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childwelfarepolicy.pdf
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Division of Family and Children
Services
Online Directives Information
System
Index:
Revised:
Review:
MAN3000
07/18/18
11/17/21
CHILD WELFARE POLICY MANUAL Table of Contents
CHAPTERS SECTIONS TITLES Chapter 1 Administration 1.0 Administration of Child Welfare Services
1.1 Reserved for Future Use
1.2 Vision, Mission and Values
1.3 Access, Distribution and Review of Child Welfare Policies
1.4 Non-Discriminatory Child Welfare Practices
1.5 American Disabilities Act (ADA)
1.6 Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and Transfer of Responsibility for Placement and Care to a Tribal Agency
1.7 Monitoring, Reviews, Reporting and Independent Audits
1.8 Volunteer Services
1.9 Public Inspection of Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) Materials and Availability of Plans
1.10 Child Fatality Review
1.11 Specific Goals in State Law for Children in Foster Care Over 24 Months
1.12 Review of Payments and Approval Standards
1.13 Sex Trafficking Overview 1.14 Emergency Operations Plans 1.15 Child Abuse Protocol Chapter 2 Information Management 2.0 Reserved for Future Use
2.1 Case Record Maintenance
2.2 Adoption Case Records
2.3 Adoption Assistance Case Records
2.4 Reserved for Future Use
2.5 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) 2.6 Confidentiality/Safeguarding Information
2.7 Contacts with the Media, Legislators, County Officials and Board Members
2.8 Subpoenas (Testimony and Case Records)
2.9 Open Records Act of Georgia
2.10 JJ vs Ledbetter Parent or Guardian Request for Information
2.11 Public Access to Records in Child Fatality and Near Fatality Cases
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Chapter 3 Intake 3.0 Introduction to Intake 3.1 Receiving Intake Reports 3.2 Making an Intake Decision 3.3 Intakes Involving Special Investigations and Policy Violations 3.4 Intakes Involving Child Death Near Fatality Serious Injury (CDNFSI) 3.5 Intakes Involving Infants Born Alive
3.6 Intakes Involving Safe Place for Newborns
3.7 Intakes Involving Substance Use or Abuse, Prenatal Exposure, Prenatal Abuse or Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
3.8 Intakes Involving Family Violence, Domestic Violence or Intimate Partner Violence
3.9 Intakes Involving Sex Trafficking/Sexual Servitude
3.10 Intakes Involving Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
3.11 Intakes Involving Juvenile or Superior Court with Non Maltreatment Alleged
3.12 Intakes Involving Other Distinct Types of Intake Reports
3.13 Intakes Involving Active Case
3.14 Sharing Intake Reports with Law Enforcement or District Attorney 3.15 Mandated Reporters 3.16 Administrative Openings 3.17 Non-Incident Request Types 3.18 Second Level Screen-Out Review and Approval Process Chapter 4 Initial Safety Assessment (ISA) 4.0 Introduction to Initial Safety Assessment 4.1 Preparing for the Initial Safety Assessment 4.2 Conducting the Initial Safety Assessment 4.3 Purposeful Contact During Initial Safety Assessment Chapter 5 Investigations 5.0 Introduction to Investigations 5.1 Conducting an Investigation 5.2 Purposeful Contacts During an Investigation 5.3 Making an Investigation Determination 5.4 Notification of CPS Investigation Outcome 5.5 CPS Administrative Reviews 5.6 Safety Resources 5.7 Special Circumstances 5.8 Juvenile Court Intervention During an Investigation 5.9 Family Refuses to Cooperate During an Investigation 5.10 Special Circumstances: Safe Place for Newborns Chapter 6 Special Investigations 6.0 Introduction to Special Investigations and Maltreatment in Care 6.1 Special Investigations in DFCS or CPA Foster or Adoptive Homes
6.2 Conducting Special Investigations in Relative or Non-Relative Placements
6.3 Conducting Special Investigations in Residential or Non-Residential Facilities
6.4 Conducting Special Investigations in Public or Private Non-Residential Schools
6.5 Special Investigations Concurrence Submission and Review Process 6.6 Investigation of a Child Death, Near Fatality or Serious Injury 6.7 Reporting of Child Death, Near Fatality or Serious Injury
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Chapter 7 Family Support Services 7.0 Introduction to Family Support Services 7.1 Family Support Services Assessment 7.2 Purposeful Contacts During Family Support Services 7.3 Making a Family Support Services Determination 7.4 Agreement Strategy
7.5 Family Support Services Case Closure Chapter 8 Family Preservation Services 8.0 Introduction to Family Preservation Services 8.1 Initiation of Family Preservation Services
8.2 Purposeful Contacts with Families Receiving Family Preservation Services
