[bohtieque]

Hi-can someone help? I've JUST been told that we need to get ourselves fingerprinted because of the newly-enacted sexual predator law (Adam Walsh Law).

We're doing an interstate adoption with an agency in Texas. They say that we need to have our fingeprints done and submitted to the FBI or we'll probably not get through the ICPC process in TX. They gave me a
number to set up an appointment, but the place they told us to go doesn't operate in my state. My home agency doesn't know anything about this new rule, so they're not much help.

We think we're just going to end up getting our prints done by the local police office and then send thems somewhere--where that somewhere is, is still up in the air.

The baby is already born and in foster care--we'd like to make this happen as speedily as possible. Does anyone have any experience with this? How can we make it happen more quickly. We'd like to bring him home as soon as possible!!!

[Vogi2002]

I would call a lawyer in TX. Look up a family law lawyer and ask them. Sorry I'm not much help.....

I'm in TX if you need me to help in anyway! We had our homestudy done 3 months ago and didn't have to get fingerprinted. We did have an FBI Clearence but no fingerprints....

Natalie

[Vogi2002]

Okay this is what I found...it doesn't say anything about new changes:

Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services (TDPRS) involvement. As specified in the Texas Family Code, Chapter 162, the state of Texas has enacted the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) as law. Under that law, every placement of a child inside or outside Texas that is subject to the ICPC must be coordinated through TDPRS.

(b) State laws and agency policies. TDPRS applies the same state laws and agency policies that govern placements within the state of Texas to interstate placements under the ICPC.

(c) Interstate-placement regulations. Within the limits of state law, agency policy, and the best interest of the child, TDPRS also applies the regulations of the Association of Administrators of the ICPC (AAICPC) to interstate placements made under the ICPC. If necessary, however, in a particular child's placement, TDPRS may waive any AAICPC regulation that appears to conflict with state law, agency policy, or the best interest of the child, unless the court of jurisdiction prohibits such a waiver.

(d) The Texas Interstate Placement Section. As specified in Chapter 45 of the Human Resources Code, the executive director of TDPRS is the compact administrator for Texas under the ICPC. To carry out the functions of the compact administrator, the executive director of TDPRS designates a deputy compact administrator and appoints appropriate support staff. The deputy administrator and support staff constitute the Texas Interstate Placement Section (TIPS) of the Office of Protective Services for Families and Children (PSFC). TIPS is the interstate compact office for Texas.

(e) Requesting placements outside Texas. Every person and organization that requests approval to place a child from Texas in another state, district, or territory of the United States under the ICPC must submit an application to TIPS. The application must include all documents specified by TIPS and be prepared according to instructions issued by TIPS.

(f) Requesting placements inside Texas.

(1) Every person and organization that requests approval to place a child in Texas from another state, district, or territory of the United States under the ICPC must submit an application to TIPS through the compact administrator of the state, district, or territory from which the child is being placed, unless that state, district, or territory has not enacted the ICPC.

(2) If the state, district, or territory from which a child is being placed has not enacted the ICPC, the person or organization requesting approval must either:

(A) submit an application to TIPS through the authority responsible for coordinating such placements in the state, district, or territory from which the child is being placed, if there is such an authority; or

(B) in the absence of such an authority, submit an application directly to TIPS.

(3) The application specified in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection must include all documents specified by TIPS and be prepared according to instructions issued by TIPS or by the compact administrator of the state from which the child is being placed.

(g) Placement supervision. Whenever a child is placed in Texas or from Texas under the ICPC, the agency supervising the placement must submit a supervisory report on the placement at least once every three months until the court terminates the authority of the agency or individual placing the child, unless TIPS authorizes a reduced frequency. If the child's case is not closed within a year, however, the agency supervising the placement may, at its own discretion, reduce the frequency of supervisory reports to once every six months.

