If a prospective foster parent lived in another state within the last 5 years, their current state must check the child abuse and neglect registry from their prior state before approving them as foster parents.
This sounds like a good idea. But in practice, inconsistent processes across states for fulfilling these requests are putting youth at risk, and cause some of the most significant delays in licensing (paying) foster parents, particularly for kinship caregivers who already have placement of youth but who do not receive any financial support until they are licensed.
As a result, some states have implemented these universal policies:
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39 states accept electronic requests
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10 states accept attestation of consent
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50 states have a general inbox for receiving requests
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40 states don't require a fee
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41 states don't require a notarized or witnessed signature
Learn more about how to simplify the process for out-of-state child abuse and neglect checks.
Alabama
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Not implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Not implemented
Partially implemented
Alaska
- Accepts attestation of consent: Fully implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
All implemented
American Samoa
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Not implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Not implemented
- No fee: Not implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Not implemented
None implemented
Arizona
- Accepts attestation of consent: Fully implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
All implemented
Arkansas
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Not implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
California
- Accepts attestation of consent: Fully implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Not implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Not implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
Colorado
- Accepts attestation of consent: Fully implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Not implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
Connecticut
- Accepts attestation of consent: Fully implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
All implemented
Delaware
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Not implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
Washington, D.C.
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
Florida
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
Georgia
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
Guam
- Accepts attestation of consent: Partially implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Not implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
Hawaii
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Not implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
Idaho
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Not implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Not implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Not implemented
Partially implemented
Illinois
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
Indiana
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Partially implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
Iowa
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
Kansas
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
Kentucky
- Accepts attestation of consent: Fully implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Not implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
Louisiana
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
Maine
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Not implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
Maryland
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Not implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Not implemented
Partially implemented
Massachusetts
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
Michigan
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
Minnesota
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Not implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Not implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Not implemented
Partially implemented
Mississippi
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
Missouri
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Not implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
Montana
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Not implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Not implemented
Partially implemented
Nebraska
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Not implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Not implemented
Partially implemented
Nevada
- Accepts attestation of consent: Fully implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Not implemented
Partially implemented
New Hampshire
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Not implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Not implemented
Partially implemented
New Jersey
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
New Mexico
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
New York
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Not implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Not implemented
Partially implemented
North Carolina
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
North Dakota
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
Ohio
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
Oklahoma
- Accepts attestation of consent: Fully implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
All implemented
Oregon
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
Pennsylvania
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Not implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
Puerto Rico
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Partially implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Partially implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Not implemented
Partially implemented
Rhode Island
- Accepts attestation of consent: Fully implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Partially implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
South Carolina
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Not implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
South Dakota
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
Tennessee
- Accepts attestation of consent: Fully implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
All implemented
Texas
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Not implemented
Partially implemented
Utah
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
Vermont
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Not implemented
Partially implemented
Virginia
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Not implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
Washington
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Not implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
West Virginia
- Accepts attestation of consent: Not implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Not implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
Partially implemented
Wisconsin
- Accepts attestation of consent: Fully implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
All implemented
Wyoming
- Accepts attestation of consent: Fully implemented
- Accept electronic requests: Fully implemented
- General inbox for receiving requests: Fully implemented
- No fee: Fully implemented
- No notarized or witnessed signature: Fully implemented
All implemented