Redesign Overview
Table of Contents
2 / Table of Contents
3 / Acronym Definitions
4 / Work Shifts and Changes / Shifting from old processes to new
5 / ER – Emergency Response Model / Details and table presentation of proposed model
6 / Flow Chart of ER Model / Flow presentation of proposed model
7 / DI – Dependency Investigation / Details and table presentation of proposed model
8 / Flow Chart of DI Model / Flow presentation of proposed model
11 / Providing Reasonable Efforts and Concurrent Planning / Details and table presentation of proposed model including Phase One and Phase two of Transition for Adoption Partners in your Office
12 / Flow Chart of Reasonable Efforts / FM&R/G CSW – Case Management
13 / Flow Chart of Adoption Transition / Phase One - Working with Adoption & PPLs
14 / Court Report Writing / Coordination of efforts (Excludes 366.26 report)
15 / Flow Chart of Court Report Writing / Coordinating Efforts, Timelines, & Chain of Command
16 / Flow Chart of 366.26 Report Writing / Coordinating Efforts, Timelines, & Chain of Command
17 / Safely Surrendered Babies and FTP Children / Differences and Similarities in process
18 / Flow Chart of Safely Surrendered Babies and FTP Children / Differences and Similarities in process
20 / Activation of the TPR Team / When and How to bring in these team members
21 / Flow Chart of Activation of the TPR Team / Flow presentation of proposed model
22 / Post TPR Activities
23 / Flow Chart of Post TPR Activities / Flow presentation of proposed model
24 / Appendix A / Concurrent Planning Practice Expectations
25 / Appendix B / Request Assignment of DI form
26 / Appendix C / FB1, 2 & 3, CPA and TPR Review Tool Work flows
CP Redesign Draft (B&W) 4.3 das 6/07/05 Page 1of 35
Redesign Overview
Acronym Definitions
CP / Concurrent PlanningCPA / Concurrent Planning/Permanency Planning /Adoption Assessment
CSW / Children’s Social Worker
Adoption CSW / CSW dedicated to performing Adoption related activities
FM&R/G CSW / Family Maintenance and Reunification /Generic CSW dedicated to performing Family Maintenance, Family Reunification and General Case Management activities
CWS/CMS / Child Welfare Services/Case Management System
DI / Dependency Investigator
26 DI / DI Dedicated to doing only 366.26 TPR, 366.26 Guardianship and Probate Guardianships
PRC / DI dedicated to pre-disposition work as is current DI function
Blended DI / DI doing both the PRC DI and 26 DI functions
ER / Emergency Response
FB 1, 2, and 3 / Family Background 1 used by ER CSWs,
Family Background 2 used by DI’s and
Family Background 3 given to family by all CSWs for self-disclosure of family information.
FB Cover Sheet / Living form generated at ER and completed by all CSWs who handle the child’s case
FTDM / Family Team Decision Making – Alternative Response Model
FTP / Fast Track to Permanence
ICWA / Indian Child Welfare Act
IDC / Intake and Detention Control
PHN / Public Health Nurse
POE / Points of Engagement – Alternative Response Model
SAAMS / Search, Attach, Add, Merge Specialist
SCSW / Supervising Children’s Social Worker
TPR / Termination of Parental Rights
Work Shift andChanges
Current / CP Redesign Pilot Protocol / Family Information Gathering / / Family Information Gathering
Family History Sheets I, II, & III (24 pages) & Sections 1-6 of CPA [Formerly CPPPAA] / ER-Family Background I (4 pages)
DI-Family Background II (4 pages)
Family - Family Background III
/ CPA [Formerly known as CPPPAA] / / CPA [Formerly CPPPAA]
ER completed sections of CPA
DI Completed sections of CPA
FM&R/G Completed sections of CPA / Streamlined CPA has potential to populate information from CWS
FM&R/G CSW conducts assessment with PPL
/ Adoption Activities / / Adoption Activities
Adoption CSW – Assigned to do Home Study
Adoption CSW- Accepts Case Post-TPR
Adoption CSW – some co-located with few shared cases
FM&R/G CSW – Interface with PRU
FM&R/G CSW – Prepare Child for Adoption
FM&R/G CSW – Recruitment Events
FM&R/G CSW – Preparation of Child’s Case for Presentation
FM&R/G CSW – Carries Entire Case through TPR / Adoption CSW – Assigned to Complete all Adoption Related Activities Including the Home Study at Activation of Adoption as Alternative Permanent Plan
Adoption CSW – Interface with PRU
Adoption CSW –co-located with almost all shared cases
Adoption CSW – Prepare Child for Adoption
Adoption CSW – Recruitment Events
Adoption CSW – Preparation of Child’s Case for Presentation
FM&R/G CSW – Carries Services Segment of Case through Finalization*
*(Shorter timeline to finalization under CP Redesign!)
