Alabama conducts the following types of home studies:
- Relative Care
- Foster Care
- Relative-Foster Care
- Parent Care
- Foster- Adopt
- Adoption
Custodial Parent - Reunification
If child has been removed from the parent, Alabama requires a home study evaluation before reunification:
Non-Custodial Parents
Placements with non-custodial parents are not subject to the ICPC if:
Proof of Paternity Required for Placement with Paternal Relative:
- Yes: birth certificate, court order and child support adjudication order
Regulation 7 Priority Placement
Alabama performs priority placements:
Wait Time (ICPC Interstate Home Study)
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):
Wait time to complete Home Study, only (without criminal records check):
Alabama determines the "Date of Receipt" for an interstate home study as:
- Date stamped in the ICPC Office.
Mailing Process - Interstate Home Study
Method of requesting, sending, and/or reporting an interstate home study:
|
Regular Mail |
Express Mail |
Overnight Mail |
Electronic Mail |
Send request for a home study to Receiving State |
|
y |
y |
|
Send home study request to Local office |
|
y |
y |
|
Send home study report to Sending State |
|
y |
y |
|
Criminal Records Checks
Alabama requires criminal background checks for the following home studies:
- Foster Care
- Relative Care
- Relative-Foster Care
- Foster-Adopt
- Adoption
- Parent
Types of Checks (Criminal & 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)
|
Federal |
State |
Local |
ANR |
NR |
Foster Care |
|
|
|
y |
|
Relative |
|
|
|
y |
|
Relative Foster Care |
|
|
|
y |
|
Foster-Adopt |
|
|
|
y |
|
Adoption |
|
|
|
y |
|
Parent |
|
|
|
y |
|
Wait Time for Criminal Records Checks
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
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):
Verification of Criminal Records Results
- Actual results/information contained in the Criminal Background
Wait Time - (License/Certification/Approval - Education and Training)
Average Length of time it takes for a home to be licensed/approved/certified:
Length of time a license is valid before renewal required:
Alabama offers classes (education and training) for placement resources' homes to become licensed/certified/approved: