441—202.7 (234) Out-of-area placements.
	 202.7(1) When the department makes a placement of a child in the foster care system out of the service area in which the child resides, this placement shall occur only when there is no appropriate placement within the service area, when the placement is necessary to facilitate reunification of the child with the parents, or when an out-of-area agency is closer to the community where the child resides than an in-area agency offering the same services.
	 202.7(2) The authority for approving out-of-area placements rests with both the placing and receiving service area managers.
	 202.7(3) Transfer of responsibility for supervision, planning, and visitation shall be approved by the placing and receiving service area managers and, when appropriate, by the court.
This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code section 234.6(6)“b.”