Resources

WHAT IS THE SENDING AGENCY/STATE?

The sending agency/state is a member state, officer or employee of the member state; a subdivision of a member state, or officer or employee of the subdivision; a court of a member state; a person, corporation, association, charitable agency or other entity which sends, brings, or causes to be sent or brought any child to another member state.

WHAT IS THE RECEIVING STATE?

The receiving state is the state to which the child is sent, brought, or caused to be sent or brought for placement with state or local public authorities, or for placement with private agencies or persons.

WHAT IS A PLACEMENT?

A placement is the arrangement for the care of a child in a foster home or in a child-caring agency or institution, including placement with a relative, or into a pre-adoptive home.

ICPC PROCESS

WHAT TYPES OF INTERSTATE PLACEMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO THE ICPC?

The ICPC applies to the following:

• Placement preliminary to an adoption (adoptions include placements made by public agencies or birth parents);
• Placement into foster care (foster care placements are those in licensed/approved foster family homes, including homes of relatives;
• Placement with parents and relatives when a parent or relative is not making the placement; and
• Placement into a residential facility, (this form of foster care includes placements into residential treatment centers, group homes and child care institutions;

WHAT TYPES OF INTERSTATE PLACEMENTS ARE NOT SUBJECT TO THE ICPC?

• Placements into schools where the primary purpose for the placement is educational;
• Placements into medical and mental facilities;
• Placements made by a child’s parent, stepparent, grandparent, adult sister or brother, adult aunt, or uncle, or non-agency guardian with any such relative or non-agency guardian;

WHAT DOCUMENTATION IS NEEDED FOR AN ICPC PLACEMENT REQUEST?

• Court order
• Case plan
• Summary of information on the child
• Financial and medical plan

WHO SUPERVISES THE PLACEMENT AFTER A CHILD IS PLACED IN THE RECEIVING STATE?

The receiving state provides courtesy supervision of a child until the ICPC case is closed. However, when a California dependent or ward of the juvenile court is placed in an out-of-state residential facility or group home the California sending agency is responsible for supervising the placement.

WHEN CAN AN ICPC CASE BE CLOSED?

An ICPC case can be closed only when a child is adopted, reaches age of majority, or becomes self-supporting or when the appropriate authorities in the sending state and receiving state concur that the ICPC case can be closed.