4534. Crisis Residential Center (CRC) Placement

Applies To:  This policy applies to caseworkers.

Policy Number & Title:  4534. Crisis Residential Center (CRC) Placement

Effective Date:  July 1, 2024


Purpose 

CRCs are short-term, semi-secure or secure facilities for runaway youth and adolescents in conflict with their families. CRCs provide resources for emergency, temporary residence, assessment, and referrals to services for youth ages 12-17.

Authority 

RCW 13.32A.030  Definitions

RCW 13.32A.080   Unlawful harboring of a minor

RCW 43.185C.305  Youth Services-Crisis Residential Services-Removal From-Unauthorized leave

RCW 43.185C.310  Youth services-Crisis residential centers-Removal to another center or secure facility—Placement in Secure Juvenile Detention Facility

RCW 74.14A.020   Services for Emotionally Disturbed and Mentally Ill Children, Potentially Dependent Children, and Families-In-Conflict

RCW 74.13.031  Duties of Department-Child Welfare Services-Children's Services Advisory Committee.

RCW 74.13.035  Residential Centers Annual Records-Multiple Licensing

Policy 

  1. Accessing Placement in a CRC
    Caseworkers must:
    1. Follow policies:
      1. Intake Process and Response or Family Reconciliation Services for service requests for non-dependent youth requiring placement.
      2. Indian Child Welfare (ICW) Reason to Know if there is reason to know the child may be an Indian child.
    2. Send a Child Information and Placement Referral form DCYF 15-300 to the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) placement coordinator for dependent children and youth. The CRC will make the final determination whether to accept the placement request and priority will be given to:
      1. Youth who have run from out of home care; or
      2. Youth whose health and safety is at risk and a short-term placement is needed until an alternative is found.
  2. Placement in a CRC 
    Caseworkers must:
    1. When a youth is not in DCYF placement and care authority (PCA) and is placed in a CRC:
      1. Contact the youth within 24 hours of placement, excluding weekends and holidays and:
        1. Identify the youth’s critical needs.
        2. Obtain legal authorizations for placements lasting longer than 72 hours, if needed.
      2. Verify placements in a CRC do not exceed 15 calendar days; the placement should not be longer than it takes to facilitate family reconciliation, return of the youth to the youth's home, or to develop an alternative long-term placement plan.
      3. Verify a youth’s length of stay in a juvenile detention-based secure CRC does not exceed five calendar days. NOTE: For youth moving between CRC and Secure CRC, the youth’s stay cannot exceed 15 calendar days total.
    2. When a youth is in DCYF’s PCA and placed in a CRC:
      1. Schedule a Family Team Decision Making or Shared Planning Meeting within 72 hours of placement, excluding weekends and holidays.
      2. Authorize emergent medical and dental care.
      3. Transition the youth within five days of the discharge placement being identified.
      4. Relocate all dependent youth who have reached the maximum length stay of 15 calendar days for CRC or Secure CRC not located in a detention center, 5 calendar days for Secure CRCs that are located in a detention center, or 15 calendar days total CRC and Secure CRC.      
    3. Document case coordination in FamLink.
  3. Information Sharing with CRC Staff
    1. For dependent youth in a CRC caseworkers will provide and exchange the following information, if applicable, per RCW 74.13.280 and as outlined in the Notification of Court Hearings, Providing Reports to Court, and Information Sharing with Out-of-Home Caregivers policy. Information includes, but is not limited to:
      1. Name
      2. Date of birth
      3. Gender
      4. Behaviors
      5. Risks
      6. Special needs
      7. Sexually Aggressive/Physically Aggressive Assaultive Youth (SAY/PAAY) history
      8. Offense history 

Forms 

Child Information and Placement Referral DCYF 15-300

Resources 

Family Reconciliation Services policy

Family Team Decision Making Meetings policy

ICW Reason to Know policy

Intake Process and Response policy  

Notification of Court Hearings, Providing Reports to Court, and Information Sharing with Out-of-Home Caregivers policy

Shared Planning Meeting policy


Original Date:  December 12, 1996

Revised Date:  July 1, 2024

Review Date:  July 31, 2028

Approved by:  Natalie Green, Assistant Secretary of Child Welfare Division