Section 7 AAC 50.620 - Shelter home care for runaway children(a) The purpose of a shelter home is to provide a temporary place for a runaway child if there is no practical or peaceful way for the child to return home. The goal is to reunite the child with the child's family, unless that is not appropriate.(b) A shelter home is exempt from the requirement of collaborating on the plan of care under 7 AAC 50.300(g) for a child if the child does not have a placement worker. A shelter home is also exempt from the requirements of (4)7 AAC 50.455(a), (b)(3), (c), and (d); and(c) A shelter home may only admit runaway children.(d) A shelter home shall maintain a dated log of each child admitted for care.(e) A shelter home shall have admission and discharge guidelines and rules for the home. A shelter home may decline admission of a child.(f) Upon admission of a child, a shelter home shall inform the child seeking assistance of the child's legal rights and responsibilities under AS 47.10.141-47.10.142 and 47.10.300-47.10.399 and of services and assistance available for runaway children from community sources.(g) Upon admission of a child, a shelter home shall, on forms provided by the department, (1) complete a brief health review of the child; and(2) complete an informal assessment of the needs and problems of the child, including the reasons the child left home, unless an assessment has previously been completed on the child by a placement worker.(h) A shelter home shall notify the child's parent of the child's physical and emotional condition and the circumstances surrounding the child's admission to the home as soon as possible, but not later than 48 hours after admission, unless (1) there is reason to believe that the child has been physically or sexually abused by the child's parent and the department is notified immediately;(2) there is reason to believe that notifying the child's parent would endanger the life or safety of the child or a member of the shelter home's household and the department is notified immediately;(3) the child will not divulge the name of the child's parent or the parent cannot be reached after a good faith effort and the department is notified within 48 hours;(4) the child has a placement worker who has previously notified the child's parent;(5) a shelter home not associated with a private child placement agency has requested the department to notify the child's parent; or(6) a shelter home associated with a child placement agency has requested the child placement agency to notify the child's parent.(i) During the first year of shelter care experience by the shelter home, no more than one child of any age who is unrelated to the shelter home parent is permitted in care at any one time. One year of shelter care experience by the shelter home is required before the number of children in care may be increased.(j) No more than six children may reside in any one shelter home. Of the six children, no more than two children of any age who are unrelated to the shelter home parent are permitted to reside in the shelter home after the first year of shelter care experience.(k) A shelter home shall attempt to secure needed medical treatment or other needed services for a child in care utilizing community resources known to the shelter home parent.(l) A shelter home shall refer a child in care and the child's parent, if appropriate, to family mediation resources in the community, if any, unless the shelter home is connected to a child placement agency that offers the mediation services.(m) A shelter home shall discharge a runaway child in care after seven days unless (1) the department authorizes a longer period of up to 21 days; or(2) the parent of the child gives written consent for a specified longer period and authorizes emergency medical and surgical care for the child.(n) A shelter home (1) shall make a good faith effort to reunite a child in care with the child's family, when appropriate;(2) if reuniting the child with the child's family is not appropriate, shall attempt to find a safe place for the child to stay with a responsible adult;(3) may discharge a child age 16 or older from care to the child's self, when necessary and appropriate; and(4) shall report a proposed discharge of a runaway child to the child's parent, to the child's placement worker, and to the department at least 12 hours before the discharge if the discharge is to be made to the child's self or to the custody of a person other than the child's parent.Eff. 1/1/96, Register 136; am 3/1/98, Register 145; am 7/1/2022, Register 242, July 2022Authority:AS 44.29.020
AS 47.10.300
AS 47.10.392
AS 47.32.030