Arkansas Administrative Code › Agency 016 - DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES › Division 15 - Children and Family Services › Rule 016.15.15-003 - Policy II-L: Team Decision Making

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 6, June, 2024
OVERVIEW
Team Decision Making (TDM) provides a facilitated forum for
				families, community members, and DCFS to collaboratively problem solve and make
				decisions regarding children's safety and placement using the most information
				possible. TDM has proven to be an effective intervention in ensuring that all
				placement decisions are a shared responsibility and in the best interest of
				children. TDM also assists in establishing a network of support for children
				and the adults who care for them. As such, the consistent and effective use of
				Team Decision Making promotes family engagement and helps to maintain safe
				family relationships that are crucial to minimizing trauma to children.
TEAM DECISION MAKING INITIATION AND REFERRAL
A Team Decision Making (TDM) meeting is held within 48 hours of
				the establishment of a protection plan due to a safety factor (see Appendix IX:
				Arkansas Health and Safety Factors) being identified in the home and always
				before the case is brought to court (though a protection plan may be filed with
				the court when necessary). TDM meetings referrals are made by the DCFS FSW who
				put the protection plan in place to the area DCFS Facilitator. If the area DCFS
				Facilitator is unavailable, the DCFS FSW who put the protection plan in place
				will contact the DCFS Facilitator Supervisor. The DCFS Facilitator Supervisor
				will then make a referral to a back-up facilitator who can facilitate the TDM
				meeting within 48 hours of the establishment of a protection plan.
A TDM meeting is also held within 72 hours of
				receipt of a Garrett's law allegation to the hotline and always before the case
				is brought to court (though if a protection plan is put into place at the
				initiation of an investigation involving a Garrett's Law report, that
				protection plan may also be filed with the court as necessary). TDM meeting
				referrals related to Garrett's Law allegations are made by the primary DCFS FSW
				investigator to the area DCFS Facilitator. If the area DCFS Facilitator is
				unavailable, the primary DCFS FSW investigator will contact the DCFS
				Facilitator Supervisor. The DCFS Facilitator Supervisor will then make a
				referral to a back-up facilitator who can facilitate the TDM meeting within 48
				hours an accepted report of a Garrett's Law allegation to the
				hotline
.
TEAM DECISION MAKING PREPARATION
Prior to the Team Decision Making meeting, the FSW and the FSW
				Supervisor who approved the initial protection plan
or the primary
				FSW investigator involving a Garrett's Law allegation and that FSW's Supervisor
				will conference with the Facilitator who will moderate the TDM meeting in
				order
to prepare for the TDM. This conference will allow these
				Division staff members to review the TDM process as necessary and review
				information gathered at that point in time regarding the family with particular
				attention to the identified safety factors
and/or other information
				gathered during the investigation involving a Garrett's Law
				allegation
. During this meeting DCFS staff will assess whether the
				children involved in the protection plan
and/or the children
				involved in an investigation involving a Garrett's Law allegation
should be present at the TDM meeting based on the children's preferences and
				the children's ability to handle the emotional impact of the meeting.
A safety check-in meeting will also occur per TDM protocols
				with the biological parent(s) and children who plan to participate in TDM prior
				to the TDM meeting. The safety check-in is conducted to learn about any safety
				concerns the parents and/or children may have regarding the meeting proceedings
				and/or other participants. If safety concerns exist, DCFS will ensure the
				appropriate precautions are put in place.
TEAM DECISION MAKING PARTICIPANTS
Concerted efforts shall be made by DCFS to engage the
				biological parents (or other person responsible for care, as applicable) and
				support their attendance at the Team Decision Making meeting. Children are also
				encouraged to participate in the meeting when deemed appropriate according to
				their age, developmental status, emotional condition, and trauma-related needs
				and responses. The FSW who put the protection plan into place
and/or the primary FSW investigator involving a Garrett's Law
				allegation
and the Facilitator must participate in the TDM
				meeting.
