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DFCS Online Policies & Procedures
Handbook 1:
Intake
No.
Chapter Title
1-1
Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA): Who Must Report
1-2
DFCS Staff Reporting Responsibilities
1-2.2
Mandated Reports: Domestic Violence
1-3
Child Abuse and Neglect Center (CANC): Taking a Report
1-3.1
Child Abuse and Neglect Center (CANC) Telephone System
1-4
Definitions of Child Abuse and Neglect
1-5
Emergency Response Protocol
1-7.5
Investigating Placements to which a Registered Sex Offender is Associated
XP
Joint Response Protocol
(2-2)
1-5.1
CANC: Referrals Regarding Children Under DFCS Supervision
XP
Investigating Placements to which a Registered Sex Offender (RSO) Is Associated
(2.62)
1-6
Referral Name and Address Criteria
1-7
Evaluating-out Referrals
1-7.1
Differential Response-Path 1: Evaluated-out Referrals
1-7.2
CANC: The Child's Parent/Legal Guardian is Not the Alleged Perpetrator
1-7.3
CANC: Referrals Regarding Children in Out-of-Home Care and Day Care Who Are Not Under DFCS Supervision
1-7.4
CANC: Referrals Involving Domestic Violence
1-8
CANC: Determining a Response to a Referral
1-8.1
Cross Reporting to Local Law Enforcement
XP
Assigning Emergency Response Referrals
(12-1)
1-9
Child Fatalities and Near Fatalities
XP
Safely Surrendered Baby Protocol
1-10
Assessment and Intake Center: Staffing and Function
1-11
Receiving Center
1-17
Children Adjudicated or Pending Adjudication of WIC § 602 Status
1-18
(CLETS) California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System
1-19
Live Scan Finger Printing Procedures
Handbook 2:
Assessments and In-Person Responses
No.
Chapter Title
2-1
Emergency Response (ER): Purpose and Function
2-2
Joint Response (JR): DFCS and Law Enforcement
2-2.1
How to Obtain a Court Order to Interview a Child
2-3
Conducting an Emergency Response Assessment
2-3.1
Investigating Referrals Involving Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)
2-3.3
Staffing Required when Assessing Physical Injury
2-4
Identifying the Client's Language Needs
2-4.1
Language Line
2-5
Interviewing Children at School
2-5.6
Emergency Response Referrals from Probate Court
2-5.7
DFCS Referrals for Probate Guardianship
2-6
Referrals Alleging Abuse or Neglect Regarding Children Under DFCS Supervision
2-6.1
Differential Response: Path II
2-6.2
Investigating Placements to which a Registered Sex Offender (RSO) Is Associated
XP
Cross Reporting to Local Law Enforcement (1-8.1)
XP
Child Fatalities and Near Fatalities
XP
Safely Surrendered Baby Protocol
2-7
Taking a Child into Temporary Custody
2-7.1
Notifying Hospital Staff of Placing a Child in Temporary Custody
2-7.2
Emergency Screenings in Family Court for Non-Offending Parents
XP
Emergency Medical Orders
(13-6)
2-8
Transporting Children
2-9
Intake at the Receiving, Assessment and Intake Center
2-9.1
Placing a Non-Dependent Child after the Child Is Placed in Temporary Custody
XP
Reporting to the Department of Justice (DOJ) (13-2)
2-10
ER After-Hours Program
2-13
Dependent Intake (DI): Purpose and Functions
2-14
DI: Investigations and Assessments
Handbook 3:
Assessment Guides
No.
