SEARCHING… (Continued)

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SEARCHING IN CWS/CMS FOR RELATIVE & NREFM APPROVAL ASSESSMENTS (Pg. 1-3)

In Client Services, select Search, Start Search.

The “Search Type” field defaults to “Client”. Change the “Search Type” from the drop down menu from “Client” to “Client/SCP”. As soon as the client’s last name is typed in, the Phonetic Search button is automatically enabled. This optimizes the search allowing the maximum number of hits received for the client.


If you are unable to locate a client, you should search multiple ways before drawing the conclusion that the client is not listed in CWS/CMS. At a minimum you should conduct the following types of searches for each adult in the home before concluding that there are no hits:

  1. Social Security Number only
  2. Name only (if a common name use name and DOB).
  3. If it is a very common name and you get no hits or maximum hits, include other criteria such as gender
  4. If you get too many hits, restrict the name search by taking off the Phonetic Name Search feature.
  5. If you still get too many hits, restrict the county to places where the client has resided
  6. If you do not get enough or no hits, use the Wildcard feature (especially for names that may be misspelled or spelled creatively)
  7. And last, if you do not get any hits, try address

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MMore information in the search dialogue box limits the number of hits received.

Recommendation: Minimum amount of information for maximum hits.

These are the most commonly used fields for client searches.

Name / First, Middle, Last
·  You can ID with last name only.
·  If you have a common name, you need to narrow the search criteria with additional details such as DOB or County of Residence.
·  Phonetic Name Search allows CWS/CMS to look for clients with similarly spelled names
·  Wildcard Searches when you are not sure how to spell a name
Wildcard searches MUST always end with the percent (%) character.
If you are unsure of one or two letters in the spelling, you may use the underscore (_) character.
T_m% returns Tim, Tom, Tam, Tum, Tem
W_d% returns Wend, Word, Wand, Wild
If you only know part of the name you are looking for, use the percent (%) wildcard character to represent a character string of any length. The string can be placed anywhere in the name.
B% returns Barr, Blaire, Bartholomew
B%C% returns Brick, Bloch, Biana
%and% returns Sanderson, Ferdinand
SSN / ONLY helpful if in database, otherwise use other search criteria.
Gender / LIMITED USE. OK if it’s in database, otherwise don’t use.
Ethnicity / LIMITED USE. OK it it’s in database, otherwise don’t use.
Address / Use street number, street name, and city.
·  Don’t use in conjunction with other search criteria because it will limit your results.
·  Phonetic Street Name Search allows CWS/CMS to search similarly spelled addresses
·  Partial Address Match will allow CWS/CMS to find addresses with partial spellings
County of Residence / Defaults to Santa Clara County
·  1st try to search without the county in order to search the entire state
·  If needed, you can change to another California county.
State / Defaults to CA – DO NOT USE
ZIP Code / Useful with address.
DOB / ONLY helpful if in database, otherwise use other search criteria
·  Must have two digit month and day and four digit year (00/00/0000)
Home Phone / DO NOT USE
State ID fields / This refers to the DFCS case number as in CDS.
·  You must type a zero in front of the State ID number. (Ex: 0123456)
·  State ID County 43 for Santa Clara county. (you can hit the number 4 key four times to get to 43)

IF YOU FIND A CLIENT IN THE CWS/CMS SEARCH, WHAT DO YOU DO?

In the Search Window, Double click on the row for the client. This will take you to a client abstract where you can look up the following information:

Family Member Page

·  A lists client relationships to the person

Referral History Page

·  A list of referrals where the client is associated as a relative, alleged victim, or perpetrator

·  The persons name is typically in the “Referral Clients” list and/or the “Allegations List”

·  You may need to select one row at a time in the top grid in order to see all referrals that may have come in over time.

·  Pay attention to the county where the referral come in (Typically, we can only open and review referrals that happened in Santa Clara County. However, under special circumstances we can open and view the details of referrals in other counties).

Case History Page

·  A list of child cases where the abstract client has an association (relative, victim, perpetrator)

·  Pay attention to the county where the case resided (Typically, we can only open and review cases that belong to Santa Clara County. However, under special circumstances we can open and view the details of cases in other counties).

YOU FIND A SUBSTITUTE CARE PROVIDER IN THE CWS/CMS SEARCH, WHAT DO YOU DO?

Contact the social worker (or supervisor) who conducted the county licensed foster family home study, the Foster Family Agency certified foster home study or Relative/NREFM approval to determine if there were any adverse licensing or approval actions taken or substantiated abuse or neglect in relation to other children who had been placed with the caregiver. If there are such actions, they should be documented as described in "ENTERING SEARCH RESULTS IN CWS/CMS FOR RELATIVE AND NREFM APPROVAL ASSESSMENTS" below.

Any adverse licensing or approval actions should be documented in a memorandum to the supervisor and SSPM with a recommendation that either the caregiver be considered suitable to care for or be in frequent contact with the child, or that the incident demonstrates conduct inimical and the caregiver should not be allowed to care for or be in frequent contact with the child.

Substantiated abuse or neglect of a child who had been placed with the caregiver is considered by the SSPM using the procedures for a "Child Abuse and Neglect Record Review" (OPP Section 7-14).

Questions

If you find a client in the search and you are unable to determine their relationship to a case (i.e. relative, victim, or perpetrator), then contact Dana Koga at 975-5646 or and she will help research the CWS/CMS search results.

CWS/CMS SEARCH FOR RELATIVES & NREFM’S AND
ENTERING RESULTS IN CONTACTS
C:\Documents and Settings\parker\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\OLK221\Searching and Entering CWS-CMS Record Check Results24.doc / Page 3 of 4
Updated 06/05/07 / Santa Clara County

ENTERING SEACH RESULTS IN CWS/CMS FOR RELATIVE AND NREFM APPROVAL ASSESSMENTS (Pg. 4)

·  Go to Orange Section, Contact Notebook, Contact Page

·  Please complete the fields as indicated below

(Note: For sibling groups: If you include all siblings in the “Participants” box, then the contact will appear in each child’s CWS/CMS case).

Staff Person / Person who performed the search
Start Date and End Date / Date search was done
Contact Purpose / Conduct Client Evaluation
Method / Written
Location / CWS Office
Status / Completed
Participants / Other
Note: To select “Other” you must click the plus & change the participant type to “Other
On Behalf of Child / Field automatically updates
(If not, include all children in the same home)
Contact Party Type / Field automatically updates
(If not, input “Staff Person/Other Contact”)
Case Management Service Type / None
(If you include items, you will need to complete the Associated Services Page, Service Recipient field with the child(ren) name)
Narrative / 1st Line should state what was done and for whom
i.e. “CWS/CMS Search for maternal grandmother, Jane Doe, and maternal uncles, Bob and Fred Doe.”
2nd Line should state the results
i.e. for substantiated child abuse and neglect referrals, “No hits found” or “Jane Doe was listed as a perpetrator on a neglect referral dated .10/03/03 and the allegation was unfounded.”
i.e. for known as a substitute care provider, "No adverse approval or licensing actions" or "Jane Doe completed a corrective action plan as a licensed foster parent for using non-abusive corporal punishment, slapping a child's hand."
3rd Line is a signature line and should include your name and worker number or position. SW’s should sign their name on the hardcopy files in the case.
i.e. “Mary Smith, C12M”
CWS/CMS SEARCH FOR RELATIVES & NREFM’S AND
ENTERING RESULTS IN CONTACTS
C:\Documents and Settings\parker\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\OLK221\Searching and Entering CWS-CMS Record Check Results24.doc / Page 4 of 4
Updated 06/05/07 / Santa Clara County