DAR File No. 39542

Human Services, Child and Family Services

Rule R512-200

Child Protective Services, Intake Services

Notice of Proposed Rule

(Amendment)

DAR File No.: 39542
Filed: 07/27/2015 11:18:39 AM

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

The purpose of this rule modification is to bring the rule in line with current statute and practice.

Summary of the rule or change:

This rule change is intended to make the rule technically correct with current practice.

State statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

• Section 62A-4a-102
• Section 62A-4a-202.6
• Section 62A-4a-105

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

There will be no increase in cost or savings to the state budget because these proposed changes do not increase workload that would require additional staff or other costs.

local governments:

Local governments have no responsibility for services offered by Child and Family Services and are therefore not affected by this rule and will experience no fiscal impact.

small businesses:

Small businesses have no responsibility for services offered by Child and Family Services and are therefore not affected by this rule and will experience no fiscal impact.

persons other than small businesses, businesses, or local governmental entities:

There is no expected fiscal impact for "persons other than small businesses, businesses, or local government entities" because funding requests for services offered by Child and Family Services come out of already-existing budgets.

Compliance costs for affected persons:

Child and Family Services determined that there will be no compliance costs for affected persons because there are no specific costs involved with the changes being made to this rule.

Comments by the department head on the fiscal impact the rule may have on businesses:

This rule will have no fiscal impact on businesses.

Ann Williamson, Executive Director

The full text of this rule may be inspected, during regular business hours, at the Division of Administrative Rules, or at:

Human Services
Child and Family Services
195 N 1950 W
SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84116

Direct questions regarding this rule to:

• Carol Miller at the above address, by phone at 801-557-1772, by FAX at 801-538-3993, or by Internet E-mail at carolmiller@utah.gov
• Julene Robbins at the above address, by phone at 801-538-4521, by FAX at 801-538-3942, or by Internet E-mail at jhjonesrobbins@utah.gov

Interested persons may present their views on this rule by submitting written comments to the address above no later than 5:00 p.m. on:

09/14/2015

This rule may become effective on:

09/21/2015

Authorized by:

Brent Platt, Director

R512. Human Services, Child and Family Services.

R512-200. Child Protective Services, Intake Services.

R512-200-1. Purpose and Authority.

(1) The purpose of Intake Services is:

(a) To receive and evaluate whether an investigation is needed;

(b) Assign for investigation referrals of suspected child abuse, neglect, and dependency.

(2) Pursuant to Section 62A-4a-105 and 62A-4a-403, Child and Family Services is authorized to provide CPS.

(3) This rule is authorized by Section 62A-4a-102.

 

R512-200-2. Definitions.

(1) The following terms are defined for the purposes of this rule:

(a) "Child and Family Services" means the Division of Child and Family Services.

(b) "CPS" means Child Protective Services.

(c) "SAFE" means Child and Family Services' Child Welfare Management Information System.

 

R512-200-3. Scope of Services.

(1) Qualification for Services.

(a) Child and Family Services will maintain a system for receiving referrals or reports about child abuse, neglect, or dependency. The system shall supply Child and Family Services CPS workers with a complete previous Child and Family Services history for each child, including siblings, foster care episodes, all reports of abuse, neglect, or dependency, treatment plans, and casework deadlines.

(2) Priority of the referral.

(a) Child and Family Services establishes CPS priority time frames as follows:

(i) A Priority 1 response shall be assigned when the child referred is in need of immediate protection. Intake will begin to collect information immediately after the completion of the initial contact from the referent. As soon as possible thereafter, Intake will obtain additional information, staff the referral to determine the priority, notify law enforcement, and assign to the Child and Family Services CPS worker. Intake shall provide the Child and Family Services CPS worker with information concerning prior investigations on SAFE. The Child and Family Services CPS worker has as a standard of 60 minutes from the time Intake notifies the worker to initiate efforts to make face-to-face contact with an alleged victim. For a Priority 1R (rural) referral, a Child and Family Services CPS worker has, as a standard, three hours to initiate efforts to make face-to-face contact if the alleged victim is more than 40 miles from the investigator who is assigned to make the face-to-face contact.

