3000. FAMILY RECONCILIATION AND CRISIS RESIDENTIAL SERVICES

3100. FAMILY RECONCILIATION SERVICES PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Family Reconciliation Services (FRS) is intended to preserve, strengthen, and reconcile families. The range of services provided is designed to develop skills and supports within families to maintain the family as a unit and prevent out-of-home placement of adolescents. Services are voluntary for families, family-focused, and depend upon family participation in determining the focus of intervention. FRS is available at no cost to the family.
CA Intake or the FRS social workers will refer parent to Family Court for resolution of child custody issues.
Adolescents 13 through 17 years of age and/or their parents may request services when they are experiencing serious family conflict, including runaway behavior.
FRS services may consist of intake, family assessment, and crisis counseling services. When less intensive services fail to resolve the conflict, the Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) social worker and the family may consider short-term out-of-home placement alternatives. If any department-paid out-of-home placement occurs, DCFS staff refers the case to the Division of Child Support for establishment of any child support obligation.
FRS services are comprised of two service categories:
1. FRS Phase I: FRS Phase I services are short-term interactions between DCFS staff and the family requesting services. The services are directed toward deescalating the immediate crisis, defining the identified problem(s), and exploring options.
2. FRS Phase II: When the family requires additional services beyond Phase I, the DCFS social worker may refer the family to Phase II services. FRS Phase II provides for up to 12 hours of crisis counseling services within 45 days. FRS Phase II services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Contracted providers usually provide this service, but, at the discretion of the DCFS Regional Administrator, DCFS social workers, in limited instances, may provide the service.
The social worker must adhere to all requirements of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and the CA Indian Child Welfare (ICW) Manual throughout all phases of FRS service provision.
If the family or juvenile requesting or needing services does not meet the criteria for adolescent services contained in this chapter, the local DCFS office needs to consider the appropriateness of providing services under the provisions of child welfare services (CWS), chapter 4000.

3110. Requests for Family Reconciliation Services

Youths may come to the attention of DCFS for FRS services when the law enforcement officer has taken custody of a runaway adolescent or an adolescent found to be in dangerous circumstances.
1. The department, or other authorized service agency, may, upon the proper transfer of physical custody from law enforcement, accept the youth for temporary placement.
2. The youth may remain in placement for up to 72 hours, excluding weekends and holidays. If the youth is to remain in placement beyond 72 hours, a properly executed legal authorization to place must be in effect.
The DCFS local office in the county of residence of the custodial parent provides the FRS services. For runaways, if a youth is placed in a Crisis Residential Center (CRC) outside the county of residence of the youth’s family, the office where the youth is located will provide the minimum services necessary to transition the youth back to the youth’s county of residence. See section 3610 below. Upon request of the custodial parent, the DCFS social worker may authorize FRS to the youth and the youth’s non-custodial relative, if the youth’s home has been with that non-custodial relative. The social worker or the family must initiate any legal action in the county of residence of the custodial parent/legal guardian.
In accordance with WAC 388-32-0025, DCFS does not provide FRS for any of the following situations, unless the family is seeking an At-Risk Youth (ARY) or CHINS family assessment:
1. The identified youth has not reached his or her 13th birthday or is 18 years of age or older;
2. Chronic or long-term multi-problem situations requiring long term intervention;
3. Custody and marital disputes, unless the dispute creates a conflict between the child and parent with physical custody;
4. Families currently receiving counseling services related to the parent-child conflict/relationship from other agencies;
5. Child abuse and neglect cases, unless those cases meet the definition of family in conflict; or
6. Youths receiving foster care or group care services or follow up to those services.
If the DCFS social worker or Children's Administration (CA) Intake receives allegations of child abuse or neglect involving the family, Intake assesses the situation and assigns the level of risk in accordance with chapter 2000 of this manual. The local office assigns cases assessed for the high standard of investigation to Child Protective Services (CPS) for investigation and resolution of the allegation. The CPS social worker conducts the investigation and coordinates with the FRS social worker, who retains the case for FRS, when appropriate. The local office handles cases assessed for the low standard of investigation in accordance with regional procedures.

