Child and Family Services Policy Manual

Effective April 1, 2022, the structure of Policy and Procedure on the Child and Family Services Division (CFSD) OURS Website have changed.  This structure change is in response to a CFSD, agency-wide Policy and Procedure Revision Plan.  All CFSD Policies and Procedures can now be accessed below. 

Significant revisions have taken place with the influence of all staff types within CFSD, as well as Montana child welfare partners and stakeholders.  The intent of this strategic Policy and Procedure Revision Plan is to help to guide family-centered practice in Montana, while ensuring a more comprehensive structure with the most current best practices and State and Federal Guidance related to child welfare.

If you have questions, comments, feedback or concerns regarding CFSD Policy or Procedure, please  email our Policy Team.

(These versions replace any prior versions of the same or similar documents)

If you have questions, please reach out to:   Brandi Loch

 

Table of Contents

Section

Title/Content

Last Updated

100

Reference Information
  101-1 Reference Information Definitions 04/2015
  102-1 Initial Placement through Finalized Adoption 10/2007
  103-1 Family Group Decision Making 01/2016
  104-1 Child Protective Team 10/2007
  105-1 Foster Parents' Liability Insurance 03/2014
  106-1 Fair Hearing Process 01/2014
  107-1 Contract Monitoring 10/2011
  108-1 HIV / AIDS 10/2007
  109-1 Child Care 01/2014
  110-1 Required Training 10/2010
  111-1 Attending Graduate School With or Without a Title IV-E Stipend 03/2012
  112-1 Background Checks for Employees of CFSD 10/2009
  113-1 Complaints 09/2014
  114-1 Continuous Quality Improvement 04/2015

200

Investigation
  201-1 Legal Base 11/2015
  201-2 Philosophy 11/2015
  202-1 Reports of Child Abuse and Neglect 11/2015
  202-2 Taking a Report / Referral 12/2015
  202-3 Investigation of the Report 12/2015
  202-4 Documentation of Investigation and Opening a Case 11/2015
  202-5 Investigations in Out-of-Home Care 09/2014
  202-6 Third Party Abuse 12/2015
  202-7 Reports of Suspected Medical Neglect of Handicapped Infants 10/2007
  202-8 Critical Incidents and Internal Reviews 10/2011
  204-1 Dissolution Proceedings - General Information 10/2007
  204-2 Dissolution Proceedings - Child Custody Investigation / Report 10/2007
  205-1 In-Home Services 01/2013
  205-2 Documenting Case Management Services Without a Removal 05/2012
    Critical Incident Policy  
    Critical Incident Response Procedure  
    Critical Incident Review Procedure  
       

300

Legal Procedure
  301-1 Child Abuse and Neglect Petitions - General Requirements 10/2011
  301-2 Required Judicial Hearings 10/2011
  302-1 Immediate Protection and Emergency Protective Services 02/2015
  302-2 Temporary Investigative Authority 10/2007
  302-3 Temporary Legal Custody 10/2007
  302-4 Guardianship 09/2014
  302-5 Long-Term Custody 01/2014
  302-6 Termination of the Parent-Child Legal Relationship / PLC 06/2015
  302-7 Determination that Preservation or Reunification Services Need Not Be Provided - Reasonable Efforts 10/2007
  303-1 Treatment Plan / Stipulation 10/2009
  303-2 Relinquishment / Birth Parent Counseling 09/2014
  304-1 Non-Custodial, Unknown, or Cannot-be-Located Parent 10/2013
  304-2 Diligent Search 03/2015
  305-1 Indian Child Welfare Act 01/2017
  305-2 Abandoned Newborns 10/2009
  305-3 Limited Emancipation 10/2007
       

400

Substitute Care for Children
  401-1 Philosophy 09/2014
  401-2 Types of Substitute Care 09/2014
  401-3 Reasonable and Prudent Parenting Standard 09/2015
       
  402-1 Placement Procedures- Voluntary and Involuntary Placements 10/2011
  402-2 Foster Care Case Plan - DocGen 427, Parts A and B 12/2015
  402-3 Concurrent Planning and Placement 01/2012
  402-4 Placement in Kinship Care 02/2015
  402-5 Supervision of Out-of-Home Placements 09/2015
  402-6 Request for Courtesy Supervision and Case Transfer 09/2014
  402-7 Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children(ICPC)
Placement of Children Into or Out of State 		10/2012
  402-8 School Attendance 08/2020
  403-1 Foster Child - Income or Resources 10/2009
  403-2 Trust Accounts 10/2010
  404-1 Child Support Enforcement Referrals 10/2009
  405-1 IV-E Foster Care Attachment 09/2010
  405-1 Attachment IV-E Foster Care Attachment 02/2015
  405-2 SSI 10/2009
  405-3 Emergency Assistance Services 10/2009
  405-4 Continuation of Foster Care Payments After Age 18 10/2009
  405-5 Foster Care Support Services: General Provisions 10/2011
  405-6 Clothing Allowance 10/2013
  405-7 Diaper Allowance 10/2011
  405-8 Supplemental Services Allowance 10/2011
  405-9 Incorporated into 405-8 and this section was deleted 10/2011
  405-10 Respite Care Allowance 10/2011
  405-11 Foster Care Support Services: Approval / Denial / Appeal / Fair Hearing 09/2014
  405-12 Completion of DPHHS-AD057X 10/2007
  406-1 Specialized Foster Care 02/2010
  406-2 Medicaid Reimbursed Therapeutic Service - TYGH and TFFC 10/2011
  406-3 Therapeutic Family Foster Care - Non-Medicaid 10/2011
  406-4 Residential Chemical Dependency Treatment 10/2011
  406-5 Placement of Youth in Acute Psychiatric Hospitalization or a
Residential Treatment Facility 		10/2011
  407-1 Legal Risk Pre-Adoptive Placement 10/2007
  407-2 Guardianship 03/2015
  407-3 State Subsidized (General Fund) Guardianship 10/2012
  407-4 Title IV-E Guardianship Assistance Program- Subsidized Guardianship 03/2015
  407-5 Planned Permanent Living Arrangement 12/2015
  408-1 Foster Care: Independent Living Services 12/2019
  408-2 Foster Care: Personal Information Packet 08/2018
  408-3 Foster Care: Youth Employment 10/2007
  408-4 Youth Credit Report Policy 07/2012
  408-5 Substitute Care for Children in Foster Care: Supervised Independent Living Services 02/2013
  408-6 Missing or Runaway Youth Policy  06/2020
  408-7 Prevent Sex Trafficking Policy 08/2017
  409-1 Foster Care Review Committee 09/2014
  409-2 Permanency Staffings 12/2015
  409-9 Prevent Sex Trafficking Procedure  08/2017
       

