Ohio Administrative Code
Title 5101:2 - Division of Social Services
Chapter 5101:2-36 - Screening and Investigation
Section 5101:2-36-20 - Public children services agencies assessment requirements for child abuse and neglect reports in alternative response
Current through all regulations passed and filed through March 18, 2024
(A) The PCSA shall initiate the screened in child abuse and neglect report assigned to the alternative response pathway in accordance with the following:
(B) The PCSA shall advise the parent, guardian, or custodian of the information contained in the report at the time of the initial contact. The initial contact between the PCSA and the parent, guardian, or custodian includes face-to-face or telephone contact, whichever occurs first, if information is gathered as part of the assessment process.
(C) The PCSA shall document in the case record the date, time, and with whom the assessment was initiated. For all reports initiated by the mailing of a letter, the date the letter is mailed shall be documented in the case record.
(D) The PCSA shall complete and document the JFS 01401, "Comprehensive Assessment Planning Model - I.S., Safety Assessment" (rev. 2/2006) pursuant to rule 5101:2-37-01 of the Administrative Code.
(E) If the initial attempted face-to-face contacts with the child subject of the report and caretaker, as specified in paragraphs (A) and (D) of this rule are unsuccessful, the PCSA shall at a minimum continue making attempts of face-to-face contact at least every five working days until the child subject of the report and caretaker are seen or until the PCSA is required to complete a case decision pursuant to paragraph (S) or (T) of this rule.
(F) The PCSA shall not contact a child subject of the report or his or her siblings without parental consent, unless one of the following exigent circumstances exists:
(G) If a child is contacted without parental consent, then the same day, the PCSA shall attempt a face-to-face contact or complete telephone contact with the child's parent, guardian, or custodian to inform them that contact with his or her child occurred and provide the specific facts necessitating the child be contacted without parental consent.
(H) The specific facts necessitating contact with the child be completed without parental consent shall be documented in the case record.
(I) If the attempt to contact the child's custodian pursuant to paragraph (G) of this rule is unsuccessful, the PCSA shall continue to attempt to complete face-to-face contact with the child's parent, guardian or custodian once every five working days until contact is made with the child's parent, guardian, or custodian, or until the PCSA is required to make a case decision pursuant to paragraph (S) or (T) of this rule.
(J) The PCSA shall complete and document face-to-face contacts with each child residing within the home of the child(ren) who were the subject of the report.
(K) The PCSA shall complete and document face-to-face contacts with all adults residing within the home of the child(ren) who were the subject of the report.
(L) If the attempted face-to-face contacts with the family, as specified in paragraphs (J) and (K) of this rule are unsuccessful, the PCSA shall continue making attempts of face-to-face contact at least every five working days, at a minimum, until the child is seen or until the PCSA is required to complete a case decision pursuant to paragraph (S) of this rule.
(M) The PCSA shall convert a case from the alternative response pathway to the traditional response pathway if any of the following occur:
(N) The PCSA shall record a pathway switch in SACWIS no later than the next working day from the date of the event triggering the conversion of a case from the alternative response pathway to the traditional response pathway.
(O) The PCSA shall notify the principals of the report of the pathway change either verbally or in writing within three working days upon the conversion of a case from the alternative response pathway to the traditional response pathway if the pathway switch is not the result of a subsequent report received and assigned to the traditional response pathway. The notification(s) shall be documented in the case record.
(P) If the PCSA determines a child to be in immediate danger of serious harm, the PCSA shall follow procedures outlined in rule 5101:2-37-02 of the Administrative Code.
(Q) The PCSA shall conduct and document face-to face or telephone contact with any person identified as a possible source of information during the assessment to obtain relevant information regarding the safety of and risk to the child. The PCSA shall exercise discretion in the selection of collateral sources to protect the family's right to privacy.
(R) If two or more PCSAs are involved in an assessment, the lead county shall be determined by the following criteria:
(S) If requested by the lead PCSA, either verbally or in writing, the non-lead PCSA located in a non-contiguous county shall conduct interviews of any principals of the report and collateral sources presently located within its jurisdiction to provide the lead agency with the information necessary to complete the JFS 01401, JFS 01419, and/or JFS 01423 within the time frames outlined in this rule. All PCSAs involved shall document the request in the case record.
(T) The PCSA shall have an interpreter present for all interviews when the PCSA has determined that a principal of the report has a language or any other impairment that causes a barrier in communication, including but not limited to a principal of the report who is deaf or hearing impaired, limited English proficiency or is developmentally delayed.
(U) For all reports involving an infant identified as affected by legal or illegal substance abuse or withdrawal symptoms resulting from prenatal or postnatal substance exposure pursuant to rule 5101:2-1-01 of the Administrative Code the PCSA shall:
(V) The PCSA shall make a case decision by completing the JFS 01419 pursuant to rule 5101:2-37-03 of the Administrative Code no later than forty-five days from the date the PCSA screened in the referral as a report.
(W) If the child abuse and/or neglect report involves a family member receiving services after the completion of the JFS 01419, the PCSA shall make the final case decision by completing the JFS 01423 pursuant to rule 5101:2-37-03 of the Administrative Code.
(X) If the case decision is to transfer the case for ongoing PCSA services, and the case will continue to be assigned to the alternative response pathway, the agency shall provide ongoing services to the family pursuant to rule 5101:2-38-20 of the Administrative Code.
(Y) Within two working days of completion of the assessment, the PCSA shall do all of the following:
(Z) Documentation of the alternative response assessment, including any materials obtained during the assessment, shall be maintained in the case record.
(AA) The PCSA may extend time frames for completion or waive assessment activities pursuant to rule 5101:2-36-11 of the Administrative Code.