9000 Case Contacts
APS January 2022
APS makes contacts with clients, alleged perpetrators, and collaterals to conduct investigations and provide or arrange for services, as needed.
A successful contact is one in which the APS specialist or other person conducting the contact actually sees or speaks with the client, alleged perpetrator, or appropriate collateral.
9100 Requirements for Contacts
APS January 2022
Narrative Documentation
The goal of narrative documentation is to tell the whole story of the case with no major gaps. This documentation is all of the following:
- Clearly written.
- Well organized.
- Easy to read.
- Free of errors in spelling and grammar (except occasional minor errors).
Anyone who reads the case’s narrative documentation can clearly understand the following:
- Actions APS took to investigate the allegations.
- The justification (reasons) for all findings (conclusions about allegations).
- The client’s whole situation at the start of the case, including all of the client’s problems and needs.
- The actions that APS or others took on behalf of the client and the reasons for taking them.
- Actions APS considered but did not take and the reasons for not taking them.
- The results of actions that APS or others took.
- The client’s situation at the close of the case.
- Reasons why remaining problems, if any, could not be resolved.
Contact Detail Page in IMPACT
The APS specialist documents all case contacts using the Contact Detail page in IMPACT. To do this, the APS specialist does the following:
- Chooses the appropriate Contact/Summary Type.
- Fills in all fields on the Contact Detail page.
- Clicks the Save button.
- Clicks the Narrative button on the Contact Detail page.
- Enters the narrative contact information.
If the APS specialist contacts multiple agencies or service providers in rapid succession to provide immediate interventions or services to address the needs of the client, the APS specialist can choose to document these contacts on a single Contact Detail page.
The APS specialist uses individual Contact Detail pages for all other contacts.
Purpose of Contacts
The Contact Detail page has four choices in the Purpose drop-down menu. The APS specialist chooses the appropriate purpose of the contact.
The four options are as follows:
- Assessment. The APS specialist assesses the client’s situation to determine the need for services. The assessment process starts with the intake and continues until APS has obtained all relevant information from the client, the alleged perpetrator, and collaterals.
- Case Planning. APS develops a case plan, also called a service plan, when the assessment process is complete. This plan identifies the care, services, and resources required to meet the client’s needs, and how APS (or others) might deliver them most appropriately. APS develops the service plan through a collaborative process involving the client, the caretaker, and others, as appropriate.
- Service Coordination and Monitoring. The APS specialist makes sure that the client has access to the care, services, and resources in the service plan. The APS specialist does this by making face-to-face visits and phone calls to the client or collaterals to make sure services occur and are appropriate. The APS specialist’s actions under this Purpose option include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Arranging for resources, services, or both.
- Purchasing resources, services, or both with purchased client services (PCS) funds.
- Conducting safety contacts.
- Case Plan Reassessment. The APS specialist continues to assess whether services in the service plan are adequate to meet the client’s needs. APS may change actions in the service plan if those actions have not resolved the identified problems.
See:
Content of Contacts
Contact narratives, especially those that summarize interviews, must be clear and include a summary of what was said, done, or observed.
If a person contacted is not listed on the Person Detail page, the APS specialist includes in the narrative the person’s name and relationship to the client (such as brother, friend, home health care provider, and so on).
9110 Time Frame for Entry of Contacts
APS January 2022
The APS specialist documents all contacts and attempted contacts as they occur or as soon afterward as possible. This maximizes both the accuracy of documentation and the efficiency of casework.
The APS specialist documents all contacts in a timely manner. Timely documentation means documenting on the day the contact occurred or by 11:59 p.m. the next business day. For example:
- If a contact occurred at 4 p.m. on Thursday, the APS specialist documents that contact by 11:59 p.m. on Friday.
- If a contact occurred at 4 p.m. on Friday, the APS specialist documents that contact by 11:59 p.m. on Monday.
See 9500 Safety Contacts.
9200 Case Initiation
APS March 2024
APS initiates a prompt and thorough investigation, regardless of the case’s assigned priority, within 24 hours after Statewide Intake receives an allegation of abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation.
Case initiation means APS’s first contact with a person who has current and reliable information about the client’s situation.
When determining whether information is current, the APS specialist considers the length of time since the person had contact with the client, the severity of one or more allegations, and the overall risk to the client. Information obtained from a person that has not had contact with the client within generally about a week is not current.
The purpose of a case initiation is to find out whether the client’s basic needs are met, and whether he or she will be safe until the APS specialist can make face-to-face contact with him or her. During the case initiation, the APS specialist begins the process of investigating the allegations and assessing the need for protective services.
A successful case initiation involves the following:
- Asking preliminary questions about the allegations.
- Gathering enough information to determine whether the priority assigned at intake is appropriate.
- Gathering enough information to determine which of the following applies:
- The client needs emergency protective services.
