5800. Approving Client Travel and Transportation Activities

Applies To:  This policy applies to child welfare employees.

Policy Number & Title:  5800. Approving Client Travel and Transportation Activities

Effective Date:  July 25, 2021

Purpose 

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance about approving travel or transportation activities for clients.

Authority 

RCW 74.13.710   Out of Home care – Childhood Activities – Prudent parent standard

Policy 

1. Caseworkers must complete the following, as soon as they receive travel and transportation activity requests that don’t fall within the Prudent Parenting Standards, per the Prudent Parenting Guide DCYF CWP 0078 publication.
   1. Approve requests only if travel or transportation activities for clients are related to preventing, making, or supporting an out-of-home placement and part of the child or youth’s case plan. Clients include:
      1. Children or youth
      2. Parents or guardians of children or youth
      3. Relatives and suitable others
      4. Prospective adoptive placements
      5. Licensed or unlicensed caregivers
   2. If requests are approved:
      1. Attempt to obtain assistance from other resources before committing to or approving requests requiring Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) funding. Other resources include, but are not limited to:
         1. Parents, guardians, relatives, or suitable others.
         2. Volunteers.
         3. Resources from another state if children or youth are not from Washington State.
         4. Schools for education-related transportation needs
         5. Apple Health for transportation related to accessing Medicaid eligible services and treatment. Pre-approval is not required for emergency transportation such as ambulances.
      2. Follow the approval and documentation requirements, per the Client Travel Approval Quick Reference Guide DCYF 07-085 publication.
      3. Coordinate out-of-country travel, per the Notification to Foreign Consulate　policy, if the child or youth is a citizen of another country.
      4. Follow the Reimbursing Caregivers for Transportation Expenses policy when reimbursing for travel and transportation expenses
      5. Adhere to the following DCYF Administrative policies when traveling with clients:
         1. 1.7.01 Travel Roles and Responsibilities
         2. 1.7.02 Travel

Forms 

Child Welfare Travel Authorization DCYF 03-478 (located in the Forms repository on the DCYF intranet)

Resources 

Approving Client Travel and Transportation Activities procedures (Located in the DCYF Policies & Rules Office SharePoint)

Case Plan policy

Child Welfare Policy and Procedures Caregiver Transportation Reimbursement policy

Child Welfare Policy and Procedures Notification to Foreign Consulate policy

Client Travel Approval Quick Reference Guide DCYF 07-085 publication

DCYF Administrative 1.7.01 Travel Roles and Responsibilities policy

DCYF Administrative 1.7.02 Travel policy

Notification to Foreign Consulate policy

Out-of-Home Placement policy

Prudent Parenting Guide DCYF CWP 0078 publication

Reimbursing Caregivers for Transportation Expenses policy

State Administrative and Accounting Manual (SAAM) chapter 10

Original Date: September 27, 1995 

Revised Date:  July 25, 2021

Review Date:

Approved by:  Jody Becker, Deputy Secretary