§ 8-505 — Issuance of licenses; application; investigation; renewal; public information

A. The issuance of initial and renewal licenses for child welfare agencies shall be made by the division.

B. A child welfare agency shall not receive any child for care or maintenance or for placement in a foster home unless the agency is licensed by the division. Application for a license shall be made on a form prescribed by the division.

C. Before issuing a license to an agency, the division shall investigate the activities and standards of care of the agency, its financial stability, the character and training of the applicant, the need for the agency and the adequacy of its intended services to insure the welfare of children. A provisional license may be issued to any agency whose services are needed but that is temporarily unable to conform to the established standards of care. If the applicant meets the standards established by the division, a regular license shall be issued for a period of one year.

D. Each license shall state in general terms the kind of child welfare service the licensee is authorized to undertake, the number of children that can be received if the licensee is a private agency, their ages and sex, and, if authorized to place and supervise children in foster homes, the geographical area the agency is equipped to serve.

E. Every license shall expire one year from the date of issuance, and may be renewed annually on application of the agency, except that provisional licenses may be issued for not more than six months from the date of issuance and may not be renewed.

F. Financial statements that are prepared by a child welfare agency as part of the licensing process pursuant to this section are public records and are subject to disclosure pursuant to section 39-121.01.