- The client’s basic needs are met, and he or she will be safe until the APS specialist makes the face-to-face contact, as policy requires, to determine the client’s current state.
Texas Human Resources Code §48.151
Only trained APS staff members in the position of APS specialist I or higher are allowed to initiate APS cases.
See:
8120 Changes in Allegation Priorities
8300 New Allegations and New Intakes During an Open Case
Determining Appropriate Contacts for Case Initiation
The APS specialist does as follows:
- Initiates cases by contacting appropriate people who can give objective, current, and reliable information about clients’ situations.
- Does not initiate cases by contacting alleged perpetrators of abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation in the current case, because they may have a motive to hide or minimize clients’ situations.
- Generally does not initiate cases by any of the following non-preferred methods:
- Requesting welfare checks by law enforcement. When making such checks, law enforcement officers sometimes do not gather the information required about the client’s overall situation to meet the requirements for case initiation. It is not acceptable for the APS specialist to call law enforcement for a welfare check for the APS specialist’s convenience.
- Calling clients on the phone when it is possible the alleged perpetrator could be in the home. Clients in these cases may not be able to give reliable information if the alleged perpetrator can overhear the conversation. This may also put the client’s safety at risk.
- Calling people whom DFPS or the reporter identified, at the point of intake, as having suicidal thoughts, mental illness, intellectual disabilities, or other forms of mental impairment. Mental impairment can hamper the ability to give reliable information about clients’ situations.
Before initiating a case by contacting a person suspected to have a mental impairment, the APS specialist considers the following:
- Previous acquaintance with the person (if any).
- Specific information about the nature and severity of the mental impairment.
- Nature and severity of the allegations.
- Safety concerns about the client.
If the APS specialist has any questions about whether it is appropriate to use a non-preferred method described above, the APS specialist consults with the supervisor before making the case initiation contact.
If the APS specialist initiates a case using any of the non-preferred methods above, then the APS specialist clearly documents the reasons in the case initiation contact narrative.
Factors to Consider in Determining Appropriate Contacts for Case Initiation
When deciding who to contact to initiate the case, the APS specialist considers the following:
- Length of time since the person last had contact with the client.
- Characteristics of the person being contacted, which include:
- Mental ability to provide reliable information.
- Motivation for providing false or misleading information.
- Source of knowledge about the client (for example, firsthand or through someone else).
- Scope of knowledge about the client’s overall situation.
9210 Completing a Case Initiation
APS March 2024
The APS specialist does as follows:
- Contacts the client or a collateral (for example, the reporter, a family member, or another person identified at intake) who has current and reliable information to gather necessary information as outlined in 9200 Case Initiation.
- Completes Section 1 of the Safety Assessment.
If the APS specialist conducts the case initiation by phone and identifies a situation that poses a threat to life or safety that needs to be resolved before the initial face-to-face contact through the use of purchased client services (PCS) funds, the APS specialist does as follows:
- Authorizes PCS, as appropriate, even if unable to assess the client’s financial situation or determine whether alternate resources exist.
- Gets the client’s income and budget information during the initial face-to-face contact to determine availability of alternate resources to meet the client’s needs.
When the APS specialist completes the case initiation at the same time as the initial face-to-face contact, the APS specialist gets income and budget information at that time.
See:
8130 Current Danger Factors and Immediate Interventions
10911 Client’s Budget and Financial Resources
If Case Initiation Cannot Be Completed by Phone
If the APS specialist is unable to gather the necessary information from a collateral or the client, if appropriate, by phone, the APS specialist does as follows:
- Researches prior case history for information about other collaterals.
- Contacts other agencies for more information, if the intake narrative or other sources reveal that the client is involved with other agencies.
- Attempts to make face-to-face contact with the client.
- Contacts neighbors, if appropriate and nearby.
If Case Initiation Cannot Be Completed in 24 Hours
If the APS specialist has taken the actions listed above, including attempting to make face-to-face contact with the client, and is still unable to complete a successful case initiation within 24 hours, the APS specialist consults with his or her supervisor before the 24-hour initiation time frame expires. The supervisor determines whether the APS specialist has met all of the requirements listed above.
When the case initiation is unsuccessful within the 24-hour time frame, the APS specialist attempts, within the next two calendar days, at least one more phone contact with all known collaterals who may have current and reliable information and who the specialist has not already successfully contacted.
Example: APS receives an intake at 1 p.m. on Thursday. Despite exhaustive efforts, the APS specialist cannot reach any collaterals by phone and is not able to see the client in the first 24 hours. On Saturday or Sunday, the APS specialist makes one more attempt to contact by phone all known collaterals who were not already successfully contacted.
Documenting the Case Initiation
The APS specialist enters the following information in the Safety Assessment:
- The date and time of the successful case initiation (in Section 1).
