Iowa Admin. Code r. 441-175.26 : HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT — INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY SUPPORT AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES — ABUSE OF CHILDREN —175.26 - Completion of a written assessment report

The child protection worker shall complete a written assessment report as follows:

(1) Completion of a child abuse assessment report. A child abuse assessment report shall be completed within 20 business days of the receipt of the child abuse report. In most instances, a child abuse assessment report shall be developed in conjunction with the child and family being assessed. A child abuse assessment report shall consist of two parts as follows:

a. Report and disposition data. A child abuse assessment report shall include report and disposition data as follows:

(1) Allegations: the report of suspected child abuse which caused the assessment to be initiated and additional allegations raised after the report of suspected child abuse becomes a case that have not been previously investigated or assessed. If the report of suspected child abuse was initially accepted as a family assessment, the reason why it was transferred to a child abuse assessment shall be identified.

(2) Evaluation of the child's safety: evaluation of the child's safety and the risk for occurrence or reoccurrence of abuse. Criteria to be used in the evaluation of the child's safety include, but are not limited to, the severity of the incident or condition, chronicity of the incident or condition, age of the child, attitude of the person alleged responsible, current services or supports, access of the person alleged responsible for the abuse to the child, and protectiveness of the parent or caretaker who is not alleged responsible for the abuse.

(3) Findings and contacts: a description of the child's condition including identification of the nature, extent, and cause of the injuries, if any, to the child named in the report; identification of the injury or risk to which the child was exposed; the circumstances which led to the injury or risk to the child; the identity of the person alleged to be responsible for the injury or risk to the child; an evaluation of the home environment; the name and condition of other children in the same home as the child named in the report if protective concerns are identified; a list of collateral contacts; and a history of confirmed or founded abuse.

(4) Determination regarding the allegations of child abuse: a statement of determination of whether the allegation of child abuse was founded, confirmed but not placed on the central abuse registry, or not confirmed. The statement shall include a rationale for placing or not placing the report on the central abuse registry.

(5) Recommendation for services as specified in 175.25(8) and a statement describing whether services are necessary to ensure the safety of the child or to prevent or remedy other identified problems.

1. The statement shall include the type of services recommended, if any, and whether these services are to be provided by the department, a child welfare service contractor, another community organization, other informal supports, or another source.

2. If services are already being provided, the statement shall include a recommendation whether these services should continue.

(6) Juvenile court recommendation: a statement describing whether juvenile court action is necessary to ensure the safety of the child; the type of action needed, if any; and the rationale for the recommendation.

(7) Criminal court recommendation: a statement describing whether criminal court action is necessary and the rationale for the recommendation.

(8) Addendum: An addendum to a child abuse assessment report shall be completed within 20 business days when any of the following occur:

1. New information becomes available that would alter the finding, conclusion, or recommendation of the report.

2. Substantive information that supports the finding becomes available.

3. A subject who was not previously interviewed requests an interview to address the allegations of the report.

4. A review or a final appeal decision modifies the report.

b. Use of assessment data.

A safety assessment, family risk assessment, and safety plan, if applicable, may be used as part of the child's initial case plan, referenced at 441-subrule 130.7(3), for cases in which the department will provide services.

(2) Completion of a family assessment report. A family assessment report shall be completed within ten business days of the receipt of the report of suspected child abuse. A family assessment report shall consist of assessment data only.

a. Assessment data. A family assessment report shall include information pertaining to the department's evaluation of a family, which includes:

(3) Contacts: description of the circumstances that led to the allegations of abuse; strengths and needs of the child, and of the child's parent, home, and family; any information obtained from others during the assessment; a history of confirmed or founded abuse; and an evaluation of the home environment and evaluation of any other children in the same home as the parents or other persons responsible for the children's care.

(4) Recommendation for services as specified in 175.25(8) and a statement describing whether services are necessary to ensure the safety of the child or to prevent or remedy other identified problems.

2. If services are already being provided, the statement shall include a recommendation whether these services should continue.

b. Use of assessment data. A safety assessment, family risk assessment, and safety plan may be used as part of the information referred for any services in which the family voluntarily agrees to participate.

Iowa Admin. Code r. 441-175.26

ARC 1156C, IAB 10/30/2013, effective 1/1/2014