Chapter Title
3-1
Allegation Guide I: Physical and Sexual Maltreatment
3-2
Allegation Guide II: Mental/Emotional and Substance Related Maltreatment
3-3
Allegation Guide III: Lack/Inadequacy of Supervision and Hazardous Home/Inadequate Necessities
3-4
Allegation Guide IV: Health/Medical Maltreatment or Harm; Potential Maltreatment of Harm; and Child Coercion or Duress
3-5
Observation Techniques
3-6
Assessing The Development of Children 0-59 Months Old
3-7
Assessment of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
3-8
Assessment of Exploitation
3-9
Assessment of Failure to Thrive
3-10
Assessment of Medical Neglect
3-11
Assessment of Parental Incapacity
3-12
Assessment of Shaken Infant Syndrome
3-13
Assessment of Medical, Educational and Mental Health Special Needs
3-14
Assessing Allegations of Physical Abuse
3-15
Assessment of Domestic Violence
3-15.1
Assessing Lethality in Domestic Violence Cases
Handbook 4:
Case Planning and Case Management Services
No.
Chapter Title
4-1
Intial Case Plans
4-1.1
Case Plan Family Assessments
4-2
Case Plan Updates
4-3
Transitional Independent Living Plan (TILP)
4-4
Domestic Violence: Services and Case Plans
4-4.1
Domestic Violence Assessments
4-4.2
Intensive Upfront & Parenting Skill Building Services
4-4.3
Safety Plans
4-5
Family Finding Resources
4-7
Incarcerated Parents: Services and Case Plans
XP
How to Refer a Child to RISC (Resource and Intensive Services Committee)
(19-6)
XP
How to Refer a Client to System of Care (SOC)
(19-7)
4-8
Public Health Nursing Home Visitation Program
4-9
Wraparound
4-9.1
Intensive Treatment Foster Care (ITFC)
4-10
Therapeutic Behavioral Services (TBS)
4-11
Intensive Targeted Wraparound Services (ITWS)
4-12
M.Y. T.I.M.E. Meetings
XP
90-Day Transition Plans
(6-15)
Handbook 5:
In-Home Services
No.
Chapter Title
5-1
Settle at Intake and Awaiting Social Worker Action
5-2
Home Supervision
5-3
Voluntary Family Maintenance
5-5
Informal Supervision: Referral Procedures
5-6
Informal Supervision Services
XP
Intensive Upfront & Parent Skills Building Services
(4-4.2)
Handbook 6:
Out of Home Placement and Services
No.
Chapter Title
6-1
Bill Wilson Voluntary Placement
6-2
Voluntary Family Reunification (VFR)
6-3
Emergency Satellite Home (ESH) Placements
6-3.1
House on the Hill
6-3.3
Telephone Access Rights of Children in Foster Care
XP
Family Finding
(4-5)
6-4
Service Referrals for Placement Stabilization
6-5
Ice Breaker Meetings
6-6
Group Home Placement Requirements for Children Ages Twelve and Under
6-6.1
Assessing Children and Youth in Congregate Care Longer Than One Year
6-7
Independent Living-Skills Program (ILP)
6-8
Transitional Housing Placement Program (THPP)
6-8.1
Foster Youth Proof of Dependency Card
6-8.2
THP-Plus Housing for Emancipated Foster Youth
6-9
Transitioning Children from Placement to Placement
XP
Information to Be Disclosed to Caregivers
(14-1)
6-10
Incident Reports Reported by Foster Parents
6-11
Courtesy Supervision: Requests to and from Other California Counties
6-12
Bed Hold Policy
6-13
Runaway Status
XP
M.Y. T.I.M.E. Meetings
(4-12)
6-14
Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC)
6-15
90-Day Transition Plans
Handbook 7:
Relative Home Approvals
No.
Chapter Title
7-1
Relative Home Approvals: Points and Policies
7-2
Relative Home Approval (RHA) Procedures
7-2.1
Temporary, Emergency Home Approvals
7-3
Completing the SOC Forms
7-4
Alternative Plans and Corrective Action Plans
7-5
Relative Home Approvals for Children Placed Outside of Santa Clara County
XP
Placing Children In and Returning Children From Mexico
(13-20.1)
7-6
Annual Reassessment and Updating Changes
7-7
Assessment of Respite Care Providers
7-8
Eligibility for Relative Placements to Receive Financial Aid
7-10
CLETS Criminal Background Checks for RHAs
7-11
Live Scan Fingerprinting for RHAs
7-12
Child Abuse Record Check
7-13
Director's Exemption: Criminal Record
7-14
Child Abuse and Neglect Record Review
7-14.3
Denial of Relative/NREFM Home Assessment or Approval Procedures for State Hearings
7-15
Subsequent Arrest Notification and Arrest-Only Investigations
Handbook 8:
Juvenile Court Hearings and Reports
No.
