CODES/REFERENCES 

O.C.G.A. §19-8-23 Where Records of Adoption Kept; Examination by Parties and Attorneys; Use of Information by Agency and Department 

REQUIREMENTS 

The Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) shall:

1. Prepare the Georgia SHINES adoption case record to be retained, sealed and locked within 30 days of the finalized adoption by: 

   1. Entering all outstanding case information into Georgia SHINES. 

   2. The Data Quality Unit (DQU) conducting a Georgia SHINES Data Review for Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) Compliance. 

   3. The Data Integrity Specialist (DIS) conducting a Finalized Adoption Case Review for Closure. 

   4. Rectifying errors identified during the Georgia SHINES Data Review for AFCARS Compliance and the Finalized Adoption Case Review for Closure. 

2. Designate the Social Services Administration Unit (SSAU) as the agent responsible for retention of records pertaining to all adoptions filed in the state of Georgia. 

3. Allow access to sealed adoption records: 

   1. According to the provisions of the Adoption Reunion Registry (see policy 11.17 Adoption: Adoption Reunion Registry); 

   2. In connection with subsequent adoption by the same adoptive parent(s); and 

   3. For permanency purposes when a child re-enters foster care following a finalized adoption (see policy 11.16 Adoption: Child Re-Enters Foster Care Following Adoption); 

   4. To the Office of the Child Advocate for the Protection of Children, only upon the approval of the DFCS Director, when an adopted child suffers a fatality, near fatality, or is an alleged victim of abuse or neglect, and/or e. As required by federal law or federal audit.

NOTE: This includes circumstances where custody of a child was transferred from DFCS to the permanent custody of a relative or non-relative for the purpose of adoption and Independent adoptions where the court has appointed DFCS to verify the allegations in an adoption petition.

PROCEDURES 

Adopted Child’s Case Record The child’s Social Services Case Manager (SSCM), within 20 days of the finalized adoption and prior to closing the FCC and ADO stage in Georgia SHINES, will:

1. Enter all outstanding case information into Georgia SHINES and/or upload to External Documentation. 

2. Verify the following information is in Georgia SHINES and/or uploaded to External Documentation and associated with the appropriate person(s):

• Child Life History Checklist

• Birth Family Background Information for Child

• Narrative History

• Newborn Birth Records

• Medicals Reports

• Immunization Records

• Dental Records

• Psychological Evaluations and/or Developmental Assessments

• Birth Certificate

• Documentation required by the Indian Child Welfare Act

• Termination of Parental Rights Orders

• Voluntary Surrenders Documents

• Reunion Registry Forms

• Parental Death Certificate

• Parental Divorce Decree

• Putative Father Registry Certificate

• Sibling Placement Waiver

• Child Life History Presentation Narrative

• Adoption Staffing Narrative

• Placement Agreement (Single) or Placement Agreement (Siblings)

• Affidavit of Disclosure for Adoption

• Placement Narrative

• Supervision Reports

• All Contact Documentation

• Child Protective Services Documents

• Case Plans, Citizen’s Panel and/or Judicial Reviews

• Court Reports

• All Complaints, Petitions, and Court Orders

• Diligent Search Efforts

• Comprehensive Child and Family Assessment and Corresponding Reports

• Correspondence from/by Birth Parents

3. Complete all corrections requested by the DQU within 72 hours of the notification that errors have been identified and corrections are required (if applicable). NOTE: The DQU conducts reviews to evaluate the quality and integrity of AFCARS data. If errors are identified during the review, DQU will provide notification of the corrections required to resolve the errors and make the case AFCARS compliant. Identified errors are required to be rectified prior to closure or progression to the PAD stage.

4. Verify the case is AFCARS compliant based on receipt of the email notification from the DQU indicating the review process is complete and the case is AFCARS compliant. 

5. Complete all corrections requested by the DIS within 72 hours of the notification indicating corrections are required (if applicable). NOTE: The DIS conducts a Finalized Adoption Case Review for Closure of all adoption case records prior to closing to ensure all the information and documents associated with the adoption is in Georgia SHINES. If corrections are identified during the review, the DIS will provide notification of the necessary corrections. All identified corrections will be resolved prior to case closure or progression to the PAD stage; 

6. Verify the Eligibility Summary Page has been ended based on receipt of notification from the Revenue Maximization Unit (Rev Max) indicating the Eligibility Summary Page has been closed and the FCC and ADO stage can be closed or progressed to the PAD stage. 

7. Submit the FCC stage closure to the Social Services Supervisor (SSS) for approval using the procedures outlined in Georgia SHINES Final Adoption Process Job Aide. 