3121. Intake

CA Intake performs all FRS intake functions. CA Intake must respond to requests for services within four hours of the request. DCFS reception staff must assist youths and/or their families that self-present to the DCFS local office for FRS services to contact CA Intake to request FRS.
FRS social workers may conduct Child Welfare Services (CWS) assessments on cases that involve non-child abuse or neglect-related out-of-home placement.
Upon request, the intake worker must provide written information about the FRS program to parents and children. The intake worker may also provide information by telephone.
If, during the FRS intervention, the youth disclosed, the social worker observed, or a third party reported child abuse or neglect, a referral must be made to CA Intake. CA Intake assesses the allegation for sufficiency. If Intake determines that sufficient information exists to warrant CPS investigation, following supervisory staffing, the FRS worker transfers the case to CPS or, if appropriate, defers to the assigned CPS social worker regarding the CPS investigation while continuing FRS. When determining the roles of the CPS and FRS social workers, the local office staff should follow local protocols. If no local protocol exists, then the handling of the case will be in accordance with this subsection.

3122. Response Time

The FRS supervisor or designee must assign the case within 24 hours of the receipt of the referral from CA Intake, excluding weekends and holidays.
The FRS social worker must attempt to contact the family within 24 hours, excluding weekends and holidays, of assignment from the supervisor to schedule an initial appointment to begin the family assessment process. The FRS social worker may make this initial contact by telephone.

3130. FRS Phase I Services

FRS Phase I services include the following components:

FRS Phase I is a short-term, crisis intervention interaction provided by DCFS FRS social workers directed toward defusing the immediate crisis, problem identification, and exploration of options leading to problem resolution.
Service delivery begins with the least intensive, least intrusive intervention appropriate in the individual case circumstance.
The array of services offered are designed to develop skills and supports within families to resolve family conflicts and to achieve reconciliation between parent and child that avoids out-of-home placement
When, in consultation between the FRS supervisor and the FRS social worker, the social worker and the supervisor concur that face-to-face contact with the family is not required, the supervisor must document the decision in the SER. Without such consultation and concurrence, the FRS social worker must meet with the family face-to-face.

3131. Initial Interview With Family

The FRS social worker includes the following in the family interview and documents the interview in the Service Episode Record (SER):
1. Exploration of the seriousness of the crisis situation and history of efforts to resolve similar situations;
2. Assessment of roles, interactions, dynamics, and communication among family members;
3. Identification of family demographics (names, ages, sexes, schools, occupations, ethnicity, tribal or Native American status, socio-cultural environment, household composition, etc.);
4. Engagement of the family in defining problems and identifying options;
5. Assessment of child safety issues in the home and the need for referral to CPS or to community services; e.g., mental health, drug and alcohol treatment. The social worker needs to continue to be aware of protection considerations for the family.
If the family seeks an ARY or CHINS petition, the FRS social worker must meet face-to-face with the family to complete the DSHS 15-279, Family Assessment form.

The FRS social worker must complete a family assessment for all families involving At-Risk Youth (ARY) petitions and Child In Need Of Services (CHINS) petitions. The social worker must record the results of family assessments on the FRS Family Assessment, DSHS 15-279, and file it in the case record in accordance with the Operations Manual, chapter 13000, section 13100. The social worker must document all subsequent interventions in the case record on the SER in accordance with CAMIS and Operations Manual requirements.

3133. Case Management

Based upon the family interview, the social worker and the family identify and prioritize the immediate and longer-term goals.
The FRS social worker discusses with the family the services that appear to be appropriate, including explaining that all services offered are time-limited, family-focused, goal-oriented, and voluntary. The social worker plays an active role in discussing and facilitating access to culturally appropriate services.
The FRS social worker may offer services that include, but are not limited to:
1. Family Assessment Services;
2. Contracted Crisis Counseling;
3. Family Preservation/ Intensive Family Preservation Services;
4. Home Based Services;
5. Limited Placement Services;
6. Crisis Residential Care;
7. Receiving Foster Care Placement; and
8. Assessment Bed Placement.
The social worker also assesses whether there are other resources that might be provided either within other units internal to DCFS or outside the agency. Such services might include mental health services, private therapy, anger management, substance abuse treatment, or other culturally appropriate services. The FRS social worker assists the family to access these services.

