Implications of and State Strategies for Implications of and State Strategies for Addressing the Referral Provisions of the Child Addressing the Referral Provisions of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 2003 Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 2003

(CAPTA)(CAPTA)

Delaware’s Policies and Procedures for referrals Delaware’s Policies and Procedures for referrals to early intervention when involved in to early intervention when involved in

substantiated cases of child abuse and neglectsubstantiated cases of child abuse and neglect

National OSEP Early Childhood ConferenceNational OSEP Early Childhood ConferenceFebruary 9, 2005February 9, 2005

Rosanne Griff-Cabelli, Part C CoordinatorRosanne Griff-Cabelli, Part C Coordinator Delaware Birth to Three Delaware Birth to Three

Early Intervention System, DHSSEarly Intervention System, DHSS

Delaware has had policies and agreements in Delaware has had policies and agreements in place since 1996 on children referred for early place since 1996 on children referred for early intervention who are involved in a substantiated intervention who are involved in a substantiated case of abuse and neglect.case of abuse and neglect.

Division of Family Services (DFS) Management Directive on Division of Family Services (DFS) Management Directive on Early Intervention Services under IDEA (1996)Early Intervention Services under IDEA (1996)

State of Delaware official response from the Deputy Attorney State of Delaware official response from the Deputy Attorney General on referrals to Division of Public Health (1995)General on referrals to Division of Public Health (1995)

Operations Agreement to support service coordinator Operations Agreement to support service coordinator positions who are employed by DFS and act as liaisons among positions who are employed by DFS and act as liaisons among DFS and the early intervention programs (1996)DFS and the early intervention programs (1996)

Protocol, training and computerized developmental checklist Protocol, training and computerized developmental checklist for referrals from DFS to early intervention programsfor referrals from DFS to early intervention programs

Memorandum of Understanding between DFS and Division of Memorandum of Understanding between DFS and Division of Public Health (DPH – Child Development Watch is the early Public Health (DPH – Child Development Watch is the early intervention program and is housed within DPH) (2002)intervention program and is housed within DPH) (2002)

Division of Family Services (DFS – known in many Division of Family Services (DFS – known in many states as Child Protective Services) Management states as Child Protective Services) Management Directive on Early Intervention Services under Directive on Early Intervention Services under IDEA (1996)IDEA (1996)

Management Directive references the Interagency Management Directive references the Interagency Agreement for the implementation of Part C, Birth to Three Agreement for the implementation of Part C, Birth to Three Early Intervention SystemEarly Intervention System

Policy that DFS will conduct preliminary screening to identify Policy that DFS will conduct preliminary screening to identify suspected/diagnosed established conditions and/or suspected/diagnosed established conditions and/or developmental delays for a child aged birth to 36 months in developmental delays for a child aged birth to 36 months in any active DFS case.any active DFS case.

Procedures indicate:Procedures indicate:

DFS Family Service Specialists (DFS Worker) will discuss DFS Family Service Specialists (DFS Worker) will discuss the screening with parents and request they refer child to the screening with parents and request they refer child to Child Development Watch (CDW).Child Development Watch (CDW).

DFS Worker may make referral when parent of an DFS Worker may make referral when parent of an identified child is unwilling to refer to CDW. Verbal/written identified child is unwilling to refer to CDW. Verbal/written consent is not necessary to make a referral to CDW triage.consent is not necessary to make a referral to CDW triage.

CDW will accept and triage the referral for CDW will accept and triage the referral for multidisciplinary assessments.multidisciplinary assessments.

Parental consent is required for developmental Parental consent is required for developmental evaluations under IDEAevaluations under IDEA

If a parent cannot be found, an Educational Surrogate If a parent cannot be found, an Educational Surrogate Parent will be needed to provide consent Parent will be needed to provide consent

DFS Worker will maintain regular contact with the CDW DFS Worker will maintain regular contact with the CDW Service CoordinatorService Coordinator

State of Delaware official memo from the Deputy State of Delaware official memo from the Deputy Attorney General on referrals to Division of Public Attorney General on referrals to Division of Public Health (1995)Health (1995)

Memo indicated that DFS may make the referral without Memo indicated that DFS may make the referral without parental consent to early intervention once a child has been parental consent to early intervention once a child has been identified in need of early intervention servicesidentified in need of early intervention services

Once referral is received by CDW, it is CDW’s responsibility to Once referral is received by CDW, it is CDW’s responsibility to work with the family and gain voluntary consent for the child work with the family and gain voluntary consent for the child to participate in the evaluation and assessment.to participate in the evaluation and assessment.

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between DFS and DPH (2002)DFS and DPH (2002)

MOU is broader than Part C and covers high risk referrals MOU is broader than Part C and covers high risk referrals birth to age 18 between DFS and DPHbirth to age 18 between DFS and DPH

MOU allows the DFS Worker to refer to DPH Nurse if family MOU allows the DFS Worker to refer to DPH Nurse if family refuses the multidisciplinary assessments and is still active refuses the multidisciplinary assessments and is still active with DFSwith DFS

MOU contains protocol for Referrals to CDW and that DFS MOU contains protocol for Referrals to CDW and that DFS Worker will utilize a variety of developmental checklists Worker will utilize a variety of developmental checklists and charts to identify all children with suspected and charts to identify all children with suspected established conditions and/or developmental delaysestablished conditions and/or developmental delays

Operations Agreement to support service Operations Agreement to support service coordinator positions who are employed by DFS coordinator positions who are employed by DFS and act as liaisons among DFS and the early and act as liaisons among DFS and the early intervention programs (1996)intervention programs (1996)

Protocol, new worker and ongoing training, and computerized Protocol, new worker and ongoing training, and computerized developmental checklist for referrals from DFS to CDW are in developmental checklist for referrals from DFS to CDW are in placeplace

Monthly reports from the DFS computerized system are Monthly reports from the DFS computerized system are generated on number of potential referrals to CDWgenerated on number of potential referrals to CDW

DFS has two full time workers at CDW (funded from state Part C DFS has two full time workers at CDW (funded from state Part C dollars) who act as half time service coordinators and as dollars) who act as half time service coordinators and as liaisons to DFS workers to monitor the referral process, conduct liaisons to DFS workers to monitor the referral process, conduct training, and provide resources and technical assistance to both training, and provide resources and technical assistance to both DFS and CDW staff DFS and CDW staff

DFS/CDW liaisons are housed at the CDW programs and are DFS/CDW liaisons are housed at the CDW programs and are assigned cases active with DFS (other CDW Service assigned cases active with DFS (other CDW Service Coordinators have active DFS cases). DFS/CDW liaisons provide Coordinators have active DFS cases). DFS/CDW liaisons provide consultation, as needed with all active DFS cases within CDW. consultation, as needed with all active DFS cases within CDW.