Jump to content

Homestudy Updates


Guest jandlcorn

Recommended Posts

I have a question about home study updates. I have gotten so many different answers that I'm confused. We live outside Texas and in our state a home study last for 12 months. Do we have to go by the laws of our state or Texas requirements. What are the Texas requirements? For some reason I am not able to find that information here on the forum.

Could anyone help me?

Much appreciated!

Heather :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 93
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

I have a question about home study updates. I have gotten so many different answers that I'm confused. We live outside Texas and in our state a home study last for 12 months. Do we have to go by the laws of our state or Texas requirements. What are the Texas requirements? For some reason I am not able to find that information here on the forum.

Could anyone help me?

Much appreciated!

Heather :)

I'm no legal expert, but it is my understanding (please double check with Angela @ Abrazo) that everything goes by the Texas statues because the baby is born in Texas.

I know in our case, our homestudy was good by Tennessee standards for 12 months, but we must go by Texas standards which is that it is good for 6 months and must include a homestudy visit within 30 days of placement. So, we are in the process of a homestudy update to keep things current by Texas standards. All we have pending is our final homestudy visit which will be within the next couple of weeks to ensure we make the 30 day time period.

-A

Edited by Adam & Beth
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Heather,

I found this under another topic heading and thought it might be useful. It appears to be right in line with what Adam said.

You can find Abrazo's homestudy requirements (at present) under Professionals' Corner. But yes, any families entering the program now will also become subject to the standards that change in January 2007. There are plenty of them (more than 700 pages, to be exact. We'll post a link to the revised standards under Professionals' Corner in case anyone is really hard up for late night reading... even our staff hasn't taken on that project, yet!)

At present, if you've had a homestudy once, you just need an update the next go-round, and the update has to be current within 30 days of placement, so we normally tell againers to hold off on getting the update done until after they're matched, so that the single visit the update requires happens in a timely manner. Updates are significantly less expensive than original homestudies, since original studies require 5 face-to-face interviews in no less than three days time, and updates require just face-to-face interviews (joint and individual) done with every household member on just one day. (Of course, this is all subject to change if the wind blows at Licensing, again.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a question about home study updates. I have gotten so many different answers that I'm confused. We live outside Texas and in our state a home study last for 12 months. Do we have to go by the laws of our state or Texas requirements.

If you are taking placement in Texas, then your homestudy and placement terms must be in compliance with Texas requirements. So the original study expires in 6 months, updates are good only for 30 days, and supervision (for newborn placements) must occur quarterly.

Once you take placement, in order to benefit from Texas laws (ie., irrevocable relinquishment with no reclaim period) you must finalize here as well, meaning that you would only need to do two post-placement supervisory visits for a healthy newborn placement (whereas Georgia law would require five.)

That's why, if your state laws don't allow for payment of any birthparent expenses other than medical/legal, if you're adopting a child in Texas, you can still provide reimbursement for maternity expenses like rent and groceries, through the agency, in accordance with Texas law... but you have to finalize the adoption here, as well, in order for everything to be kosher.

It's your compliance with Texas law that gives you a "Texas adoption" from start to finish, and it's the approval of Interstate Compact that allows your Texas adoption to be valid in your home state, despite any differences between the laws, since Interstate Compact verifies for the courts that all requirements were met.

Hope this helps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Special thanks to all for this info. We have our first visit this week in Georgia. This information comes at a great time for us. It has been a joyious first few weeks with Logan at home and many more to come!

Thank you,

Rhonda, Kody and Logan

H3- Dec. 06

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Elizabeth -

Does that mean if we wanted to update our homestudy if we wanted to be an againer we would need to do the entire thing again, physicals, etc. And, would we need to have Tyler go through everything since he is in the house too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We did an update when we began our second journey and found out we should have waited. We sent in a copy of our original homestudy and that was enough (along with reprints/ physicals/ newly filled out Abrazo forms/ and reference letters) to start the process again. We will need to do an update when we are matched and nearing the due date. If we get a BOG we will scream, call our social worker and beg to get her here in an hour, scream more, and hope all gets completed in a reasonable timeframe. As I understand it with the new rules Andrew (who is 3) will need to be interviewed! Now THAT should be FUNNY!!!!

Good luck with everything!!!!

Lisa V

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does that mean if we wanted to update our homestudy if we wanted to be an againer we would need to do the entire thing again, physicals, etc. And, would we need to have Tyler go through everything since he is in the house too.

Good question-- thanks for bringing it up. All supporting documentation has to be current within a year (so that means if your physicals, criminal checks, tax returns, etc. are more than 12 months old, you do need to get us current ones.)

However, with regards to having to do another homestudy "from scratch", the answer is "NO!!" (although in some states, homestudy workers may try to tell you "yes"...) If you're taking placement in Texas and finalizing here, then you should be able to do only an update, since Texas standards say that it is not necessary for families who've already been homestudied to get a whole new homestudy just to adopt another child.

There is, however, a substantial cost savings for families who are having an update done vs. a whole new homestudy, and this seems to enter into professionals' demands that returning clients start all over again, unfortunately. Stand your ground, and get Angela involved, if necessary.

Any children in the home over the age of two (2) must be interviewed individually and as part of the family unit; the same goes for any household help or relatives living with you, etc.

And remember: the update has to have been done within 30 days prior to your placement date so if you've already done an original homestudy and Abrazo has an approved copy on file, no need to start the update until/unless you're matched and Placement Day is in sight!!!

(This information assumes, of course, that your first study was done in compliance with our requirements; that it was based on five interviews conducted in no less than 3 days' time, and that it covers all the topical areas Texas requires... if not, you may have to get some additional visits done for the update, but you still shouldn't have to do a whole new study, under Texas' laws.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Elizabeth -

Does that mean if we wanted to update our homestudy if we wanted to be an againer we would need to do the entire thing again, physicals, etc. And, would we need to have Tyler go through everything since he is in the house too.

Mara,

We live in Texas and as Lisa V. stated, we'd scream if we got a call about a BOG Promesa! We'd probably run in circles before calling our SW. Anyway, we did need new physicals, insurance coverage letter, employer reference, FBI check, etc. It's all worth it to be an againer though. I'd do it a million times again to meet our children!!!!

Claudia

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Compared to having to get all your documents translated into another language, apostolicized (?!), and then arrange transatlantic flights (and PAY for them) then travel with a wad of thousands of dollars in "donation money" as is often required in international adoptions, this is a cake walk! :P

(That said, I hate paperwork, too!!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So am I assuming if someone got a BOG call you would have to update your homestudy before running to Texas? How would that work if you had to be there right away?

Just wondering :blink:

Thank you for all the responses. It clears up alot of my questions.

Heather

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So am I assuming if someone got a BOG call you would have to update your homestudy before running to Texas? How would that work if you had to be there right away?

Just wondering :blink:

Thank you for all the responses. It clears up alot of my questions.

Heather

I believe someone recently actually had to go to Texas for the birth, then one (or both) of them flew back to their home state for the social worker interview, then immediately flew back to Texas. So, technically, everything was done prior to placement. I imagine it was an expensive process in having to take quick flights out and back, but it Can be done.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You are correct, Adam. It can be done!

Have a good day-

Rhonda

I was wondering if you might see that post ;) I thought you might be willing to share but I certainly didn't want to volunteer you as a reference.

:) Thanks Rhonda. It's great to have a community of friends and resources here to learn from their experiences.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We had a call at 10 a.m. to get on a plane and by 1 p.m. we were update ready and on our way to the airport! I attribute that to amazing social workers who were just as excited as we were and willing to make things happen :)

Rhonda...love that new avatar!!! :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks, Rhonda and Andrea! I often wondered how that would work...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

I just thought I would send out an FYI to everyone to keep your records updated. I was thinking we are almost upon our year mark since Orientation and we are PIW'S. I looked at our homestudy and realized that we had our fingerprints done before we even went to Orientation. :huh: I do not remember why. Anywho I drove two and half hours today to a place that did the eletronic fingerprinting. My social worker said it would be the fastest way. So our prints will be to our bureau by Tuesday. Also make sure you keep copies of everything and receipt's. I even copy my fingerprints. I hope this does not mess us up on a match?

I hope this helps someone in the future.

Heather :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...

×
×
  • Create New...