500

Confidentiality, HIPAA & Case Records
  501-1 Introduction - Confidentiality 10/2010
  501-2 Definitions - Confidentiality and the Public Health Service Act 10/2011
  501-3

Consequence of Violation of Department Policy on Confidentiality, HIPAA and the Public Health Service Act

 10/2010
  502-1 Case Records 10/2010
  502-2 Supervisory Case Review 10/2010
  502-3 Procedure for Disclosure and Governing Rules 02/2015
  502-4 Procedure for Disclosure 11/2014
  503-1 DPHHS HIPAA Database and CFSD Liaisons - Logging Authorizations, Specified Disclosures, Personal Representatives, PHI Amendments and Restrictions, and HIPAA-Related Employee Training 05/2015
  504-1 Information Correction and Appeal Process 10/2007
  505-1 Records Retention and Destruction 10/2007
  506-1 Background Checks on Applicants, Employees and Volunteers 02/2015
   

600

Adoption
  601-1 Definitions 10/2007
  602-1 Adoptive Inquiry and Training 02/2014
  602-2 Assessment and Pre-Placement Evaluation 07/2008
  602-3 Indian Adoptions 10/2007
  602-4 Kinship Adoption 10/2007
  602-5 Foster Parent Adoption 10/2007
  602-6 Legal Risk Pre-Adoptive Placement 10/2007
  603-1 The Child's Adoption Referral and Circulation 06/2015
  603-2 Identifications of and Selection of Family 07/2012
  603-3 Role of the Birth Parents 10/2007
  603-4 Preparation 10/2007
  603-5 Adoption Process Procedure
06/2015
  603-6 and 603-7 Incorporated into 603-5 and these sections deleted 10/2010
  603-6 Finalization Checklist (available in OURS, CFS-213) 01/2020
  603-7 Adoption Decree 10/2010
  603-8 Post- Adoption 10/2010
  603-9 & 603-10 Renumbered to 603-7 and 603-8 and these sections deleted 12/2011
  604-1 Subsidized Adoption, Non-Recurring Adoption Expenses, and Medical Subsidy 07/2018
  605-1 Direct Parental Placement Adoption 09/2014
  605-2 Certification for Evaluations in Direct Parental Placement Adoptions 10/2007
   

800

Licensing
  801-1 Philosophy and Development 10/2007
  801-2 Licensing Requirement Booklets 10/2007
  801-3 Definitions and Facility Type Codes 09/2015
  801-4 CAPS Facility Status Codes and Definitions 10/2007
  802-1 Initial Inquiry and Application / Assessment
09/2015
  802-2 Training Requirements 10/2007
  802-3 Criminal Records and Protective Services Checks 07/2015
  802-4 Kinship Foster Care Licensing Procedure 01/2012
  802-5 Specialized Foster Care Licensing Procedure 10/2007
  802-6 Guardianship Home Assessment 07/2010
  802-7 Therapeutic Foster Care Licensing Procedure 10/2007
  802-8 Foster Home Re-licensing Assessment 10/2007
  802-9 Foster Home Incidents 06/2013
  802-10 Adverse Licensing Action 02/2015
  802-11 Youth Foster Home Licensed Provider Complaints and Investigations 06/2013
  803-1 Child Placing Agency Licensing and Re-licensing 10/2007
       
900 Title IV-E Child Welfare Waiver Demonstration Project
  901-01 Innovation III Policy 01/2015
 

Appendix
  When you have finished viewing the selected document, click the BACK button to return to this menu.  
       
    AFCARS Timeliness Errors  
    Alphabetical Screen List 07/2008
    Commonly Used Acronyms  
    Report/Request Categories & Alerts  
    Screen Flow Charts  
    Child Support Enforcement Referrals  
       
 

Domestic Violence

  
    Table of Contents 1
    Guiding Principle 2
    Safety Assessment for Families with Partner or family member
assault /domestic violence 		3
      Investigation 3
      Safety Planning 4
      Case Planning 4
        Voluntary Protective Services Agreement 6
        Court-Ordered Treatment Plan 6
      Steps for Developing a Case Plan with the Offending Parent 7
      Steps for Developing a Case Plan with the Non- Offending
Parent 		8
       
    Appendix B Working With The Offending Parent  
    Safety Factor 10  
    Appendix D Law and Definitions