ICPC State Pages

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

Types of Home Studies

Utah conducts the following types of home studies:

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

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

• Yes

Utah considers a home study as current/valid for:

• Public: 6 mos.
• Private: 2 years

Private Contract Services - Home Study

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

• No

As the Receiving State, Utah 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, Utah 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 and Accept

Adoptive Home Study

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

• No

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

• Private Adoptions: Yes
• Independent Adoptions: Yes

DCPS contracts for Purchase of Services with private agencies in other states:

• Yes

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, Utah requires a home study evaluation before reunification:

• If child remains in custody or under court jurisdiction UT would require a parent home study.

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

Proof of Paternity is required:

• Yes:

Relative/Kinship Home Study

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

• Yes

Define Relative:

• Relative is defined in Utah Code Ann. §78A-6-307 as a relative who is the child’s "grandparent, great-grandparent, aunt, great-aunt, uncle, great-uncle, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, stepparent, first cousin, stepsibling, or sibling." For an Indian child, relative also includes an "extended family member" as defined by the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), 25 U.S.C. §1901-63, which is "by the law or custom of the Indian child’s tribe or, in the absence of such law or custom, shall be a person who has reached the age of eighteen and who is the Indian child’s grandparent, aunt, or uncle, brother or sister, brother-in-law or sister-in-law, niece or nephew, first or second cousin, or stepparent."

Relatives must be licensed:

• No

Proof of Paternity is required:

• Yes :

Utah 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)
• Other

Great grandma, great grandpa, great uncle, great aunt. Brother-in-law, sister-in-law, step parent, stepsibling

Regulation 7 Priority Placement

Utah 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):

• 90 days

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

• 60 days

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):

• Other: Home study and background checks ran by private agency, and submitted with ICPC packet. Approximate wait time for ICPC approval 3-5 days.

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

• 60 days

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

• Date verified between Receiving/Sending States
• Other

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

Criminal Record Checks

Utah requires criminal background checks for the following home studies:

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

Type of Checks (Crim. & Abuse Neglect Registry)

Utah 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: 31-60 days
• Local/County: 31-60 days