3134. Specialized Staffings

The social worker identifies the need for and refers to specialized staffing such as a Child Protective Team (CPT), Multi-Disciplinary Teams, Local Indian Child Welfare Advisory Committee (LICWAC), etc.

3140. FRS PHASE II Services

FRS Social Workers must use the following priority list when making a Phase II referral, with “1” as the highest priority and “7” as the lowest:
1. Youths at substantial risk of out-of-home placement for reasons other than child protection;
2. Runaways;
3. Families presenting with violent conflict; and
4. Families presenting with serious conflict.
5. Families awaiting access to other community resources;
6. Families that do not meet any of the criteria listed above;
7. Families with alternative resources.
Available Services
1. The Phase II service provider may offer counseling services that take the form of either individual or group sessions.
  1. Individual crisis counseling services are limited to the number of hours necessary to alleviate the family crisis, but in no case may the counseling services exceed 12 hours within 45 days.
  2. Group counseling services are also limited to the amount of time necessary to alleviate the family crisis, but in no case may group counseling services exceed eight hours within 45 days.
2. Contracted providers usually provide Phase II counseling services, but, at the discretion of the DCFS Regional Administrator, DCFS social workers, in limited instances, may provide the service.
3. Families must make a commitment to participate in crisis counseling services and must not be currently receiving family counseling services through other agencies or practitioners. At a minimum, there must be a parent and a child willing to participate.
4. Neither the DCFS social worker nor the contractor may extend Phase II counseling services for length of service time. Only the DCFS Regional Administrator may extend the length of service time, through a signed Exception-to-Policy (ETP) waiver. The ETP may extend time only; the Regional Administrator may not increase the amount of funds to be reimbursed to the contractor.
5. Phase II counseling services are available a maximum of twice in the lifetime for any family. The family must include a parent/guardian who has legal custody of the youth.
6. The FRS social worker must review and be familiar with the department's statements of work in FRS contracts with vendors. Regional Administrators will arrange for provision of basic contract information to social workers to give them a working knowledge of FRS Phase II counseling services contract provisions.
  1. The social worker reports to the supervisor problems with contract compliance that the social worker cannot resolve.
  2. The supervisor refers the issue to the designated regional program manager if unable to resolve the problem with the contractor.

3141. Completion of FRS Services

In accordance with WAC 388-25-0030, the DCFS social worker and the FRS contractor must complete all FRS Phase II services within 45 days.
The DCFS FRS social worker must transfer cases that involve Child in Need of Services (CHINS) petitions to Child Welfare Services (CWS) after the disposition hearings, but no later than 90 days after the initial contact with the family. For youths in out-of-home placement, under any authority, beyond 90 days, the FRS social worker must transfer the case to CWS.
In non-placement cases, the FRS social worker must close the case after 90 days unless the family continues to receive Phase II services, Intensive Family Preservation Services (IFPS), Family Preservation Services (FPS), or Home Based Services (HBS), and these services are in the final stages of completion.

3150. Crisis Residential Center (CRC) Program Description

Crisis Residential Centers are short-term, temporary placement options available on a 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week basis to runaway youths and youths in serious conflict with parents or guardians.
The purpose of a placement into a CRC program is to assess, treat, and assist parents with protecting and stabilizing youths with serious problems. CRCs provide on-site family counseling to address the crisis situation affecting reunification of the youth with the youth’s family as soon as possible and to link youths and their families to on-going counseling and/or treatment services.
CRC programs focus on the current conflict underlying the youth’s placement in the CRC, and, with input from the youth and the youth’s family, develop a goal-directed treatment plan to address the presenting problems.

3151. Eligibility FOR CRC Services

For placement in a CRC, a youth must be age 13 through 17.
CRC contracts require that CRCs provide intervention services to the youth and the youth’s family, including family counseling and referrals to community-based resources, in order to prevent out-of-home placement. FRS has priority for placement in CRCS. If a non-FRS social worker needs an alternate resource for the placement of youths from disrupted placements that are awaiting placement in another placement setting, the social worker must contact the CRC gatekeeper to receive approval prior to placing the youth in the CRC.

