Section He-C 6446.09 - Foster Home Requirements for the Physical Environment(a) The foster home shall be constructed, arranged, maintained, and furnished to provide for the health and safety of household members and all children in care.(b) The foster home shall: (1) Include a minimum of one indoor bathroom for every 8 persons in the household, which includes: c. A bathtub or shower; andd. A door equipped with a latch for privacy;(2) Include at least one phone available in the home for incoming and outgoing calls, that is made accessible to the child in care for personal calls;(3) Provide for the privacy for all household members and children in care;(4) Provide a separate bed for each child in care;(5) Prohibit any household member from co-sleeping or bed sharing with any child;(6) Include a bedroom separate from adults for each child in care who is older than one year;(7) Provide a bedroom separate from children of the opposite gender who are over age 5;(8) Provide adequate bedding for each child in care;(9) Provide space for clothing and personal possessions;(10) Provide a barrier-free access to the home and inside the home for each child in care who has physical and medical needs, as applicable; and(11) Provide basic first aid supplies including at a minimum bandages and antiseptic cleanser.(c) At the time of the first home visit the applicant shall inform the licensing agency if the applicant or other household member possesses any weapons or firearms.(d) If the applicant or any household member possesses any weapons or firearms, the following safeguards shall be made:(1) All weapons and firearms in the foster home shall be kept in a locked cabinet, storage container, or be secured with trigger locks;(2) Ammunition, projectiles such as arrows, and attachments such as bayonets kept in the foster home shall be stored and locked separately from the weapon or firearm; and(3) All weapons and firearms shall be secured and inaccessible when carried in a vehicle operated by a foster parent or other household member in which children in care are transported.(e) If the applicant has a swimming pool, the applicant shall maintain a life saving device such as a ring buoy in proximity of the swimming pool.(f) The applicant shall have a fire inspection of the home conducted, as follows: (1) The applicant shall arrange for the fire inspection of the home with the local fire inspector;(2) The applicant shall complete the top section of Form 1720 "Fire Department Inspection - One and Two Family Dwelling" (June 2020 edition) if the applicant lives in a building with no more than 2 individual dwellings or Form 1720A "Fire Department Inspection - Apartment Building" (June 2020 edition) if the applicant lives in a building with 3 or more individual dwellings, to include date, district office information, and foster family residence and contact information; and(3) Upon conducting the inspection, the fire inspector shall complete the rest of Form 1720 or Form 1720A, as applicable, and send a copy to the district office indicated on the form.(g) The applicant shall have a home health inspection of the home conducted, as follows: (1) The applicant shall arrange for the health inspection of the home with the local health officer;(2) The applicant shall complete the top section of Form 1721 "Home Health Inspection" (June 2020 edition) to include date, district office information, and foster family residence and contact information, and shall sign the form; and(3) Upon conducting the inspection, the local health officer shall complete the rest of Form 1721 and send a copy to the district office indicated on the form.(h) The applicant shall complete and submit to the district office Form 1723 "Insurance and Safety Verification" (June 2020 edition) certifying the following:(1) Under the safety information:a. "I agree to keep all firearms or dangerous weapons in the home stored in a locked container inaccessible to foster children.";b. "I agree to keep all vehicles in a safe running condition.";c. "I agree that any person transporting foster children will have a valid driver's license."; andd. "I agree to keep the home heating system(s) at the above noted address properly installed, and in good and safe operating condition."; and(2) "By signing below, I certify that if my insurance (homeowners, renter's, or automobile) expires that I will renew it without a lapse in coverage. I also certify that if my driver's license, automobile registration, or automobile inspection expired that I will renew it without a lapse."(i) The applicant shall have a written emergency evacuation plan reviewed with all household members and posted in a prominent location in the home.(j) The applicant shall have a comprehensive list of emergency telephone numbers, including poison control posted in a prominent location in the home.N.H. Admin. Code § He-C 6446.09
#7184, INTERIM, eff 12-28-99, EXPIRED: 4-26-00
New. #7321, eff 7-22-00; ss by #8663, eff 6-16-06
Amended byVolume XXXV Number 10, Filed March 12, 2015, Proposed by #10788, Effective 2/21/2015, Expires2/21/2025.Amended by Volume XL Number 28, Filed July 9, 2020, Proposed by #13056, Effective 6/16/2020, Expires 6/16/2030 (formerly He-C 6446.10).