CFS PPM2
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0510 Critical Incident Protocol

 

The Critical Incident Protocol is a process for reporting, reviewing and documenting the Division’s response to immediate significant events involving a child. The purpose of this process is to take a closer look at circumstances surrounding critical incidents, including the Division’s initial response to the critical incident and prior Division involvement with the impacted family, with the goal of identifying systemic issues, agency practices, or areas of need which, if addressed through policy or practice, may improve the Division’s effectiveness moving forward.

 

  1. Defining Critical Incident:

 

Critical Incidents include the following events:

 

  1. Child Death
    1. A child death is defined as a child who dies from alleged abuse or neglect or a child who had an open case with PPS within the last three years and dies for any reason.    
  2. Child Near Death
    1. A child who received services from PPS within the last three years, and a physician has certified an act placed the child in serious or critical condition.
  3. Child in the custody of the Secretary who attempted suicide
  4. Child in the custody of the Secretary with severe injuries
    1. Severe injuries are defined as bodily injury which involves substantial risk of death, extreme physical pain, protected and obvious disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member, organ, or mental faculty. Routine surgery or injury obtained through routine play or sports participation is not required to be reported.
  5. Foster or adoptive parent with criminal proceedings related to abuse or neglect.
  6. Any child in foster care who spent the night in a Child Welfare Case Management Provider’s (CWCMP) office.
  7. Media- incident which has drawn public media attention or become a legislative concern

 

  1. Initial Notification of a Critical Incident

Information regarding critical incidents shall be documented on the Critical Incident Notification PPS 0550. Sections I and II of the Critical Incident Notification PPS 0550 shall be completed by the Community Family Service Provider (CFSP), CWCMP, and DCF at the time of staff knowledge of the incident. Subsequent up-dates shall be provided in Section IV Up-Dates.

 

  1. Community Family Service Provider (CFSP) and Child Welfare Case Management Provider (CWCMP) Notification
    1. CFSP and CWCMP staff shall forward the Critical Incident Notification PPS 0550 to the relevant DCF Regional intake e-mail below:
      • Kansas City Region: DCF.KCPRC@ks.gov
      • East Region: DCF.EastIntake@ks.gov
      • Wichita Region: DCF.WICIntake@ks.gov
      • West Region: DCF.WPRC@ks.gov
    2. Subject Line Naming Convention

The subject line of the email shall include only the following:

 

If the critical incident involves child abuse/neglect concerns the CFSP or CWCMP shall make a report to the KPRC immediately after the provider is aware of the incident. If a family has been referred to CWCMP, critical incidents shall be reported to DCF until the end of the aftercare period.

 

  1. DCF Notification

DCF staff completes section I.A of the Critical Incident Notification PPS 0550 upon receipt from the CFSP or CWCMP and forwards to his/her immediate supervisor. The DCF supervisor shall forward to the appropriate Assessment and Prevention Administrator or Foster Care Contract Administrator, depending on the circumstances of the case. The Administrator shall determine whether the incident meets the definition of a critical incident and forward the Critical Incident Notification PPS 0550 to the Regional Director or designee. The Regional Director or designee shall review the written report and if the incident meets the definition of a critical incident submit a PDF version of the PPS0550 to DCF.CriticalIncident@ks.gov.

DCF staff shall provide notification to the CFSP or CWCMP if the initial source of critical incident was DCF and the family is being served by a CFSP or CWCMP. If the incident does not meet the definition of a critical incident determined by the Regional Director, designee or Administrators, any follow up necessary shall be coordinated within the region.

 

  1. Subject Line Naming Convention

The subject line of the email shall include only the following:

 

 

  1. KPRC Notification

A report involving a critical incident made to the KPRC shall follow policy and procedures for Initial Assessment per PPM 1000. KPRC shall email the report to the KPRC Sups mailbox.  

 

The KPRC supervisor shall e-mail the report involving the critical incident to DCF.CriticalIncident@ks.gov, the Regional Director, Assistant Regional Director, Regional PPS Assessment and Prevention Administrator, and Foster Care Contract Administrator for the involved DCF Region.  

  1. Subject Line Naming Convention

The subject line of the email shall include only the following: