ICPC State Pages

Alabama Home Studies (Adoption/Foster Care/Kinship/Parent/Relative)

Types of Home Studies

Alabama conducts the following types of home studies:

• Relative Care
• Foster Care
• Relative-Foster Care
• Parent Care
• Foster- Adopt
• Adoption

Alabama designates staff in each county/region to conduct home studies and/or process interstate placements:

• Yes

Alabama considers a home study as current/valid for:

• Public: 6 mos.
• Private: 6 mos.

Private Contract Services - Home Study

As the Sending State, Alabama will pay a contractor or private/independent agency in the Receiving State to conduct a home study:

• No

As the Receiving State, Alabama will permit a Sending state to pay a contractor or private/independent agency in the Receiving State to conduct a home study:

• No

As the Receiving State, Alabama will accept/update a home study that was not originally conducted by the receiving state or a private contractor acting on behalf of the Receiving State:

• Will Accept

Adoptive Home Study

Home study for adoption conducted prior to Termination of Parental Rights (TPR):

• No

Prospective adoptive parents permitted to pay for a pre-adoptive home study:

• Private Adoptions: Yes
• Independent Adoptions: Yes

DCPS contracts for Purchase of Services with private agencies in other states:

• No

Foster Care Home Study

Home study for foster care conducted prior to Termination of Parental Rights (TPR):

• No

Parent Home Study

If child has been removed from the parent, Alabama requires a home study evaluation before reunification:

• Yes

Non-Custodial Parents: Placements with non-custodial parents are not covered under the ICPC if:

Proof of Paternity is required:

• Yes: birth certificate, court order and child support adjudication order

Relative/Kinship Home Study

Home study for relatives conducted prior to Termination of Parental Rights (TPR):

• Yes

Define Relative:

• Any of the following relationships by blood, marriage, or adoption: parent,grandparent,brother,sister,stepparent, stepbrother, stepsister, half brother, half sister, uncle or aunt and their spouses.

  If the degree of relationship falls outside of the above listed relative definition, a foster home is required.

Relatives must be licensed:

• Yes

Proof of Paternity is required:

• Yes : birth certificate, court order and child support adjudication order

Alabama considers the following types and degrees of relation as relative placements. Individuals related in the 1st degree, 2nd degree, 3rd degree and 4th degree (You may need to refer to your state's consanguinity chart or state statute to determine relations or relative status.):

Regulation 7 Priority Placement

Alabama performs priority placements:

• Yes

A court ordered Priority 7 conducted if the child is in a DCF shelter or foster home for substantial period of time.

Wait Time (ICPC Interstate Home Study) - Public

Average length of time to process and complete a home study with criminal background checks for an interstate placement (Not including completion of educational training):

• 90 days

Wait time to complete Home Study, only (without criminal records check):

• 60 days

Wait Time (ICPC Interstate Home Study) - Private

Average length of time to process and complete a home study with criminal background checks for an interstate placement (Not including completion of education training):

• Other: N/A

Wait time to complete Home Study, only (without criminal records check):

• Other: N/A

Alabama determines the "Date of Receipt" for an interstate home study as:

• Date stamped in the ICPC Office.

Method of requesting, sending, and/or reporting an interstate home study

Criminal Record Checks

Alabama requires criminal background checks for the following home studies:

• Foster Care
• Relative Care
• Relative-Foster Care
• Foster-Adopt
• Adoption
• Parent

Type of Checks (Crim. & Abuse Neglect Registry)

Alabama requires the following types of criminal background and perpetrator checks (Federal (F), State (S), Local (L), Abuse and Neglect Registry (ANR), Not Required (NR))

Wait Time for Criminal Records Results

Wait time for fingerprint results are:

Live Scan or other technology

• State: 15-30 days
• Local/County: Not Offered

Manually - Fingerprint Card

• State: 31-60 days
• Local/County: Not Offered