Case Plan 624-05-15-50

(Revised 7/1/23 ML #3737)

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Each child in foster care is required by federal law to have a case plan; a written document and a discrete part of the case record. The initial case plan must be developed within 30 calendar days of child's entry into foster care, if the child is in custody for greater than 24 hours.

 

North Dakota utilizes the Safety Framework Practice Model guidelines where case managers are required to create a case plan including identified goals, developed with the family. Case plans are viewed in three parts;

 

A. Goals: Developed by the custodial agency and family when considering what an enhanced diminished parent/caregiver protective capacity would look like once change has occurred. In addition, any unmet child needs can be consolidated into a goal in the case plan. Goals should be documented using common language used by the family.

 

B. Tasks: Identified tasks or change strategies assigned to each goal are documented in Tool 6. Once case plan goals have been determined, the child and family team discuss approaches or services (tasks/change strategies) that are most likely to achieve the case plan goals. Identified services and specified roles and responsibilities of providers, family members, and the case manager are put into place to assist the family in achieving the identified goals. More SFPM and case planning information can be located in policy 607-05-35-35-10- 01.

 

C. Federal Foster Care Case Plan Requirements: Title IV-E of the Social Security Act, Sec. 475, specifies what must be addressed on behalf of the child throughout the life of the foster care case, documented in the child’s foster care case file. The planning requirements must be a discrete part of the case file and meet various terms related to the child’s safety, wellbeing, permanency, health, and education. The federal foster care case plan requirements must be on file including:


  1. Detailed Reasonable/Active Efforts: A description of efforts and services offered and provided to prevent removal of the child from the home and to reunify the family.

  2. Court Requirements: Copy of court hearings, affidavit details, documented efforts made by the agency to achieve the defined permanency goal for the family (reunification, guardianship, relative, adoption, etc.)

  3. Least Restrictive Setting: Detailed plans designed to achieve a safe placement for the child in the least restrictive (most family-like) setting available and in close proximity to the home of the parent(s) when the case goal is reunification. Including details of how the placement is consistent with the best interests and special needs of the child.

  4. Placement Location: A description of the type of foster care placement (relative, licensed foster home, residential facility) in which the child will be placed. Details stating why the placement is in the best interest of the child if placement is a substantial distance from the home of the parent(s), in a different state, or outside of the Tribal service area. If the child is placed out of the community, state, tribal service area the case manager must arrange to ensure monthly face-to-face visitation is completed with the child.

  5. Reasonable and Prudent Parenting: A description documenting how the foster care provider is following the reasonable and prudent parent standard. Including if the child has regular, ongoing opportunities to engage in age or developmentally appropriate activities.

  6. Safe & Proper Care: Assurances for the child to receive safe and proper care; including services provided to the parents, child, and foster parents in order to improve conditions in parents’ home, facilitate return of child to their own safe home or the permanent placement of the child.

  7. Appropriate Services: A detailed description of any child unmet needs and how the agency is ensuring timely and adequate services are received.

  8. Visitation schedule: A detailed description of the approved visitation schedule between the foster child and his/her parent(s), and his/her siblings to maintain family connections. The timeframes for these visits must be appropriate and meet the need of the child and his/her family.

  9. Educational Information

    1. Names and addresses of child’s school/s of attendance;

    2. Child’s current grade;

    3. Child’s school record;

    4. A specific educational stability plan providing assurances:

      1. The custodial case manager must take into account the appropriateness of the current educational setting and the proximity to the school in which the child is enrolled at the time a foster care placement change is considered.

      2. School of origin decisions must reinforce the child’s best interest. The child’s school of origin may change depending on their foster care placement. If a child in foster care's placement changes, the school of origin would be considered the school in which the child was enrolled at the time of the placement change. Example: The child was enrolled in District A when he/she entered foster care. The child was placed in a foster home of school District B when it was determined to be in the child’s best interest for the child to remain in District A.

      3. The foster care case manager has coordinated and communicated per federal regulations of Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) with the designated school district “foster care liaison”, to ensure that the child remains in the school in which the child is enrolled at the time of foster care placement; or, if remaining in such school is not in the best interests of the child, assurances by the child welfare and educational agencies to provide immediate and appropriate enrollment in a new school, with request to transfer all educational records for the child.

      4. Each school age child in foster care is enrolled as a student (or in the process of enrolling), or is a full-time *elementary or secondary school student; or, is incapable of attending school on a full-time basis due to the medical condition of the child. If the child is incapable of attending school on a full-time basis, regularly updated information, must be included in the child's case plan that supports this determination; and

      5. Any other pertinent educational information appropriate and necessary for case planning.

  10. Medical Information

    1. Name and address of primary medical professionals;

    2. A record of child's immunizations;

    3. The child's known medical problems

    4. The child's medication; and

    5. Any other pertinent medical information appropriate and necessary for case planning.

  11. Age 14 Specific Case Plan Requirements:

    1. A child in foster care who has attained 14 years of age, must be given the opportunity to participate in the development and any revisions of their individualized plan, which must include a written description of programs and services to help the child prepare for their transition to a successful adulthood. The case manager must assist the child in developing goals to meet their independent living needs.