- Narrative documentation about the case initiation, including the following:
- A contact header with the name of the person contacted and his or her relationship to the client.
- Information from the client or a collateral, or the client with current and reliable information.
If the APS specialist makes multiple contacts before the successful case initiation, those contacts can all be included in a single generic Contact Detail page.
If the APS specialist was not able to complete a successful case initiation within the 24-hour time frame, the APS specialist enters the following information in the Safety Assessment:
- The date and time that the APS specialist and supervisor discussed the APS specialist’s attempts to complete a successful case initiation (in Section 1).
- Narrative documentation.
If the APS specialist completes the case initiation and initial face-to-face contact at the same time, the APS specialist may leave the narrative portion of Section 1 blank and enter the narrative information for both contacts in Section 3 of the Safety Assessment.
See:
9400 Initial Face-to-Face Contact With the Client (How to Document Initial Face-to-Face Contacts)
9110 Time Frame for Entry of Contacts
Examples of Narrative Documentation for Case Initiation
Please note that TCT stands for “telephone call to.”
Example 1:
July 14, 8:15 AM. TCT neighbor Joyce Escalante (555-5551). Ms. Escalante said she visits the client’s house almost every day. The last time Ms. Escalante saw the client was late yesterday afternoon. The client’s house is neat and clean. The client does all her activities of daily living (ADLs) without any problem. The client is able to meet her basic needs, including paying her bills and shopping for food. The client takes medications for her asthma and has plenty on hand. She just seems to get confused and sometimes wanders at night. Ms. Escalante’s husband found the client two blocks away and helped the client get home. He said she didn’t seem to know where she was or where she was going. The police also helped the client home on two other occasions. Ms. Escalante told the client’s daughter about the problem this morning, and the daughter is now staying with the client until other arrangements can be made.
July 14, 9:45 AM. TCT client’s home (555-6569). Elsa Frost, client’s daughter, answered. Ms. Frost said she intends to stay with her mother until other arrangements can be made. She has made an appointment for her mother to see her primary care provider this afternoon. The case will remain a Priority 2. No immediate action necessary.
Example 2:
October 8, 1:35 PM. TCT client (555-7423). Ms. Robinson says she has received a cutoff notice from the gas company. Service will end on Friday if payment of $94 is not received. She will be okay if it is cut off for a day or two, but she says there’s a cold snap coming next week, and she does not want to be without heat. I asked if she needed assistance with anything else. She hesitated but said she was out of her blood pressure medication and almost out of food. Her nephew stole half her money at the beginning of the month, but she didn’t call the police. She hasn’t told anyone about needing medication and food because she didn’t want to complain about too much at one time. She was afraid she might not get help with her gas bill. Priority upgraded from P2 to P1. Will call supervisor to request permission to get food and medicine for her today. Will visit this afternoon.
9300 Self-Neglect Resolved before Initial Face-to-Face
APS March 2024
APS has the option of closing certain self-neglect cases without making face-to-face contact with clients. Face-to-face contact with the client is not required if both of the following apply:
- The only allegation is self-neglect. This includes when any other allegations have a disposition of Other.
- The APS specialist gathered enough information during case initiation, or at any time before a successful face-to-face contact, to determine that all alleged self-neglect was resolved and no other problems exist.
If a face-to-face contact with the client is completed, the case cannot be closed using the closure code Self-Neglect Resolved Before Face-to-Face.
Determining Self-Neglect Resolved before Initial Face-to-Face
The APS specialist does as follows:
- Completes a case initiation contact or other contact with the client or an appropriate collateral who has current and reliable information.
- Verifies with the client or appropriate collateral that the alleged problem existed but was resolved.
- Verifies with any involved entity (for example, an electric company or pharmacy) that the problem was resolved.
- Confirms that there are no allegations of abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation by an alleged perpetrator that must be investigated.
- Determines that no other problems exist beyond what was alleged.
- Makes sure purchased client services (PCS) funds are not necessary or spent.
- Completes a Self-Neglect Conclusion Summary.
When using the closure reason of Self-Neglect Resolved Before Face-to-Face, the APS specialist is not required to complete a Risk of Recidivism Assessment (RORA).
See:
8700 Risk of Recidivism Assessment (RORA)
8651 Self-Neglect Conclusion Summary
Documenting Self-Neglect Resolved Before Initial Face-to-Face
The APS specialist does as follows:
- Completes only Section 1 of the Safety Assessment.
- Enters narrative documentation about the case initiation in the Safety Assessment.
- Completes a Contact Detail page, including narrative, for any other contacts made.
- Enters a finding of Valid on the Allegation Detail page.
- Enters a closure reason of Self-Neglect Resolved Before Face-to-Face.
- Completes a Self-Neglect Conclusion Summary.