8. Following the SSS closure approval of the FCC stage in Georgia SHINES, submit the ADO stage closure to the SSS for approval using the procedures outlined in Georgia SHINES Final Adoption Process Job Aide. 

9. Following the SSS closure approval of both the ADO and FCC stages in Georgia SHINES, securely destroy all information in the county hard file.

The DQU’s Data Assurance Specialist will:

1. Conduct a Georgia SHINES Data Review for AFCARS Compliance within seven business days of the adoptive placement being entered into Georgia SHINES or following the finalization of the adoption. 

2. If AFCARS errors were revealed during the review, notify the SSCM, SSS, DIS and County Director of the errors and changes required to bring the case into compliance. All changes will be made within 72 hours of the notification. 

3. Verify the changes have been made, the changes are accurate and all AFCARS errors have been resolved. 

4. Notify the SSCM, SSS and DIS via email when the adoption case record is AFCARS compliant.

The Data Integrity Specialist (DIS) will:

1. Provide assistance to the SSCM/SSS with correcting errors identified from the Georgia SHINES Data Review for AFCARS Compliance (if applicable). 

2. Within 24 hours of receipt of notification from the DQU that the adoption case record is AFCARS compliant or the SSCM/SSS that the adoption has been finalized, conduct the Finalized Adoption Case Review for Closure. 

3. If errors were identified during the review, notify the SSCM and SSS of the necessary corrections and request the changes be made within 72 hours of the notification. 

4. Verify the changes have been made and are accurate. 

5. Notify Rev Max via email the Finalized Adoption Case Review for Closure has concluded.

The Rev Max Specialist will, within three business days of the email notification from the DIS of the completed Finalized Adoption Case Review for Closure:

1. Print the finalized adoption decree and Adoption Assistance Memorandum from Georgia SHINES External Documentation for review. 

2. Verify all pending events in the FCC stage have been completed. 

3. End date the FCC Eligibility Summary page using the date of the adoption finalization. 

4. Notify SSCM and SSS the FCC Eligibility Summary page is end dated and the FCC and ADO stages can be closed or progressed to the PAD stage. 

5. Document actions in Georgia SHINES Contacts and Summary.

The SSS will:

1. Verify all the above information is in Georgia SHINES and/or uploaded to External Documentation and associated with the appropriate person. 

2. Verify corrections requested by the Data Quality Unit (DQU) are accurate and completed within 72 hours of the notification that errors have been identified and corrections are required (if applicable). 

3. Verify the case is AFCARS compliant based on receipt of the email notification from the DQU indicating the review process is complete and the case is AFCARS compliant. 

4. Verify corrections requested by the Data Integrity Specialist (DIS) are accurate and completed within 72 hours of the notification corrections are required (if applicable). 

5. Review the FCC stage for closure approval. 

6. Close the FCC stage in Georgia SHINES within five business days of receiving the stage for closure approval. 

7. Review the ADO stage for closure approval. 

8. Close the ADO stage in Georgia SHINES within five business days of receiving the stage for closure approval.

PRACTICE GUIDANCE 

Adoption records will be retained, sealed and locked in Georgia SHINES; the previous process of retaining hard copies of adoption records is no longer applicable. 

The Georgia SHINES case records on siblings not placed for adoption in the same home will be prepared separately per the procedures outlined in this section. Material that is pertinent to more than one sibling should be duplicated and included in each child’s Georgia SHINES case record. 

The Data Quality Unit conduct reviews to evaluate the quality and integrity of AFCARS data in cases in which the placement for a child in foster care has been changed to an adoptive placement in Georgia SHINES. The DQU utilizes a review instrument that incorporates the 37 AFCARS data elements and adoption quality standards into 14 questions. The review guide is divided into four sections - biological family demographics, legal, adoptive placement information and a section that focuses on person and case mergers due to duplicates within Georgia SHINES. AFCARS errors identified during the review are shared with the county department to be rectified. The Data Integrity Specialist (DIS) are available to assist the county departments with resolving AFCARS errors identified during the review. DQU’s review may occur pre/post adoption finalization but shall occur prior to case closure or progression to the PAD stage in Georgia SHINES.

Following adoption finalization but prior to stage progression or closure the Data Integrity Specialist will complete a Georgia SHINES finalized adoption case review to verify the legal status is accurate and the information and documents associated with the adoption are uploaded to Georgia SHINES External Documentation to included but not limited to the Placement Agreement, Adoption Assistance Memorandum and final adoption decree.

FORMS AND TOOLS 

Final Adoption Process – Georgia SHINES Job Aide