8.1 Initiation of Family Preservation Services

Georgia State Seal

Georgia Division of Family and Children Services
Child Welfare Policy Manual

Chapter:

(8) Family Preservation Services

Policy Title:

Initiation of Family Preservation Services

Policy Number:

8.1

Previous Policy Number(s):

N/A

Effective Date:

January 2022

Manual Transmittal:

2022-01

Codes/References

O.C.G.A. § 15-11-212(d) Disposition of Dependent Child
Public Law (PL) 95-608 Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) of 1978
PL 96-272 Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980
PL 103-66 Family Preservation and Support Services Act of 1993

Requirements

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

  1. Provide Family Preservation Services (FPS) to:

    1. Make reasonable efforts to keep children safely with their families;

    2. Strengthen the parent(s)/caregiver(s)' capacity to provide proper care and protection to their children; and

    3. Prevent further maltreatment.

  2. Initiate FPS within seven business days of:

    1. Identification of the need for FPS. This occurs when:

      1. A consensus is reached with the SSCM and SSS that a present danger situation or impending danger safety threat exist; and

      2. The child(ren) can safely remain in the legal custody of their parent/caregiver with an in-home or out-of-home safety plan.

    2. The court ordering:

      1. Protective order requiring the caregiver to participate in services provided by DFCS;

      2. Temporary custody to a third party (CPS cases);

      3. Guardianship and a case plan supervised by DFCS (CPS cases); or

      4. Child in need of services (CHINS) with DFCS oversight;

      5. A Temporary Alternative to Foster Care (TAFC) authorizing or continuing any voluntary agreement between the parent, guardian, or legal custodian and DFCS in which the child is cared for by a kinship caregiver outside his/her home.

  3. Initiate FPS by:

    1. Participating in a case transfer staffing to ensure continuity of services to the family and there is clear direction for the case.

    2. Implementing services identified during the case transfer staffing to address the developmental challenges the family is experiencing in their everyday life.

    3. Initiating the Family Team Meeting (FTM) to engage the family and their family team members in case planning and decision making.

    4. Establishing the preliminary contact standards at the level necessary to ensure child safety.

    5. Conducting a joint visit with the Investigator or Foster Care Social Services Case Manager (SSCM) to allow for introductions and consistent information to the family.

      Whether or not a joint visit is possible, the FPS SSCM must conduct a purposeful contact with the child and the family.

  4. Initiate FPS whether or not the Georgia SHINES case has been progressed to Family Preservation Services stage.

  5. Afford all rights under the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) to any child who is a member of a federally recognized Indian Tribe, or eligible for membership and has a biological parent who is an enrolled member, and is subject to removal, placement and/or any other legal action to promote the stability and security of Indian tribes and their families (see policy 1.6 Administration: Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and Transfer of Responsibility for Placement and Care to a Tribal Agency).

    DFCS shall make efforts to engage the tribe to the extent they elect to be involved, to work towards the achievement of the best outcome for the child, when a child is a member of a Georgia recognized tribe.

Procedures

FPS Social Services Case Manager

  1. Review the current case record and analyze any DFCS history. Verify the following documents have been completed and uploaded into Georgia SHINES External Documentation:

    1. HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

    2. Notice of Case Record Information Available to Parents/Guardians

  2. Participate in the case transfer staffing as outlined in policy 19.4 Case Management: Case Transfer.

  3. Implement the individualized services identified during the case transfer staffing in accordance with policy 19.17 Case Management: Service Provision.

  4. Initiate the FTM process:

    1. Submit a FTM referral or a copy of the completed case transfer staffing form to the FTM facilitator/unit, if the SSCM will not facilitate the FTM; and/or

    2. Explain the FTM process to the family.

  5. Establish the preliminary contact standards in accordance with policy 19.15 Case Management: Developing Contact Standards for Purposeful Contacts and Collateral Contacts).

    If the case has not been stage progressed to FPS, contact standards must be set and approved in Georgia SHINES within three business days of stage progression.