- Submits the case to the supervisor for approval to close.
See:
9400 Initial Face-to-Face Contact With the Client
APS April 2023
The APS specialist makes initial face-to-face (FTF) contact with the client based on the final priority of the allegation. (See When to Make Face-to-Face Contact, below.)
At the initial face-to-face contact, the APS specialist begins by doing as follows:
- Assessing the current danger factors that affect the client.
- Gathering evidence to determine whether, or to what extent, the allegations are true.
- Identifying any other problems that require APS assistance.
Only trained APS staff members in the position of APS specialist I or higher are allowed to complete initial face-to-face contacts.
See Client Dies Before the Initial Face-to-Face Contact Is Completed in 11000 Death of a Client.
When to Make Face-to-Face Contact
The APS specialist makes, or attempts to make, face-to-face contact with the client. The deadline for making this contact depends on the report’s final priority, as follows:
- Priority I – Within 24 hours of DFPS’s receipt of the report.
- Priority II – Within three calendar days of DFPS’s receipt of the report.
- Priority III – Within seven calendar days of DFPS’s receipt of the report.
- Priority IV – Within 14 calendar days of DFPS’s receipt of the report.
What to Do During Face-to-Face Contact
During the face-to-face visit with the client, the APS specialist does as follows:
- Verifies that the client is eligible for APS services.
- Begins to build rapport with the client to facilitate cooperation.
- Completes a Safety Assessment to identify danger factors and reach a safety decision. (If the APS specialist cannot complete this during the contact, the APS specialist completes it as soon as possible. For example, “as soon as possible” may mean in his or her car immediately after the contact or once any danger factors present have been addressed.)
- Begins gathering evidence to determine whether, or to what extent, the allegations are true.
- Begins a global (overall) assessment of the client’s situation.
- Schedules a later visit to assess the client’s living conditions, if the initial face-to-face contact does not occur in the client’s home. (This is not necessary if the client will not return home.)
- Contacts the client again later, if the APS specialist observed the client, but the client was unable to talk at the time of the visit. For example, the APS specialist saw the client comatose in the hospital, or sleeping at home and could not awaken him or her.
- Identifies any indicators that the client lacks the capacity to consent to or refuse protective services. See 10310 Assessing Indicators (Signs) of a Lack of Capacity to Consent.
- Determines whether immediate interventions or other legal actions are necessary at this point in the investigation.
Why to Make Unannounced Initial Face-to-Face Contact
It is best practice for the APS specialist to conduct the initial face-to-face visit unannounced and unscheduled. This may provide a more accurate assessment by preventing the client, alleged perpetrator, or collaterals from doing as follows:
- Changing the environment (for example, placing animals outside that normally live in the house).
- Changing the situation (for example, hiring a caretaker to stay with an adult who is not able to get out of bed).
- Working together to plan their statements about the allegations.
- Avoiding the contact by leaving before the APS specialist arrives.
See:
What Is Considered a Successful Face-to-Face Contact
A face-to-face contact is successful when the APS specialist sees the client. The APS specialist does not have to speak or communicate with the client to have a successful face-to-face contact.
Example: The client’s spouse says the client is sleeping and is unable to be interviewed. The APS specialist requests permission to enter the home and verify that the client is safe and asleep. The spouse allows the APS specialist into the home, and the APS specialist sees the client sleeping. While with the client, the APS specialist observes the client’s condition and the living environment and documents the observations in IMPACT.
See:
8110 Documentation of the Safety Assessment
8200 Barriers to Making Contact With Client
8210 Client Refuses to Cooperate With APS Investigation
What Is Considered an Attempted Face-to-Face Contact
An attempted face-to-face contact is when the APS specialist is unable to see the client, even after trying to do so.
Example: The client’s spouse says the client is sleeping and does not allow the APS specialist to see the client to verify the client’s safety.
How to Document Initial Face-to-Face Contacts (Attempted or Successful)
The APS specialist documents in the Safety Assessment the following information:
- The date and time of each face-to-face contact (attempted or successful).
- A checkmark in the Attempted checkbox for each attempted face-to-face contact.
- A contact header for each contact (attempted or successful). The following requirements apply:
- If the APS specialist made face-to-face contact with any person, the header includes the name of the person and his or her relationship to the client.
- If the APS specialist made face-to-face contact with more than one person, a separate header is required for each person.
- Narrative information for each contact (attempted or successful), including the following:
- Steps the APS specialist took to find the client, if the first attempted initial face-to-face contact with the client is not successful. These steps may include, for example, sending a letter, researching prior case history, or talking with neighbors.
- For the successful initial face-to-face contact with the client, all relevant information about abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation that the APS specialist gathered during the interview with the client (if the interview occurred during that contact). This includes factors affecting vulnerability and current danger factors noted in the Safety Assessment.
