23-05 Intake Screen In - Child Fatality

Program Instruction: 23-05
Issue Date: December, 22, 2023
Effective Date: December, 22, 2023
From: Kim Guay, Director
Subject: Intake Screen In - Child Fatality

When a child fatality occurs and alleged maltreatment by a caregiver, parent, custodian, or guardian has been identified as a possible contributing factor, a Protective Services Report (PSR) can be screened in for the purpose of making a maltreatment finding and referring the individual(s) to services. The screening decision is not dependent on whether other children are currently present in the home as they may provide care to children in the future. The intention of screening in a report is to address future safety concerns and provide a maltreatment finding.

Policy:

1. OCS will screen in cases when a child fatality occurs and there is potential for a maltreatment finding. 

2. A referral will be made for the primary caregiver, parent, custodian, or guardian(s) to appropriate community services regardless of other children being in the home.  

Procedure:

1. When a PSR is received regarding a child fatality:  

   1. The intake worker will screen in the report if they identify an allegation of maltreatment based on the information provided.  

   2. The Tribal partners will be invited to participate in the Investigation and Assessment (IA) when applicable.

   3. To initiate the IA. The Protective Services Specialist (PSS) will select that the face to face occurred, but it will be noted in ORCA that the child is deceased and that the face to face did not occur.  

   4. The PSS will make a maltreatment finding after completing the IA. If there are no other children in the home a safety assessment will not need to be completed. 

   5. When closing the IA, the PSS will determine appropriate community resources to refer the primary caregiver, parent, custodian, or guardian(s) to regardless of having other children in the home.