4.35 Reunification, Including Extended Visitation, Case Planning and Transitional Supports to Families and Children

Trial Home Visitation

1. Must have a specifically written and agreed upon visitation agreement as outlined in SOP 4.19 Visitation Agreement for a trial home visit for any child in the custody (temporary or committed) of CHFS, or it is considered a return home; 
2. And family establish guidelines for the trial home visits and a prevention plan is negotiated as outlined in SOP 1.8 Prevention Planning, regarding the visitation and includes the following: 
1. A time frame for the transition to occur which allows for frequent and meaningful visitation between the parent and child; 
2. A schedule of visitation dates; 
3. A plan for how the child will be informed of the return home, to include caregivers and therapists when possible; 
4. Any therapeutic recommendations for the transition provided by community partners; 
5. Referrals for in-home services when needed to support the placement or meet therapeutic needs for the child and how the continuity of those services will be ensured during the transition period; 
6. A plan for any future contact with individuals that the child has developed meaningful relationships with while placed out of the home; 
7. A plan for sibling visitation/reunification if the move results in a sibling separation; and 
8. Discussion of upcoming court dates. 
3. Follows procedures outlined in SOP 9.13 Placement for Status Offenders when there is no visitation agreement and the child has been returned to the home of the parent; 
4. Schedules trial home visits when the identified safety concerns in the home have been mitigated and the best interest of the child is reunification with the family and should be: 
1. Time specific; 
2. Outlined on a visitation agreement; 
3. Agreed upon and signed by the worker, child, family, or other involved parties; and 
4. Written to incorporate therapeutic recommendations from the family and/or child’s treatment provider. 
5. Follows procedures outlined in SOP 4.45 Movement from a Home Placement if the SSW feels it is unsafe or is no longer in the best interest of the child to remain in the home; 1 
6. Follows TWIST procedures to ensure that the child’s placement is accurately captured in the system and if the child is still committed, does not exit the child from out-of-home care (OOHC) even if they are at home; 
7. Moves the child from the DCBS foster or adoptive home or private child care (PCC) foster home/facility and selects “Trial Home Visit” as the reason for the move and the date the child moved; 
8. Does not complete the “Reason Exited from Care” portion of the screens unless the child has been officially released by the appropriate court system; 
9. Continues to follow all OOHC guidelines as the Cabinet is still the legal custodian of the child when a child in the custody of CHFS is placed in the home on a trial visit or officially placed back in the home; 2 
10. Assures that the child continues to receive a medical card through the children’s benefits worker (CBW) or through family support since the Cabinet still has legal responsibility; 3 
11. Within forty-eight (48) hours of a child entering a trial home visit, completes the DPP-1279 Information for OOHC Placements Form and notifies the regional CBW and billing specialist of the trial/relative visit or change in placement for any child receiving federa​​l benefits such as supplemental security income (SSI), black lung, SSA survivors (RSDI) or other federal entitlements; and 
12. Will advise the parents to apply for a change of payee for the benefits. 4

1. Will complete and submit the DCBS–173 Benefits Change Notice to the DCBS Children’s Trust Fund Division to request the parent or relative placement become the payee, even if the child is still in the custody of CHFS upon a child’s entry into a trial home visitation.

1. Gathers information and recommendations from community partners, including: therapists, physicians, and school personnel; 
2. Consults with the FSOS regarding the need for a placement move; 
3. Notifies the caregiver and new placement that a move will occur; 
4. Holds a meeting with the parties to discuss and develop a written plan to address transition that includes the following, if applicable: 
1. A time frame for the transition to occur which allows for frequent and meaningful visitation that assists the child’s acclimation to the new placement; 
2. A schedule of vis​itation dates with the new placement; 
3. A plan for how the child will be informed of the placement move, to include therapists when possible; 
4. Any therapeutic recommendations for the transition provided by community partners; 
5. Referrals for in-home services when needed to support the placement or meet therapeutic need for the child including contact with the managed care organization (MCO) to assist with additional supports and a successful transition; 
6. A plan for any future contact after the transition has occurred; 
7. A plan for sibling visitation/reunification if the move results in a sibling separation; and 
8. Discussion of upcoming court dates. 
5. Assesses the progress and success of the transition through contact with caregivers, the child, and community partners. Based on this assessment and consultation with the FSOS, changes may need to occur to ensure the transition is in the best interest of the child, which may include modifying the plan for transition; and 
6. Will request a time for a transition to occur to ensure the child's best interest, if the court orders an immediate transition. However, if this request is denied the SSW will contact Office of Legal Services (OLS).