(Pdf for downloading below).
Guide to Working with California Counties in NEICE
December 31, 2022
California has 42 of 58 counties (72%) live in NEICE.
California processes different regulation types in different offices. Please follow below for correct process and for when you can use NEICE to process an ICPC Case in California, depending on the Home Study Request type.
1. CA ICPC State Central Office
•Reg 4 Incoming & Outgoing group home / residential treatment placements both public (probation
& social service) & private (parent/guardian).
•Reg 12 Adoption Services Bureau: Independent Adoptions and Agency Adoptions, send to CA Regional Offices (See bottom of next page for more information).
2. CA District Regional offices (6)
•Reg 2 Incoming & Outgoing public adoptions
1) CA Adoptions Chico Regional Office
2) CA Adoptions Monterey Park Regional Office
3) CA Adoptions Oakland Regional Office
4) CA Adoptions Sacramento Regional Office
5) CA Adoptions Arcata Regional Office
6) CA Adoptions Fresno Regional Office
Please look at the ICPC contact sheet for further detail of address and main point of contact.
3. California Counties on NEICE
NEICE can be used directly for these regulations with 42 counties that are currently on NEICE, see list on
next page.
•Reg 2 Incoming & outgoing relative, NREFM, parent, adoption, & foster family placements.
•Reg 7 Priority Placement with parent or relative
NOT ON NEICE
CA Private Adoption Agencies
Reg 12 - Incoming & outgoing private adoptions
Non-Relative Extended Family Member (NREFM): The Legal Definition. A “nonrelative extended family member” is defined as an adult caregiver who has an established familial relationship with a relative of the child or a familial or mentoring relationship with the child.
California’s approval process for relatives and NREFM is now known as the Resource Family Approval Program (RFA). This new process streamlines the approval process; it includes a comprehensive psychosocial assessment, home environment check and training for all families, including relatives. For more information, reach out to your California County ICPC liaison.
Adoptions in California: The California Department of Social Services' (CDSS) Adoptions Services Bureau (ASB) facilitates adoption of children who need permanent homes by providing direct Agency and Independent adoption services through six regional offices located throughout the State. All six offices provide Independent services and four of the offices also provide Agency services. Collectively, the six regional and field offices operate the third largest adoption agency in California.
The ASB provides Agency services for 16 counties in California - The services focus exclusively on the placement of court dependent children, the majority of whom have special needs. In an "Agency Adoption," the child is placed for adoption by the CDSS or a licensed county or private adoption agency. A birth parent's parental rights are terminated either by court action or voluntarily relinquishing their parental rights. The adoption agency is responsible for the adoptive planning of the child until the completion of the adoption.
The California Adoption Services Bureau also provides Independent services for 55 counties - Independent or private adoptions are private transactions initiated by the parties of the adoption. In an "Independent Adoption," it is the birth parent's decision and responsibility to select the adoptive parent(s) and to place the child directly with the adoptive family.
Parents who wish to place children for adoption and people who want to adopt can get information and assistance from the
CDSS and/or licensed public and private adoption agencies.
Taken from: https://cdss.ca.gov/adoptions/adoption field offices