  6. Prepare for the joint visit with the family as outlined in policy 8.2 Family Preservation: Purposeful Contacts with Families Receiving Family Preservation Services.

  7. Conduct a joint visit with the Investigator or Foster Care SSCM as outlined in policy 19.4 Case Management: Case Transfer.

    Whether or not a joint visit is possible, the FPS SSCM must conduct a purposeful contact with the child and the family.

  8. Explain and complete the Consent to Receive Targeted Case Management Services form with the primary caregiver (see policy 19.18 Case Management: Targeted Case Management).

  9. Participate in or conduct the FTM to develop the case plan and establish the purposeful contact standards as outlined in policy 19.15 Case Management: Developing Contact Standards for Purposeful Contacts and Collateral Contacts.

Social Services Supervisor

  1. Review the current case record and analyze any DFCS history. Verify that HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices and Notice of Case Record Information Available to Parents/Guardians have been completed and uploaded into Georgia SHINES External Documentation.

  2. Participate in the case transfer staffing with the SSCM (see policy 19.4 Case Management: Case Transfer).

  3. Ensure the FPS SSCM is added as a secondary worker to the Investigation or Foster Care Family (FCF) stage in Georgia SHINES to document case management activities, if the case has not been stage progressed to Family Preservation.

  4. In conjunction with the SSCM, establish and set and approve contact standards in Georgia SHINES as outlined in policy 19.15 Case Management: Developing Contact Standards for Purposeful Contacts and Collateral Contacts.

    If the case has not been stage progressed to FPS, contact standards must be set and approved in Georgia SHINES within three business days of stage progression.

  5. Ensure services identified during the case transfer staffing are implemented timely as outlined in policy 19.17 Case Management: Service Provision.

  6. Participate in the FTM (see policy 19.3 Case Management: Solution-Focused Family Team Meetings).

Practice Guidance

Identifying the Need for Family Preservation Services

FPS are implemented to help families achieve behavioral changes and learn to manage everyday life situations. Partnership decision making should be used to determine if family circumstances warrant FPS, if not court ordered. The SSCM and supervisor should reach a consensus that a present danger situation or impending danger safety threat exists, and the child(ren) can safely remain in the legal custody of the parent/caregiver with an in-home or out-of-home safety plan. Routinely, this decision is made during a supervisor staffing. When consensus cannot be achieved it is possible to identify the need for FPS solely based on the supervisor’s decision.

In order to facilitate successful and sustainable positive changes within a family, a joint effort is required between the SSCM and the caregiver(s). To begin, the SSCM and the family must reach an agreement on what constitutes a safe environment for the child(ren) and what specific caregiver protective capacities must be enhanced to attain and maintain child safety. This agreement, or consensus building, is initiated during the assessment stage and continues throughout DFCS involvement with the family.

The introductory phase with a family is the cornerstone of developing the relationship between the SSCM and the caregiver. It is during this contact that the SSCM discusses his/her role, responsibilities, and expectations for involvement with the family. The SSCM should work diligently to build a partnership with the family and continue to build on that partnership throughout the life of the case. It is crucial for the SSCM to begin where the caregiver is in relation to his/her experiences with CPS intervention up to this point. The caregiver’s perception and opinions concerning his/her responsibility to protect the child(ren) are relevant and must be considered when evaluating protective capacities at this stage of involvement.

As a part of introducing FPS to the family and when beginning to discuss the specific needs and consensus that was developed during the Investigative process, the SSCM should focus on:

  1. Engaging the caregiver(s) in a collaborative partnership for change;

  2. Assisting the caregivers in identifying their own needs in relationship to their capacity to protect the child(ren);

  3. Assisting the caregiver(s) in identifying the needs of the child(ren) related to safety, permanency, and well-being and in committing to meet those identified needs;

  4. Helping the caregiver(s) to become self-aware of negative conditions or diminished caregiver protective capacities that need to be mitigated for the children to be safe; and

  5. Assisting in the facilitation and development of change strategies or interventions required to meet identified needs (case plan goals).

Forms and Tools

N/A