Chapter Title
8-1
300 Petition
8-1.1
Drafting an Effective Petition
8-2
Dependency Initial Hearing (Detention) Report
8-3
Initial Petition (Detention) Hearing
8-3.1
Court Report Writing
8-3.3
Jurisdictional/Dispositional Court Report
8-4
Jurisdictional Hearing for WIC § 300 Petition
8-4.1
Jurisdictional Hearing Report
8-5
Dispositional Hearing
8-5.1
Dispositional Hearing Report
8-6
Ex Parte Application and Order
8-7
Receipt of Report Hearings
8-13
Selection and Implementation (366.26) Hearings
8-14.1
Adoption Progress Reports
8-15
Request to Change Court Order (JV-180)
8-15.1
Requests for Modification of a Previously Dismissed Legal Guardianship
8-15.2
Writing the Court Report for Modification of a Guardianship for a Previously Dismissed Dependency
XP
Guardianship to Adoption
(11-10)
8-16
Dual Status (241.1) Hearing Protocol
8-16.1
Dual Status Report
Handbook 9:
Court Related Issues
No.
Chapter Title
9-1
Reasonable Efforts
9-2
Paternity Issues in Juvenile Court
9-3
Noticing for Court Hearings
9-3.1
ICWA: Notices for Hearing
9-3.1.1
Noticing for Selection and Implementation (366.26) Hearings
9-3.1.2
Noticing Relatives of a Child's Removal from the Parents' Care
XP
How to Obtain a Court Order to Interview a Child (2-2.1)
9-3.2
Alleged Parent: Statement Regarding Paternity
9-3.3
Dependency Wellness Court
9-4
Due Diligence Searches and Declarations
9-5
Non-Reunification (Bypass) Cases
9-7
Attendance at Hearings by Video Telephone Call (Teleconferencing)
XP
Educational Representatives and Special Education Surrogate Parents
(16-2)
9-9.1
Court Designated Prospective Adoptive Parents
9-10
Placement Changes of Dependent Children
9-13
Standing Court Orders
9-14
Restraining Orders
Handbook 10:
Contacts and Visitation
No.
Chapter Title
10-1
Contact Requirements
10-2
Contact Waivers
10-2.1
Recording Contacts in CWS/CMS
10-3
Contact Documentation Standards
10-4
Temporary Leaves from Placement
10-4.1
Authorization for Travel for a Child Under DFCS Supervision
10-4.8
Telephone Contact Between Child and Parent/Guardian or Responsible Relative Prior to Initial Hearing
10-5
Visitation Protocol
10-5.1
Arranging Secure Visitation
10-5.2
DFCS Supervised Visitation Policy on Missed Visits and Rescheduling Missed Visits
10-6
DFCS Visitation Sites
10-6.1
Kindred Souls Family Visitation Center
Handbook 11:
Concurrent Planning and Adoption
No.
Chapter Title
11-1
Concurrent Planning
11-1.1
DFCS Concurrent Planning Process for Children in Out-of-Home Placements
11-2
Child Cards
11-4
Placement Support Services Review
11-6
The Matching Process
11-9
Legal Guardianship
11-9.1
Non-Relative Guardianships with Dependency Dismissed
XP
Transferring a Case for Adoption Finalization
(12-8.1)
11-10
Guardianship to Adoption
Handbook 12:
Assignment, Transfer and Closure of Referrals and Cases
No.
Chapter Title
12-1
CANC: Assigning Emergency Response Referrals
12-4
Dependent Intake: Referral Assignment
12-6
Pre-Dispositional Hearing (Pre-Dispo) Case Assignments
12-7
Closing Continuing Cases
12-8.1
Transferring a Case for Adoption Finalization
12-8.2
Adoption Finalization Case Closing
12-9
Differential Path IV: Dismissing a Court Case
12-10
Intercounty Case Transfers (ICT)
Handbook 13:
Cross Program Protocols
No.
