Chapter 4 - Assessment

Table of Contents
Chapter 4 - Assessment  

• 4.01 Reviewing the Child Abuse and/or Neglect (CA/N) Intake Report and Other Records Effective 10/1/23
• 4.02 Preparing for the Assessment Effective 12/1/22
• 4.03 Conducting the Assessment – Overview Effective 1/1/25
  • Unable to Locate Child to Assess Child Abuse and/or Neglect (CA/N) Admin Letter Effective 8/1/24
  • Coordination with Military, Federal, and Law Enforcement Agencies Admin Letter Effective 10/1/21
  • Addendum to DCS-24-4 Unable to Locate Child to Assess Child Abuse and/or Neglect (CA/N) Effective 12/2/24
• 4.04 Required Interviews Effective 8/1/25
• 4.05 Consent to Interview Child Effective 10/1/22
• 4.06 Exigent Circumstances for Interviewing Alleged Child Victims Effective 9/1/22
• 4.08 Entry into Home or Facility Effective 9/1/22
• 4.09 Interviewing Children Effective 7/1/24
  • Unable to Locate Child to Assess Child Abuse and/or Neglect (CA/N) Admin Letter Effective 8/1/24
  • Addendum to DCS-24-4 Unable to Locate Child to Assess Child Abuse and/or Neglect (CA/N) Effective 12/2/24
• 4.10 Interviewing the Parent, Guardian, or Custodian Effective 6/1/22
• 4.11 Interviewing the Alleged Perpetrator Effective 7/1/23
• 4.12 Courtesy Interviews Between DCS Local Offices Effective 4/1/24
  • Intercounty Courtesy Requests Admin Letter Effective 8/9/22
• 4.13 Assessing and Documenting the Home and Living Conditions Effective 3/1/25
• 4.14 Examining and Photographing a Child and/or Trauma Effective 7/1/22
• 4.16 Medical Examinations, Psychological Testing, Drug Screens, & Substance Use Evaluations Effective 1/1/25
• 4.17 Accessing Child’s Medical, Mental Health, and Substance Use Records Effective 3/1/25
• 4.18 Establishing Initial Child Safety Effective 1/1/24
  • Unable to Locate Child to Assess Child Abuse and/or Neglect (CA/N) Admin Letter Effective 8/1/24
  • Addendum to DCS-24-4 Unable to Locate Child to Assess Child Abuse and/or Neglect (CA/N) Effective 12/2/24
• 4.19 Safety Planning Effective 4/1/25
• 4.21 45 Day Report of Assessment Effective 8/1/23
• 4.22 Making an Assessment Finding Effective 1/1/24
  • Unable to Locate Child to Assess Child Abuse and/or Neglect (CA/N) Admin Letter Effective 8/1/24
  • Addendum to DCS-24-4 Unable to Locate Child to Assess Child Abuse and/or Neglect (CA/N) Effective 12/2/24
• 4.23 Initial Family Risk Assessment Effective 12/1/23
• 4.25 Completing the Assessment Report Effective 9/1/23
• 4.26 Determining Service Levels and Transitioning to Permanency Services Effective 4/1/24
• 4.27 Child Protection Index (CPI) Effective 7/1/07
• 4.28 Removals from Parents, Guardians, or Custodians Effective 7/3/24
• 4.29 Joint Assessments with Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) Effective 1/1/24
  • Unable to Locate Child to Assess Child Abuse and/or Neglect (CA/N) Admin Letter Effective 8/1/24
  • Addendum to DCS-24-4 Unable to Locate Child to Assess Child Abuse and/or Neglect (CA/N) Effective 12/2/24
• 4.30 Conducting Institutional Investigations by the ICPS Unit Effective 7/1/24
  • PEDS Mandatory Referral Reason Admin Letter Effective 7/1/24
• 4.31 Child Fatality and Near Fatality Assessments Effective 1/1/25
• 4.33 Standby Guardianship Effective 12/1/22
• 4.34 Abandoned Infants Effective 9/1/24
• 4.35 Transferring Intercounty Preliminary Reports of Child Abuse or Neglect (310) Effective 7/3/24
  • Intercounty Transfer of Assessment Admin Letter Effective 8/9/22
• 4.36 Linking and Withdrawing a Preliminary Report of Alleged Child Abuse or Neglect (310) Effective 7/3/24
• 4.38 Assessment Initiation Effective 8/1/24
  • Unable to Locate Child to Assess Child Abuse and/or Neglect (CA/N) Admin Letter Effective 8/1/24
  • Addendum to DCS-24-4 Unable to Locate Child to Assess Child Abuse and/or Neglect (CA/N) Effective 12/2/24
• 4.39 Restricting Assessments in Management Gateway for Indiana's Kids (MaGIK) Effective 2/1/24
• 4.40 Drug Screening in Assessments Effective 5/1/22
• 4.42 Plan of Safe Care Effective 12/1/23
• 4.45 Assessment of DCS Staff Alleged Perpetrators Effective 7/1/23
• 4.47 Human Trafficking (HT) Effective 7/1/24
• 4.48 Professional Service Request (PSR) Effective 6/1/22
• 4.49 Safe Haven Infants Effective 7/1/25
• 4.50 New Child in Household of a Parent or Custodian with an Open Case Effective 7/3/24

Tools: 