- Observations that the APS specialist made while at the home or other relevant location.
- Problems that SWI noted at intake that the APS specialist did not observe, if any.
The APS specialist may document all contacts (with any principal or collateral) made during the initial face-to-face visit in the face-to-face narrative section of the Safety Assessment. This includes a contact with the alleged perpetrator, if one occurs.
See:
8210 Client Refuses to Cooperate with APS Investigation
8220 Client Moves or Cannot Be Located
9410 Client Cannot Be Seen for Initial Face-to-Face Contact
APS March 2024
APS makes all reasonable efforts to see the client when the first attempted initial face-to-face contact is unsuccessful. Reasonable efforts include contacting various collaterals, family members, neighbors (if appropriate), the reporter, or other agencies.
When the APS specialist does not see the client at the first attempted initial face-to-face contact, the APS specialist makes a second attempt based on the final priority:
- Priority I – Within 24 hours of the first attempted face-to-face contact.
- Priority II – Within three calendar days of the first attempted face-to-face contact.
- Priorities III and IV – Within seven calendar days of the first attempted face-to-face contact.
The second attempt must be made on a different day than the first attempted initial-face-to-face contact, preferably at different times of day.
The supervisor may waive the requirement to make a second attempt at an initial face-to-face contact if either of the following apply:
- The client’s correct address is unknown.
- The client will be inaccessible for a long time.
The APS specialist follows the procedures in 8210 Client Refuses to Cooperate with APS Investigation if both of the following apply:
- The APS specialist knows the locating information for the client is correct.
- The second attempted initial face-to-face contact is unsuccessful.
The APS specialist follows the procedures in 8220 Client Moves or Cannot Be Located if both of the following apply:
- APS cannot get enough locating information.
- The second attempted initial face-to-face contact is unsuccessful.
See:
8220 Client Moves or Cannot Be Located
9420 Client Is Inaccessible for Initial Face-to-Face Contact
9420 Client Is Inaccessible for Initial Face-to-Face Contact
APS April 2023
The client may be temporarily inaccessible to APS, when, for instance, the client is on vacation out-of-state or in a facility that is prohibiting visitors.
When APS knows the client’s current location, but he or she is temporarily inaccessible, the APS specialist does as follows:
- Enters the date and time of the contact when the APS specialist found out the client is currently inaccessible, as an attempted initial face-to-face contact by marking the Attempted checkbox in the Safety Assessment.
- Documents narrative information for the contact in the Safety Assessment. If the client is in a facility that is prohibiting visitors, the APS specialist documents the name and position of the facility representative contacted and the reason access to the client is prohibited.
- Completes the Safety Assessment to the best of his or her ability.
- Makes weekly contact with a person who has information about the client’s availability for a face-to-face visit.
- Keeps the case open until the APS specialist sees the client or determines that the client will remain inaccessible indefinitely.
The APS specialist may complete a Safety Reassessment when the specialist sees the client face-to-face.
If a reliable source confirms the client’s location and return date (for example, the client is visiting family in New York and will return home next Thursday), weekly contacts are not required before the return date. If the client is still inaccessible after the identified return date, the APS specialist follows the steps above.
See:
9410 Client Cannot Be Seen for Initial Face-to-Face Contact
9500 Safety Contacts
APS March 2024
One safety contact is required every calendar month that a case is open.
Exception: A safety contact is not required during the following months:
- The month of the initial face-to-face contact, if that contact was successful.
- The month of the completed Safety Assessment, if the initial face-to-face contact was not successful.
- The month of case closure, as outlined in Final Safety Contact below.
In all cases, the required method of contact is based on the safety decision or final risk level.
Purpose of Contacts
APS monitors the client’s safety to minimize or alleviate any risk of abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation throughout the case by considering the following:
- Whether the client is safe.
- Whether problems identified on the immediate intervention agreement, if any, were resolved or require further action.
- Whether new problems developed and require action, including adding allegations, if applicable.
- Whether further investigation is necessary.
- How effectively the services provided are alleviating current abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation and minimizing risk of future abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation.
- Whether any problems identified on the service plan were resolved or require more or different protective services.
Requirements for Safety Contacts
The following requirements apply to safety contacts:
- The person who completes a safety contact documents multiple interviews during a single visit as one safety contact.
- When the APS specialist completes a Safety Reassessment, the APS specialist or another appropriate APS staff member must complete the required safety contacts every calendar month after the month in which the Reassessment was completed.
- People who complete safety contacts follow the contact standard set by the Safety Assessment (original or reassessment) until the APS specialist submits the case for closure or completes the Risk of Recidivism Assessment (RORA).
- The RORA sets the contact standard for the remainder of the case. Once the RORA is completed, subsequent Safety Reassessments, Strengths and Needs Assessment, or Strengths and Needs Reassessments do not change the contact standard.
