Program Instruction: 21-05
Issue Date: June 03, 2021
Effective Date: June 07, 2021
From: Kim Guay, Director
Subject: Incident Reports
This program instruction serves to replace policies and procedures related to the documentation and investigation of incident reports, including CPS Manual Sections 6.1.5, 2.1.1, 6.1.1, 6.1.8, and 6.4; and Program Instructions 15-01 and 17-06. The new incident report form on the staff desktops will auto-generate an email to the OCS Division’s Safety and Security (DSS) Unit. The new guidelines will help DSS obtain event occurrence data, streamline reports for reduction of labor from reporter, increase accessibility to DSS, and help facilitate response regarding safety concerns for OCS. This Program Instruction broadens categories for safety concerns or incidents to help identify ones that may not have been reported previously. If an employee is unsure whether to complete an incident report, they should do so, and the DSS will evaluate the appropriate next steps. The policy does not replace incident reports for non-safety-related issues which should be continued to be reported per previous existing policy.
A. Employees will complete an Incident Report for any threat or incident that has, or potentially may, compromise the safety of anything related to OCS, including, but not limited, to personnel, operation, and facilities. This includes the safety of:
Employee;
Workplace;
Child or family;
Resource family; or
Case participant.
Documentation: OCS employees will submit the incident report by generating the auto-notification on their desktop and cc’ing their immediate supervisor on the email. Each Region may require additional reporting steps, such as sending a report copy to regional management, per local management protocols.
Possible or active threat occurring:
Immediate threat: If there is an immediate life Safety Threat, employees will contact 911, Law enforcement, or OCS security guards before notifying DSS. The employee will immediately notify the DSS Unit after talking with Law Enforcement by emailing hss.ocssafety@alaska.gov.
Possible threat: If an OCS employee has learned of a potential threat occurring, they will notify a member of the OCS Division’s Safety and Security (DSS) Unit at hss.ocssafety@alaska.gov or by calling 907-269-0313.
OCS Division’s Safety and Security Unit will coordinate with the employee(s) regarding the situation and take appropriate action, which may include.
DSS will notify regional management and the Statewide Executive Team.
DSS will investigate and staff with the employee and other applicable parties.
The OCS employee will activate the incident report via the OCS Safety & Security Icon on the desktop, complete the incident report and cc’ their immediate supervisor.
Incident occurred:
When OCS Division’s Safety and Security (DSS) Unit receives the auto-generated email from the incident report:
The incident report will be assigned a tracking number and logged.
A member of DSS will investigate and communicate with the employee and other applicable parties.
Within 24 hours, DSS will inform the employee if the incident will be closed, or if further action is required by DSS.
If the incident report is case-related and discoverable, DSS will document the incident report and any necessary information into ORCA.
The incident report will be closed once DSS concludes no further action is required.