8.3 Case Planning
8.4 Case Evaluation 8.5 Case Closure Chapter 9 Eligibility 9.0 Reserved for Future Use 9.1 Foster Care Maintenance Payments 9.2 Applying for Medical Services at Initial Entry and Exit 9.3 Applying for Initial Funding 9.4 Removal From the Home 9.5 Reasonable Efforts 9.6 Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) Relatedness Criteria
9.7 IV-E and Child Enters Care by a Voluntary Placement Agreement (VPA)
9.8 IV-E and Voluntary Surrender of Parental Rights
9.9 IV-E Reimbursability
9.10 Special Situations
9.11 Adoption Assistance (IV-E and State) 9.12 Child Support
Chapter 10 Foster Care 10.0 Introduction to Foster Care 10.1 Placement of a Child 10.2 Placement of a Child via Voluntary Placement Agreement 10.3 Changes in Placement 10.4 Selecting a Placement Resource 10.5 Relative/Non-Relative Care Assessment (R/Non-RCA) 10.6 Reserved for Future Use 10.7 Reserved for Future Use
10.8 Financial and Non-Financial Supports for Children in Foster Care or Who Have Achieved Permanency
10.9
Six and/or 12 Month Reviews of Enhanced Relative Rate/Relative Care Subsidy/Subsidized Guardianship/Non-Relative Subsidized Guardianship Payments
10.10 Comprehensive Child and Family Assessment (CCFA) 10.11 Medical, Dental, and Developmental Needs 10.12 Psychological and Behavioral Health Needs 10.13 Educational Needs 10.14 Social and Cultural Enrichment 10.15 Child Safety Equipment 10.16 Childcare and Early Education 10.17 Service Needs of an Immigrant Child 10.18 Purposeful Contacts In Foster Care 10.19 Visitation
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10.20 Preserving Sibling Connections 10.21 Minor Parent Expecting or Who Has a Child While in Foster Care 10.22 Permanency Planning 10.23 Case Planning 10.24 Trial Home Visit 10.25 Youth Absent Without Permission (AYOP) 10.26 Case Closure 10.27 After Care Chapter 11 Adoption 11.0 Introduction to Adoptions 11.1 Adoption Preparation 11.2 Putative Father Registry & Birth Certificates 11.3 Placement with Siblings 11.4 Wait List 11.5 Child Life History 11.6 Foster Parent Adoption Consideration Evaluation 11.7 Child Specific Recruitment Efforts 11.8 Adoption Pre-Placement Staffing & Visitation 11.9 Adoption Placement Signing 11.10 Post Placement Supervision 11.11 Family Moves to Another State Prior to Finalization 11.12 Adoption Placement Disruptions 11.13 Support Services: Post Adoptive Placement & Post Adoption 11.14 Finalizing the Adoption 11.15 Post Adoption Contact Agreement 11.16 Child Re-Enters Foster Care Following Adoption Finalization 11.17 Adoption Reunion Registry
11.18 Placement of a Georgia Child Into Another State for Adoption Purposes
11.19 Placement of a Child From Another State Into Georgia for Adoption Purpose
11.20 Disruption of an ICPC Child
11.21 ICPC Independent Adoption - Georgia Is Sending State
11.22 ICPC Independent Adoption - Georgia Is Receiving State
11.23 Independent Adoption Investigations - Appointed by the Court
11.24 Independent Adoption - Family Evaluation for Adoption by a Third Party
Chapter 12 Adoption Assistance 12.0 Introduction to Adoption Assistance
12.1 Eligibility - Adoption Assistance Payments, Medicaid & Non-Recurring
12.2 Adoption Assistance Application
12.3 Adoption Assistance - Specialized Rate
12.4 Supplemental Security Income (SSI) & Adoption Assistance Benefits
12.5 Negotiating the Adoption Assistance Agreement
12.6 Reviewing and Signing the Adoption Assistance Agreement
12.7 Initiating Adoption Assistance Benefits
12.8 Subsequent Determinations - Deferred Adoption Assistance
12.9 Continuation, Renegotiation or Termination of Adoption Assistance Benefits
12.10 Adoption Assistance Benefits - After 18
12.11 Verification of Continuing Eligibility For Adoption Assistance Benefits
12.12 Adoption Assistance Medicaid
12.13 Status Changes
12.14 Family Relocates
12.15 Recovery of Adoption Assistance Overpayments
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12.16 Special Services
Chapter 13 Independent Living Program 13.0 Introduction to the Independent Living Program 13.1 Eligibility and Enrollment 13.2 Casey Life Skills Assessment 13.3 Written Transitional Living Plan 13.4 Transition From Foster Care 13.5 Individual Development Accounts (IDA) 13.6 Credit Reports for Youth in Foster Care 13.7 Youth Rights and Responsibilities 13.8 Driver Education, Licensure and State Identification 13.9 Extended Youth Support Services (EYSS)
13.10 Medical Insurance for Youth 18 Years of Age and Older and the Georgia Advance Directive for Health Care