/ TPR / / TPR (Now with Caseload Credit!)
FM&R/G CSW – Due Diligence
FM&R/G CSW – Noticing
FM&R/G CSW – Report Writing
FM&R/G CSW – Filing Documentation / TPR Team – Due Diligence
TPR Team – Noticing
TPR Team, FM&R/G CSW and Adoption CSW – Report Writing
TPR Team – Filing Documentation
CP Re-designProcess
Emergency Response
When a new referral is made to DCFS, as is current practice, an emergency assessment of the situation is made. Dependent on the outcome of the assessment, differing levels of assistance are identified for the family in need. Where appropriate, the Emergency Response (ER) CSW will intervene with the family to develop the optimal plan for the child’s immediate safety. During this phase of interaction with the family, using a tool the ER helped to design, the ER CSW will gather preliminary family information to assist the family in it’s efforts to stabilize.
Who / When / What (Current practice is in gray and Work shift is in bold)ER CSW / Upon receipt of referral requiring response / Assess for Child Safety
Assess for Need of DCFS or Community Intervention
Provide Full Disclosure
Offer Relinquishment[1]
Utilize Family Background 1 to gather information. (If promoting referral to case, finish completing FB1.)[2]
Hand out Family Background 3 along with a self- addressed, postage paid envelope for family to return to CSW as soon as possible. [3]
Document efforts to obtain FB3 information on Cover Sheet
Refer family to FTDM if appropriate
Enter contact and specified FB 1 fields in CWS/CMS
Save hard copies into each child’s purple folder.
Initiate SAAMS request to add, delete or combine clients
Identify most appropriate placement (consider relatives and sibling placements)
Provide reasonable efforts (establish means for phone contact and/or, if appropriate, visitation)
(For children that meet the Safe Surrender or FTP criteria, See that section)
ER CSW / Other practices to consider / See: Concurrent Planning Practice Expectations – Appendix A
In offices that have intensive front-end services, they will be provided where appropriate with their established protocols. All forms of Family Preservation and Voluntary Family Maintenance will continue to be offered where applicable as well.
Should the ER CSW determine that the family needs immediate assistance beyond what strengths are immediately identified, DCFS will take a more assertive role to ensure child safety. Removal of the child may be necessary in order to ensure the child’s safety. When DCFS makes a determination to take a child into temporary custody, IDC is charged with writing a detention petition with DCFS concerns regarding the allegations.
CP Redesign Draft (B&W) 4.3 das 6/07/05 Page 1of 35
Redesign Overview
CP Redesign Draft (B&W) 4.3 das 6/07/05 Page 1of 35
Redesign Overview
Dependency Investigation
When the court determines that the IDC report surrounding the allegations has merit, a Dependency Investigator, (PRC/DI) is brought in to determine the facts in the case and the extent of the family’s ability to provide for it’s own stabilization. If the allegations are founded, DCFS is then charged with the responsibility to help the family develop a plan to alleviate the stressors that necessitated the call to DCFS and develop an alternative permanent plan if these efforts are not successful.
