Important Information for Video Visits with Incarcerated Parents

Important information for Video Visits with Incarcerated Parents

Before completing a Visit ReferralCase workermust:

• Obtain agreement from all parties to the Dependency if the facility’srules for length of visits differ from the court ordered length of visits. (Due to availability, the facility may only allow a thirty minute video visit and court may have ordered one hour visits. If time allows, you may have a 1 hour visit.)

• Ensure you, the child,and the person supervising or monitoring the visit are on the inmate’s visitor list. (Case workers mustcomplete the process to have access to the client).

• Obtain the official/full name of the facility where the inmate residesby accessing click onFacilities and then Prisons.

• Obtain your client’s inmate number by accessing Find an Offender on

• To find out who a parent’s Corrections Counselor is call the Family Services Unit at 253-680-2626. (Counselors may assist in setting up conference calls to enable a parent to participate in CPTs, Shared Planning meetings, family assessments and court hearings, school conferences, etc.)
• Contact the parent’s Corrections Counselor to obtain theinformation on the parent’s availability and hours for JPAY video visits.Confirm the length of time the facility allows for JPAY visits as this varies and determine when the inmate is available for video visitation.
• Seespecific background clearance instructions for the child, professional visitor, and/or relative or friend of the parent supervising the visit.
• Confirm thatthe person supervising the visit has a computer, laptop or other mobile device with a camera and microphone, is Wi-Fi accessible and has the latest version of Adobe Flash player.

• Complete appropriate DCFS office paperwork for approval to use the P-card (office credit card).

• Once the JPay account has been established, the fiduciary will provide you with the login and password to access the Video Visit. If a contracted provider or relative/friend of the parent is supervising the visit, give this information to them.

Arranging the Visit:

1. Complete a visitation referral in FAMLINK.
2. Provide a few options for dates/times in the Visit Detail tab (based upon information provided by the parent’s Classification Counselor). There is a limited number of JPAY visits that can occur at any one time at a given facility, keeping in mind there are no guarantees you will get one of the options listed in the referral.
3. Determine a visit location appropriate for electronic visits that has Wi-Fi access and a quiet environment with limited distractions for the child/youth:
4. Caregiver’s home
5. Library meeting room
6. Public space that offers confidential area and Wi-Fi access
7. Child’s school computer lab or Daycare if allowed
8. Visit Agency office or DCFS office if all other options are unavailable

• Include the following information in the Visit Specific Instructions tab:
• Test equipment at least one day prior to the scheduled visit by:
• Logging in on the JPAY website at
• Clicking on video visitation
• To the left there is a “how to video” & “testing” option.

1. Facilitating the visit:

• Bring simple activities for the child to do during the visit. Examples include but are notlimited to coloring books and crayons or color pencils, small toys, puzzles, books or homework. Encourage the parent to talk about the activities with the child to facilitate engagement between the parent and child.
• When the video connection is made, person supervising the visit says into the camera/microphone, “Hi, my name is ____ and I am supervising/monitoring the visit on behalf of ______(DSHS/SW name)”.
• A Visit Ending warning occurs as the visit expires providing the session end time. Instruct parent and child to say their good byes prior to the given time.There is no second warning before the session ends.
• There will be a prompt at the end of the session asking about extending the visit.Do not extend the visit sessionwithout prior fiscal, Case worker and inmate Correction Counselor approval.

1. Obtaining Background Clearancesfor All Prison Visits:

Visiting is available to meet the parent child visit and the monthly face to face parent social worker visit requirements. A special visit may be requested by the inmate through their counselor. The background clearance process must be completed for in person, video visits and email communication.

1. Professional Visitors: A social worker, attorney, Guardian ad litem, CASA, service provider, foster parent unrelated to the child or parent, or a contracted visit provider is a “Professional” Visitor.

Please follow the directions below and send it back to the facility where the inmate is located to be processed as quickly as possible. Unless otherwise noted, all information needs to be that of the individual escorting/supervising the child.

1. Obtain DOC Form 05-370 Request for Background check.

2. In the top section fill out the date of the request & the offender name & DOC number, check “other” box and insert appplicable title (Social Worker, CASA, Contracted Visit Provider).

3. In the “Required Data”section skip the DOC number, sid number, fbi number.

4. In the “Other Data” section the individual who will escort the child(ren) will complete the information.

5. Instruct the individual who will escort the child)ren) to return the application to you as a single page (DO NOTinclude in packets of information).

6. Case workers will send their own background completed clearance forms and those for contracted visit providers directly to Liz Hainline (Weinandt), Visit Specialist 360-725-8803,

1. Child’s Visit Application Process

Applications for minorsMUST be submitted by the case workeras originals through the facility via USPS in order to participate. Before a child can visit an incarcerated parent they must be approved and placed on the inmate’s visiting list.

The assigned social worker will:

1. Complete the Parent⁄Guardian Approval for Minor Visitor (PDF) consent form DOC 20-446. This form must be notarized.
2. Submit a copy of the child’s birth certificate with the application.
3. Attach a copy of the court order indicating that the child is a dependent and the court has approved visits.
4. Return application and documentation to the facility.

Facility staff have 14 days to process visit applications. If there is a concern related to court ordered timeframes, please let us know so we can expedite the process.

1. Relatives/Friends Visit Application Process

If the person supervising the video or in person visit is a friend or relative of the parent they must complete a different application form.

1. Case worker will provide the form to the relative or family friend to complete and instruct them to return it to the caseworker.
2. Completed form is sent to the facility where the parent is located.

Facility staff have 14 days to process visit applications. If there is a concern related to court ordered timeframes, please let us know so we can expedite the process.