Contact Standard
The contact standard is the required method of contact between the APS specialist or another appropriate APS staff member, and the client or a credible collateral every calendar month. The contact standard is based on the outcome of the Safety Assessment or Risk of Recidivism Assessment (RORA).
See:
9510 Safety Contacts After Completion of the Safety Assessment
9530 Safety Contacts After Completion of the Risk of Recidivism Assessment (RORA)
Requirement to Complete Safety Contacts
The following are not acceptable reasons for failing to complete required face-to-face safety contacts with the client:
- A high caseload.
- The geographical distance.
- The APS specialist’s time constraints.
People Who Can Complete Safety Contacts
APS staff members, APS human services technicians (HSTs), and college students interning with APS may complete safety contacts. APS contractors cannot complete safety contacts, but APS staff members, HSTs, or interns may use a contractor as a collateral when completing a safety contact.
Final Safety Contact
One face-to-face safety contact with the client is required in the month of closure, regardless of the contact standard at the time of case closure. However, this final face-to-face contact is not required in the month of closure if any of the following exceptions apply:
- The initial face-to-face contact occurred in the same month as case closure.
- The supervisor approves the contact being by phone with the client or a collateral, instead of face-to-face with the client.
- The APS specialist saw the client face-to-face no more than 15 calendar days before case closure and verified the situation was stable.
Safety contacts are not required while the APS specialist is waiting for the supervisor to approve a case that the specialist submitted for closure. If the supervisor rejects the case for closure, the APS specialist completes a safety contact as policy requires before resubmitting the case to the supervisor.
Only trained APS staff members in the position of APS specialist I or higher may complete the final safety contact in the month of closure.
Documentation of Safety Contacts
The APS specialist creates a new Contact Detail page in IMPACT for each safety contact completed, whether it was attempted or successful.
All Safety Contacts
For every safety contact (attempted or successful), the APS specialist does as follows:
- Chooses Safety Contact as the Contact/Summary Type.
- Fills in all fields on the Contact Detail page.
- Clicks the Save button.
- Clicks the Narrative button on the Contact Detail page.
- Enters the narrative documentation for the contact. If a person contacted is not listed on the Person Detail page, the APS specialist includes the person’s name and relationship to the client (such as brother, friend, home health care provider, and so on).
Successful Safety Contacts
For each successful safety contact, the contact narrative includes the following information:
- A summary of the contact, including all actions that the APS specialist or others took.
- The client’s current status (whether the client is safe, how he or she is doing, and so forth).
- Any problems identified in the service plan (Immediate Interventions section or Services Related to ANE section), and whether they were resolved or require further action.
- Any new problems that have developed and require action.
- Any protective services that APS or others delivered and the effectiveness of the services.
- Statement of whether the case needs further investigation.
9510 Safety Contacts After Completion of the Safety Assessment
APS January 2022
The Safety Assessment or Safety Reassessment results in a safety decision. The table below describes the contact standard for safety contacts, depending on the safety decision. The APS specialist or supervisor may choose to complete additional safety contacts, as appropriate. The contact standard remains in effect until a Risk of Recidivism Assessment is complete or the case is closed.
| Safety Decision |
Contact Standard for Safety Contacts |
|---|---|
Safe |
One contact, either face-to-face or by phone, is required every calendar month, except as outlined in 9500 Safety Contacts. This contact may be with either of the following people:
For example, if the APS specialist completes a successful initial face-to-face contact on June 15th, a safety contact is required in July (between July 1st and July 31st) and during every calendar month after that, until the APS specialist does one of the following:
|
Conditionally Safe or Unsafe |
One face-to-face contact with the client is required every calendar month, except as outlined in 9500 Safety Contacts. When the safety decision is Unsafe, the APS specialist consults with his or her supervisor to determine whether making additional safety contacts each month is appropriate. For example, if the APS specialist completes a successful initial face-to-face contact on June 15th, then one face-to-face safety contact with the client, and any additional contacts determined appropriate, are required in July (between July 1st and July 31st) and during every calendar month after that, until the APS specialist does one of the following:
|
9520 Safety Contacts When the Client Refuses to Cooperate
APS March 2024
If the client refuses to cooperate with the investigation (verbally, nonverbally, or by failing to respond to APS’s attempted contacts), and safety contacts with the client are required, the APS specialist does as follows:
- Follows the procedure in 8210 Client Refuses to Cooperate with APS Investigation.
- Documents all attempted safety contacts as outlined in Documentation of Safety Contacts in 9500 Safety Contacts.
- Consults with the supervisor about the APS specialist’s attempts to complete a successful safety contact.
The supervisor documents this consultation as a separate safety contact by doing the following:
- Choosing Safety Contact as the Contact/Summary Type.
