(1) For department placements, the department:

(a) Accepts applications from families residing in the state of Washington that are interested in adopting a child who is in the care and custody of the department. Children in the care and custody of the department may have special needs.

(b) Initiates an adoptive home study and achieves one of the following outcomes:

(i) Approves the family for an adoptive placement and registers the family with the contracted adoption resource exchange unless a placement decision has already been made;

(ii) Denies the application to adopt; or

(iii) The family withdraws the application to adopt.

(c) Searches for an appropriate placement for families with an approved adoptive home study;

(d) Obtains the prospective adoptive child's available medical and family background information and discloses the available information to the adoptive family;

(e) Removes a family from the contracted adoption resource exchange for any of the following reasons:

(i) A child has been placed with the family;

(ii) The family decides to receive adoption services through a private agency or an independent placement;

(iii) The department receives additional information that causes the department to revoke the approved status of a family;

(iv) The family and/or social worker determines that adoption is no longer an appropriate plan for the family; and/or

(v) The family relocates its residence to another state.

(f) Reevaluates a family's situation at the time of reapplication if a family was removed from the exchange registry and reapplies for adoption services;

(g) Informs families in writing of action the department has taken, according to the rules of this chapter;

(2) The department does not provide adoption or adoption-related services for inter-country adoptions or for independent adoptions.