Child Protective Services Handbook Revision August 2011

This revision of the Child Protective Services Handbook was published on August 1, 2011. Summaries of new or revised items are provided below.

Permanency Goals and Concurrent Planning

Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) Services

Permanency Goals and Concurrent Planning (PATS 3207)

6200 is being revised to update the permanency planning goals and to establish prioritization of the permanency goals.

6200 Permanency Planning in Substitute Care

6210 Permanency Planning

6211 The Permanency Plan

6211.1 Concurrent Permanency Planning

6211.2 Permanency Planning for Children With Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities in Institutional Settings

6212 Permanency Planning Goals

6212.1 Family Reunification

6212.2 Adoption

6212.3 Permanent Managing Conservatorship to a Relative or Suitable Individual

6212.4 Another Planned Permanent Living Arrangement

6213 Selecting the Permanency Goal

6213.1 Prioritizing Permanency Goals

6213.2 Ruling Out Family Reunification

6213.3 Adoption vs. Conservatorship

6213.4 Another Permanent Planned Living Arrangement

6213.5 Assessing Priority of Permanency Goals

6220 Implementing the Permanency Plan

6221 Documentation of the Permanency Plan

6221.1 Approval of the Plan

6222 Presentation of the Permanency Plan to the Court

6222.1 Changing or Revising the Permanency Plan

6223 Specific Steps for Achieving the Permanency Goal

6223.1 Specific Steps for Implementing the Permanency Plan

6223.2 Specific Steps for Meeting Time Frames for Permanent Family Placements

6223.3 Specific Steps when Child’s Permanent Placement Involves the Department Maintaining Conservatorship

References to items moved or retitled with this revision were updated in the items below:

3153.4 Reassessing the Reunification Plan After a Child Is Reunited With the Family

3301.21 The Goal of Family Preservation

3410 Purpose of FRS

5300 Court-Related Services for Children in Conservatorship

6223 Discussion of Efforts Made to Achieve the Permanency Goal

6232 Transfer of Conservatorship

6314.1 Required Issues to Consider

6533 Services to Children with Disabilities

6722 Permanent Placement with the Caregiver

8264.2 Identifying Available Services

Appendix 6220-A: Permanency Planning Principles

Appendix 6220-B: Comparison of Permanency-Planning Goals

Appendix 6233: When a Suit to Terminate Must Be Filed

In addition, the following sections have been deleted:

6220.1 Documentation of the Permanency Plan

6220.2 Concurrent Permanency Planning

6220.3 Presentation of the Permanency Plan to the Court

6220.4 Changing or Revising the Permanency Plan

6220.5 Achieving Permanency

6221.2 Issues to Consider When Selecting a Permanency Goal

6221.21 Assessing a Child's Needs When Selecting a Permanency Goal

6221.22 Listing Permanency Goals by Priority

6221.23 Considering Factors That Affect the Choice of Goals

6221.24 Determining the Appropriateness of a Goal

6221.25 Selecting the Permanency Goal

6222.2 Specific Steps for Meeting Time Frames for Permanent Family Placements

6222.22 Specific Steps when Child's Permanent Placement Involves the Department Maintaining Conservatorship

6222.3 Permanency Planning for Children With Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities in Institutional Settings

6222.4 Documentation of Planned Steps

Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) Services (PATS 3692)

ECI Services, including policy, will now be identified in CPS education policy, in accordance with Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). See:

2236.1 Referrals to Early Childhood Intervention (ECI)

2236.11 Investigation Stage and Findings

2236.12 Family-Based Safety Services (FBSS) Stage

2236.13 Conservatorship (CVS) Stage

2236.14 General Referral Procedures