Chapter Title
13-1
Joint Case Staffings
13-2
Reporting to the Department of Justice (DOJ)
13-2.1
Challenges to Child Abuse Central Index (CACI) Listings
13-3
Home Entry Orders
13-4
Multi-Disciplinary Interview (MDI)
13-5
Protective Custody Warrants
13-6
Emergency Medical Orders
13-7
Consent for Mental Health Treatment
13-7.1
Psychotropic Medication
13-7.2
Katie A. Sub-Class Screening/Assessments
13-7.3
San Andreas Regional Center (SARC)
13-8
Team Decision Making (TDM)
13-9
Sibling Protocol
13-10
Safely Surrendered Baby Protocol
13-11
Sensitive Cases
13-12
Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA)
13-13
Children Discharged from Psychiatric Hospitals
13-14
Foster Youth Credit Reports
13-15
Adult Probation and State Parole/DFCS Connected Cases
13-16
CalWORKs-DFCS Partnership-Common Cases under AB 429 (Family Reunification Cases)
13-16.1
CalWORKs/DFCS Partnership - Common Cases Under Family Maintenance
13-16.2
Family Unification Program (FUP)
13-17
Family Court-DFCS Protocol for Child Abuse or Neglect Referrals from Family Court
13-18
Guidelines for Services to Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgender and Questioning Youth
13-19
Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC)
13-20
Immigration Issues in the Child Welfare System
13-20.1
Placing Children In and Returning Children From Mexico
13-20.2
Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS)
13-20.3
Immigration and Naturalization: Information and Resources
13-21
Dually Involved Youths
Handbook 14:
Resource Homes: Foster Care Licensing and Relative Finding
No.
Chapter Title
14-1
Information to Be Disclosed to Caregivers
14-3.2
Conducting a Licensing Investigation
14-4
Placing and Lifting Holds on Foster Homes
14-10
Civil Penalties
Handbook 15:
Health Care
No.
Chapter Title
15-1
Health and Education Passport (HEP)
15-2
Medical Consent
15-3
Reproductive Health
15-4
Court-Ordered Medical Examinations
15-5
Low Cost Health Coverage Programs at Valley Medical Center (VMC)
XP
Emergency Medical Orders
(13-6)
XP
Consent for Mental Health Treatment
(13-7)
XP
Psychotropic Medication
(13-7.1)
Handbook 16:
School/Education
No.
Chapter Title
16-2
Educational Representatives and Special Education Surrogate Parents
16-3
Change of School Notification (Education Notification Process)
16-5
Education Stability Plan & Documentation in Case Records
XP 18-6.1
Education Travel Reimbursement
XP 15-1
Health and Education Passport (HEP)
Handbook 18:
Financial Support Systems
No.
Chapter Title
18-1
Foster Care Emergency Assistance (EA1-CWS) Application
18-2
Child Support Referral Determinations
18-2.1
Placement Address Change for Foster Children Receiving SSI Benefits
18-2.3
PRUCOL (Permanent Residence Under Color of Law)
XP
Eligibility for Relative Placements to Receive Financial Aid
(7-8)
18-3
DFCS Special Funds (SCZ 414Z)- Purchasing Items and Other Expenses
18-3.1
DFCS Special Funds (SCZ 414Z) - For Services
18-4
Minor Dependents in Foster Care
18-5.1
SSI Screening of All Foster Care Youth Prior to Emancipation
18-5.2
Food Stamp Application Process for Emancipating Youth
18-6.1
Education Travel Reimbursement
18-7
Dual Agency Rates
18-7.1
Supplement to the Dual Agency Rate
18-8
KinGAP - Relative Kinship Guardian Assistance Payment Program
Handbook 19:
How To…
No.
