ICPC State Pages

About the ICPC

The Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (AAICPC) was established in 1974 and consists of members from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The AAICPC has authority under ICPC to "promulgate rules and regulations to carry out more effectively the terms and provisions of this compact." The AAICPC obtains its Secretariat Services, as an affiliate of the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA).

For more information, please visit the AAICPC website.

Contact the AAICPC

American Public Human Services Association
1133 Nineteenth Street, NW
Suite 400
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 682-0100
fax: (202) 289-6555

Web Manager: Carla Fults [cfults@aphsa.org]

Click on a state to see it's page:

ICPC STATE Pages

Massachusetts

Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:45 am - 5 pm Eastern · Phone: (617)748-2000 · Fax: (617) 261-7435

Massachusetts Relative Placements

Massachusetts conducts the following types of home studies:

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

Relative Home Study

Define Relative:

In MA Relatives fall under Kinship definition.
- KINSHIP FAMILY: Kinship care is the full time nurturing and protection of children in a licensed family setting by relatives or those adults to whom a child and the child's parents and family members ascribe a "family" relationship. Kinship families are persons related either by blood, marriage or adoption (i.e., adult sibling, grandparent, aunt, uncle, first cousin) or a significant other adult to whom the child and parent(s) ascribe the role of family based on cultural and affectional ties or individual family values. It is believed that placement with a kinship family reinforces the child's racial, ethnic, linguistic, cultural and religious heritage and strengthens and promotes continuity of familial relationships.

Relatives must be licensed:

Proof of Paternity Required for Placement with Paternal Relative:

Massachusetts 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.):

1st Degree (mother, father, sister, brother, son, daughter)
2nd Degree (grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, first cousin)
3rd Degree (great grandmother, great grandfather, great aunt, great uncle, grand-niece, grand nephew, second cousin)
4th Degree (great, great-grandmother, great, great-grandfather, great, great aunt, great, great aunt, great, great uncle, great grand-niece, great grand nephew, third cousin)
Godmother, Godfather
Other

See Relative/Kinship

Regulation 7 Priority Placement

Massachusetts 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):

30 days

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

30 days

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

Date verified between Receiving/Sending States
Date stamped in the mailroom
Date of the 100A
Date stamped in the ICPC Office.
Date stamped in the Receiving State Local Office.

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	y	y
Send home study request to Local office		y	y
Send home study report to Sending State	y	y		y

Criminal Records Checks

Massachusetts requires criminal background checks for the following home studies:

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

Types of Checks (Crim. & Abuse Neglect Registry)

Massachusetts 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	ANR
Foster Care	y	y	y
Relative	y	y	y
Relative Foster Care	y	y	y
Foster-Adopt	y	y	y
Adoption	y	y	y
Parent		y	y

Wait Time for Criminal Records Checks

Wait time for fingerprint results are:

Live Scan or other technology

State: 8-14 days

Local/County: Not Offered

Manually - Fingerprint Card

State: Not Offered

Local/County: 8-14 days

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):

30 days

Verification of Criminal Records Results

Actual results/information contained in the Criminal Background
Signature verifying background check completed

Wait Time - (License/ Certification/ Approval - Education and Training)

Average Length of time it takes for a home to be licensed/approved/certified:

3-6 mos.

Length of time a license is valid before renewal required:

2 years

Massachusetts offers classes (education and training) for placement resources' homes to become licensed/certified/approved:

Other: Weekly