Who / When / What (Current practice is in gray and Work shift is in bold)DI CSW / Upon receipt of initial case from court (post IDC) / Interview all available parties to ascertain facts
Provide Full Disclosure
Offer Relinquishment[4]
Obtain information missing from FB 1 in Addendum page.
Complete Family Background 2
Hand out Family Background 3 along with a self- addressed, postage paid envelope, to all family who did not receive one from the ER CSW, for family to return to CSW as soon as possible.[5]
Document efforts to obtain FB 3 information on Existing Cover Sheet
Refer family to FTDM if appropriate
Initiate ASFA Referral of all later identified relative placements
Assess all later identified relatives and siblings for potential resource families
Initiate SAAMS request to add, delete or combine clients
Determine if allegations are founded
Enter contact and specified FB 2 fields in CWS/CMS
Save print-out in each child’s Purple, Health and Education folder
Initiate Due Diligence on missing parents
Collaborate with FM&R/G CSW on Alternative Permanent Plan for PRC report
FM&R/G CSW / Provide case management services
Obtain birth certificate from EW
Request birth records
DI and FM&R/G CSW / Other practices to consider / See: Appendix A - Concurrent Planning Practice Expectations
CP Redesign Draft (B&W) 4.3 das 6/07/05 Page 1of 35
Redesign Overview
CP Redesign Draft (B&W) 4.3 das 6/07/05 Page 1of 35
Redesign Overview
Providing Reasonable Efforts and Concurrent Planning - FM&R/G and Adoption CSWs
It has always been, and continues to be, the ultimate goal of the department to assist the family in stabilizing itself and keeping the child safely at home. To this end, the FM&R/G CSW will continue to provide all efforts and services available to help the family meet this goal simultaneous to the Alternative Permanent Plan. In phase one of the CP Re-design, the FM&R/G CSW will confer with his or her adoption CSW partner around issues of permanence when adoption has been identified as the alternative permanent plan and the plan is activated, while continuing to help the family help itself. In phase two of the CP Redesign, an adoption CSW will come onto the team for all detained children no later than 30 days to assist the regional CSW in identifying the optimal alternative permanent plan if the family should not be able to reunify.
Who / When / What (Current practice is in gray and Work shift is in bold)FM&R/G CSW / Upon receipt of the child’s case / Provide Full Disclosure
Provide case management services
Establish visitation plan/schedule
Offer parents option of Relinquishment
If not already in the case, obtain birth certificate from EW and /or verify it’s existence & request.
If not already in the case, request birth records
Initiate ASFA Referral of all later identified relative placements
Assess all later identified relatives and siblings for potential resource families
Refer family to FTDM if appropriate
On FB Addendum form, gather all missing information from FB 1, 2 & 3 and ensure entry of information into CWS/CMS.
Hand out Family Background 3 along with a self- addressed, postage paid envelope, to all family who did not receive one prior, for family to return to CSW as soon as possible.
Document efforts to obtain FB 3 information on Existing Cover Sheet
Initiate SAAMS request to add clients
Develop an alternative permanent plan in collaboration with the DI for the PRC report (within 45 days of the child being taken into custody)
Engage adults significant to the child in helping the child transition into a permanent home
Provide family with appropriate referrals to services
Initiate Due Diligence on missing parents
Initiate ICPC placement study for relative in states that require TPR prior to doing an ICPC Adoption Home study, if applicable
(Continued on next page)
60 days prior to .21E hearing / Generate pre-populated CPA and complete sections 1-9 and sign section 11. (If adoption is identified as the Alternative Permanent Plan, request PPL activate Adoption if child did not go HOP as expected at 6 mo JR)
60 days prior to any subsequent Pre-26 Status Review / Where adoption was not the alternative permanent plan or adoption plan was not activated, conduct CPA re-assessment and submit to PPL. (For RPP’s, reassess annually)
FM&R/G CSW / 30 days prior to hearing requesting to terminate F/R, or set new 26 at RPP when PP changes to Adoption(When Court Report is due) / Complete Report and Request for Assignment of a 26 DI form [Appendix B] and submit to SCSW
FM&R/G SCSW / 30 days prior to hearing requesting to terminate F/R, (When Court Report is due) / Review report and submit Request for Assignment of a 26 DI to DI SCSW
PPL /
Upon Assignment
/ (PPL’s Assign and end date themselves)Reviews CPA and completes section 10 and sign section 11.