Chapter Title
19-1
How To Request a Birth Certificate
19-1.1
How to Obtain Bus Passes for Clients
19-2
How to Complete The Placement / Address Change Form (SCZ 17)
19-2.1
How to Enter Race/Ethnicity Categories in CWS/CMS
19-3
How to Refer a Client for Drug Testing
19-4
How to Refer a Client to a Parenting Education Program
19-4.1
How to Refer a Parent to Parent Orientation
19-4.2
How to Refer a Parent to the Parent Advocate Program
XP
How to Refer a Client to House on the Hill (6-3.1)
XP
How to Refer a Client to System of Care (SOC) (19-7)
19-5
How to Refer a Client for a Psychological Evaluation
19-6
How to Refer a Child to RISC (Resource and Intensive Services Committee)
19-7
How to Refer a Client to System of Care (SOC)
19-8
How to Request a Police Report, Crime Lab Report
19-10
How to Refer to the Parenting without Violence Program
19-11
“How to Obtain Emergency Placement Gift Cards
19-13
How to Request Closed Case Files
Handbook 20:
Special Information
No.
Chapter Title
20-1
Security and Incident Reporting
20-2
Purchasing Snacks and Meals for Clients
20-3
Re-opening Cases Closed in CWS/CMS
20-4
Subpoenas
20-5
DFCS Complaint Policy and Procedures
20-6
Driver's Licenses for Foster Youth
20-7
Storing Children's Personal Items
20-8
Thank You Letter to Applicant Not Selected for DFCS Position
20-9
DFCS Case Filing Guide
Handbook 21:
Supervision Guides
No.
Chapter Title
21-1
Communicating with Families about Reunification and Parents' Right to Associate
21-2
Cross Training between the Child Abuse and Neglect Center and Emergency Response
Handbook 22:
DFCS Resource Guide
No.
Chapter Title
22-1
Juvenile Dependency Diversion Services
22-2
Mental Health Services
22-3
Miscellaneous Resources
22-4
Developmental Disabilities Services
22-5
Domestic Violence Services
22-6
Resource Guide Developed by the Relative Support Team (RST)
22-6.1
Resource Guide for Families of Afrikan Ancestry in Santa Clara County
22-7
Resources for LGBTQ Youth
Handbook 23:
Domestic Violence
No.
Chapter Title
XP
Mandated Reports: Domestic Violence (1-2.2)
XP
CANC:Referrals Involving Domestic Violence (1-7.4)
XP
Investigating Referrals Involving Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) (2-3.1)
XP
Assessment of Domestic Violence (3-15)
XP
Assessing Lethality in Domestic Violence (3-15.1)
XP
Adult Probation and State Parole/DFCS Connected Cases (13-15)
XP
Domestic Violence: Services and Case Plans (4-4)
XP
Domestic Violence Assessments (Court-Ordered) (4-4.1)
XP
Intensive Upfront Services Collaborative (Domestic Violence Advocates) (4-4.2)
XP
Safety Plans (4-4.3)
XP
Restraining Orders (9-14)
XP
Domestic Violence Services (Resource Guide) (22-5)
XP
TDM Domestic Violence Policy (13-8)
XP
Writing Effective Petitions (Wording for Domestic Violence Allegations) (8-1.1)
23-1
Sample Jurisdictional/Dispositional Report: Domestic Violence Allegations
XP
How to Refer to the Parenting without Violence Program (19-10)
Handbook 24:
Extended Foster Care Program
No.
Chapter Title
24-1
Criteria, Definitions, and Forms - Extended Foster Care
24-2
Participation Conditions and Verification - Extended Foster Care
24-3
Case Management with Non-Minor Dependents - Extended Foster Care
24-4
Case Plans and Transitional Independent Living Plans (TILPs) - Extended Foster Care
24-5
Placement and Housing - Extended Foster Care
24-6
Court Processes - Extended Foster Care
24-7
Re-entering the Extended Foster Care Program
24-8
Eligibility - Extended Foster Care
24-9
Emergency Placement of Non-Minor Dependent Young Adults
24-10
Resources, Expenses and Funding for Non-Minor Dependents-Extended Foster Care Youth
Dept of Family & Children's Services
Santa Clara County SSA
