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Effective: 06/05/2023

2.13 Structured Decision Making Safety and Risk Assessments

Legal Authority

Introduction

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Structured Decision Making ® (SDM®) Safety Assessment

The purpose of the SDM® safety assessment is to:
  1. ​Help assess if any current safety threats exist for a child(ren) in the home; and 
  2. Determine what interventions should be used to mitigate the safety threats if they exist.
Safety indicates the current condition within a home or family and considers whether there is an immediate threat to the child’s safety. A threat to the child’s safety implies a specific family situation that is out of control, imminent, and likely to have severe effects on a child. A child is assessed to be safe when:
  • There is no threat to the child’s safety within the family or home; or
  • If such a threat does exist when the family has sufficient protective capacities to protect the child and manage the threat. ​

The safety assessment provides structured information concerning the danger of imminent harm or maltreatment to a child. This information guides the decision regarding whether a child may:
  • Remain in the home without safety interventions;
  • Remain in the home with safety interventions in place;
  • Be placed with a protective caretaker in an alternative living environment; or
  • Must be protectively placed. 
SDM® Risk Assessment
The SDM® risk assessment identifies families who have very high, high, moderate, or low probabilities of becoming involved with child protective services (CPS) in the future. By completing the risk assessment, the SSW obtains an objective assessment of the likelihood that a family will return to CPS in the next twelve (12) to eighteen (18) months. Differences between the risk levels are substantial. High-risk families have significantly higher rates of subsequent referral and validation than low-risk families, and they are more often involved in serious abuse or neglect incidents. 

The risk assessment is based on research on abuse/neglect cases that examined the relationships between family characteristics and the outcomes of subsequent confirmed abuse and neglect. The assessment does not predict recurrence; it simply assesses whether a family is more or less likely to have future involvement with CPS. 

One important result of the research is that the same set of criteria should not be used to assess the risk of both abuse and neglect because different family dynamics are present in abuse and neglect situations. Therefore, different sets of criteria are used to assess the future probability of abuse or neglect, although all items are completed for every family under investigation for child maltreatment. 

The scored risk level is determined by answering all items on the assessment, regardless of allegation types, totaling the score in the neglect and abuse columns, and taking the higher score from the abuse and neglect guides. 

Use the most recent safety assessment outcome, risk classification, investigation summary, and professional expertise with supervisory consultation to determine case action. 

Situations may exist in which low and moderate risk cases will be opened for ongoing services, specifically if unresolved safety threats remain at the end of the investigation. An ongoing case should be opened to provide services that address child safety and assess needs that may contribute to the caretaker’s ability to care for and protect their child. Situations may also occur where high and very high-risk cases will not be opened for ongoing services, specifically where significant progress to address static (historical) risk factors is evident in the worker’s clinical assessment.








Practice Guidance

​
The SDM® safety assessment process should be used in the following instances: 
  • ​All reports that are assigned for a child protection investigation, except specialized investigations and non-caretaker investigations. 
    • If an investigation is accepted on a foster home, the CPS pathway can be utilized if there are biological children in the home that are listed on a DPP-115 Confidential Suspected Abuse Neglect Dependency or Exploitation Reporting Form. If this occurs, there will be two active investigations occurring simultaneously. The allegations regarding the biological children will utilize the SDM® Assessment CPS incident pathway and include the SDM® tools. The foster children will be assessed through the specialized case and will not be assessed using the SDM® assessments. 
    • If a report is accepted and designated as a fatality, and there are no other living children in the home, the CPS incident pathway will be utilized and will not include the SDM® tools. If there are other living children in the home, the SDM® Assessment CPS incident pathway will be utilized and the SDM® safety and risk assessment will be completed.
  • Any open investigation or case in which changing circumstances require a safety assessment due to a change in: 
    • Family circumstances; 
    • Information known about the family; or 
    • Ability of safety interventions to mitigate safety threats. 
​​
The SDM® risk assessment process should be used in the following instances: 
  • All CPS investigations, including new investigations of families currently receiving ongoing services.
    • Exclude referrals on abuse and neglect by third (3rd)-party perpetrators, including licensed daycare facilities, unless there are concurrent allegations of failure to protect by the caretaker. Exclude investigations where the perpetrator is a foster parent, school personnel, residential facility, or non-caretaker. Also exclude unable to locate, no finding, and cases where the only child in the home died. 
  • When information on a household from a new intake has been merged with the current intake report. 


