(A) The public children services agency
(PCSA) shall request an extension if the PCSA is unable to complete specific
assessment/investigative activities pursuant to the time frames established
within Chapters 5101:2-36 and 5101:2-37 of the Administrative Code. The
justification for extension shall:
(1)
Contain written justification for not meeting the established time
frame.
(2) Contain supervisory
approval of the written justification prior to the expiration of the
established time frame.
(3) Be
maintained in the case record.
(B) An extension is permitted for the
following assessment/investigative activities:
(1) Completion of the JFS 01401
"Comprehensive Assessment Planning Model - I.S., Safety Assessment" (rev.
2/2006). The time frame may be extended until face-to-face contact with each
required participant is completed or until the PCSA is required to make a
report disposition or final case decision.
(2) Execution of the second attempt to
complete face-to-face contact and the JFS 01401 within four working days from
the screening decision when all of the following have been recorded in the
extension justification prior to the expiration of the fourth working day:
(a) The diligent efforts completed to
identify the child's current safety status with a principal of the report or
collateral source who has knowledge of the child's current condition, and can
provide current and credible information about the child's safety.
(b) The name and location of the individual
who provided the credible information about the child's safety, and the manner
in which the information was obtained.
(c) The information provided by the principal
of the report or collateral source that supports the PCSA's belief that the
child is not at risk of being seriously harmed.
(d) Completion of the supervisory approval of
the extension request in SACWIS prior to the expiration of the fourth working
day.
(3) Obtaining the
signature of the parent, guardian, or custodian, or person(s) responsible for
an action step on the JFS 01409 "Comprehensive Assessment Planning Model -
I.S., Safety Plan for Children" (rev. 2/2006) within twenty-four hours from
receipt of the verbal authorization. The time frame of the extension shall not
exceed five working days.
(C) A fifteen day extension is permitted to
complete the JFS 01400 "Comprehensive Assessment Planning Model - I.S., Family
Assessment" (rev. 7 /2006), JFS 01402 "Comprehensive Assessment Planning Model
- I.S., Ongoing Case Assessment/ Investigation" (rev. 7/2006), JFS 01403
"Comprehensive Assessment Planning Model - I.S., Specialized
Assessment/Investigation" (rev. 2/2006), JFS 01419 "Comprehensive Assessment
Planning Model - I.S., Alternative Response Family Assessment" (rev. 7 /2008),
JFS 01423 "Comprehensive Assessment Planning Model - I.S., Alternative Response
Ongoing Case Assessment " (rev. 7/2008 ) or to reach a case disposition or case
decision if diligent efforts to complete the necessary activities have been
unsuccessful and one of the following applies:
(1) A principal of the report has not been
interviewed.
(2) The PCSA is
waiting on documentation/information from another entity that is necessary in
determining the disposition or case decision.
(3) Interviews with collaterals or witnesses
who have specific information about the allegations have not been
completed.
(4) The case is assigned
to the alternative response pathway and additional time is needed to complete
the linkage to services prior to case closure.
(D) An extension is permitted to notify the
alleged perpetrator in writing of the report disposition if the alleged
perpetrator is the subject of a law enforcement investigation into human
trafficking. The timeframe for the extension shall not exceed one hundred
twenty days from the date the PCSA screened in the referral as a child abuse
and/ or neglect report.
(E) The
PCSA shall complete a request to waive an assessment/investigation activity
pursuant to the requirements established within Chapters 5101:2-36 and
5101:2-37 of the Administrative Code if the PCSA is unable to complete specific
assessment/investigative activities. The request shall:
(1) Contain written justification of why each
assessment/investigation activity can not be completed.
(2) Contain the director's or designee's
approval of the written request prior to the termination of the established
time frame, or extended time frame, for the assessment/investigation
activity.
(3) Be maintained in the
case record.
(F) A PCSA
may request to waive the following assessment/investigation activities:
(1) Completion of the face-to-face interview
with the alleged child victim or child subject of the report.
(2) Completion of the face-to-face interview
with each child in the home of the alleged child victim or child subject of the
report.
(3) Completion of the
face-to-face interview with each adult residing in the home of the alleged
child victim or child subject of the report, including the parent(s), guardian,
or custodian.
(4) Completion of the
face-to-face interview with the alleged perpetrator or adult subject of the
report.
(5) Completion of
face-to-face or telephone interviews with any identified witnesses and
collateral sources.
(6) Completion
of the JFS 01400, JFS 01401, JFS 01402,
or JFS 01403 if the report disposition is one of the following:
(a) Family moved: unable to complete
assessment/investigation.
(b)
Unable to locate.
(7)
Completion of the JFS 01401, JFS 01419 or the JFS 01423 if the PCSA has not
completed contact with any principal of the report and has been unable to
locate the family.
(8) Completion
of the JFS 01400, JFS 01401, JFS 01402, or JFS 01403 if all of the following
apply:
(a) The PCSA has not successfully
gathered sufficient information from any principal of the report, identified
witness, or collaterals in order to complete the JFS 01400, JFS 01401, JFS
01402, or JFS 01403.
(b) The
parent, guardian, or custodian of the alleged child victim refused the PCSA to
have contact with family members, including principals of the report, to
complete the required assessment activities.
(c) The PCSA consulted legal counsel
regarding the report and the family's refusal to engage in the
assessment/investigation process.
(d) The PCSA's legal counsel advised the PCSA
no legal action will be pursued.
(e) The PCSA report disposition is
unsubstantiated, substantiated, or indicated.
(9) The signature of a parent, guardian, or
custodian on the JFS 01409 if all of the following apply:
(a) The PCSA has obtained one signature from
a parent, guardian, or custodian on the JFS 01409.
(b) The PCSA determines the parent, guardian,
or custodian who has not signed is unable or unavailable to sign the JFS
01409.
(c) The reason(s) why the
parent, guardian, or custodian who has not signed is unable or unavailable to
sign the JFS 01409 is documented in the case record.
(10) Completion of the JFS 01400, JFS 01401,
JFS 01402, JFS 01403, JFS 01419, or JFS 01423 if, upon initiation, the PCSA
determines the specific incident alleged in the report has been previously
assessed/investigated and all of the following apply:
(a) The report involves the same alleged
child victim or child subject of the previous report.
(b) The report involves the same alleged
perpetrator or adult subject of the previous report.
(c) The previous report received an
alternative response case decision or report disposition of substantiated,
indicated or unsubstantiated.
(G) The PCSA shall not complete a
justification to waive or extend the completion time frame for any
assessment/investigation activity not identified within this rule.