3152. Types Of CRC Programs

There are three types of CRC facilities: Family CRCs; Semi-secure (also known as Regional or Group) CRCs; and Secure CRCs.

Family CRCs are located in homes licensed as family foster homes. DCFS social workers or, if available, contractor’s staff provide counseling services.
Regional and Group CRCs are classified as semi-secure facilities. They do not have locking doors or windows. They are staff-secured facilities with a high staff to child ratio. Contractors operate semi-secure CRCs to reasonably assure that youths placed will not run away.
Secure CRCs (SCRC) are physically secure facilities operated by private contractors or are co-located within juvenile detention centers. SCRCs have internal locking doors and windows and/or secure perimeter fencing, but must adhere to local Fire Marshall regulations regarding time release mechanisms.

3153. Length-Of-Stay

Youths may reside in a CRC of any type for a maximum of five consecutive days. Youths may transfer from one CRC to another, but the combination of length of time in placements must not exceed five consecutive days from the point of intake.
Youths admitted to a SCRC must remain a minimum of 24 hours before the youths can be transferred to a less restrictive placement setting, except as listed below.
1. A youth’s parent/legal guardian may remove the youth at any time unless law enforcement has placed a protective hold as authorized in Chapter 13.34 RCW, or DCFS or another agency has obtained a shelter care order.
2. DSHS or another agency having custody of the youth may remove the youth after 24 hours if the SCRC assessment indicates the youth is at minimal risk to run.

3200. ROLE OF DCFS

Role Of DCFS Applicable To All CRC Facilities
1. The Regional Administrator must designate a FRS supervisor to serve as a “Gatekeeper” for semi-secure CRC placement services. The Gatekeeper assures:
  1. Compliance with legislative intent of the CRC program; and
  2. That youths being placed meet the placement criteria specified in the Statement of Work of the CRC provider’s contract with the department.
2. The DCFS office must assign a DCFS social worker to the youth upon the youth’s placement into any type of CRC program. The DCFS office must make FRS available to the youth and the youth’s family to facilitate reconciliation of the family, unless there are CPS allegations that prevent immediate reunification. The assigned social worker performs the following duties with respect to CRC placements:
  1. Obtain proper legal authorization for placement within 72 hours of placement, excluding weekends and holidays.
  2. Record the placement in the Legal History & Placement module in CAMIS, as well as in the SER, and authorize relevant services in SSPS.
  3. If required, authorize emergency medical or dental care for the youth, being sensitive to the cultural or religious needs of the youth. The youth or parents must authorize any non-emergent care.
  4. If there are CPS allegations, coordinate with the CPS worker to contact the parents to obtain information and inform them of their rights. Notify the CRC of the youth’s status and whether to proceed with reunification plans. Youths assigned to CPS for investigation may remain in the CRC until such time as appropriate transfer to another placement is obtained; however, in no event may the youth remain in the placement beyond the five consecutive day limit.
  5. Coordinate reunification plans with youths admitted to Family CRCs.
  6. Assist with further case planning when reunification efforts are unsuccessful.
  7. Assist the family, as requested by the family and as appropriate, in obtaining services designed to strengthen the family unit following discharge of the youth from the CRC.
3. DCFS social workers, law enforcement, and contractors must not place juveniles who are alleged or adjudicated offenders into a CRC in lieu of detention.
4. Social workers must be familiar with the CRC contract Statements of Work to ensure compliance with the CRC contract and to avoid duplication of services. The Statement of Work outlines the CRC program’s responsibilities regarding family counseling, transportation, medical treatment, termination summaries, and record keeping.
Duties Specific To The Type of CRC Placement
In addition to the requirements for all types of CRC placement, the following requirements apply to the specific type of CRC.
1. Secure CRC
  1. RCW 13.32A.050 requires that law enforcement place runaway youths, or youths whom law enforcement determines are in dangerous situations, into a SCRC, if an immediate return to the parent is not possible. The role of DCFS is to simply advise law enforcement of the availability of bed space and open an FRS case. DCFS has no authority to prioritize the case and make an alternative placement, unless there is no SCRC bed available.
  2. The SCRC must report to the local DCFS office when law enforcement places a youth at the facility.
  3. Under limited circumstances, RCW 13.32A.130 allows the SCRC administrator to transfer a youth from a semi-secure CRC to a SCRC if the youth is assessed as a high risk to run.
  4. The local office must assign a DCFS social worker to any youth placed into a SCRC. At a minimum, the social worker must make telephone contact with the SCRC within 24 hours of assignment from the supervisor.
  5. The SCRC contractor must assess all youths placed into the contractor’s SCRC every 24 hours, as long as the youths remain in residence, regarding the youths’ runaway risk. The SCRC administrator may move youths that cannot return home, but are assessed as a low risk to run, to a less restrictive setting.
2. Semi-secure CRC
  1. CA Intake or the FRS social worker assesses the need for a semi-secure CRC placement and obtains approval from the gatekeeper for placement of the youth into a semi-secure CRC.
  2. The local office must assign a DCFS social worker to any youth placed into a semi-secure CRC. At a minimum, the social worker must make telephone contact with the CRC within 24 hours of assignment from the supervisor.
3. Family CRC
  1. The DCFS social worker must assess the need for CRC placement and obtain Gatekeeper approval for placement into a Family CRC. Family CRC beds are located in family foster homes. The DCFS social worker or, when available, contractor staff provide counseling services.
  2. For youths placed in a family CRC, the child’s assigned social worker must conduct and document in the SER a face-to-face interview, or face-to-face contact with the child incapable of being interviewed, within the next business day following placement.