• 4.A Tool: Tips for Child Interviews
• 4.B Tool:  Assessment Narrative
• 4.F Tool: Tips for Photographing Child Abuse and/or Neglect (CA/N)
• 4.G Tool: Community Resources and Prevention Services
• 4.H Tool: Considerations for Child with Complex Medical Needs
• Assessment Initiation Tracking Tool - available in Salesforce
• Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) Assessment - available in the case management system
• DCS Administered Oral Fluid Collection Procedure
• DCS Administered Testing Document
• DCS Safe Sleep Website
• Health and Human Services (HHS) Shepard Anti-Trafficking Information Management System
• Indiana Child Support Bureau Field Consultation Region Map
• Indiana Clearinghouse for Information on Missing Children and Missing Endangered Adults (Indiana Clearinghouse) website
• Indiana DCS Screening and Response Time Assessment (SDM Tool)
• Indiana Drug Endangered Children (DEC) Protocol
• Indiana Human Trafficking Screening and Assessment Tool - available in the case management system
• Indiana Human Trafficking Screening Tool - available in the case management system
• Information Resources User Agreement (IRUA)
• Kinship Connection Diagram
• National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) website
• Psychotropic Medication Guidelines for Youth in Care with the Indiana Department of Child Services
• Records Retention Schedule
• Service Mapping Tool - available in the case management system
• Service Standard Summaries and Comparisons
• Six Protective Factors & Tips to Highlight
• UNCOPE

Forms:

• Advisement of Legal Rights: Upon Taking Custody of/Filing a Petition on Behalf of a Child Alleged to be a Child in Need of Services (SF 47114)
  Advisement of Legal Rights: Upon Taking Custody of/Filing a Petition on Behalf of a Child Alleged to be a Child in Need of Services (SF 49902) (Spanish version)
• Affidavit of Diligent Inquiry (SF 54778)
• Assessment of Alleged Child Abuse or Neglect (311) (SF 113) - available in the case management system
• Assessment Staffing Guide (SF 56567)
• Case Plan/Prevention Plan - available in the case management system
• Child Death Review - available in Salesforce
• Child Support Worksheet Questionnaire Form
• CIRT Request E-Form
• Consent of Parent, Guardian, or Custodian to Interview Children (SF 52013)
• Consent of Parent, Guardian, or Custodian to Interview Children (SF 54252) (Spanish version)
• Consent to Release of Medical, Mental Health and/or Substance Use Records (SF 51128)
• Consent to Release of Medical, Mental Health and/or Substance Use Records (SF 57392 (Spanish version)
• Consulate/Embassy Notification (SF 55676)
• Drug Detection Times
• Forty-Five (45) Day Report of Assessment (SF 54854)
• Hospital Release Authorization (SF 54337)
• Incarcerated Parent Demographics (SF 56538)
• Incarcerated Parent Information (SF 56539)
• Incarcerated Parent Letter - Assessment
• Indian Status Identification Form (SF 55407)
• Initial Family Risk Assessment - available in the case management system
• Initial Safety Assessment - available in the case management system
• In-Home Risk and Safety Assessment - available in the case management system
• Notice of Availability of Completed Reports and Information (SF 48201) (English version)
• Notice of Availability of Completed Reports and Information (SF 51886) (Spanish version)
• Notice of Availability of Completed Reports and Information (SF 54536) (Burmese version)
• Notice of Availability of Completed Reports and Information (SF 53113) (Amharic version)
• Notice of Child Abuse and/or Neglect Assessment Outcome and Right to Administrative Review - located in Chapter 2 Notification Tool
• Notice of Hearing - available in the case management system
• Notice of Substantiation of Report of Child Abuse or Neglect (SF 53252)
• Notice of Substantiation of Report of Child Abuse or Neglect (SF 57376) (Spanish version)
• Notice to Parent, Guardian, or Custodian of Interview with Child (SF 53130)
• Notice to Parent, Guardian, or Custodian of Interview with Child (SF 55510) (Spanish version)
• Notice to Parent, Guardian, or Custodian of Interview with Child (SF 54537) (Burmese version)
• Notice to Relatives (SF 55211) English
• Notice to Relatives (SF 55250) Spanish
• Out-of-Home Risk and Safety Reassessment - available in the case management system
  • Out-of-Home Risk and Safety Reassessment Definitions
• PEDS Referral
• Plan of Safe Care - available in the case management system
• Preliminary Inquiry - available in the case management system
• Preliminary Report of Alleged Child Abuse or Neglect (310) (SF 114) - available in the case management system
• Preliminary Report of Alleged Institutional Child Abuse or Neglect (310A) - available in the case management system
• Professional Service Request (PSR) Report (SF 57089)Psychotropic Medication Guidelines for Youth in Care with the Indiana Department of Child Services
• Program of Informal Adjustment - available in the case management system
• Release of Photographs (SF 54968)
• Release of Photographs (SF 55482) (Spanish version)
• Request for Additional Funding (SF 54870)
• Request for Release of Assessment Information (SF 55671)
• Request for Release of Completed Reports and Information: Assessment of Allegations of Child Abuse and/or Neglect
• Request for Release of Completed Reports and Information: Assessment of Allegations of Child Abuse and/or Neglect (Spanish Version)
• Safe Assessment of Alleged Child Abuse or Neglect (SF 57056) (311S)
• Safety Plan (SF 53243)
• Safety Plan (SF 55644) (Spanish version)
• School Notification and Best Interest Determination (SF 47412)
• Service Request Intake Report - available in the case management system
• Taking Custody of a Child Without a Verbal or Written Court Order: Description of Circumstances (SF 49584)
• Title IV-E and Title IV-A/EA Information (SF 55435)