Alabama Administrative Code
Title 660 - ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES
Chapter 660-5-34 - PROTECTIVE SERVICES FOR CHILDREN
Section 660-5-34-.04 - Intake In Protective Services
Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 02, November 27, 2024
(1) A report of alleged child abuse/neglect is not accepted on any persons who have reached their eighteenth birthday.
(2) A report of alleged child abuse/neglect is not accepted on an unborn child. Other Department or community services may be provided to the family of the unborn child as deemed appropriate.
(3) For purposes of child protective services, a person allegedly responsible for abuse/neglect is defined as a person fourteen years of age or older. No child under the age of fourteen will be listed on a child abuse/neglect report as responsible for abuse/neglect. Reports of physical, mental or sexual abuse committed by a child under the age of fourteen will be accepted and assessed (Refer to Rule 660-5-34-.12) to determine the possibility of neglect, lack of supervision or exploitation contributing to the child's behavior. If a child under the age of fourteen commits sexual acts that go beyond curiosity or experimentation on another child, the report will be assessed to consider the possibility that the child committing such acts may be a victim of child sexual abuse and/or in need of services.
(4) Once a report of suspected child abuse/neglect has been received, it must be investigated, and the investigation is known by DHR as the child abuse/neglect child abuse neglect (CA/N) assessment.
(5) The following criteria must be considered at intake when determining which reports will be investigated first:
(6) DHR's response time is the timeframe within which inperson initial contact shall be made with the children who are allegedly abuse or neglected (i.e., at risk of serious harm) and all other children in the home.
(7) All reports of child abuse/neglect must be cleared through Alabama's Central Registry on Child Abuse/Neglect (Refer to Rule 660-5-34-.07.) to determine if there have been previous reports involving the children, their family members, and all persons allegedly responsible for abuse/neglect.
(8) As child abuse/neglect reports are received in the County Department, these reports must be reported to the District Attorney's office and the local law enforcement agency, according to the County Department's written working agreement with the District Attorney and law enforcement.
(9) Afterhours Intake on Emergency Calls Every County Department of Human Resources shall have a written plan for responding to afterhours emergency calls for protective services to children which identifies, at a minimum, contact numbers for oncall staff, backup oncall staff, and law enforcement agencies.
Author: Jerome Webb
Statutory Authority: 42 U.S.C. §§ 510-15-107 ; 45 C.F.R. §1340.15 ; Code of Ala. 1975, Title 26, Chapter 14; Title 13A33.