3250. OTHER SERVICE OPTIONS

Intensive Family Preservation Services (IFPS) And Family Preservation Services (FPS)

IFPS and FPS are family-focused, behavior-oriented, in-home counseling, and support programs available in most counties. The services may be utilized when youths are at imminent or substantial risk of placement or when children return to the home from out-of-home care. See chapter 4000, section 4502, for full descriptions of IFPS and FPS.
Social workers who refer families to IFPS or FPS must be familiar with the IFPS and FPS contract Statements of Work to ensure compliance with the contracts. The Statements of Work outline responsibilities of the DCFS social worker making the referral as well as the contractor’s responsibilities in providing the requested services to the family.

Home Based Services (HBS)

HBS provides flexible funding for short-term services for families with children at risk of out-of-home placement. HBS is focused on behavioral and environmental change. Services include, but are not limited to, basic needs (food, clothing, shelter, furniture, health, home repair, utilities, and transportation) and professional services such as anger management classes, family counseling, drug testing, and childcare. See chapter 4000, section 4519, for a full description of HBS.
The social worker reviews regional instructions for specific information related to services available and authorization procedures.

Out-of-Home Placement
If FRS services fail to resolve the conflict and placement appears unavoidable, the social worker consults with the family and with the supervisor. The social worker and the family may consider the following options for placement, depending upon appropriateness, resource availability, and regional and local policy:
1. Relative placement.
2. Assessment Center placement.
3. Foster care placement.
4. Treatment foster care placement.
5. Behavior Rehabilitative Services.
See chapter 4000, Child Welfare Services, for descriptions and instructions regarding these services.

3301. Washington Jurisdictions

Runaway youths from other Washington jurisdictions may be held with proper legal authority in a CRC or other out-of-home care facility, but not longer than five days, until one of the following occurs:

CA Intake, juvenile court officer, or law enforcement contacts the legal custodian and arranges for transport home.
If the child is assigned to a DCFS social worker, CA Intake will contact the assigned social worker to arrange courtesy services and/or placement with the out-of-area local office, until the assigned social worker can arrange for the child to be transported home or to an appropriate placement.
If the child does not have an open case assignment, CA Intake will notify the DCFS office in the area of the youth's legal residence.

3302. Out Of State Jurisdictions

Out-of-state runaway youths may be held with proper legal authority in a CRC, for up to five days, or other out-of-home care facility until one of the following occurs:

The DCFS social worker contacts the legal custodian to make arrangements made for the youth’s transportation to the youth’s home.
If the youth is a dependent of another state, the DCFS social worker coordinates transportation arrangements with the proper authorities in that state.

