THE PROCESS

The Ongoing Department

Case Management: The Ongoing Social Worker is responsible to manage and review all aspects of the case while it is active. This includes helping the family to develop and reach goals, monitoring compliance with court orders, and working toward reducing risk to the child. The Social Worker also works closely with other service providers in the community and prepares and maintains case documents.

Prepare Case Plans: The family and the Social Worker decide what must be done to keep the child safe and to reunify the family.  The Case Plan outlines the goals.

Provide I & R Services: The Social Worker provides information to the family about what services to seek to reach the Case Plan goals (e.g. counseling, drug and alcohol treatment, or mental health services). The worker may contact the service provider to make the referral. 

Coordinate Services: The worker may coordinate the service by calling the service provider for an appointment for the family/child, providing transportation; following-up to be sure the family is continuing to work toward meeting the goals in the Case Plan.

Monitor Placement: When the child is in custody, the Social Worker will visit the child regularly, whether the child is placed in Foster Care or in a residential facility.

Arrange Visitation: The Social Worker arranges for the child to visit with his parent as planned for in the Case Plan. The visitation may be supervised by the Worker.

Participate in Court Proceedings: The Ongoing Social Worker will attend all court proceedings while the case is active.

Conduct 3 month and 6 Month Reviews: Though efforts to reach the goals in the Case Plan are continual, every 3 months and every 6 months, those efforts are formally reviewed, evaluated and adjusted as needed.

Family Reunification: When the Case Plan goals are met and the risk to the child is decreased, the child can return home to his family.

File for Permanent Custody: If the decision is made to remove the child from the home permanently, the Social Worker will begin the action to file for custody.  House Bill 484 requires the agency to file for permanent custody whenever the child has been in custody for 12 months or more in 22 consecutive months and the family has not cooperated with the Case Plan.

Close Case: When all court-ordered or Case Plan goals are accomplished, and the child is no longer at risk, the case is closed and services terminated.