The Child Welfare Case Management Provider (CWCMP) shall assess the needs of a referred child/youth and their family within 20 calendar days of the referral.
Screenings and assessments are performed to determine appropriate services for the child/youth and family, meet the identified needs, and connect the child/youth and family to appropriate services in their community.
Whenever possible, services shall be provided in the home and focus on the needs of the family rather than being focused solely on the child/youth.
To support access to mental and behavioral health services and care coordination of foster care youth mental health needs, the case management provider shall create and maintain a dedicated email to share with the Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) providers and provide a phone contact. CWCMP shall monitor emails and voicemails received and respond within 2 days.
Screenings and Assessments performed for children/youth in the custody of the Secretary and their families to assess needs shall include:
A. Physical Health Assessments for all youth. The CWCMP shall assess physical health needs by obtaining information from the last assessment of dental, vision, hearing, and physical health including current prescribed medications and names and addresses of all medical providers. If no such assessment can by located by the CWCMP, new appointments for assessment of dental, vision, hearing, and physical health including assessment of medications shall be scheduled within 20 calendar days. Scheduling the appointment does not mean the appointment must occur within the 20 days.
B. Evidence-based screenings and assessments for parents, caregivers and age-appropriate children/youth shall be completed within 20 calendar days of referral. The following screenings and assessments shall also be completed prior to each review of the PPS 3051 Permanency Plan.
1. Ages 30 days – 2 years – Ages and Stages Questionnaire – Social Emotional (ASQ-SE); Screen for social-emotional functioning of child. For children who are younger than 30 days old at the time of referral, the ASQ-SE will be completed no later than the 40th day of the child’s life.
2. Ages 2 years – 18 years – Child Stress Disorder Checklist-KS (CSDC-KS); Screen for child’s history of trauma and current symptoms.
3. Ages 3 years – 5 years – Preschool and Early Childhood Functioning Scale (PECFAS); Assess behavioral health functioning.
4. Ages 6 years – 18 years – Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS); Assessing behavioral health, functioning of the child/youth.
5. Ages 7 years – 17 years – Child Report of Post-Traumatic Symptoms (CROPS); Screen for child’s history of trauma and current symptoms.
C. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Screening for referred children/youth of all ages.
D. Substance Use Disorder Screening
1. For adults in the home and children/youth age 13 and older if the child is verbal and developmentally able to participate:
a. Screening shall be completed using the UNCOPE screening tool, PPS 2005, or a form which includes the same elements as the official UNCOPE screening tool.* Children under age 13 shall be screened only if there is evidence identifying the child is at risk for substance abuse.
i. If a family member answers “yes” to two or more questions, on the UNCOPE screening tool and this is a current issue, the family member shall be referred for further assessment to the appropriate licensed Medicaid or private insurance service provider for an assessment to determine if treatment is recommended (refer to mental health workflow appendix 3I). If substance use disorder treatment is recommended for a family member, as a result of the substance use assessment, a referral for treatment shall be made.
2. For adults in the home who have previously been identified as being at risk for substance misuse or a substance use disorder, such as having been arrested for driving under the influence (DUI), presenting for substance use disorder treatment, or being evaluated for any issue associated with substances:
a. Diagnostic assessment more extensive than the UNCOPE screening tool, such as the Kansas Client Placement Criteria (KCPC), shall be completed.
*Hoffman, N.G. Retrieved from: http://www.evinceassessment.com/UNCOPE