10114 Preliminary Inquiry
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10114 Preliminary Inquiry

 

  1. Purpose of Preliminary Inquiry:

The purpose of a Preliminary Inquiry is:

 

  1. Determining whether an allegation of abuse, neglect, and/ or exploitation is known to the agency through a current completed investigation,
  2. Gaining additional information regarding an allegation, and/or
  3. Determining whether the interests of the involved adult require further assessment.

 

  1. Reports Requiring Preliminary Inquiry:

If a report is not immediately accepted for further investigation and/or assessment based on information from the reporter, a Preliminary Inquiry shall be completed for any one of the following reasons in order to complete an initial assessment decision:

 

  1. Report of an involved adult with a current case open for investigation and/or assessment or service plan and previous reports with the same allegation and same alleged perpetrator or
  2. Report involves an alleged perpetrator previously investigated for abuse/neglect/exploitation and/or found on the abuse/neglect central registry; or
  3. Reported information is vague and/or not consistent, and additional information may be available from other sources such as, health care providers, DCF Programs, case management providers, law enforcement, schools, or other agencies; or  
  4. Reported information identifies persons with additional information necessary to make an assessment decision; or
  5. The KPRC specialist assessing the report identifies any other source of additional information to form the Initial Assessment Decision. 

 

  1. When KPRC receives a second or subsequent reports related to a report currently on Preliminary Inquiry the following actions shall be taken:
    1. If the information in the second or subsequent report is enough to complete the Initial Assessment without a Preliminary Inquiry;
      1. Communication between the KPRC staff will occur to determine who is responsible to complete the initial assessments.
      2. If the KPRC staff whom has a report placed on Preliminary Inquiry is unavailable, the KPRC staff with the subsequent report will complete the Initial Assessment and shall communicate the decision to the other KPRC staff.
    2. If the information in the second or subsequent report does not contain any new allegations of Abuse/Neglect previously known;
      1. Communication between the KPRC staff can occur to determine who is responsible to complete the initial assessments.
      2. If the KPRC staff whom has a report placed on Preliminary Inquiry is unavailable, the KPRC staff with the subsequent report will complete the Initial Assessment with the decision not to assign for further assessment and shall communicate the decision to the other KPRC staff.
  2. Time Frame for Preliminary Inquiry:

The Preliminary Inquiry information shall be obtained as soon as practical and shall not exceed three (3) working days from the date the report is received by the agency, three working days begin the first working day after the report is received by the agency according to the date recorded on the PPS 10100, page 1.  If it appears from a reporter’s information that an involved adult may be harmed within the preliminary inquiry time frame, the report shall be assigned for investigation and/or assessment.

 

  1. Preliminary Inquiry Activities:

Preliminary Inquiry may include any of the following activities relative to the case:

 

  1. Gathering additional information from DCF Adult Protection Specialist and/or Adult Protective Investigator staff assigned to a current open case or a recently closed case regarding the involved adult subject to the report.
  2. Gathering information to locate or identify the involved adult.
  3. Gathering additional information from other DCF programs.
  4. Contacting the reporter to clarify information received or request additional
  5. Contacting any person in the report identified with possessing additional information.
  6. Contacting, health care providers, schools, or any agency identified as providing services to the involved adult.

 

  1. Review of APS History of Involved Adult and/or Alleged Perpetrator:

If the search of KIPS and KEES finds any involved adult and/or alleged perpetrator has previous involvement, the KPRC specialist shall determine what, if any, history is relevant to the Initial Assessment Decision of the current report.  When the KPRC specialist has determined history is not relevant to the assignment to the current report, an explanation shall be documented on the PPS 10100.

 

  1. Information to Consider:

The KPRC shall consider the following in review of KIPS history:

 

  1. Are the past allegations substantiated or unsubstantiated?
  2. If unsubstantiated, consider the severity and seriousness of the allegations of abuse, neglect, and/or exploitation and safety or risk concerns.
  3. Is the current report an isolated incident of abuse, neglect, self-neglect, exploitation, and/or fiduciary abuse or a pattern of abuse?
  4. How recent was the last report or case closure?
  5. Does history indicate one or more risk factors such as caregiver and/or alleged perpetrator has an untreated mental illness, substance use or abuse and/or history of abuse, neglect, self-neglect, exploitation and/or fiduciary abuse or physical violence?
  6. Any additional information which informs the current report.

 

  1. Documenting the Preliminary Inquiry:

KPRC specialist shall document in KIPS the need for a Preliminary Inquiry and what information was obtained.