1150. Case Plan

Original Date: July 1, 1997

Revised Date: July 1, 2024

Sunset Review Date: July 31, 2028

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

Purpose Statement

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance on creating case plans for children, youth, and families.

Scope

This policy applies to child welfare (CW) employees.

Laws

RCW 13.34 Juvenile Court Act-Dependency and Termination of Parent-Child Relationship

RCW 26.44.030 Reports - Duty and authority to make-Duty of receiving agency-Duty to notify-Case planning and consultation-Penalty for unauthorized exchange of information-Filing dependency petitions-Investigations-Interviews of children-Records-Risk assessment process.

RCW 74.13.280 Client information.

RCW 74.13.330 Responsibilities of foster parents.

RCW 74.14A.020 Services for emotionally disturbed and mentally ill children, potentially dependent children, and families-in-conflict.

RCW 74.14A.025 Services for emotionally disturbed and mentally ill children, potentially dependent children, and families-in-conflict-Policy updated.

RCW 74.14C.005 Findings and intent.

42 USC 675, Sec. 475 Title 42-The Public Health and Welfare

Policy

Caseworkers must develop, monitor, and update case plans:

Open more than 45 calendar days for Child and Family Welfare Services (CFWS), Family Voluntary Services (FVS), and Family Assessment Response (FAR) cases.
When there is a need to specify actions that parents or guardians must complete to reduce or eliminate safety threats and increase their protective capacities to support their children's or youth’s safety and well-being.
With family members and community partners. This includes scheduling a Case Plan Contact for FAR and FVS cases.

Procedures

Creating Case Plans for CFWS, FVS, and FAR Cases
When working with children, youth, and families and a case plan is needed, caseworkers must create case plans that:
1. Are family-driven, specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, timely, and understandable by all parties involved to:
  1. Preserve families and prevent future risk of child abuse or neglect.
  2. Support the health, safety, and well-being of the children or youth.
2. Includes interventions, services, and tasks that:
  1. Build upon family strengths and are driven by individual, cultural, and family needs.
  2. Are goal-oriented and directly linked to the identified safety threats and risks.
  3. Address:
    1. Behavioral changes that impact safety by building on strengths and reducing safety threats and risks.
    2. Challenges and barriers to services faced by parents or guardians.
  4. Are least intrusive to:
    1. Engage families.
    2. Address identified safety threats and risks.
    3. Protect children and youth.
  5. Establish a plan for permanency at the onset of service delivery in order to best serve the needs of children or youth and the family when they are placed in out-of-home care.
  6. Achieve the permanency planning goals set for children or youth in out-of-home placement.
3. Includes collaborating with the following individuals:
  1. Parents or guardians
  2. Children or youth, if developmentally appropriate
  3. Children's or youth's tribal Representatives if applicable as outlined in the Indian Child Welfare Efforts and Tribal Collaboration policy.
  4. The following additional individuals if necessary:
    1. Caregivers
    2. Family supports identified by the parents or guardians
    3. Community stakeholders
    4. Other applicable providers
4. Begin by discussing Procedure Section 1.a. and 1.b. during a Case Plan Contact with the individuals outlined in Procedure Section 1.c. for FAR and FVS cases.
Documenting Case Plans
Caseworkers must:
1. Document the Case Plan Contact in a FamLink case plan meeting case note.
2. Document case plans for:
  1. CFWS dependency cases by:
    1. Launching court reports through the Comprehensive Family Evaluation (CFE) DCYF 10-480 form in FamLink.
    2. Completing the Court Report DCYF 09-095 form in FamLink. This includes verifying information on the paper form is used also documented in FamLink.
  2. FVS cases and CFWS services cases by:
    1. Initiating them within 15 calendar days of case assignment.
    2. Completing them within 45 calendar days of case assignment.
    3. Entering the case plan within the Comprehensive Family Evaluation (CFE) DCYF 10-480 form in FamLink and:
      1. Documenting the Objectives section in the Family or Parent/Caregiver Functioning sections.
      2. Launching case plans from the CFE.
      3. Completing the Case Plan DCYF 15-259A form in FamLink. The paper form may be used for convenience purposes with the family, but then must be entered into FamLink.
    4. Obtaining all participant signatures.
    5. Providing a copy to the family.
  3. Children and youth in out-of-home care under a Voluntary Placement Agreement (VPA) for 60 calendar days or more by completing a Court Report DCYF 09-095 form in FamLink as the case plan.
  4. FAR cases, by:
    1. Initiating them within 15 calendar days of the date the parent’s or guardian’s give permission to keep the case open beyond the 45th calendar day for service provision.
    2. Completing the FAR Family Assessment (FARFA) DCYF 10-474 form in FamLink.
    3. Documenting the Objectives section in the Family or Parent/Caregiver Functioning sections.
    4. Launching case plans from the CFE.
    5. The Case Plan DCYF 15-259A form may be used for convenience purposes with the family, but then must be entered into FamLink.
    6. Obtaining all participant signatures.
    7. Providing a copy to the family.
3. Inform parents or guardians and caregivers of the dates and location of the dependency review and permanency planning hearings if the child or youth is dependent pursuant to a proceeding under Chapter 13.34 RCW.
4. Document in a case note that the notice has been provided to parents or guardians, caregivers, and children's or youth's tribes, if there is a reason to know the child is or may be an Indian child. Follow these policies:
Updating Case Plans
Caseworkers must review case plans in conjunction with completing the CFE and update as needed, including when a child or youth is in a trial return home trial return home.