Ky.gov
Effective: 3/2/2026

C7.29 Ongoing Assessment for Out of Home Care Cases

Legal Authority

Introduction

​​​​​​​​​​​During ongoing work, the family should be continually assessed​. This assessment includes face-to-face contact with the parent, face-to-face contact with the child, contact with service providers, contact with caregivers, and other collateral contacts. The overall goal of ongoing work with a family should be to eliminate safety threats and reduce behaviors contributing to risk factors. The family’s progress and the ongoing assessment of the worker are reflected in​​ service recordings and the case plan evaluation.
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Practice Guidance

Procedure

​The SSW:
  1. Creates the ongoing case plan review evaluation/ongoing assessment;
  2. Completes the Structured Decision Making (SDM)® Reunification Assessment for cases that followed the SDM® pathway during the investigation; 
    1. ​No later than six (6) months from the removal date from the home of origin and every six (6) months after that;
    2. At any time, a child is being considered for a trial home visit or return home.
  3. ​​May complete the SDM® Reunification Assessment prior to court hearings or pre-permanency consultations; 
  4. Upon reunification, will complete an SDM® Risk Assessment Tool when:
    1. At least every six (6) months during required case reviews;
    2. Before any recommendation to close the case or continue services.
      1. The assessment must be completed within thirty (30) working days before each case plan or closure recommendation. It should be completed sooner if new information or circumstances change the level or risk. 
  5. ​​Will create the ongoing case review for the following cases:
    1. ​​​Safe infant pathway;
    2. Status offender pathway; 
    3. Dependency pathway; and
    4. Recommittment pathway.
  6. ​​Will create the ongoing case review:
    1. At least every six (6) months; 
    2. Prior to the periodic case planning conference;
    3. Change in the composition of the family and/or household members; ​and 
    4. Prior to case closure; 
  7. Considers the safety threats that brought the family into contact with the agency; 
  8. Utilizes information gathered during contact with the service providers and collateral contacts; 
  9. Considers the level of progress and efforts made by family members to reduce risk factors and address safety threats; 
  10. Assesses for safety threats in the family; 
  11. Assesses whether or not the family has achieved their case plan objectives and demonstrates behavior change that is free of safety threats and reduced behaviors that are contributing to the risk factors; 
  12. Outlines the services necessary to achieve the elimination of safety threats and/or risk factors; and 
  13. Submits the evaluation/assessment for supervisor approval.




Documents

Revisions

​3/2026

  1. Creates the ongoing case plan review evaluation/ongoing assessment;
  2. Completes the Structured Decision Making (SDM)™ Reunification Assessment for cases that followed the SDM™ pathway during the investigation; 
    1. ​No later than six (6) months from the removal date from the home of origin and every six (6) months after that;
    2. At any time, a child is being considered for a trial home visit or return home.
  3. ​​May complete the SDM™ Reunification Assessment prior to court hearings or pre-permanency consultations; 
  4. Upon reunification, will complete an SDM™ Risk Assessment Tool when:
    1. At least every six (6) months during required case reviews;
    2. Before any recommendation to close the case or continue services.
      1. The assessment must be completed within thirty (30) working days before each case plan or closure recommendation. It should be completed sooner if new information or circumstances change the level or risk. 
  5. ​​Will create the ongoing case review for the following cases:
    1. ​​​Safe infant pathway;
    2. Status offender pathway; 
    3. Dependency pathway; and
    4. Recommittment pathway.
  6. ​​Will create the ongoing case review:
    1. At least every six (6) months; 
    2. Prior to the periodic case planning conference;
    3. Change in the composition of the family and/or household members; ​and 
    4. Prior to case closure;