Procedure

SDM® Safety Assessment
The SSW assigned to the investigation completes the safety assessment process on all reports that are assigned for a CPS investigation, except for specialized and non-caretaker investigations. The safety assessment is completed at the following times: 
  • During a new report, before leaving a child in the home or returning a child to the home during the investigation. Circumstances may warrant postponing the completion of the safety assessment tool; however, the tool should be completed as soon as possible but no later than three (3) working days from the end of the initiation response time;
  • Immediately for active investigations in which the following occur: 
    • Change in family circumstances;
    • Change in information known about the family; or 
    • Change in the ability of safety interventions to mitigate safety threats.  
  • Before closing the investigation, if a safety plan is initiated and no ongoing case will be opened, a safety assessment must be completed in TWIST. If safety threats remain unresolved, a case should be opened; and
  • Prior to the closure of an open case. 

In most cases, when a safety threat is present and at least one (1) child is removed, a safety plan will be required for all children who remain in the home. 

The safety plan is a document written in family-friendly language that is completed with and signed by the family. The plan identifies the specific threats identified by the SSW, the interventions for each, and the plan to monitor the interventions. The safety plan remains in effect until all threats have been resolved or the child is subsequently placed due to failure of the plan. 

Each safety plan will expire after fourteen (14) working days and the SSW may need to complete updated plans with the family if safety threats continue to exist. More information can be found regarding safety planning in SOP 7.2 CPS Safety Planning.


The following steps outline the appropriate procedure to complete the SDM Safety Assessment: 
The SSW will:
  1. During the completion of the safety assessment, assess any factors that influence child vulnerability.
    1. Document each vulnerability factor that applies to one (1) or more child(ren), and enter the name of each child meeting that factor’s definition in the text box at the end​ of section one (1). Provide facts to support the selection. Select all that apply.
    2. When assessing if safety threats are present, consider the increased vulnerability of children for whom any of the factors apply. Vulnerability factors are not always safety threats.
  2. Assess for safety threats or any behaviors or conditions that describe a child being in imminent danger of serious harm.
    1. When completing section 1 in the safety assessment, considering the most vulnerable child in the household, select yes for each item when the information gathered reaches the threshold for the definition. Select no for each item for which current information is not sufficient to conclude that the definition is met.
    2. If no safety threats were found through the assessment, then the safety decision is SAFE, and no safety plan will be completed with the family.
    3. If yes was selected for one (1) or more safety threats, proceed to safety planning. Further assessment is required to distinguish which immediate intervention to initiate.
  3. If one (1) or more safety threats are found through the assessment and the family is willing to develop and follow a safety plan that would allow the child to remain at home, the worker will develop a detailed plan with the family and safety network. 
    1. This documentation will be listed in section 2 of the SDM Safety Assessment within the Assessment and Documentation Tool (ADT).
    2. Within section 2, the worker will select all actions that have already been demonstrated. This includes actions taken in response to the current danger or, if similar situations have occurred previously, demonstrated in the past. 
    3. If any immediate safety intervention to remain at home is selected, the safety decision is safe with a safety plan. The child will not require protective placement if the safety plan is being followed and is working to keep the child safe. 
  4. On the safety assessment, document any intervention items one (1) through six (6) that are being used in the safety plan. Note that most safety plans will use a combination of interventions. 
    1. Caretaker will act to protect the child:
      1. ​The caretaker reported to have caused harm will do one or more of the following;
        1. Leave the residence;
        2. Not have unsupervised access to the child;
        3. Not have contact with the child at this time; or
        4. Take alternative actions as specified by the safety plan.
      2. The caretaker not reported to have caused harm will do one or more of the following;
        1. Protect the child from the person reported to have caused harm;
        2. Move to a safe place with the child;
        3. Take legal action; or
        4. Take other specific actions described in the safety plan.
    2. Others will act to protect the child:
      1. Safety network will act to protect the child;
      2. Community resources will be used to protect the child;
      3. The child will participate in the safety plan (if appropriate, based on their developmental and emotional competence); or 
      4. Other (specify).
  5. ​Upon completion of the safety plan, if one has been developed, a written copy of the plan should be created and placed in the assessment file. A copy should be provided to the family and any safety network members who are participating in the plan. Signatures of all participants should be obtained if possible. A copy of the plan should also be provided to the child if the child participated in the plan and is developmentally appropriate, or an alternative child-friendly version of the plan can be provided. 
  6. If it is not possible to develop a safety plan, (e.g., no caretaker is available; all caretakers refuse to participate in safety planning; caretaker is intoxicated, under the influence, or hallucinating) or if a proposed safety plan is insufficient to control the danger, the safety decision is unsafe. An unsafe decision means that at least one (1) child requires immediate removal. An unsafe child cannot remain in the home. 
    1. ​The worker will select #7 on the safety interventions, and the child will be placed in protective custody. 
  7. ​Throughout the process of the investigation, safety will continue to be assessed. Consideration of safety threats should be incorporated into each contact with the family, i.e., during an investigation, an open case, and/or an ongoing intervention. After the initial safety assessment is completed, subsequent safety assessments should be completed when a change in the family’s circumstances poses a safety threat, which may create the need for possible protective actions.
    1. ​If an investigation will be closed without ongoing services and the most recent safety assessment identified safety threats that have not been resolved with a new safety assessment, case documentation should specify how all identified safety threats were resolved. 
    2. If the investigation will be opened for ongoing services, case documentation should indicate if the safety plan and interventions still apply when the current safety plan expires. 
    3. If safety threats still exist or new threats have emerged, a new safety plan is required. 
    4. If protective actions successfully resolved the initial safety threats and no current safety threats exist, case documentation should specify how they were resolved. 
    5. If the risk reassessment result is low or moderate risk, a safety assessment is completed before recommending case closure. If a safety threat is identified on the safety assessment, the case should not be closed. 
SDM® Risk Assessment 

