Florida Administrative Code › 65 - DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES › 65C - Family Safety and Preservation Program › Chapter 65C-30 - GENERAL CHILD WELFARE PROVISIONS › Section 65C-30.023 - Multidisciplinary Team Staffing

Current through Reg. 50, No. 138; July 16, 2024
(1) An
				integrated multidisciplinary team (MDT) staffing must be held when a decision
				is required to determine the most suitable out-of-home placement, educational
				placement, or any other important decisions in the child's life which is so
				complex that the child welfare professional determines convening an MDT
				staffing is necessary to ensure the best interest of the child.
(2) General Provisions.
(a) The MDT staffing must incorporate the
				goals outlined in Section
				 39.4022(3),
				F.S., that allow for engagement and collaboration of all participants to reach
				a consensus in the best interest for the child and youth.
(b) The child welfare professional shall
				ensure, at minimum, an MDT staffing occurs for the following circumstances:
1. Emergency Placement Changes and Planned
				Placement Changes made by the department or the community-based care lead
				agency;
2. Locating and placing
				missing children;
3. Human
				Trafficking Placements;
4.
				Reunifications;
5. Sibling
				Separations;
6. Placement
				Transitions outline in Section
				 39.4022(2)(a),
				F.S., including transitions between foster home ;
7. Children in placements for Nine Months or
				More;
8. Education and
				Childcare/Early Childhood Changes;
9. Reinstatement of Parental
				Rights.
(c) MDT staffings
				are not required for placements involving an intervention through an adoption
				entity pursuant to Section
				 63.082(6),
				F.S., when a child is temporarily moved for respite care, or when a child under
				the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) pursuant to
				25 U.S.C. §
											1901 et seq., is transferred to their Tribe
				for ongoing care and supervision.
(d) When requesting an MDT staffing, the
				child welfare professional must include all supporting documentation not
				available in the child welfare information system. Documents not available at
				the time of the initial referral, shall be submitted by the child welfare
				professional no later than two (2) business days prior to the scheduled MDT
				staffing.
(e) The MDT staffing
				shall be conducted by a trained facilitator who has obtained the following
				qualifications:
1. Department approved
				adoption competency training;
2.
				Mediator or conflict resolution training;
3. Trauma informed care training;
4. Motivational interviewing training;
				and
5. Program service delivery in
				Economic Self-Sufficiency and Substance Abuse Mental Health
				training.
(f) The
				facilitator is responsible for conducting the following upon receipt of a
				request for an MDT staffing:
1. Reviewing all
				requests to determine if the MDT staffing meets the criteria outlined in
				paragraph (2)(b);
2. Scheduling
				timely MDT staffing based on the complexity of the case;
3. Responding to all appropriate requests for
				an MDT staffing within two (2) business days from receipt of the
				referral;
4. Inviting, at a
				minimum, participants set forth in Section
				 39.4022(4)(a),
				F.S., to the MDT staffing and a member of an Indian Tribe or Alaskan Native as
				defined in 25 U.S.C. §
												1903, if the child is a member of that Indian
				tribe or Alaskan Native, to ensure placement preferences of the Tribe as
				outlined in 25 USC
				1915(c);
a. The Designated Tribal Agent for Service of
				Notice is the individual or individuals named in the Federal Register as being
				the official contact designated by the tribe for notification and legal service
				in compliance with the Indian Child Welfare Act. The Designated Tribal Agents
				for Service of Notice can be located at
				http://www.bia.gov/WhoWeAre/BIA/OIS/HumanServices/index.htm.
b. If the Designated Tribal Agent designates
				a tribal representative to act on behalf of the Tribe for purposes of
				representing the Tribe's interests throughout the dependency proceedings, then
				the facilitator shall invite that tribal representative.
5. Inviting additional participants as
				outlined Section  39.4022(4)(b),
				F.S.;
6. Providing the participants
				who are permitted under Chapter 39, F.S., with supporting documentation no
				later than one (1) business day prior to the MDT staffing;
7. Ensuring participants are notified of
				their responsibility to maintain the confidentiality of any information shared
				during the MDT staffing as outlined in Section
				 39.4022(9),
				F.S. by providing a written statement to all participants that reads: "The
				information being disclosed during the MDT staffing is confidential and
				protected by state law. State law prohibits you from making any further
				disclosure unless otherwise permitted by state law.";
8. Informing parents that their confidential
				case information will be discussed with any participants invited to the
				staffing;
9. Ensuring required
				participants are given the option to attend the MDT staffing in person or
				remotely; and
10. Considering
				combining MDT staffings when multiple needs and decisions can be addressed
				simultaneously.
(g)
				Parents shall be invited unless they are subject to one of the circumstance
				outlined in Section 39.4022(4)(a)1.b., F.S.
(h) The MDT staffing shall not be delayed
				pursuant to Section 39.4022(6)(a)2., F.S.
(i) All members of the MDT staffing are
				required to participate in the decision-making process. Each participating
				individual must provide reasons that support their decision pursuant to
				Sections  39.01375 and
				 39.4021, F.S.
(j) The child welfare professional shall
				follow the final decision of the MDT staffing when a unanimous decision has
				been made and complete a Placement Transition MDT Staffing and Transition Plan
				pursuant to Rule  65C-28.024, F.A.C.
(k) When the participants do not reach a
				unanimous consensus decision, the following shall occur.
1. The facilitator shall provide written
				notification to the assigned CLS attorney and managing attorney for the circuit
				at the conclusion of the staffing, but no later than 24 hours following the
				staffing. The notification must include, at minimum, the participant's names,
				type of MDT staffing, and a statement outlining the position of each
				member.
2. The facilitator shall
				submit the MDT staffing packet, to include any assessment tools, supporting
				documents, MDT staffing recommendations, and written report within two (2)
				business days of the conclusion of the MDT staffing to the Department
				representative.
(l) The
				facilitator shall immediately schedule a transition plan MDT staffing pursuant
				to Section  39.4023, F.S. within seven (7)
				business days from the final decision from the Department
				representative.
(m) The facilitator
				must ensure the child's best interest for remaining in school or child-care or
				educational program, pursuant to Rule
				 65C-28.018, F.A.C., are
				considered during each MDT staffing.
(n) Participants must consider all factors
				for reinstatement of parental rights as outlined in Section
				 39.8155, F.S. Biological or
				adoptive parents whose rights have been restored are not eligible to receive
				adoption assistance as outlined in Section
				 409.166(5),
				F.S.