When applicable, activates CPA for Adoption Planning and forward a copy to Adoption SCSW
Completes CPPL Automated Tracking tool
Adoption SCSW / Upon Activation of an Alternative Permanent Plan of Adoption / Using Direct Case Assignment, assigns Adoption CSW to case*
Inform FM&R/G of Assignment
Ensures Activated CPA is faxed to PRU for all unattached children
*(If there is no room in the Adoption unit, ARA to negotiate trade off for FM&R/G Case)
(Continued on next page)
Adoption CSW / Prepare the child for Permanence [6]
Provide Full Disclosure
Initiate Home study on prospective adoptive parent(s) for attached children
Interface with PRU for unattached children
Assume A case from PRD or Act as liaison for other agency family
Engage adults significant to the child in helping the transition into a permanent home
Verify child’s birth certificate and birth records are in the child’s case
Set up psychologicals and/or developmentals
Determine AAP Rate
Prepare and present child’s information at Preplacement conference to pre-adoptive family
Initiate placement steps
Should ICPC be needed / Contact Adoption ICPC Coordinator to determine if state in which the relative lives requires TPR prior to completing an adoption home study.
Initiate ICPC home study in states that allow same prior to TPR
Birth Parent CSW / Upon request to Relinquish / Counsel parents in relinquishment option and assess appropriateness
Accept and file relinquishment documents
Provide follow up family law actions if needed
CP Redesign Draft (B&W) 4.3 das 6/07/05 Page 1of 35
Redesign Overview
CP Redesign Draft (B&W) 4.3 das 6/07/05 Page 1of 35
Redesign Overview
CP Redesign Draft (B&W) 4.3 das 6/07/05 Page 1of 35
Redesign Overview
Court Report Writing – FM&R/G and Adoption CSWs
Preliminary reports will be handled in much the same way as they are now. The exceptions to this rule would be in the area of the Safely Surrendered Baby or FTP child (See Safe Surrender and FTP Section) and the 366.26 TPR Report (See 366.26 report writing Flow Chart).
Aside from the afore mentioned exceptions to Court report writing, the FM&R/G CSW will have primary responsibility for writing all standard court reports. Any information needed from other parties in order to complete the report will be obtained by the regional FM&R/G CSW at least 30 days prior to the court date to allow sufficient time for processing and mailing to the required parties. Consistent with the teaming concept, the other parties responsible for contributing information to the report will have participated in a conference regarding the child’s needs in order to formulate a plan of action.
Who / When / What (Current practice is in gray and Work shift is in bold)FM&R/G CSW / Upon receipt of case / Keep court log of all assigned cases
Confer with Adoption CSW as to recommendations
Generate report and write Child and Case Management sections of all Status Review Reports in CWS/CMS.
Responsible for all Status Review court reports and notices including RPPs
Adoption CSW / Upon receipt of case and at least 35 days prior to all Status Review hearings / Keep court log of all assigned cases (even secondary assignments)
Confer with FM&R/G CSW as to recommendations
Complete adoption related sections of Status Review court reports in CWS/CMS and relay to SCSW for approval at least 35 days prior to hearing
Adoption SCSW / E-mail FM&R/G SCSW when CSW portions of report have been approved within 3 days of receipt from CSW
FM&R/G CSW / 30 days prior to hearing requesting to terminate F/R, or set new 26 at RPP when PP changes to Adoption(When Court Report is due) / Submit Report and Request for Assignment of a 26 DI form [Appendix B] to FM&R/G SCSW
/ For report requesting to terminate F/R and set the 366.26: / When Publication will be needed at the TPR 366.26, FM&R/G CSW submits a complete Due Diligence along with Application and Orders to Publish to Court with the report.
