, or personally observes, an incident of alleged or actual child abuse or neglect, or has any other information indicating an alleged or actu…

6205 GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES 6205.1 A grievance is a complaint based upon relations between residents, relations between residents and staff, the facility's programs and physical conditions, the use of discipline, or other issues concerning the resident's care, but not based upon al…

6206 TYPES OF LICENSES 6206.1 All facilities, whether public or private, for profit or not for profit, shall be licensed in accordance with this Chapter no later than six (6) months after the effective date of this Chapter, provided however that the continued operation of a facil…

6207 GENERAL LICENSING PROCEDURES 6207.1 Applicants shall file a license application with the applicable licensing agency, including applications for an original annual license, applications for renewal of an annual license, and applications for modifications of a license. The ap…

6208 FACILITIES IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS 6208.1 At least once (1) a year, the applicable licensing agencies shall conduct site visits of all facilities caring for District of Columbia children outside the District of Columbia to ensure that each of these facilities is in substantia…

6209 ORIGINAL ANNUAL LICENSE 6209.1 An applicant for an original annual license for a youth residential facility shall submit an application on a form available from the applicable licensing agency. 6209.2 The applicant shall file the following materials with the application for …

6210 ANNUAL LICENSE RENEWAL 6210.1 An applicant for the renewal of an annual license shall submit the application on a form approved by the applicable licensing agency. The applicant shall submit the application to the applicable licensing agency at least two (2) but not more tha…

6211 MODIFICATION OF LICENSES 6211.1 The applicable licensing agency may modify any existing license at any point during the licensing year upon request by a facility or the applicable licensing agency, provided that the modification is not deleterious to the residents' health, s…

6212 VARIANCES 6212.1 The facility may submit a written request for a variance to the applicable licensing agency. The facility shall include documentation sufficient to establish that the facility's procedures comply with the intent of this Chapter. 6212.2 The applicable licensi…

6213 SUSPENSION, CONVERSION, AND REVOCATION OF LICENSES 6213.1 The applicable licensing agency shall have the discretion to revoke any existing license, suspend any existing license for a period of no longer than sixty (60) calendar days, or convert any annual license to a provis…

6214 FAIR HEARING PROCEDURES 6214.1 A facility aggrieved by a licensing agency's decision to deny an application for an original or renewal of an annual license, to deny an application for modification of an annual license, to revoke a license, suspend a license, or convert an an…

6215 PENALTIES 6215.1 The applicable licensing agency may impose civil fines, penalties, and related costs against a public or private facility for the violation of any provision of this Chapter. 6215.2 A violation shall be considered an infraction under the Department of Consume…

6216 COURT ACTIONS Notwithstanding the availability of any other remedy, the Corporation Counsel, a resident, or any person acting on or in behalf of a resident may maintain an action in court to enjoin a facility from violating the terms of its license, the Youth Residential Fac…

6217 OPERATION OF FACILITIES 6217.1 A facility may be publicly or privately owned or operated, for profit or not for profit. 6217.2 A facility owned or operated by a corporation shall maintain its corporate status in accordance with the laws of the District of Columbia. 6217.3 If…

6218 LOCAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE 6218.1 Each facility shall have a local advisory committee made up of no less than three (3) members, including at least one (1) representative of the neighborhood in which the facility is located who is otherwise unaffiliated with the facility and w…