3303. Documenting Information on Persons Caring for Runaways

RCW 13.32A.082 requires persons caring for runaways to report those youths to parents, police, or the department within eight hours of learning that the youth is away from home without parental permission. When the department receives a report, it must make a good faith attempt to notify the parent that a report has been received and offer services designed to resolve the conflict and accomplish a reunification of the family. Consequently, when DCFS receives these reports, CA Intake must notify the parent that DCFS has received a report and must offer services to help resolve the conflict and reunite the family.
Program Procedures
1. CA Intake receives reports from persons or shelters caring for runaways. CA Intake staff will take reports by telephone and document them in CAMIS. CA Intake refers the reports to the DCFS FRS or other assigned social worker if the case is already open.
2. CA Intake or the assigned social worker takes these reports only from persons directly caring for (i.e., receiving) runaways. Parents wanting to report a youth that has run from home must report the youth to the police in the area where the youth ran away. The department at this time is not logging third party reports.
3. Staff receiving the reports about runaway youths must attempt to notify parents of the report and offer reunification services to the family. Usually, those services will be FRS services, such as FRS assessment, CRC placement, and/or crisis counseling services.
4. Unless the parents or youth request services, or the case is already open for service, the department’s responsibility ends with the parent notification and offer of services.

3304. Placement or Decline of Placement of Runaways and Reporting Requirements

This section outlines steps to be taken by law enforcement and department staff when a runaway youth is in need of placement. It includes guidelines, authorized under RCW 13.32A.060(1)(c), for DCFS staff to follow when deciding if placement is appropriate. This section pertains only to youths taken into police custody as runaways under Chapter 13.32A RCW and does not apply to youths served under dependency or child protection statutes.

Requirements and Procedures
1. Police may take a youth in custody to the local DCFS office for placement, if the parent or a CRC bed is not readily available. The DCFS office must accept the youth for placement if an “appropriate placement is currently available.” The DCFS office may decline to accept the youth if a suitable placement is unavailable. If the DCFS office declines to accept the youth for placement, the police must attempt to take the youth to the home of an adult relative, a responsible adult, or a licensed youth shelter (in that order). If those efforts fail, police may release the youth and make a report to DCFS.
2. When picking up runaways identified as Indian youths, police should first attempt to return the youth to the parent or other legal guardian. If the parent or guardian is not available, the officer should then contact the youth’s Tribe. If neither the parent nor a tribal contact is immediately available, the police should take the youth to the department for emergency placement under Indian Child Welfare (ICW) procedures.
3. RCW 74.13.036(5) requires the department to report to the legislature:
  1. The number of children it declines to accept from police;
  2. The number of times the police released youths because the department declined custody;
  3. Dates, places, and reasons why the department declined custody, and dates and places youths are released by police.
4. DCFS field staff must make reasonable attempts to find a suitable placement for youths brought by law enforcement to the department for placement. Parental consent or a court petition is necessary after 72 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays) if a youth remains in placement.
5. DCFS field staff will use the following guidelines when determining whether the department will accept custody from law enforcement:
  1. Whether a bed is available within a reasonable distance;
  2. Whether a foster parent can reasonably be expected to manage the youth’s behavior;
  3. Age of the youth - No youth under 13 years of age should be turned away unless police are pursuing a placement for the child with a relative or other responsible adult;
  4. Special Needs of the Youth - If the youth has serious medical problems or is developmentally disabled and would be endangered if released by police, staff will make every effort to locate a placement;
  5. The youth states strongly that a relative or responsible adult will let him or her stay the night. A telephone call will be made to confirm this alternative while the youth and officer are in the office; and
  6. If a bed is available, but social work staff believes the youth is not appropriate for it, the staff will confirm that fact with a supervisor. For example, a youth with a history of physical assault on adults would usually not be appropriate for an emergency placement into a family foster home. However, a youth who has run away several times previously should not be denied placement on that basis alone.
CAMIS Procedures
1. CAMIS contains a reporting screen to be used when DCFS field staff decline placement of a youth. To access this screen from the CAMIS main menu, press “2” for “Referral, Intake Procedures/Reports.” Then, from the Intake menu, press “1” for “Intake Procedures.” Hit “enter” twice or enter “23” to select “Decline Plcmnt of Youth in Police Custody.” This screen does not link to other CAMIS case data, but is simply a listing of youths declined from police custody. To retrieve information from it, simply type “A” on line “Youth Last Name: “. A listing of all declined youths will appear.
2. The lower section of the screen described above is used when law enforcement officers report that a youth who has been declined by DCFS for placement was later released because no placement was available with a relative, other responsible adult, or licensed youth shelter. DCFS staff who receive the information from law enforcement offices complete this section. The DCFS staff may obtain the information from law enforcement officers by telephone, in person, or from a police report. To access the “decline” information about a particular youth, follow procedures in paragraph (1), above.

