1740. Child Protection Teams (CPT)

Purpose

Child Protection Teams provide confidential, multi-disciplinary consultation and recommendations to the Department on cases where there will not be an FTDM, and there is a risk of serious or imminent harm to a young child and when there is dispute if an out-of home placement is appropriate.

Laws

Executive Order 12-04

WAC 388-15-033

Policy

  1. Regional Administrators (RA), or their designee, must establish and maintain at least one Child Protection Team in each region.
  2. Child Protection Teams will include at least four selected professionals that provide services to abused and neglected children or their families.
  3. Child Protection Team recommendations are advisory to CA staff.

Procedures

  1. Child Protection Teams participants may include:
    1. Law enforcement
    2. Physicians, and/or other medical professionals
    3. Mental health/substance abuse counselors
    4. Educators, CASA's, foster parents
    5. Domestic Violence advocates and/or experts
    6. DSHS staff with specific and complementary skills/knowledge to a CPT
    7. Other Mandated Reporters
    8. Professionals who play a significant role with the family
  2. Staff are required to submit a CPT Case Presentation Summary to the CPT Coordinator:
    1. In all child abuse or neglect investigation cases in which the assessment requires the Department to offer services, and a Family Team Decision Making (FTDM) meeting will not or cannot be held, and the child's age is six years or younger; and
    2. In all child abuse and neglect cases where serious professional disagreement exists regarding a risk of serious harm to the child and where there is a dispute over whether out-of-home placement is appropriate.
    3. When the Department chooses to bring a case to CPT believing that such a consultation may assist in improving outcomes for a particular child.
  3. CPT Coordinators must:
    1. Coordinate and manage CPT membership, recruitment, training, scheduling, record -keeping including CPT recommendations, reporting and communication for the CPT.
    2. Provide in writing the CPT staffing recommendations to the assigned worker and supervisor following the staffing.
    3. Maintain a tracking system to document activity for staffings and recommendations.
    4. Document the CPT in the Shared Planning section in FamLink per Shared Planning FamLink Manual.

Forms

Resources

  • Child Protection Team Volunteer Handbook