Alabama Administrative Code › Title 660 - ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES › Chapter 660-5-34 - PROTECTIVE SERVICES FOR CHILDREN › Section 660-5-34-.05 - Investigative/Initial Assessment Process

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 9, June 28, 2024
(1) The following standards for conducting
			 CA/N assessments on child abuse/neglect reports must be followed. Any
			 deviations from these standards must have supervisory consultation and
			 approval.
(a) Contacts with Law Enforcement.
			 Each County Department must have a written working agreement on procedures for
			 handling child abuse and neglect investigations with the law enforcement agency
			 holding jurisdiction in the county. Law enforcement officers may accompany DHR
			 workers on home visits when information indicates that safety may be an
			 issue.
(b) Assessing Reports with
			 Parents. Contact must be initiated with a custodial parent promptly upon
			 receipt of a report except in instances where such action could pose danger for
			 the child involved. The contact should establish the need for protective
			 services or agency non-intervention. A home visit is required and may be made
			 with or without prior notification.
(c) Interview with/observation of Child
			 Victim and all other Children in the Home.
1.
			 All children who are subjects of child abuse/neglect reports must be seen and
			 privately interviewed if they are capable of a verbal response. Non-verbal
			 children must be observed while awake. The child may be interviewed/observed at
			 some site other than the home, (e.g. school, daycare). If the worker is refused
			 access to a child for interview or observation purposes, a court order may be
			 sought to obtain access to the child.
2. Photographs may be taken to document
			 physical injuries or conditions of children or neglectful conditions of the
			 child's home. Video and audiotapes may be used to record interviews. Parental
			 consent for photographs, video and audio taping is not necessary. If a parent
			 refuses to permit photographs or taping
and
the worker
			 believes that photographs or taping is necessary, law enforcement should be
			 contacted or court action should be explored.
3. If psychological evaluations, physical
			 examinations, or psychiatric evaluations of the children are considered
			 necessary during the CA/N assessment process, they may be obtained with or
			 without parental consent. If parental consent cannot be obtained, a court order
			 should be sought.
4. All other
			 children who are regular members of the household must be interviewed privately
			 and in person.
(d)
			 Securing Medical Care. If the worker believes that a child is in need of
			 immediate medical care, every effort must be made to get the parent or legal
			 custodian to take the child immediately to a medical facility for such
			 treatment. If the parent or legal custodian is unavailable, refuses to
			 cooperate, or is in disagreement with the attending physician, the worker must
			 seek the assistance of the court in securing medical care for the child. To
			 obtain the court's assistance, workers have three options:
1. Petition for legal temporary custody and
			 request that the Department have the authority to consent to medical treatment;
			 or
2. File a petition for
			 protective supervision which provides the Department the authority to consent
			 to medical care; or
3. Petition for
			 an order authorizing emergency medical care.
(e) Interview with the Person Allegedly
			 Responsible For Abuse/Neglect. The worker is to interview the person allegedly
			 responsible individually and in person unless the person is being criminally
			 investigated,
and
law enforcement, the District
			 Attorney's office or the defense attorney refuses to allow the interview. A
			 copy of the person's statement to law enforcement is then sufficient to
			 document this part of the CA/N assessment.
(f) The worker must interview all other adult
			 household members individually and in person.
(g) The worker must contact all other persons
			 known to have first-hand knowledge of the abuse/neglect allegations. These
			 persons may be interviewed either in person or by telephone.