3350. RELEASE OF JUVENILES BY THE COURT TO THE DEPARTMENT

A juvenile taken into custody, whether held in detention or released after the posting of a bond, can be released by the court to a responsible adult or the department under RCW 13.32A.060. See the CA Case Services Policy Manual, chapter 5000, section 5410.
If the court cannot locate a parent or responsible adult, or if DCFS does not agree to receive the youth, the court must immediately notify DCFS if the youth is released. DCFS is not obligated to accept the youth unless the youth is in the legal custody of the department.
When DCFS agrees to accept these youths, DCFS staff will conduct an assessment to determine if the youth can go home or needs to go into placement. The DCFS social worker will attempt to locate the parent and, if no serious CPS issues are present, return the child home. If the child is unable to return to the parent’s home, DCFS staff will work with parents to find a relative or other adult with whom the parents will allow the child to reside.
DCFS does not have authority to transport nor place a child. If the parent is not available and/or does not agree to placement with another individual or the social worker needs to transport the youth, the worker must obtain documented legal authority – police custody, voluntary placement agreement, CHINS, or shelter care or dependency order – before transporting the youth or placing the youth in licensed care. If the youth runs from the DCFS waiting room after court staff has released the youth to the department, DCFS staff reports the youth as a runaway to local law enforcement or determines that court staff has submitted the runaway report.
Local DCFS offices have established agreements with juvenile court facilities regarding the release of a youth to the department. Staff needs to refer to these established protocols for specific regional/local procedures.

3400. CHILDREN MISSING FROM CARE

See Chapter 4, Section 4550

3450. Case Review/Staffings

Reviews, other than supervisory reviews, usually pertain to children in placement or those for whom longer-term placement is a likely outcome. Social workers must comply with regional and local procedures. Examples of reviews may include LICWAC reviews for Native American children, children in care over 30 days, multi-disciplinary team staffing, and court-mandated legal reviews. Chapter 4000, Child Welfare Services, contains additional guidelines for such reviews.
See chapter 2000, section 2562, for requirements relating to Child Protection Team (CPT) staffings.

3500. FRS CASE OUTCOMES

The ideal outcome of an FRS service episode is reduction in level of conflict, the stabilization of the family, prevention of out-of-home placement, or the return home of a runaway youth.
Specific outcomes may include:
1. Following social worker contact and provision of information and referral, the youth and family declined to participate in further FRS service. Case is closed.
2. The social worker recommended or referred the family to specific community services. Case is closed.
3. Youth and family received FRS Phase I, and the youth remains at home. Case is closed.
4. Youth and family received FRS Phase I, and the youth was placed temporarily in out-of-home care. Services provided, and the youth was then returned home. Case is closed.
5. Youth and family received FRS Phase II, and the youth remains at home. Case is closed.
6. Youth and family received FRS Phase II, and the youth was placed temporarily in out-of-home care. Services provided, and the youth was then returned home. Case is closed.
7. Youth and family received FRS Phase II, but serious conflict remained unresolved. The youth was placed in longer-term out-of-home care. The case transferred to CWS social worker when the youth was placed, and family reunification is not the immediate goal. These placement cases must be transferred within 90 days of Intake.
8. Case transferred to CPS. FRS case closed.

3550. Inactive Status

Case Closure: The social worker must designate cases where services have ended but cannot be closed until paperwork and other documentation are completed as “Services Inactive/Paperwork Pending (S) program assignment for social worker or supervisor.”
The purpose of this worker assignment is to be able to track the workload involved in follow-up paperwork (Operations Manual 152022 (F)(4)).

