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

Tennessee

Office Hours: Hours of Operation 8:00 A.M. -4:30 P.M. (CST or CDT) · Phone: General Inquires Contact ICPC Deputy Compact Administrator Specific Case Inquiries Contact designated ICPC Specialist · Fax: Fax: (615) 532-6495

Tennessee Criminal Background Checks/Abuse and Neglect Registry

Home Studies which Require Criminal / Perpetrator Record Checks

Tennessee requires criminal background checks for the following home studies:

Foster Care
Relative Care
Relative-Foster Care
Foster-Adopt
Adoption
Parent
Other, specified below

Guardianship pursuant to Fostering Connections and Court-jurisdiction only. Parent and Relative Regulation #7 studies in addition to those “expedited” studies” defined under specific Border agreements.

Criminal Background Screening

The following methods are used to capture fingerprints to conduct criminal records checks:

Live Scan or other computerized technology
Finger Print cards

Criminal background checks/screening via Live Scan or other computerized technology are offered at the following levels:

National
State
Local

State or Local Criminal Record Checks Requirements/Process:

State or Local Criminal Record Check results have to be received and within approval limits prior to the child being placed into the home. Fingerprint results have to be received within 15 days of completion of the local check.

Applicant will not be approved if the person has committed any of the following misdemeanor or felony offenses:

Felony conviction for child abuse or neglect, for spousal abuse, for a crime against children (including child pornography), or for a crime involving violence, including rape, sexual assault, or homicide. In any case in which a record check reveals a feony conviction for phyiscal assault, battery, or a drug-related offense was committed within the past 5 years. (See Public Law 105-89, Nov 19, 1997)

An applicant will not be approved if they have have committed any serious crimes or felonies including child abuse/neglect, spousal abuse, crimes against children, and any other aggravated crime or other crime involving violence in the past 5 years.

Other misdemeanor crimes or felonies that have occurred outside of the 5 years within approval, can be approved by waiver. The waiver process includes a primary and secondary approval level.

Types of Checks (Crim. & Abuse Neglect Registry)

Tennessee 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 y y y

Relative y y y y

Relative Foster Care y y y y

Adoption y y y y

Foster-Adopt y y y y

Parent y y y

	Federal	State	Local	ANR
Foster Care	y	y	y	y
Relative	y	y	y	y
Relative Foster Care	y	y	y	y
Adoption	y	y	y	y
Foster-Adopt	y	y	y	y
Parent		y	y	y

Tennessee provides Abuse and Neglect searches:

Wait Time for Criminal Records Results

Wait time for fingerprint results are:

Live Scan or other technology

State: 48-72 hours

Local/County: 48-72 hours

Manually - Fingerprint Card

State: 4-7 days

Local/County: 4-7 days

Verification of Criminal Records Results

Actual results/information contained in the Criminal Background

Period of Time the Checks are Valid

Checks valid for 1 year