Okla. Stat. tit. 10, § 10-7505-5.3

A. A home study satisfying Section 7505-5.1 or 7505-5.2 of this

title must include at a minimum the following:

1. An appropriate inquiry to determine whether the proposed

home is a suitable one for the minor; and any other circumstances

and conditions which may have a bearing on the adoption and of which

the court should have knowledge; and in this entire matter of

investigation, the court is specifically authorized to exercise

judicial knowledge and discretion;

2. Documentation of at least one individual interview with each

parent, each school-age child and any other household member, one

joint interview, a home visit, and three written references;

3. Verification that the home is a healthy, safe environment in

which to raise a minor, as well as verification of marital status,

employment, income, access to medical care, physical health and

history; and

4. A review of a criminal background check and a child abuse

and neglect information system check.

a. A background check shall be required for adoptive

parents and all other household members eighteen (18)

years of age and older, consisting of a review of a

national fingerprint-based criminal background check,

a search of the Department of Corrections’ files

maintained pursuant to the Sex Offenders Registration

Act, and a search of the child abuse and neglect

information system maintained for review by authorized

entities by the Department of Human Services.

b. A Department of Public Safety Motor Vehicle Report

shall be required for adoptive parents and all other

adult household members when the child to be adopted

is in the legal custody of the Department of Human

Services.

c. For each adoptive parent or other household member

eighteen (18) years of age or older who has not

maintained continuous residency in the state for five

(5) years prior to the home study or home study

update, a child abuse registry check shall be required

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 10. Children Page 359

from every other state in which the prospective

adoptive parent or other adult household member has

resided during such five-year period.

d. Each prospective adoptive parent or other household

member eighteen (18) years of age or older shall be

required to cooperate with the requirements of the

Department of Human Services and the Oklahoma State

Bureau of Investigation with regard to the criminal

background check and child abuse check.

B. A home study which is being updated or brought current in

accordance with subsection A of Section 7505-5.1 of this title shall

document appropriate inquiry into changes in the family situation

since the last home study, a home visit, at least one joint

interview, information on any children added to the family,

experiences, if any, of the adoptive parents as parents since the

last study, verification of current physical health, and three

current letters of reference.

C. An updated home study as described in subsection B of this

section shall include a review of criminal background checks and

child abuse and neglect checks as described in subsection A of this

section. However, when a national fingerprint background check has

been done within the five (5) years previous to the completion of

the updated home study and the results are available for review,

then a name-based search of the records of the Oklahoma State Bureau

of Investigation on the adoptive parents and other household

residents eighteen (18) years of age or older for whom the

fingerprint background check has been performed shall satisfy the

requirements for a criminal background check for purposes of a home

study update.

D. 1. A preplacement home study or update which is being used

solely for purposes of international adoption shall not require a

national fingerprint-based criminal background search in addition to

the one required by the United States Citizenship and Immigration

Services.
k has been performed shall satisfy the

requirements for a criminal background check for purposes of a home

study update.

D. 1. A preplacement home study or update which is being used

solely for purposes of international adoption shall not require a

national fingerprint-based criminal background search in addition to

the one required by the United States Citizenship and Immigration

Services.

2. Such an international home study shall contain a review of a

state criminal background check, a search of the Department of

Corrections’ files maintained pursuant to the Sex Offenders

Registration Act, and a search of the child abuse and neglect

information system maintained for review by authorized entities by

the Department of Human Services.

3. An international home study or home study update as

described in this section must include a statement that the home

study recommendation is for international adoption purposes only and

may not be used as the basis for a domestic adoption without the

addition of a review of the results of a national fingerprint-based

criminal background search if such would be required by subparagraph

c of paragraph 4 of subsection A of this section.

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 10. Children Page 360

E. The report of such home study or home study update shall

become a part of the files in the case and shall contain a definite

recommendation for or against the proposed adoption and the reasons

therefor.

F. Following issuance of an interlocutory decree of adoption,

or if the interlocutory decree is waived, prior to issuance of a

final decree, the investigator conducting the home study or another

investigator who meets the qualifications specified in Section 7505-

5.4 of this title, shall observe the minor in the proposed adoptive

home and report in writing to the court on any circumstances or

conditions which may have a bearing on the granting of a final

adoption decree. If the interlocutory decree was not waived, the

investigator must certify that the final examination described in

this subsection has been made since the granting of the

interlocutory order. This supplemental report shall include a

determination as to the legal availability or status of the minor

for adoption and shall be filed prior to the final decree of

adoption.