(Effective date 04/13/20)
Table of Contents
3.6.1 Determining Whether or Not to Change the Initial Response Track Assignment
3.6.2 Change to an Investigation Response
3.6.3 Change to a Family Assessment or Juvenile Assessment Response
3.6.4 Entering Track Change in FACES
3.6.5 Change from a CA/N Report to a Non-CA/N Referral
3.6 Track Change
3.6.1 Determining Whether or Not to Change the Initial Response Track Assignment
Staff have an obligation to ensure that CA/N Reports and Non-CA/N Referrals are classified correctly in order to ensure families receive the most appropriate intervention.
Pursuant to Section 210.145, RSMo., some allegations require an Investigation response. Other reports and referrals may require discretionary decisions to be made by the local office in order to determine the most appropriate response track when a report does not clearly meet the requirements for an Investigation. When there is cause to believe the original track assignment is not the appropriate response, staff must seek supervisory guidance in order to appropriately classify the report or referral.
The following are allowable track changes:
- An Investigation may be track changed to a Family Assessment, or Juvenile Assessment.
- A Family Assessment may be track changed to an Investigation, or Juvenile Assessment.
- A Juvenile Assessment may only be track changed to an Investigation.
- A CA/N report may be track changed to a Non-Caretaker Referral or a Preventive Service Referral.
- A Non-Caretaker Referral may be track changed to a Preventive Service Referral.
- A Preventive Service Referral may be track changed to a Non-Caretaker Referral.
The decision to change track assignment must be documented in the report narrative by Worker IV, Supervisor or above.
3.6.2 Change to an Investigation Response
In a small percentage of reports it will be determined that it is more appropriate for a report initially assigned as a Family Assessment or Juvenile Assessment to be completed as an Investigation.
The following must be completed as an Investigation:
- Reports that meet the definition of an Investigation specified in Section 210.145, RSMo.
- All reports which involve child fatality resulting from initially alleged or subsequently suspected child abuse/neglect.
- All reports which involve any allegations of child sexual abuse, regardless to alleged or subsequently suspected severity or type.
- All reports which involve allegations of serious physical injury resulting from alleged abuse, including but not limited to:
- Intentional burns and scalding;
- Skull fractures;
- Internal Injuries caused by a blow;
- Broken skin caused by an instrument;
- Likelihood of permanent scarring;
- An injury which requires stitches;
- Broken bones;
- Temporary or permanent damage to hearing or sight;
- Abusive Head Trauma;
- Physical confinement which impairs circulation or breathing;
- Cigarette burns;
- Intentional submersion in water;
- Defensive injuries;
- Spiral fractures, dislocations;
- Subdural hemorrhages/hematomas.
- All reports which involve allegations of serious neglect resulting from parental/caretaker omission including but not limited to:
- A child left without appropriate supervision and in a dangerous environment;
- Lack of food/nurturance resulting in a failure to thrive;
- Abandonment of a child under the age of eight years old;
- Lack of medical care which results in a life threatening condition;
- Lack of care which results in hospitalization of a child;
- Serious injury due to the inactions of the parent/caretaker.
- All reports in which a Law Enforcement Officer, Physician, or Juvenile Officer has taken custody of a child in conjunction with a report which also alleges child fatality, sexual abuse, serious physical injury or serious neglect.
- All reports which allege a child in danger at the time of the report and Law Enforcement is needed.
- All reports which involve a non-familial, non-relative or non-household member as an alleged perpetrator.
- All reports where the family refuses to allow the Division to interview the child or otherwise refuses to cooperate, and collateral contacts and other information obtained convinces staff that risk of abuse or neglect exists for the child.
A Juvenile Assessment may be changed to an Investigation if the Alleged Child Initiator (ACI) is determined to have had care, custody, and control of the victim child.
If a Family assessment or Juvenile Assessment is changed to an Investigation, law enforcement must be contacted immediately, pursuant to Section 210.145, RSMo.
If a track change is made to an Investigation, a Description of the Investigation Process (CS-24) must be provided to the parties of the Investigation either in person or via mail.
3.6.3 Change to a Family Assessment or Juvenile Assessment Response
In a small percentage of reports it will be determined that it is more appropriate for a report initially assigned as an Investigation to be completed as a Family Assessment or Juvenile Assessment.
Pursuant to Section 210.145, RSMo., when the decision is made to change an Investigation to the Family Assessment or Juvenile Assessment track, law enforcement shall be notified prior to terminating the investigation process. If law enforcement indicates they do not agree with the decision to change, staff should discuss with the reason for and the possible consequences of making the change.
An Investigation may be track changed to a Juvenile Assessment if it is determined the alleged perpetrator was under the age of fourteen (14).
If a track change is made to a Family Assessment, a Description of Family Assessment Process (CS-24A) must be provided to the parties of the Family Assessment either in person or via mail.
If a track change is made to a Juvenile Assessment, a Description of Juvenile Assessment Process (CS-24C) must be provided to the parties of the Juvenile Assessment either in person or via mail.
3.6.4 Entering Track Change in FACES
After supervisory consultation and approval of the decision to override the original track assignment as established by CANHU, information about the report assignment is to be entered on the Response Priority/Track Assignment Override screen of the Investigation and Assessment Function in FACES. Only Children’s Service Worker IV’s, Supervisors, or above level administrators, may update the Response Priority/Track Assignment Override screen.
3.6.5 Change from a CA/N Report to a Non-CA/N Referral
If the concerns of the Investigation, Family Assessment, or Juvenile Assessment do not rise to the level of abuse or neglect, but instead meet the criteria for a Non-Caretaker Referral or a Preventive Service referral, as outlined in Section 2, Chapter 2.1.3, Non-CA/N Referrals, supervisors may request the CA/N Report be track changed to a Non-CA/N Referral. Supervisors may also request a change from a Non-Caretaker Referral to a Preventive Service Referral and vice-versa.
Requests for track changing to a referral after the initial seventy-two (72 hours) must be completed by the FACES Help Desk. Requests within the initial 72 hours may be made by contacting CANHU for re-submission. When submitting a track change request to the FACES Help Desk, staff must complete the Classification/Resubmission Change Request form, which can be located on the FACES Information Page.
A new alert will be sent to the county upon making the change. The report will be locked during the update process. FACES will not allow a CA/N Report to be track changed to a Non-CA/N Referral for the following reasons:
- A combined report cannot be track changed to a referral.
- Duplicated reports cannot be track changed to a referral. Staff will need to un-duplicate them prior to track changing.
- A report that has been submitted for approval cannot be track changed to a referral.