13.11 Post Foster Care (PFC) Resources 13.12 Juvenile Court Reviews for Youth Ages 18-23 13.13 National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD) 13.14 Asset Inventory 13.15 Events 13.16 Vendor Contracts Chapter 14 Resource Development 14.0 Introduction to Resource Development 14.1 Safety and Quality Standards 14.2 Reserved for Future Use 14.3 Reserved for Future Use
14.4 Waiver of Non-Safety Approval Standards for Relative Partnership Parents
14.5 Family Daycare and Personal Care Home Operation in Foster Homes 14.6 Recruitment and Retention 14.7 Inquiries and Information Sessions
14.8 Pre-service Training 14.9 Continued Parent Development 14.10 Initial Family Evaluation
14.11 Reserved for Future Use 14.12 Family Evaluation for Relative Adoptions 14.13 Family Re-evaluation 14.14 Family Evaluation Addendums 14.15 Household Approval Status 14.16 Working with Caregivers 14.17 Foster Parent Bill of Rights and Grievance Procedure 14.18 Supervision of Children 14.19 Home Safety 14.20 Discipline and Behavior Management 14.21 Reporting Allegations of Abuse and Neglect in Approved Homes 14.22 Policy Violations 14.23 Home Closure 14.24 Inter-County and Inter-Agency Partnerships 14.25 Staff Restrictions on Being Caregivers 14.26 Reasonable and Prudent Parenting Standard
Chapter 15 Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) 15.0 Introduction to Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) 15.1 Placements Subject to ICPC Jurisdiction 15.2 Placement of Georgia Children into Other States/Georgia Sending State 15.3 Placement of Children from Other States into Georgia/Georgia Receiving
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State 15.4 ICPC Expedited Placements 15.5 ICPC Placement Supervision 15.6 Court Jurisdiction Cases and Other ICPC Components 15.7 ICPC Related Travel Expenses
15.8 Border Agreements
Chapter 16 Room Board Watchful Oversight 16.0 Introduction to Room Board Watchful Oversight (RBWO)
16.1 Program Designation Types
16.2 Performance Based Placement
16.3 RBWO Placement Referral
16.4 Specialty Program Designations 16.5 Specialized Foster Care Per Diem
16.6 Group Care or Child Care Institutions Age Requirements 16.7 Discharge Planning
16.8 Minimum Standards
Chapter 17 Legal 17.0 Introduction to Court and Legal Process
17.1 The Juvenile Court Process 17.2 Case Review/Permanency Plan Hearings 17.3 Court Orders and Placement Authority 17.4 Mediation
17.5 Continuances
17.6 Public Access to Dependency Proceedings
17.7 Dependency Resulting from Substance Abuse
17.8 Caregiver’s Right to be Notified and Heard
17.9 Court Review of Custodial Orders
17.10 Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)/Guardian Ad Litem (GAL)
17.11 Termination of Parental Rights (TPR)
17.12 Voluntary Surrender of Parental Rights
17.13 Court Transfer of Jurisdiction
17.14 Establishing Paternity via Paternity Acknowledgement
17.15 Legitimation
17.16 Fair Hearings
17.17 Enlistment in the Armed Forces
Chapter 18 Support Services to Preserve or Reunify Families 18.0 Introduction to Support Services to Preserve or Reunify Families
18.1 Early Intervention
18.2 Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF)
18.3 Prevention of Unnecessary Placement (PUP)
18.4 Parent Aide
18.5 Homestead
18.6 Wrap-Around Services
18.7 Childcare Services
Chapter 19 Case Management 19.1 Milestones of Case Organization 19.2 Family Developmental Stages and Tasks 19.3 Family Team Meetings
19.4 Case Transfer
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19.5 Case Consultation
19.6 Supervisor Staffing 19.7 Reserved for Future Use
19.8 Criminal Records Checks (CRC)
19.9 Safety Screenings
19.10 Analyzing DFCS History
19.11 Safety Assessment
19.12 Safety Planning & Management 19.13 Family Functioning Assessment 19.14 Action Planning 19.15 Developing Contact Standards for Purposeful Contacts and Collaterals 19.16 Collaterals Contacts
19.17 Service Provisions
19.18 Targeted Case Management
19.19 Genogram
19.20 Diligent Search
19.21 Unable to Locate
19.22 Missing Children
19.23 Reserved for Future Use
19.24 Reserved for Future Use
19.25 Drug Screens
19.26 Case Management Involving Caregiver Substance Use or Abuse
19.27 Plan of Safe Care for Infants Prenatally Exposed to Substances or a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
19.28 Children's 1st and Babies Can't Wait
19.29 Coordination of Care with Hospitals
Chapter 20 Child Protective Services Information System (Child Abuse Registry)
20.0 Introduction to the Child Protective Services Information System (Child Abuse Registry)
20.1 CPSIS Inclusion and Notification to Alleged Child Abuser 20.2 OSAH Administrative Review of Substantiated Maltreatment Findings 20.3 Judicial Review of OSAH Reversed or Upheld Decision 20.4 Access to the Child Protective Services Information System
