Case Planning
How often should the case plan be reassessed and a case plan staffing be held?
At least every 6 months AND at key decision points in the life of a case (change in permanency goal is considered or there is a significant change in case circumstances).
True of False: Typically, having in-depth conversations with parents is all you need to do to gather sufficient information about the ongoing safety threats.
FALSE - It's better to gather information from multiple sources to give you a good picture of the safety threats and whether there has been any progress/regression in behavioral changes the parents have made. (Example: A parent can deny any criminal involvement/DV, but public records may indicate recent incidents.)
True or False: If no other team members were invited, a meeting between only the parents and the DCS Specialist to review the case plan meets the "Department definition" of a case plan staffing?
FALSE: For purposes of PICR reviews, in order for a "case plan staffing" to be considered one, at least most of the required people need to have been informed of and invited to the staffing.
How often does policy indicate a Parent Locate needs to be completed when a parent's whereabouts are unknown?
No less than every 6 months and prior to key decision points in the life of a case (i.e. change in permanency goal, case plan staffing, PPH/ Disposition Hearings /Permanency Hearings etc.).
At what age should children be included in the case planning process?
Typically school aged children 6 and older should be included in the case planning process in an age appropriate way. Actively involve a child in the case planning process by discussing their services with them, visitation, placement, the case plan goal, their parents progress in services etc.
When does an FFA need to be completed?
- w/in 60 days of a child's removal or opening a case for ongoing services and a child is unsafe (whichever is earlier)
- minimally every 90 days
- at case plan reassessment and revision
- when there is indication a child may be unsafe
- when a substantial change has occurred or is anticipated to occur w/in the family such as considering changing the permanency goal, considering unsupervised visits, considering reunification and considering case closure
Describe what behavioral goals are.
Behavioral goals are the desired, final behavior the agency would like the parent to display, not the steps or services for reaching the behavioral goal.
Name 3 ways you might gather information about the continuation of the safety threats for a family?
In-depth conversation with the parents
Observing the home
Observing parenting time
Speak with the out-of-home caregiver
Reviewing records - public records, service provider reports, SVO reports
Collaterals - relatives, probation officer, service providers
Name Checks
Conversations with the child
Name at least 4 different team members policy indicates should be invited to a case plan staffing.
parents, guardians and/or custodians (see Case Plan Staffing Invitation for Parents, CSO-2860);
child, if age 12 years or older (see Notice of Rights for Children and Youth in Foster Care, CSO-1141);
extended family members identified as an active or potential resource/support;
out-of-home caregiver;
licensing worker if the out-of-home caregiver is a licensed foster family;
service providers working with the family;
tribal social service representative;
tribal legal representative;
Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA);
child's and/or parent, guardian and/or custodian’s Regional Behavioral Health Authority (RBHA) case manager;
child's attorney and/or guardian ad-litem;
parent, guardian and/or custodian's attorney and/or guardian ad-litem; and
Assistant Attorney General assigned to the case.
Name 2 circumstances in which a safety plan should be updated.
- change in Responsible Adult
- safety actions required to manage safety threats have changed
- parent/child contact restrictions or level of supervision described in the safety plan has changed
-parents have made changes to behavior sufficient to make a plan less intrusive
- safety plan is insufficient and must become more restrictive