- Entering the date and time of the consultation on the Contact Detail page.
- Choosing the client under Principals/Collaterals Contacted on the Contact Detail page.
- Choosing Staffing as the method of contact.
- Summarizing the discussion with the APS specialist, including any additional actions that the specialist will take to gain the client’s cooperation.
The APS specialist does not use these procedures for two or more consecutive safety contacts.
The APS specialist no longer tries to make face-to-face contact, if the specialist has made good faith efforts to encourage the client to cooperate, and the client still refuses to cooperate. This applies even if more than one face-to-face safety contact is required in a calendar month.
9530 Safety Contacts After Completion of the Risk of Recidivism Assessment (RORA)
APS January 2022
The risk-based contact standard starts in the month after the RORA is completed and remains the standard for the duration of the case, including when a Safety Reassessment, Strengths and Needs Assessment, or Strengths and Needs Reassessment is completed.
The table below describes the minimum contact standard for safety contacts based on each risk level. The APS specialist or supervisor may choose to complete additional safety contacts, as needed.
| Final Risk Level |
Contact Standard for Safety Contacts |
|---|---|
Low or Moderate Risk |
One contact, either face-to-face or by phone, is required every calendar month, except as outlined in 9500 Safety Contacts. This contact may be with either of the following people:
For example, if the APS specialist completes a successful initial face-to-face contact on June 15th, a safety contact is required in July (between July 1st and July 31st) and during every calendar month after that. |
High Risk |
One face-to-face contact with the client is required every calendar month, except as outlined in 9500 Safety Contacts. For example, if the APS specialist completes a successful initial face-to-face contact on June 15th, a safety contact is required in July (between July 1st and July 31st) and during every calendar month after that. |
9540 Safety Contacts When the Client Fails to Respond After Completion of the RORA
APS March 2024
When APS is providing services, and the APS specialist is unable to successfully contact the client, and a safety contact with the client is required, the APS specialist considers which of the following is more likely:
- The client has moved.
- The client is still living at the known address but is withdrawing from services by failing to respond to the attempted contacts.
Client Is Believed to Have Moved
If the APS specialist believes the client may have moved and is no longer available at the known address, the APS specialist follows the procedures in 9550 Safety Contacts When APS Cannot Find the Client.
Client Is Believed to Still Live at Known Address
If the APS specialist believes the client still lives at his or her known address, the specialist does as follows:
- Follows the procedures in 9520 Safety Contacts When the Client Refuses to Cooperate and 10320 Client Refusing or Withdrawing from Services.
- Documents all attempted safety contacts as outlined in Documentation of Safety Contacts in 9500 Safety Contacts.
- Consults with the supervisor about the APS specialist’s attempts to complete a successful safety contact.
The APS supervisor documents this consultation as a separate safety contact by doing as follows:
- Choosing Safety Contact as the Contact/Summary Type.
- Entering the date and time of the consultation on the Contact Detail page.
- Choosing the client under Principals/Collaterals Contacted on the Contact Detail page.
- Choosing Staffing as the method of contact.
- Summarizing the discussion with the APS specialist, including any additional actions that the specialist will take to gain the client’s cooperation.
The APS specialist does not use these procedures for two or more consecutive safety contacts.
The APS specialist no longer tries to make face-to-face contact if the specialist has made good faith efforts to encourage the client to continue with the service plan, and the client still withdraws from services.
The APS specialist resumes attempting to contact the client if the specialist receives new information about the client’s current location (such as if the client is in the hospital or visiting family).
9550 Safety Contacts When APS Cannot Find the Client
APS January 2022
In some cases, the APS specialist is unable to successfully contact the client after doing both of the following:
- Attempting two or more times to make a face-to-face safety contact. The minimum is two attempts, and the attempts must be on different days, preferably at different times of day.
- Making all reasonable efforts to reach the client.
In these cases, the specialist considers which of the following is more likely:
- The client has moved.
- The client is still living at the known address but is failing to respond to the attempted contacts.
If the APS specialist believes that the client may have moved and is no longer available at the known address, the specialist does the following:
- Follows the procedures in 8220 Client Moves or Cannot Be Located.
- Documents the attempted safety contact by doing the following:
- Choosing Safety Contact as the Contact/Summary Type.
- Entering the date and time that the APS specialist attempted to make a contact on the Contact Detail page.
- Marking the Attempted checkbox.
- Choosing the client under Principals/Collaterals Contacted on the Contact Detail page.
- Choosing Other as the method of contact.
- Summarizing all relevant information in the Narrative section of the Contact Detail page.
The APS specialist does not use these procedures for two or more consecutive safety contacts.
The APS specialist no longer tries to make face-to-face contact if the specialist has made good faith efforts to find the client and determines that he or she cannot be found. This applies even if more than one face-to-face safety contact is required in a calendar month.
