(Revision. 6/1/04)
AS 47.10 Children in Need of Aid,
AS 47.17 Child Protection
Ensure child safety by establishing standards for face to face contact with the alleged victim based on priority level assignment of protective service reports, defining initiation, and establishing standards for approval of delay of face to face contact.
CPS initial assessment must be initiated within the required response time, i.e. 24 hours, 72 hours, 7 days, of the receipt of the report. Initiation is achieved by conducting a face-to-face contact with the child for the purpose of assessing their safety. If contact with the child is impossible, contact with the family, or source of the report who can provide information about whether or not the child is safe, or another person who can provide information about whether or not the child may be safe may substitute as initiation of the assessment.
If the report indicates that an emergency response is required, law enforcement will be contacted immediately.
A worker may not delay initiation of an assessment within the required response time without PSS IV approval. Child safety must be determined before delay is approved.
If conditions make face to face contact within assigned response times impossible, reports designated Priority One will receive first consideration, Priority Two second consideration, and Priority Three third consideration.