[tmlewis]

What knowledge does anyone have on Interstate Compact and what is required to be eligible? Any and all info would be appreciated. Thank you! Melodie

[jheald]

The ICPC is the required paperwork from both states represented (assuming there are two) before you can legally take the child across state lines. Just depends on the state and the agencies as to how fast it processes. It's just a "stamp" of approval basically but since you are the temporary guardian assigned by the agency/atty until finalization it's just one more hoop for you to jump through.

Janet

[tobeafamily]

In order to pass ICPC checks, you must:

Have legal and proper termination of parental rights in child's birth state
Been designated temporary legal guardians with intent to adopt

In receiving state:

You must have a completed homestudy in place
You must have made arrangements for any post-placement supervisio/monitoring by a licensed entity to be completed.

Sending state 'agent' (generally an attorney) submits documentation packet to sending ICPC, who verifies all is in order. Sending ICPC then forwards to receiving ICPC, who does likewise. When both offices have cleared the request, you may travel.

HTH

Regina

[tmlewis]

Thanks so much for your advice and information. We are so wanting to have our own child and have been in the process for over a year now. Hopefully, we will be able to bring home our little one before too much more time passes. Thanks again....Melodie

[catinhat]

Does anyone know how long it takes for the interstate compact to be 'approved'? In our case, the baby is not due until Oct. 9. We have our homestudy done already. The mother is all set to relinquish rights after the baby is born, but biodad doesn't want to sign anything, so I think we have to get the state to step in and terminate his rights (he is not interested in the child, just doesn't want to cooperate, as far as we can tell).

-Catinhat

[tobeafamily]

ICPC proceedings can be as short as 3 days and as long as 3 weeks - depends on the caseload of the sending and receiving states. Not sure whether rights have to be terminated properly for both biological parents or if biological mother will suffice to be able to file ICPC paperwork.

HTH

Regina

[aMarylandfamily]

ICPC is also involved if a child is to be placed with a relative out of the parent's "home" (sending) state if custody is transferred for services.

A poster noted that you must have 'tpr' on the parents in the sending state for ICPC approval - that is not always true ... ICPC approval is also involved if a foster child moves from one state to another (there are some situations that require this) and if a child is placed in a residential facility out of your home state ... usually just for monitoring of the child's placement should a situation occur where the state has to step in for decisions (i.e. he runs).

[surfmama]

We got our last baby from MS and the birth mom had signed off but not the birth dad, he has left the state. So, the agency has done the proper paperwork to terminate his rights, will go to court, and get that done before we finalize in our state.

This same senario happened with our previous baby adopted from Texas.