The APS specialist resumes attempting to contact the client if the specialist receives new information about the client’s location.
9560 Safety Contacts When the Client Dies
APS January 2022
If the APS specialist learns of the client’s death while attempting to make a safety contact, the APS specialist does the following:
- Enters the date and time that the specialist learned of the death as the date and time for the safety contact on the Contact Detail page.
- Enters the date of death (if known) on the Person Detail page.
No additional safety contacts are required after the client’s death, even if the investigation is incomplete, will continue, or includes new incidents or new allegations that require investigation.
See:
9570 Safety Contacts in Cases Involving HHSC Office of Guardianship Services
APS January 2022
In some cases, both of the following apply:
- The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) has permanent guardianship of the client.
- APS is keeping the case open only to help pay for the client’s care until HHSC can resolve the client’s Medicaid eligibility.
In these cases, the APS specialist is not required to conduct safety contacts or any other case actions, except for documenting service authorizations and other methods of procurement (purchasing) to help pay for the client’s care.
If HHSC has temporary guardianship of the client, safety contacts are required as outlined in 9500 Safety Contacts.
See:
7343 Case Management After Emergency Referral
7360 General Issues About HHSC OGS Referrals
9600 Supervisor Consultations
APS March 2024
The APS specialist consults with the supervisor about all case actions for which policy requires supervisor consultations. The APS specialist may also consult with the supervisor for guidance on other case actions, as necessary.
Documentation of Supervisor Consultations
The APS supervisor enters the following in IMPACT:
- A contact in the Supervisor Consult Contact Detail page for each supervisor consultation completed.
- A narrative of the case-related issues and required actions discussed.
9700 Supervisor Case Status Review
APS September 2022
The purpose of a case status review is to do the following:
- Make sure the client is not being left in a state of abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation because of a lack of APS effort.
- Determine what remaining investigative actions, if any, are needed (for example, requesting case records, interviewing alleged perpetrators, or interviewing additional collaterals).
- Determine whether case review by a subject matter expert is needed.
- Determine whether any assessments, including reassessments, are necessary.
- Review any services that were provided and identify any additional actions that are needed.
- Determine whether reassignment of the case to a different APS specialist with specialized skills, training, or experience will facilitate the investigative or service delivery process.
- Identify any obstacles preventing case closure (for example, additional case contacts, notifications, or availability of services).
Time Frame for Completing Supervisor Case Status Review
The APS supervisor or designee conducts case status reviews to make sure the assigned APS specialist is actively working the case. The designee for completing the case status review can only be a program administrator or district director who directly supervises an APS specialist.
The APS supervisor or designee completes case status reviews as follows:
- The initial Supervisor Case Status Review is due 45 calendar days from the date of intake.
- Subsequent Supervisor Case Status Reviews are due every 60 calendar days after the 45th day (for example, 105, 165, 225 days from intake, and so on).
The APS supervisor or designee completes and documents the Supervisor Case Status Review contact no more than 10 calendar days before the due date.
For example, if APS receives an intake from SWI on April 1st, the APS supervisor or designee completes the initial Supervisor Case Status Review between May 6th and May 16th. If the case remains open, another case status review is required every 60 calendar days from May 16th (the due date of the initial review). The next due date is July 15th.
A Supervisor Case Status Review is not required once the case is submitted for closure.
Supervisor Case Status Review When Case Is Rejected
A Supervisor Case Status Review is not required while the APS specialist is waiting for the supervisor or designee to approve a case that is submitted for closure. If the supervisor or designee rejects the case’s closure, a Supervisor Case Status Review must be completed as policy requires before the APS specialist resubmits the case for closure.
Documentation of Supervisor Case Status Review
For every Supervisor Case Status Review, the APS supervisor or designee enters a contact on the Supervisor Case Status Review Contact Detail page in IMPACT. Specifically, the supervisor or designee does as follows:
- Chooses Supervisor Case Status Review as the Contact/Summary Type.
- Fills in all fields on the Contact Detail page.
- Clicks the Save button.
- Clicks the Narrative button on the Contact Detail page.
- Enters the narrative documentation for the review, including any case-related issues, case actions needed, or other obstacles preventing case closure.
9800 Subject Matter Expert (SME) Consultations
APS March 2024
The APS specialist consults with the SME about all case actions for which policy requires SME consultations.
Documentation of SME Consultations
For each SME consultation, the SME enters a narrative of the case-related issues and required actions discussed on either of the following pages:
- EDI SME Consult Contact Detail page.
- Risk/Self-Neglect SME Consult Contact Detail page.
This narrative includes the following information:
- The method by which the consultation occurred (such as phone, email, or face-to-face).
- The people who participated in the consultation.
- A brief summary of the recommended case actions discussed during the consultation.