    2. Review and annually sign a copy of the ND Foster Youth Rights (DN 402) (see 624-05-15-50-49).

    3. Personal invitation of two additional members to join the Child & Family Team, chosen by the child, who are not foster parents of, or a case manager for, the child.

      1. Custodians may reject an individual selected by a child to be a member of the Child & Family Team at any time if there is good cause to believe that the individual would not act in the best interest of the child.

      2. One individual selected by the child to be a member of the child’s team may be designated to be the child’s advisor and, as necessary, advocate, with respect to the application of the reasonable and prudent parent standard to the child.

  12. Age 16 Requirements

    1. Minimum age 16 to determine a permanency goal of another planned permanent living arrangement (APPLA). If selected, the case must have

      1. Documentation of intensive, ongoing, and unsuccessful efforts made to return the child home or secure placement for the child with a fit and willing relative, a legal guardian, or an adoptive parent, including the utilization of search technology to find biological family members.

      2. Child must verify with the court he/she is age 16 or greater, he/she has the desired permanency outcome of APPLA, he/she believes APPLA is the best permanency plan

    2. Age 16 and identified as "likely to age out of foster care"; will be considered a Chafee Transition Program “Priority 1” participant. Children age 16+ are required to be referred to the Chafee Transition Program (SFN 1613) for assistance to the case manager in assessing and addressing the needs for a child’s transition to a successful adulthood.

  13. Age 18 Child: A child in foster care who is nearing 18 years of age must have

    1. A developed individualized transition plan (SFN 494) (see 624-05-15- 10)

    2. A documented review of a health care directive (see 624-05-15-50- 46).

  14. Adoption as the Permanency Goal: If the child’s permanency plan/goal is adoption, federal law (ASFA) requires the case plan details must also include:

    1. Documentation of the steps the agency is taking to find an adoptive family, to place the child with an adoptive family, and action made to finalize the adoption.

    2. Documentation of specific recruitment efforts such as the use of state, regional, and national adoption exchanges.

  15. High Risk Youth (at risk of harming self or others): Each child’s case plan must include strategies for how the custodial agency will manage behaviors or emotional needs which place the child in a high-risk category. Upon identification of such behaviors or emotional needs, a safety plan must be developed immediately for implementation. A safety plan must be developed and distributed to all appropriate parties, specifically including the foster parents.

  16. High Risk Youth (at risk of harming self or others): Each child’s case plan must include strategies for how the custodial agency will manage behaviors or emotional needs which place the child in a high-risk category. Upon identification of such behaviors or emotional needs, a safety plan must be developed immediately for implementation. A safety plan must be developed and distributed to all appropriate parties, specifically including the foster parents.

 

Every child in foster care, greater than 24 hours, is required to have their case plan (care plan) entered in the case management system. Case managers must document pertinent information such as a description of services provided to prevent removal of the child from the home and to safely reunify the family, efforts engaged by the agency to ensure child safety and to maintain family connections.

 

For children who are discharged from foster care in less than 30 days, case managers must indicate why the placement and permanency plan achieved in a short timeframe was in the best interest of the child.

All case plans must take into account the child’s safety, permanence, and well- being. An approved case plan must be in FRAME before the foster care case can be closed.

 

The ND data management system requires limited information be entered to open/close the case if in care less than 30 days. Custodial case managers must:

  1. Open Service Period

  2. Open the foster care program with assigned worker

  3. Court order covering the placement duration date

  4. Reason for foster care entry

  5. Placement/s

  6. FC Permanency goal

  7. Clinically diagnoses condition

  8. Care Plan

 

Care Plan Example

  1. Child enters foster care:

    • Removal/FC Entry Date: March 1st

    • PCFA initial meetings/calls with parents: March 8, March 15, and March 30

    • FC CFTM Initial: Formal meeting scheduled for April 7th

    • Foster Care Closure: March 30th

  2. Entry Dates:

    • Care Plan Effective Date: The first care plan is open effective the date of entry, March 1st

    • Care Plan End Date: This will remain blank as long as care plan is in current status.

    • Care Plan Review Date: Will auto-populate 90 days from the effective date to allow for payment.

    • Initial FC CFTM Date: Enter the date of March 1st indicating in the notes “child entered care”.

  3. The agency will approve the initial case plan as “current status” to allow for payment.

  4. SFPM documentation is managed outside of the data management system, case managers must record anything that occurs throughout the month of activity details, meetings, calls in case activity logs. SFPM documents are not required for children who are in foster care for less than 96 hours.

  5. If still in care, the second care plan will indicate the initial CFTM meeting date will auto-populate 90 days from the effective date to allow for payment going forward.

  6. Click Approve when finished.

  7. Copy a draft care plan for the next period to be updated as information changes in the case.

 

Every child in foster care will have an individualized case plan developed and reviewed at least quarterly during the case review (Child & Family Team Meeting). See 624-05-15-50-03.