The SSW assigned to the investigation completes the risk assessment process on all CPS investigations, including new investigations of families currently receiving ongoing services, at the following times: 
  • By the conclusion of the investigation after the safety assessment has been completed;
  • Before any decision to open a case for ongoing services; or 
  • Before closing the referral with no additional services. 

Investigations must be completed within forty-five (45) working days, approximately sixty-(60) calendar days. The SDM® risk assessment must be completed in TWIST at least five (5) working days before the end of the investigation. 

Also, complete the risk assessment when information on a household from a new intake has been merged with the current intake report, (i.e., second (2nd) incident).

SELECTING THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CARETAKER 
  • When answering some items on the risk assessment, it is necessary to consistently identify a primary and a secondary caretaker. If the child’s legal caretakers live in separate households, each household will have a primary, and possibly a secondary, caretaker who is one of the people residing in that household.
  • Always assess the legal caretaker’s household that is the subject of the investigation. If the alleged perpetrator is part of the child’s household, assess that household.
  • If the alleged perpetrator is not a member of the child’s household, do not complete a risk assessment for the alleged perpetrator’s household; complete a risk assessment for the household of the child’s primary caretaker.
Examples: 
  • Only one (1) caretaker: the caretaker is the primary caretaker; no secondary caretaker will be identified.
  • There are two (2) or more caretakers with differing caretaking roles: the caretaker who provides most of the care (emotional and physical) for the child will be the primary caretaker, and the caretaker who provides the next most care will be the secondary caretaker.
  • There are two (2) or more caretakers with equal caretaking roles, but only one (1) is the legal caretaker: the only legal caretaker will be the primary caretaker; the other caretaker will be the secondary caretaker.
  • There are two (2) or more caretakers with equal caretaking roles and equal legal status: the caretaker named as the person causing harm will be the primary caretaker, and the other caretaker will be the secondary caretaker. 
  • There are two (2) or more caretakers with equal caretaking roles, equal legal status, and equal contribution to harming the child: the caretaker whose harm has had the greatest impact on the child will be the primary caretaker, the other caretaker will be the secondary caretaker. ​

​​The following steps outline the appropriate procedure to complete the SDM Safety Assessment: 

The SSW: 

  1. ​Completes the risk assessment based on conditions that existed at the time the investigation was initiated, prior family history, and information gathered during the investigation;
  2. Answer all items regardless of the type of allegations reported or investigated. 
    1. ​The SSW must make every effort throughout the investigation to obtain the information needed to answer each assessment item by reviewing written historical case material and interviews with all family members and collateral contacts. The item definitions must be used when answering each risk item.
  3. ​Answer no or none of the above if information cannot be obtained to answer a specific item.;
  4. ​Utilize the risk level that is determined based on the higher level from the neglect and abuse indices (calculated automatically in TWIST).
    1. ​Non-scoring supplemental items: included in the risk items in Section 1 are supplemental risk items that do not contribute to the scored or final risk level. These items are being reviewed for future risk assessment validation.
  5. Describe identified risk items within the individual’s information in the contact screens when documenting the identifying information and interviews. Provide documentation with a behavior-based description for each item that is answered yes; and
  6. Only complete one risk assessment tool per household.

Completing the ADT for the SDM® Assessment CPS Incident Maltreatment Pathway in TWIST

Based on the implementation of the SDM® safety assessment and SDM® risk assessment, policy separates the completion of assessments from familial cases that will follow the SDM® assessment CPS incident maltreatment pathway, and specialized cases that follow their appropriate ADT pathway. Any investigation that is considered specialized will have a different ADT pathway and will not utilize the SDM® assessments throughout the investigation or ongoing case. The SDM® assessment CPS incident maltreatment pathway documentation will look very different, as there is very limited narrative documentation throughout this ADT. Most of the written documentation will occur in the contact screens of TWIST. 

The SSW:

  1. Will complete the SDM® safety assessment within the assigned ADT in TWIST following the initiation of the investigation assigned via the DPP​-115; 
    1. In TWIST, complete the first (1st) section of the ADT labeled HOUSEHOLD INITIATION.
    2. This screen will require the SSW to enter information into TWIST regarding the household members of the investigation. 
      1. Individuals can be added in the Modify Report section of the ADT. 
      2. It is imperative that all household members are appropriately added to an investigation and all appropriate victim/perpetrator pairings are completed within the first forty-five (45) working days of the investigation. If the appropriate individuals are not added, it can result in another report that needs to be assessed for investigation. 
    3. Once all household individuals are added to the investigation (if necessary), the SSW will save the HOUSEHOLD INITIATION screen and the SDM® safety assessment module button will populate at the top of the screen.
  2. Enters the SDM® safety assessment with any information gained throughout the initiation/safety assessment process.
    1. The SDM® safety assessment will document the outcome of the safety assessment with one of the following options:
      1. Safe: no safety threats were identified. Based on currently available information, no children will likely be in immediate danger of serious harm.
      2. Safe with a safety plan: one (1) or more safety threats are present, and protective safety interventions have been planned or taken. The child will remain in the home or with a protective caretaker in an alternative living environment because of protective actions and strengths. A safety plan signed by the caretaker is required for the child to remain in the home.
      3. Unsafe: one (1) or more safety threats are present, and placement is the only safety intervention possible for one (1) or more children. Without placement, one (1) or more children will likely be in immediate danger of serious harm.
    2. The SSW will submit the SDM® safety assessment tool within three (3) working days following the assigned initiation response timeframe.
  3. Completes the next sections of the ADT:
    1. Child/Youth: select appropriate check boxes specific to each child.
    2. Maltreatment: document any injuries to the child, if applicable. This screen has one (1) text box that the SSW will describe the injury/condition because of abuse/neglect in specific terms (size, shape, location, color, impact of abuse/condition of neglect); and​
    3. Adult: select appropriate check boxes specific to each adult.​
    4. ​The SDM® risk assessment module link will become active in the assessment once the SDM® safety assessment is approved. 
  4. Enters the SDM® risk assessment with any information gained throughout the entire investigative/assessment process;
  5. Submits the SDM® risk assessment to the FSOS five (5) working days before the investigative assessment due date; 
  6. Documents the following information in the TWIST contacts screen throughout the entirety of the investigation process (please refer to the template):
    1. All face-to-face home visits, phone contact, individual interviews, collateral interviews, and evidence collection efforts;
    2. Date the contact occurred and select Investigation/Assessment under the Service Activities section.
      1. The SSW will enter contacts into TWIST during the calendar month the contact was made unless the contact is made in the last week of the month; and
      2. The SSW enters the contact no later than the fifth (5th) calendar day of the following calendar month if the contact was made the last week of the month.
        1. Best practice would ensure that contacts are documented as quickly as possible to ensure all information is captured appropriately. 
    3. Information gathered and steps taken to assess and protect a child during the assessment.
  7. Ensures that the documentation is case-specific and written to describe the content relevant to the assessment;
  8. Ensures that all identifying information including full names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth are accurate and associated with the correct individuals in the case (please refer to the Case Naming Tip Sheet​ when updating information in TWIST);
  9. Determines the finding for each child on all reports based on the assessment of credible information and supportive documentation gained during the investigation and the assessment process;
  10. Uses the following guidelines for credible information when determining the finding of an investigation;
    1. Personal observations of the home, child(ren), neighborhood, and family interaction;
    2. Interviews with caretakers, alleged victims, alleged perpetrators, and collateral sources including witnesses, teachers, neighbors, or other sources of information regarding family functioning;
    3. Written statements from caretakers, alleged victims, alleged perpetrators, and collateral sources;
    4. Pictures of injuries and/or hazardous living conditions; 
    5. Expert opinions or statements from medical or other professionals who can make statements diagnosing a specific condition; or
    6. An adjudication of same by the court.
  11. Ensures that the social work investigative finding is consistent with statute and regulation;
  12. Consults with the FSOS, as appropriate, when determining the investigative finding. TWIST will generate a preliminary case action Assessment Result within the Assessment Results function of the ADT based on the most recent safety assessment outcome and risk classification.
    1. Utilizing the most recent safety assessment outcome, risk classification, investigation summary, and professional expertise with supervisory consultation to determine case action.
    2. The preliminary case action can be changed with FSOS approval and documentation to support the override will be mandatory.
  13. Completes the assessment within forty-five (45) working days; 
  14. Provides the caretaker and alleged perpetrator written notice of the outcome of the investigation, and each should receive a DPP-154 Protection and Permanency Service Appeal form. The alleged perpetrator receives a DPP-155 Request for Appeal of Child Abuse or Neglect Investigative Findings form; and
  15. Provides a copy of the Case Plan Meeting Brochure to the custodial parent(s) in person or when sending the notification letter(s) if an ongoing case is opened.

The FSOS:
  1. Meets monthly with each SSW to discuss and strategize case specific issues for each CPS case as outlined in SOP 1.5 Supervision and Consultation;
  2. Upon submission of the SDM® safety assessment by the SSW, reviews the assessment for appropriate completion and documentation surrounding any identified safety threats and approves the assessment;
  3. Upon submission of the SDM® risk assessment by the SSW, reviews the assessment for appropriate completion and approves the assessment; 
  4. Upon the submission of the completed ADT, reviews the documentation within the ADT and service recordings to ensure the documentation is appropriate; and
  5. Has five (5) working days to review and approve submitted ADTs. This allows time for the FSOS to pend back for corrections if needed prior to approval. 


Contingencies and Clarifications 


To determine the best interests of an indigenous child, all factors related to the child’s circumstances must be considered, including the following: 

  • The child’s cultural, linguistic, religious, and spiritual upbringing and heritage; 
  • The child’s needs, considering their age and developmental status, such as the child’s need for stability;
  • The nature and strength of the child’s relationship with their caretaker, the care provider, and any member of their family who plays an important role in their life; 
  • The importance to the child of preserving their cultural identity and connections to the language and territory of the indigenous group, community, or people to which the child belongs; 
  • The child’s views and preferences, considering the child’s age and maturity, unless their views and preferences cannot be determined;  
  • Any plans for the child’s care, including care following the customs or traditions of the indigenous group, community, or people to which the child belongs; 
  • Any family/domestic violence and its impact on the child, including whether the child is directly or indirectly exposed to the family/domestic violence as well as the physical, emotional, and psychological harm or risk of harm to the child; and
  • Any civil or criminal proceeding, order, condition, or measure that is relevant to the child’s safety, security, and well-being. 


​

​​Footnotes​​​​

  1. ​​The Investigative Service Recording Template is an example and is not mandatory.  ​​


Documents

Revisions

​​12/5/22 Deletion 

  1. ​​The SSW enters the contact no later than the fifth (5th) calendar day of the following calendar month if the contact was made the last week of the month.
    1. ​​​Best practice would ensure that contacts are documented as quickly as possible to ensure all information is captured appropriately. The contact documentation will be saved but not finalized.​


6/5/23 Addition: 

FSOS
5.  Has five (5) working days to review and approve submitted ADTs. This allows time for the FSOS to pend back for corrections if needed prior to approval. 


4/2024

Footnote: 

​​1.  The Investigative Service Recording Template is an example and is not mandatory.