3.29 Request for Courtesy Interviews

Georgia State Seal

Georgia Division of Family and Children Services
Child Welfare Policy Manual

Chapter:

(3) Intake

Policy Title:

Request for Courtesy Interviews

Policy Number:

3.29

Previous Policy Number(s):

3.28

Effective Date:

December 2021

Manual Transmittal:

2021-06

Codes/References

N/A

Requirements

The Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) will:

  1. Receive requests for courtesy interviews when another state is requesting an interview of a child or other individual involved in an active child welfare case.

    Requests made regarding a child in another state’s custody must go thru the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) unit in accordance with policy 15.3 ICPC: Placement of Children from Other States into Georgia (Georgia as Receiving State).

  2. Accept courtesy interview requests when the information gathered meets the courtesy interview criteria.

  3. Reject courtesy interview request that do not meet the courtesy interview criteria.

    Requests for courtesy interviews that do not meet the criteria for a Courtesy Interview must be assessed in accordance with policy 3.1 Intake: Receiving Intake Reports.

  4. Assign the courtesy interview request to the County Department for completion.

  5. Complete the courtesy interview request and provide the results to the requesting out-of-state child welfare agency within five calendar days of receipt.

  6. Adhere to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and confidentiality provisions outlined in policies 2.5 Information Management: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and 2.6 Information Management: Confidentiality/Safeguarding Information.

  7. Document case management activities in Georgia SHINES Contact Summaries within 72 hours of occurrence.

  8. Immediately report any new or suspected instances of child abuse to the CPS Intake Communications Center (CICC) as outlined in policy 3.24 Intake: Mandated Reporters.

Procedures

Centralized Intake Specialist

  1. Gather the following information from the requesting state agency:

    1. Demographic information of the individual(s) requested to be interviewed, including their preferred language, and their current location.

    2. Specific information or allegations to be addressed with the individual(s).

    3. Is there an open case with the requesting state’s child welfare agency?

    4. If there’s an open case, what is the status and plan for the case, such as the case remaining open pending courtesy interview information, case closing after filing a report in Georgia, etc.?

    5. Any relevant documentation, such as the original intake report, case documentation, police reports, etc.,

    6. Is there court involvement? If so, the type of court involvement (i.e.-protective order, custody, etc.)

    7. Obtain the contact information (mobile phone number and email address) for the assigned case manager in the requesting state, including a secondary individual’s contact information such as a supervisor.

  2. Thoroughly evaluate all information gathered and verify the Intake Assessment meets the criteria for a Courtesy Interview.

  3. Conduct safety screenings in accordance with policy 19.9 Case Management: Safety Screenings.

  4. Input the Courtesy Interview into Georgia SHINES.

    1. Classify as a Courtesy Interview- Non-Incident Request Type.

    2. Upload to External Documentation any accompanying documentation from the requesting state

    3. Document the justification to support the case assignment recommendation.

  5. Recommend the Courtesy Interview be:

    1. Accepted: When the information gathered meets the criteria for a Courtesy Interview Non-Incident Request

    2. Closed: When the information gathered does not meet the criteria for a Courtesy Interview Non-Incident Request.

    Requests for courtesy interviews that do not meet the criteria for a Courtesy Interview must be assessed in accordance with policy 3.1 Intake: Receiving Intake Reports.

  6. Participate in a supervisory staffing to discuss the intake disposition. Be prepared to discuss how the information gathered meets or does not meet the criteria for a Courtesy Interview.

  7. Notify the County Department’s CICC POC of any assigned Courtesy Interviews.

  8. Submit the courtesy interview request to the Centralized Intake Specialist Supervisor for approval.

Centralized Intake Specialist Supervisor

  1. Thoroughly evaluate all information gathered and review the Courtesy Interview Non-Incident Request in Georgia SHINES.

    1. Verify the requesting state has provided clear instructions on what specific information is requested and provided a location for the individual to be interviewed.

    2. Confirm the Intake Assessment is classified as a Courtesy Interview Non-Incident Request.

    3. Verify the Intake Assessment meets the criteria for a Courtesy Interview.

    4. Document the supervisor’s justification to support the case assignment decision.

  2. Staff the courtesy interview request with the Centralized Intake Specialist in accordance with policy 19.6 Case Management: Supervisor Staffing.

  3. Accept courtesy interview requests for assignment when the information gathered meets the criteria for a Courtesy Interview.

  4. Close courtesy interview requests when the information gathered does not meet the criteria for a Courtesy Interview.

    Requests for courtesy interviews that do not meet the criteria for a Courtesy Interview must be assessed in accordance with policy 3.1 Intake: Receiving Intake Reports.

  5. Assign the accepted Courtesy Interview request to the County Department’s CICC POC in Georgia SHINES.

The County Department will:

  1. Thoroughly review the courtesy interview request and any accompanying information.

  2. Contact the requesting state agency to obtain any clarification and information related to the courtesy interview.

  3. Review and analyze DFCS history in accordance with policy 19.10 Case Management: Analyzing DFCS History.

  4. Conduct a private face-to-face purposeful contact with the individual(s) as provided by the requesting state.

    1. Explain DFCS’ obligation to maintain confidentiality and safeguard information to prevent unauthorized disclosure:

      1. Personal information provided to DFCS will be kept confidential (see policy 2.6 Information Management: Confidentiality/Safeguarding Information).

      2. DFCS cannot share protected health information (PHI) with any person, agency, or contractor without prior written authorization from the owner of the PHI, unless otherwise permitted by law. Provide a copy of the Notice of Privacy Practices and obtain signature(s). See policy 2.5 Information Management: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

      3. The type of information that will be maintained in the DFCS case record and of the information that can and cannot be released to the parent(s) upon request. Provide a copy of the Notice of Case Record Information Available to Parents/Guardians and obtain signatures (see policy 2.10 Information Management: J.J. v. Ledbetter Parent or Guardian Request for Information).

    2. Gather the specific information and/or address the maltreatment allegations identified by the requesting state.

  5. Document case management activities in Georgia SHINES.

  6. Provide the results of the courtesy interview to the requesting child welfare agency within five calendar days of receipt.

  7. Close out the courtesy request in Georgia SHINES.

Practice Guidance

When another state has an open CPS case and requests assistance interviewing individuals residing in Georgia, a courtesy interview may be conducted. The requesting state must provide the individuals name and location, along with the information to gather in the interview.

If another state requests to transfer their case to Georgia, a new intake report must be completed in accordance with policy 3.1 Intake: Receiving Intake Reports. Requests made regarding a child in another state’s custody must go thru the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) unit in accordance with policy 15.3 ICPC: Placement of Children from Other States into Georgia (Georgia as Receiving State).

Procedures in this policy do not apply to in-state courtesy interviews. When a Georgia DFCS County Department requests a courtesy interview on an active case by another Georgia DFCS County Department, the requesting County Department should directly contact the receiving County Department for assistance. Upon approval, the requesting county will add the receiving county case manager as a secondary worker in Georgia SHINES, in lieu of entering an intake report.

Forms and Tools

Notice of Case Record Information Available to Parents/Guardians
Notice of Case Record Information Available to Parents/Guardians (Spanish)
Notice of Privacy Practices
Notice of Privacy Practices (Spanish)