Code of Massachusetts Regulations
606 CMR - DEPARTMENT OF EARLY EDUCATION AND CARE
Title 606 CMR 5.00 - Standards for the Licensure or Approval of Agencies Offering Child Placement and Adoption Services
Section 5.06 - General Casework Management

Universal Citation: 606 MA Code of Regs 606.5

Current through Register 1531, September 27, 2024

(1) Each licensee shall designate a Director of Social Services.

(2) Requirement for Social Services. The licensee shall provide social services to all children in care and to their families pursuant to the service plans described in 606 CMR 5.07(1)(b), 5.07(2)(b) and (c), and 5.08(2) and (3).

(a) The licensee shall assure that there is assigned to each child in care and each parent of any child in care a social worker who shall assure that the child and family receive the services identified in the service plan.
1. Whenever parents/expectant parents are considering permanent placement, the options counseling and education services required by 606 CMR 5.08(3)(c) shall be provided by a social worker with an advanced license in social work (LCSW, LICSW) or advanced licensure in a closely related field.

2. Such person shall not be concurrently assigned responsibility for services to the foster parents or the prospective adoptive parents of the child.

(b) The licensee shall assign a social worker to act as a resource and provide ongoing support to each foster family approved by the agency. The assigned social worker shall communicate with the foster family at least quarterly, and shall be responsible for the duties outlined at 606 CMR 5.09(8).

(c) The licensee shall arrange for regular consultations between the social workers assigned to the child, the parents and the foster or adoptive parents regarding progress toward achievement of the permanent plan.

(d) Any social worker who notes concerns or significant changes in the child or foster home must promptly inform all workers assigned to the child or family of such concerns. Consistent with the terms of its interagency agreement(s), the licensee shall promptly notify all agencies which approve the home of concerns about or significant changes in the home.

(e) Except in adoption placement cases, the assigned social worker shall visit the child and the child's birth family at least once per month.
1. On each such visit the social worker shall determine whether the child is receiving services required by the service plan.

2. The social worker shall spend some time privately with each child at least monthly to assess the child's safety and well-being.

3. The visits between the social worker and child shall take place in the child's foster family home or residential facility at least once a month and shall include communication with the foster parents and other household members, and residential program staff.

(f) In lieu of providing directly the required social services described above, the licensee may make an agreement with another licensed placement agency, person, or facility, to provide the required social services for specific children or families. Such interagency agreements shall be valid for no more than two years, but may be renewed at the discretion of the parties. Social services provided through such interagency agreements shall comply with applicable regulations in the state where the services are provided.

(g) When the licensee collaborates with another licensed or approved placement agency, person, attorney or facility to deliver services, the licensee must ensure that:
1. such providers are licensed or appropriately credentialed, according to applicable regulations in the state where the services are provided;

2. service agreements or contracts between the licensee and all collaborators are written;

3. prospective adoptive parents are made aware of the relationship between the providers.

(3) Qualifications of Social Service Personnel. Any staff providing direct services to a child or family shall be a Social Worker and be supervised by a Supervisor as defined by 606 CMR 5.02.

(4) Responsibility of Social Work Staff. The social worker shall work toward implementing a permanent plan for the child as quickly as possible. In addition, the social worker shall maintain contact with the child and his birth family for the purposes of:

(a) assisting the child and his/her birth family to:
1. understand the reasons for placement and the timetable for working on service plan goals; and

2. adjust to placement and separation;

(b) developing a visiting plan and encouraging the family's continued interaction with the child, when called for by the service plan;

(c) informing the birth family of the child's progress, as appropriate;

(d) helping the child to cope with problems experienced in the family foster home or residential program;

(e) reinforcing the birth parent(s)' strengths and resources to help them participate in service planning for their child;

(f) maximizing the child's self-determination by facilitating his/her input into service plan goals and participating in the service planning and review process, as appropriate to the age of the child;

(g) helping parents obtain services needed to make it possible for the child and family to be reunited, when called for by the service plan; and

(h) ensuring continuity of planning for the child and family.

(5) Case Management. The licensee shall insure continuity of case management responsibilities in the absence of the social worker for an extended period of time such as vacation, sick leave, leave of absence, and holidays.

(6) Service Plans.

(a) The licensee shall explain all service plans, updates and reviews to all parties named in the plan and to all parties responsible for implementing the plan including, but not limited to, the child's parents, the foster parents, adoptive parents, residential program staff, the agency having custody or guardianship of the child, and to the child, consistent with the child's capacity to understand.

(b) The licensee shall provide a copy of all service plans, updates and reviews to the child's parents. Summaries of all service plans shall be available to the child's foster parents, adoptive parents and residential program upon request.

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