FM&R/G SCSW / 30 days prior to hearing requesting to terminate F/R, (When Court Report is due) / Submit Request for Assignment of 26 DI to DIA for assignment of TPR Team (See: Activating the TPR Team for more details)
CP Redesign Draft (B&W) 4.3 das 6/07/05 Page 1of 35
Redesign Overview
CP Redesign Draft (B&W) 4.3 das 6/07/05 Page 1of 35
Redesign Overview
Activation of the TPR Team/ 366.26 Court Report Writing
The TPR Team consists of the 26 DI and his or her support staff. That support staff will vary by office but will include some combination of the following: Search Clerk, DIA, TPR Clerk, Publication Clerk and Unit clerk. The 26 DI will be the lead in making certain that all potential parents to a child have been identified and properly noticed for all 366.26 hearings be they for Guardianship or Adoption. Activation of this team will be dependent on the choice of alternative permanent plan and activation thereof.
As is current practice, the DI will be responsible for completing the 366.26 Guardianship report. The 366.26 TPR report however, will be a joint venture between all 3 parties and require a conference prior to initiating the report. The DI will be the ultimately responsible party for the 366.26 TPR report as well.
Who / When / What (Current practice is in gray and Work shift is in bold)FM&R/G CSW Adoption CSW / For report requesting to terminate F/R / CSWs confer as to preparedness to request termination of F/R and setting 366.26 hearing[7]
(If F/R is termed, and DCFS is not ready to proceed with the 26, consult with County Counsel about possibly Advancing and Vacating the 26 date)
FM&R/G CSW / 30 days prior to hearing requesting to terminate F/R / Perform Case Clean-upComplete Report and Request for Assignment of a 26 DI [Appendix B] and submit to SCSW
FM&R/G SCSW / Review report and submit Request for Assignment of a 26 DI to DIA
26 DI / Within 2 weeks of assignment / Conduct TPR Case Review and initiates TPR Tool listing concerns/potential barriers
Conference with FM&R/G CSW and initiate efforts to alleviate concerns/potential barriers ***(See the table on the bottom of page 17)
Present print out of initiated TPR Review tool to TPR Clerk
TPR Clerk / Document TPR Case Review date in CPPL log
26 DI & TPR Team / When 366.26 TPR hearing date has been set / Create hearing date in CWS/CMS
Ensures all parties are noticed properly ***(See the table on the bottom of page 17 and “Getting it Done” Handbook on 366.26 Noticing)
Generate TPR 366.26 court report
Complete all areas of the 366.26 TPR report except: prospective adoptive family or the child’s readiness for adoption.
Adoption CSW / After 26 DI generates the 366.26 report document in CWS/CMS. / Complete adoption related sections of existing 366.26 court report document in CWS/CMS [about the prospective adoptive family and the child’s readiness for adoption]
Request SCSW review of report for sufficiency no later than 35 days prior to 366.26 date
Adoption SCSW / Within 3 days of reviewing Adoption CSW’s sections of the report / E-mail DI CSW and SCSW that Adoption CSW portions of report are satisfactory
26 DI & TPR Team / Upon receipt of e-mail from Adoption SCSW / Redact TPR 366.26
Ensure all CSWs names are included in the upper left of front page
DI SCSW / Upon completion of the 366.26 report / Send e-mail to the FM&R/G CSW and SCSW that the report is completed and must be reviewed within 3 days
FM&R/G CSW and SCSW / Upon review of 366.26 report / FM&R/G SCSW e-mails 26 DI and SCSW within 3 days of receipt indicating satisfaction with the report or the need to confer
*** TPR team support staff take actions indicated by 26 DI and document efforts on TPR Review Too in the “Concerns” Section. Identified issues of Paternity and ICWA will be negotiated with the FM/R &G CSW. Specific task assignments are as follows: