3.2 Timeframes and Ongoing Service Requirements for All In Home Services Cases

Introduction

​​​​The FSOS and SSW utilize the following timeframes for all in-home services cases.

Practice Guidance

Procedure

  1. The FSOS assigns the case being opened to the SSW for ongoing services within three (3) working days of the date the assessment results are approved. 
  2. The SSW makes a home visit with the family within five (5) working days of case assignment to begin negotiating the:
    1.  Prevention strategy for the family; 
    2. Evidence based practices (EBPs) to be utilized in prevention services; 
    3. Case plan goals to be agreed upon with all family members;
    4.  Case plan objectives and tasks; and 
    5. Participants who will be invited to participate in case planning, including identified fathers as outlined in SOP 4.14 Family Attachment and Involvement and the service providers. 
  3. The SSW negotiates the initial case plan with the family within fifteen (15) calendar days of the case assignment by the FSOS.
  4.  The SSW enters the information in the DPP-1281 Family Case Plan (TWIST) verbatim when the blank signature page of the case plan is signed, based on the negotiated objectives and tasks. 
  5. The SSW reviews with the family any changes to the negotiated objectives and tasks and obtains a new signature page. 
  6. The SSW enters the completed/developed date in the “effective from date” on the case plan. This is the date that the family signed the signature page. 1 
  7. The SSW enters/submits the case plan information within ten (10) working days from the date it was developed with the family. 
  8. The SSW considers all team member opinions, as well as family circumstances to negotiate at least one task for each objective with a begin and potential end date. 
  9. The SSW renegotiates the DPP-1281 case plan with the family every six (6) months until the case is closed. 2 
  10. The FSOS approves the case plan within ten (10) working days from the date it was developed with the family and submitted by the SSW. 
  11. The SSW mails or delivers the TWIST copy of the case plan to the family within three (3) calendar days of the FSOS approval. 
  12. The SSW follows procedures outlined in SOP 3.11 Onsite Provision of Services when assistance is requested from one county or region to another county or region to provide needed ongoing services. 
  13. The SSW visits every calendar month, making face to face contact with the family and all children in the home to: 
    1. Assess progress on accomplishing Family Case Plan goals, objectives and tasks, and assess the need for continuing prevention services and EBPs; 
    2. Observe the interaction among parent, child and siblings; and 
    3. Determine the suitability of these interactions and protective capacity of the parent, including identified fathers as outlined in SOP 4.14 Family Attachment and Involvement. 
  14. The SSW documents all contacts with or on behalf of the family; service recordings reflect the progress toward prevention strategies, goals, objectives and tasks; 
  15. The SSW completes a case plan evaluation/assessment at least every six (6) months, and also: 
    1. Within thirty (30) days prior to the family case plan periodic review; 
    2. When any significant change occurs in a family, such as: 
      1. A need to change prevention strategies, services and/or EBPs; 
      2. A trial home visit begins; 
      3. Change in the composition of the family; 
      4. Loss of job; 
      5. Change in family income; 
      6. Loss of basic needs being met; or 
      7. Prior to considering case closure. 
  16. The SSW updates the case plan within six (6) months from the case planning conference date of the previous case plan, and every six (6) months thereafter; 
  17. The SSW follows the guidelines for case consultation as outlined in SOP 1.5 Supervision and Consultation. 
  18. The SSW follows up with court involvement as necessary, as outlined in SOP 11.14 When to File a Petition.


Footnotes

  1. The case plan is considered completed/developed on the date it was negotiated. This will be the same date the family signs the signature page of the case plan. 
  2. Prevention plans are no longer required to complete a case plan. The case plan objectives and tasks can be entered directly into TWIST while negotiating the strategies, objectives, and tasks with the family.

Revisions