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340:75-10-10. Child Welfare (CW) worker role

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Revised 6-11-01

When a child is placed into emergency shelters due to child abuse and neglect allegations or placement disruptions, the shelter receiving the child notifies the local CW office.

(1) When shelter care is necessary. When a child’s safety is determined to be at risk and shelter care is identified as the most appropriate response to the child's current situation, the assigned CW worker provides the shelter with all relevant information available to DHS. • 1-5
(2) CW worker provides services. The CW worker servicing the child coordinates services with the shelter social worker to ensure that the child’s needs are addressed. • 6
(3) Helping the child adjust. The helping role of the CW worker is critical for the child and the child's family. The worker facilitates the child's adjustment at the shelter and aids in the child's understanding of and adjustment to the situation. Assisting the child through the trauma of being removed from familiar surroundings is vital to the child's emotional well-being, future growth, and development.
(4) CW worker contacts. In addition to contact with shelter staff and weekly face-to-face contact with the child, the CW worker has regular communication with the child's family members to keep them informed of the child's health and welfare and of any other concerns as deemed appropriate in the case situation.
(5) Uncensored communications for residents. Phone and mail communications with family members are permitted and uncensored as required by OAC 340:110-3-138(h). The shelter provides phones, letter writing materials and stamps for the residents’ use. Any restrictions of these communications ordered by the court or directed by the district attorney are provided to a shelter social worker for inclusion in the child’s shelter file.
(6) Child’s visitation with family. Unless restricted by the court or the CW worker, visitation between the child and significant family members is critical to the well-being of the child. The visitation plan for the child and the family is shared with shelter staff. Visitation with family members is arranged as soon as possible after the child's removal from the home or as appropriate to the needs and specifics of the case while the child is in the shelter. [OAC 340:75-6-30] • 7
(7) Placement activities. Immediately upon admission into a shelter, a staffing occurs between the child's CW worker and supervisor to determine what placement is to be pursued. • 8
- (A) Weekly staffings. To facilitate movement of a child from the shelter to a placement, weekly staffings are held between the child’s CW worker and the worker's supervisor.
- (B) Initiate search for a placement. If a child can be served in a foster care setting, all kinship resources are explored as potential placement resources for the child. If it has been determined that there are no available or appropriate kinship resources to meet the child's needs, the CW worker seeks or requests a local foster home. If no local foster home is available, the worker searches statewide using the KIDS System Resource Directory for an alternative foster home placement.
- (C) Placement above the foster care level. If the staffing of the child determines that placement above the family foster level is needed, a placement worksheet is completed and forwarded to the Placement Section in the Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) State Office.

INSTRUCTIONS TO STAFF 340:75-10-10

1. The initial face-to-face contact between the CW worker and the child takes place within 24 hours of notice that the child has been admitted to the shelter. When a child is placed into the shelter on the weekend this visit will take place no later than the next working day after admission.

2. Close coordination between the shelter staff and the assigned CW worker is essential for developing and implementing a successful plan of care for the child while in the shelter. Information to be provided includes, but is not limited to:

(a) demographic information;
(b) family background information;
(c) medical information, such as medications, allergies, immunizations, medical appointments;
(d) behavioral or emotional assessments;
(e) school data;
(f) legal status;
(g) drug usage;
(h) violent, assaultive or suicidal behaviors; and
(i) any other pertinent information.

3. The CW worker requests enrollment be canceled for any child who is a recipient of a Medicaid HMO.

4. While the child remains in the shelter the CW worker assigned to the child has weekly contact, either by telephone or in person, with the shelter social worker to discuss placement plans and information relevant to the child’s care. The CW worker has weekly face-to-face contact with the child. While visiting the child, the worker addresses the child's concerns, apprises the child of upcoming events such as placements, court hearing dates and outcomes, and visits with family. The CW worker communicates his or her perceptions of the child's adjustment to the shelter social worker.

5. If the child is from outside the county where the shelter is located and the child’s CW worker offices within 60 miles of the shelter, the child’s CW worker visits and services the child during the shelter stay. If the distance is more than 60 miles, the CW supervisor responsible for the child’s case requests that a CW worker in the shelter’s county be temporarily assigned to service the child during the child's stay in the shelter. When this occurs the child’s CW worker maintains weekly contact with the shelter worker and coordinates services with the CW worker temporarily assigned to service the child. The CW worker temporarily assigned to service the child in the shelter’s county conducts the weekly face to face visits with the child.

6. The CW worker provides, obtains, or coordinates with the shelter worker any services outside of the shelter. The CW worker approves visitors for the child and coordinates visits with the shelter social work staff. The CW worker initiates or causes to be initiated the necessary procedures to obtain all applicable benefits, such as Foster Care IV-E eligibility determination referral, Title XIX eligibility determination referral, birth verification, Social Security number, benefits applications and enrollment termination from HMOs for clients who were receiving TANF or Medical Assistance prior to admission.

7. The CW worker informs the family of their visitation rights, approves any visits, coordinates visit arrangements with shelter social work staff, and provides supervision, transportation or other appropriate services to facilitate the visit. A CW worker temporarily assigned to service an out-of-county child in a shelter coordinates these visitation arrangements with the child, the shelter staff, and the primary CW worker.

8. The CW worker initiates the placement process. This may involve arranging for the resources that would facilitate a timely reunification, initiating a kinship placement and subsequent assessment, requesting out-of-home care, completing the placement worksheet, and when appropriate, applying for SSI benefits and making a referral to the Developmental Disabilities Service Division for services for developmentally delayed children six years of age and older.

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