3600. CHILD IN NEED OF SERVICES (CHINS) PETITION AND PLACEMENT

After reasonable efforts (which may include but are not limited to crisis counseling, CRC placement, IFPS, etc.) at resolving conflict have failed to achieve reconciliation, the parents, the youth, or DCFS may file a CHINS petition. See the CA Case Services Policy Manual, sections 5500-5530 and section 7200, for references to the statute and relevant policy considerations for the social worker. The social worker must not utilize CHINS for protection issues or to resolve custody disputes.
The assigned DCFS social worker must complete a family assessment in accordance with RCW 13.32A.150 before the court may accept the filing of a CHINS petition by the youth or the youth’s parents. The social worker must use the FRS Family Assessment, DSHS 15-279, to document the assessment.
CHINS placement is temporary out-of-home care designed to provide the family and the youth the opportunity to resolve conflict in those instances where temporarily separation is in the best interests of the youth and the family.
In accordance with RCW 13.32A.170, the person filing the petition must show that the person has tried to work out the conflict, that all reasonable alternatives have been explored, and that it is best for the youth to live outside the home while the family continues to work toward resolution of the conflict. If the court approves the out-of-home placement, the youth will normally live with a relative or in a licensed foster home.
Pre-Passport - If a youth is expected to remain in care beyond 30 days, the youth must be screened for needs using the standardized instruments.

3650. At-Risk Youth (ARY) Petition

The ARY petition has provisions that allow the court to order the youth home or into a placement of the parent's choosing and at the parent's expense. See the CA Case Services Policy Manual, Appendix A, and section 5540, for policy considerations.
An At-Risk Youth petition allows custodial parents to ask for a juvenile court’s help in keeping their adolescent at home and setting reasonable conditions that the youth must follow, such as going to school, following family rules, and/or attending counseling sessions. If the youth disobeys a court order, the parents may file a motion and the youth may be held in contempt of court and placed in a detention facility for up to seven days.
Parents requesting an ARY petition keep legal custody of the youth. Parents do not have to pay for the FRS assessment and counseling but may have to pay for other services. Parents must complete a family assessment with the local DCFS office prior to filing the ARY petition.
Social workers must attempt to connect persons inquiring about ARY with FRS or other appropriate service.
The assigned DCFS social worker must complete a family assessment in accordance with RCW 13.32A.150 before the court may accept the filing of an ARY petition by the youth or the youth’s parents. The social worker must use the FRS Family Assessment, DSHS 15-279 to document the assessment.

3700. CASE RESOLUTION/CLOSURE

The ideal outcome of an FRS service episode is the reduction in level of conflict, the stabilization of the family, and the reduced risk of out-of-home placement or the return home of a runaway youth.
Specific outcomes may include:
1. Youth and family received FRS counseling, and the youth remains at home. Case is closed.
2. Youth and family received FRS counseling, and the youth was placed temporarily in out-of-home care. The family's ability to cope was strengthened, and the youth was then returned home. Case is closed.
3. Youth and family received FRS counseling, but serious conflict remained unresolved. The youth was placed in longer-term out-of-home care. The social worker shall transfer placement cases to CWS social workers when family reunification is not the immediate goal.
4. Youth and family chose not to participate in further FRS service. Case is closed.
5. During FRS intervention, youth disclosed sexual abuse or serious physical abuse and, following supervisory staffing, the FRS worker carried the case jointly with or transferred to CPS.
6. Family was referred to community services, and the case was closed.

3710. Inactive Status

Case Closure: Cases where services have ended per section 3800 but cannot be closed until paperwork and other documentation is completed should be designated as “Services Inactive/Paperwork Pending (S) program assignment for social worker or supervisor”.
The purpose of this worker assignment is to be able to track the workload involved in follow-up paperwork (Operations Manual 152022 (F)(4)).
The social worker must properly complete all forms and narrative recordings within 90 days of a decision to terminate services and close a case. The supervisor must review both CAMIS and the folder for accuracy and completeness and document the review in the CAMIS SER before closure or transfer to another service.