(ii) A Priority 2 response shall be assigned when physical evidence is at risk of being lost or the child is at risk of further abuse, neglect, or dependency, but the child does not have immediate protection and safety needs, as determined by the Intake checklist. Intake will begin to collect information as soon as possible after the completion of the initial contact from the referent. As soon as possible Intake will obtain additional information, staff the referral to determine the priority, assign the referral to the Child and Family Services CPS worker, and notify law enforcement. Intake shall give verbal notification to the assigned Child and Family Services CPS worker. Intake shall also provide the Child and Family Services CPS worker with information concerning prior investigations on SAFE. The Child and Family Services CPS worker has, as a standard, 24 hours from the time Intake notifies the worker to initiate efforts to make face-to-face contact with the alleged victim.[Notification of a Priority 2 referral received after normal working hours (8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m.) shall occur as early as possible following morning.]

(iii) A Priority 3 response shall be assigned when potential for further harm to the child and the loss of physical evidence is low. Prior to transferring the case to a Child and Family Services CPS worker, Intake will obtain additional information, research data sources, staff the referral as necessary, determine the priority, complete documentation including data entry, make disposition to CPS, and notify law enforcement. Intake shall also provide the Child and Family Services CPS worker with information concerning prior investigations on SAFE. The Child and Family Services CPS worker will make the face-to-face contact with the alleged victim [within a reasonable period of time]by the end of the third business day.

(3) If Child and Family Services received a report concerning a runaway child, Intake will gather information to determine if there is an allegation of abuse, neglect, or dependency that requires a CPS referral or will refer the caller to contact a youth services agency in accordance with Section 62A-4a-501.

(4) Out-of-State Abuse or Neglect Report.

(a) Child and Family Services will take reasonable steps to ensure that reports of abuse or neglect are referred for investigation to the appropriate out-of-state agency and shall take reasonable steps to adequately protect children in Utah who were victims of abuse in another state or country from the alleged perpetrator.

(b) When the referent identifies an incident of abuse or neglect that occurred outside Utah but the child is in Utah at the time of the referral, the Child and Family Services CPS worker shall:

(i) Obtain all the information needed to complete a referral.

(ii) Determine whether the child is at risk of abuse or neglect from the alleged perpetrator.

(iii) Contact the CPS agency in the state where the incident of abuse occurred and complete the referral process of that state.

(iv) Assign the referral to a Child and Family Services CPS worker for a courtesy interview and coordination with the other state's investigation, when requested.

(v) In domestic violence related child abuse cases, recognize another state's protective order.

[(vi) If the other state refuses to open an investigation or the investigation is contrary to the evidence acquired in Utah, the referral shall be assigned to a Child and Family Services CPS worker for investigation. The Child and Family Services CPS worker completing the investigation shall review the case with the Attorney General's Office for assistance with jurisdictional issues.

] (5) When a referent identifies an incident of abuse or neglect that occurred in Utah, and the child is not in Utah at the time of the referral, the Intake worker shall:

(a) Obtain all the information needed to complete a referral.

(b) Determine the location of the child and the length of time the child will be at their current location. If the child will be outside the state of Utah longer than 30 days, a request for courtesy casework will be made in the state where the child is currently located.

(c) If the child is determined to be at risk, a request will be made for courtesy casework within the priority time frame.

(6) The Department of Health Child Care Licensing unit and/or the Department of Human Services Office of Licensing and appropriate Child and Family Services staff shall be notified by Intake when Child and Family Services receives a referral for an allegation of child abuse, neglect, or dependency against a licensed child care provider or out-of-home care provider. The referral shall be forwarded to the assigned personnel for conflict of interest investigations when the allegation involves a child living in substitute care while in protective custody or temporary custody of Child and Family Services, or any other Child and Family Services conflict of interest in accordance with Section 62A-4a-202.6.

(7) Availability.

(a) CPS are available in all geographic regions of the state.

 

KEY: social services, child welfare, domestic violence, child abuse

Date of Enactment or Last Substantive Amendment: [August 11, 2010]2015

Notice of Continuation: April 8, 2013

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: 62A-4a-102; 62A-4a-105; 62A-4a-202.6