Numbers I found that you might be able to call are:

Administrators
Compact Administrator
Audrey Deckinga
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
PO Box 149030
Austin, TX 78714-9030

Deputy Compact Administrator:
Gina Gelnett
Gina.Gelnett@dfps.state.tx.us
Texas Interstate Placement Section
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
PO Box 149030, W-223
Austin, TX 78714-9030
(512) 438-5141

Interstate Specialist:
Vacant
ICPC Specialist
Phone: (512) 438-5141
FAX: (512) 438-4153

Regular mailing address: Overnight:
TDFPS
ICPC Unit, MC E-556
P.O. Box 149030
Austin, TX 78714-9030 TDFPS
ICPC Unit, MC E-556
701 W. 51st. St.
Austin, TX 78751


Administrative Assistant:
Cheryl Fell
(512) 438-2254
FAX: (512) 339-5815

Charlotte Howell
(512) 438-4957
FAX: (512) 339-5815

[rsbg]

Not sure on how to get it done quickly.... but we are in the process of being licensed and had to do the fingerprinting. From what I've been told, as of 10/1/06, the FBI fingerprinting is required in Texas. We went through Identix for the fingerprinting, and they have locations in other states besides Texas (not sure where you are or what states they have locations in). If you need their #, let me know.

[bohtieque]

Originally Posted by Runyan2002

Okay this is what I found...it doesn't say anything about new changes:

Oh, My! You are so awesome--when I was doing my research, I was researching on a federal level, so I never thought about looking at the Texas ICPC office. I'm calling there today. Thank you so, so much!

[bohtieque]

Originally Posted by rsbg

Not sure on how to get it done quickly.... but we are in the process of being licensed and had to do the fingerprinting. From what I've been told, as of 10/1/06, the FBI fingerprinting is required in Texas. We went through Identix for the fingerprinting, and they have locations in other states besides Texas (not sure where you are or what states they have locations in). If you need their #, let me know.

Thanks so much--I actually have their number and have called them a few times, but I've gotten different answers each time. That's part of the reason I'm so confused. I'm probably 8 hours away from the closest location, so going there is pretty much out of the question. I wish I had known about this little hurdle earlier!

[nycfsa]

We had our fingerprints done at the local police dept. for our first adoption, but when we had the homestudy updated for our second one we had to get them done electronically. You should definitely check to see which you need.

I googled "electronic fingerprinting wisconsin" (isn't that your state?) and it looks like any county sheriff can do it.

Good luck.

[bohtieque]

Here's what I finally found out, after calling my local sherriff and the FBI and my home agency and the Texas agency--

We had to have our prints done using the scanning machine, but printed off and mailed in. This REALLY SUCKS since we have to wait for 2-4 weeks for clearance. I really wish someone had notified my agency that Texas was going to be doing this so that we could have had our prints done before all this happened.

Grr.

[Kat-L]

Originally Posted by bohtieque

Hi-can someone help? I've JUST been told that we need to get ourselves fingerprinted because of the newly-enacted sexual predator law (Adam Walsh Law).

We're doing an interstate adoption with an agency in Texas. They say that we need to have our fingeprints done and submitted to the FBI or we'll probably not get through the ICPC process in TX.

Hi,
I did two interstate adoptions. For both homestudies, I had to have FBI fingerprints before my homestudy could be approved. In both cases, I wasn't even planning to go interstate. They didn't mention the Adam Walsh law either time. The fingerprints were just a regular requirement for both agencies. The local police do the fingerprints and the FBI processes them. It took about 7 weeks to get the FBI prints both times.

It seems to me that the agency who did your homestudy & match should have been on top of this. In both of my adoptions, the fingerprinting was the first thing that had to be done for the homestudy.

[bohtieque]

In WI, they used to only require an FBI clearance if you have lived outside the state within a certain number of years. State laws vary from state to state.

Because this is a new federal law, some states are still catching up to the change.

[manmul]

We adopted our son in August from TX and we live in KY. We had to have FBI check/fingerprints for ICPC. We went to the local Catholic parish (we aren't catholic) but we paid $40 each and they did them electronic and they were sent to us in less than 1 week. Maybe check with your local Catholic parish.

Hope this helps.

Mandi