ICPC State Pages

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

Types of Home Studies

Missouri conducts the following types of home studies:

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

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

• Yes

Missouri considers a home study as current/valid for:

• Public: 6 mos.
• Private: 1 year

Private Contract Services - Home Study

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

• Other: Missouri will pay a private contractor for adoption purposes only.

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

• Yes

As the Receiving State, Missouri 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 update

Adoptive Home Study

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

• Yes

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

• Private Adoptions: Yes
• Private Adoptions: No
• Independent Adoptions: Yes
• Independent Adoptions: No

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):

• Yes

Parent Home Study

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

• Missouri requires an ICPC home study before reunification can occur with a parent.   The study must include all the requirements of a relative/foster/adoptive study without the training.

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

• The court does not have evidence before them that the parent is unacceptable, the court does not request any information from the receiving state, and the court dismiss jurisdiction before the child leaves Missouri.

Proof of Paternity is required:

• Yes: Proof of paternity documentation is: paternity test, or court order acknowledging paternity, or listed on birth certificate

Relative/Kinship Home Study

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

• Yes

Define Relative:

• a person related to another by blood or affinity within the third degree. (RSMo 210.265.2) Relative care is provided by persons related to the foster youth in any of the following by blood, marriage or adoption; grandparent, great-grandparent, brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister, stepparent, stepbrother, stepsister, uncle, or aunt relationship to the child is with the 3rd degree

Relatives must be licensed:

• No

Proof of Paternity is required:

• Yes : Proof of paternity documentation is: paternity test, or court order acknowledging paternity, or listed on birth certificate

Missouri 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)

Regulation 7 Priority Placement

Missouri 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):

• 60 days

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

• Other: Children's Division can not release a home study unless the criminal/FBI checks are completed

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):

• 60 days

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

• Other: Children's Division can not release a home study unless the criminal/FBI checks are completed

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

• Date of the 100A
• Date stamped in the ICPC Office.

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

Criminal Record Checks

Missouri requires criminal background checks for the following home studies:

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

Missouri Children’s Division requires unlicensed relatives and parents to pay for their own FBI checks.

Type of Checks (Crim. & Abuse Neglect Registry)

Missouri 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: 8-14 days
• Local/County: 8-14 days

Manually - Fingerprint Card

• State: 15-30 days
• Local/County: 15-30 days