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

Rhode Island

Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern · Phone: 401-528-3840 · Fax: 401-528-3595

Rhode Island Relative Placements

Rhode Island conducts the following types of home studies:

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

Relative care would be considered as a REG 7 only; family must then proceed to become licensed but placement could occur interimly if approved at this level

Relative Home Study

Define Relative:

Relative is defined as stepparent, grandparent, great grandparent, great-great grandparent, aunt, great aunt, great-great aunt, uncle, great-uncle, great-great uncle, sister, brother, stepbrother, stepsister, half-brother, half-sister, first cousin, first cousin once removed, niece, great niece, great-great niece, nephew, great nephew or great-great nephew.

Relatives must be licensed:

Proof of Paternity Required for Placement with Paternal Relative:

Yes : Father's name appears on the child’s birth certificate, if the father has admitted paternity in a court of proper jurisdiction, or if the father has signed an affidavit for DCYF or DHS.

Rhode Island 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

Regulation 7 Priority Placement

Rhode Island 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):

60 days

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

30 days

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

Other

Date received and processed by compact administrator (Rhode Island has a one person office).

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

	Regular Mail	Overnight Mail	Electronic Mail
Send request for a home study to Receiving State	y	y	y
Send home study request to Local office		y
Send home study report to Sending State	y	y	y

Criminal Records Checks

Rhode Island requires criminal background checks for the following home studies:

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

In parent home studies, all adult household members along with the parents will receive a state criminal background check.
In all other home study requests, fingerprinting and a state criminal background check will be conducted on all adult household members.,

Types of Checks (Crim. & Abuse Neglect Registry)

Rhode Island 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
Relative	y	y	y
Relative Foster Care	y	y	y
Foster Care	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: 24 hours

Local/County: 24 hours

Manually - Fingerprint Card

State: 48-72 hours

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):

60 days

Verification of Criminal Records Results

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

On letterhead or by sign off on official registry request form.

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

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

6-9 mos.
relative/kinship homes within 6 months; generic foster homes within 6-9 months.

Length of time a license is valid before renewal required:

2 years

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

Other: At the minimum of at least bi-monthly in varying locations throughout the state; at times monthly - dependent on staffing. Most ICPC referrals (relatives) attend 2 sessions of 3 hours duration each covering a wide range of topics and provide information on local social services agencies/services.