(Pdf for downloading below).
Guide to Working with California ICPC in NEICE
Updated October 21, 2024
California processes different regulation types in different offices. All California ICPC requests should be transmitted via NEICE, with the exception of some Private Agency Adoptions. Please see below for more details.
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 Branch Independent Adoptions and Agency Adoptions, send to CA Regional Offices (See bottom of next page for more information).
2. CA Regional Offices (6)
• Reg 2 - Incoming & Outgoing Public and Independent 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 see the ICPC contact sheet for further details and main point of contact. https://cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/guides
3. CA Counties on NEICE
NEICE can be used for these regulations with all 58 counties.
• 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 Agency 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) Adoption Services Branch (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 five 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 18 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 act ion 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 ASB also provides Independent Adoption services for 55 counties. 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.
Alameda, Los Angeles, and San Diego Counties process Independent Adoptions through their own county offices. (Please note in NEICE, Independent adoption requests for Los Angeles County should be sent to “CA Los Angeles County - Independent Adoptions.” Independent adoptions for Alameda and San Diego Counties should be sent to their county’s general County ICPC inbox.)
Taken from: https://cdss.ca.gov/adoptions/adoption field offices