In view of the COVID-19 Pandemic and its impact on Chapter 3800 Residential Facilities, OCYF has temporarily suspended several regulatory standards. These standards include visitation policies, staff trainings, foster parent approvals, service delivery considerations, and group activities. See OCYF Guidance.

The regulatory suspensions set forth above will remain in place while the proclamation of disaster emergency remains in effect or such other time as OCYF directs.

For regulations that have not been suspended under the disaster emergency proclamation, agencies may still submit a waiver request to OCYF to seek temporary relief on a case-by-case basis. These requests may be submitted to the appropriate OCYF Regional Office or directly to the OCYF waiver resource account. In deciding whether to issue citations involving circumstances where a regulatory requirement that has not been suspended cannot be met due to COVID-19, OCYF will consider reasonable efforts made to meet the requirement when justification is clearly documented in the case record.

We recommend leaders review the guidance, and if you have any questions, please contact RCPA Children’s Director Jim Sharp.