Page 3 – AAA PIA Policies and Procedures for Adoption

•  The legal procedures involved in adoption

•  The minimum requirements for an adoptive home and the procedures for the home study

•  The selection and placement process

•  The process children use to locate birth parents, and the process birth parents use to locate children

•  The Agency's grievance procedures

THE ADOPTIVE HOME STUDY PREPARATION AND PROCESS:

AAA PIA will acknowledge acceptance of the application in writing and when the application can be activated.

The Adoptive Home Study Evaluation is the process by which the family unit engages with AAA PIA staff to determine the readiness of their home for the placement of an adoptive child or children. A key element of this process is the preparation of the family for the placement, including education, support and contact with other adoptive families. This process is a contractual agreement entered into voluntarily. Either party may terminate the process at any time. The termination of the Adoptive Home Study Evaluation process shall be acknowledged by the written and signed notification to the other party.

The Adoptive Home Study Evaluation process is comprised of the following components:

AAA PIA shall make a written evaluation of each pre-adoptive family prior to the approval of the Adoptive Home Study Evaluation. This study of the applicant(s) for adoption services shall include, as a minimum, three visits. One shall be in the home. The applicant(s) and any other individuals who live in the home shall be seen and interviewed at this home visit.

Applicant(s) shall be interviewed together as well as separately. The applicant(s) may be asked to participate in group meetings with other adoptive applicant(s).

 Verification by means of certified copies of birth, marriage and divorce records as well as current health status, GBI criminal history records' check, etc., will be provided to the AAA PIA by the applicant(s).

The family will complete, as one of the requirements, a personal profile questionnaire. This written questionnaire is to be completed and returned to the Caseworker prior to the second visit. All other required documents must be returned to the Caseworker before the home visit can be scheduled.

A minimum of four letters of recommendation will be provided to AAA PIA. Two references will be from non-relatives. A letter of reference from a relative in the husband's family and a letter of reference from a relative in the wife's family must also be provided. The relatives providing reference letters may not reside in the home with the adoptive family. If a prospective adoptive applicant has worked with children in the past five years, a reference must be obtained from that employer. (References are to be sent directly to the Caseworker, not the adoptive applicant). Do not send references to the Agency's main office. This may delay the process.

It is the adoptive applicant's responsibility to inform the Caseworker before the home visit is scheduled of any additional documents required by their placement agency or of any specific home study format required. Examples are a short report ($200 fee), post-placement visit letter, notarized agency license, etc.

The AAA PIA staff shall provide a written report at the conclusion of the personal visits with the applicant(s) and Caseworker and the completion of the aforementioned requirements and verifications. A copy or copies of the Home Evaluation will be provided to the adoptive applicants.

Approval or disapproval of the adoptive applicants for the placement of a child or children shall be made by the "Adoptive Review Committee." This Committee shall be comprised of the Caseworker for the adoptive applicants, the AAA PIA Adoption Services Supervisor and the AAA PIA Executive Director. This Committee shall review the written home study and any supporting information and data as necessary. The adoptive applicant(s) will be notified in writing as to the disposition of the Committee's evaluation.

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