The FSW Supervisor who approved the protection plan
or the supervisor of the primary FSW investigator involving a
				Garrett's Law allegation
is also required to participate in the
				TDM meeting. If necessary, the FSW Supervisor may participate by phone with
				prior approval from the Area Director. If an emergency arises and the FSW
				Supervisor is unable to participate even by phone, then the Area Director is
				responsible for ensuring another supervisor, preferably the county supervisor,
				participate in the TDM meeting in order to better support the FSW. For TDMs
				involving protection plans, the FSW's direct supervisor (if different from the
				FSW Supervisor who approved the protection plan) is encouraged, but not
				required, to attend the TDM meeting. Any other supervisor is welcome to attend
				the TDM meeting if desired.
The biological parents (or other person responsible for care,
				as applicable) and children are recognized as the experts regarding their
				family's needs and strengths. The FSW serves as the representative to speak to
				the protection plan and/or his/her initial assessment of family functioning
for those families involved in an investigation with a Garrett's
				Law allegation
. The Facilitator is a trained process expert with
				extensive knowledge of agency history, policies, procedures, and best
				practices. He or she works with everyone present at the TDM meeting to lead
				that group through solution-focused discussion that provides all participants
				with opportunities to voice their thoughts, concerns, and suggestions.
With a parent's (or other person responsible for care, as
				applicable) consent, additional efforts to include relatives, natural support
				persons, and current service providers will be made. The Division will be
				mindful about the balance of staff or professionals to family members and their
				natural supports. The more family-supportive individuals involved in the
				decision-making process, the more likely the resulting plan will be customized
				to meet the unique needs of the family. TDM participants may include, but are
				not limited to:
A. Extended family
			 and/or fictive kin invited by parents to support, assist, and/or serve as a
			 resource.
B. Current caregivers (if
			 not the biological parents) so they may assist in providing information
			 regarding children's needs and in developing ideas and reaching
			 decisions.
C. Community partners
			 who are defined as such by the family or the Division, whether based on
			 neighborhood, faith/religion, or other connection, to provide support, resource
			 expertise, and external perspective in decision-making.
D. Service providers who are currently
			 involved with family and can provide insight regarding family functioning and
			 assist in problem solving.
E. Other
			 public agency staff such as representatives from Division of Behavioral Health
			 Services, Division of Developmental Disabilities Services, Division of Youth
			 Services, Department of Education, Department of Workforce Services, Public
			 Housing Authority, etc. to provide expertise and information.
TEAM DECISION MAKING MEETING GOALS AND PROCESSES During the
				Team Decision Making meeting the group:
A. Engages the family to discuss family's
			 needs and strengths;
B. Reviews the
			 family's protection plan,
as applicable;
C. Assesses the effectiveness of the
			 protection plan thus far,
as applicable;
D.
Assesses any risk
			 factors;
E. Determines
			 if any changes to the protection plan are needed,
as
			 applicable
;
F. Decides
			 if other appropriate services and supports are available to strengthen the
			 family; and,
G. Reaches consensus
			 regarding the child's placement that protects the child and preserves the
			 family.
For TDM meetings involving protection plans, the
				original protection plan that the FSW put into place via the CFS-200:
				Protection Plan will be documented on the Safety Planning Screen of the Health
				and Safety Assessment. If the protection plan is updated or otherwise enhanced
				during the course of the TDM meeting, any pieces of the initial protection plan
				(documented on CFS-200: Protection Plan) that will remain in the updated
				version must also be documented on CFS-355: Team Decision Making Meeting
				Summary Report. In addition, any new information or requirements to which the
				team agrees during the TDM meeting will also be included on the CFS-355: Team
				Decision Making Meeting Summary Report. The information and requirements
				outlined in the TDM Action Plan that all participants agree to by signing the
				CFS-355 replaces the original protection plan for the
				family.
For TDM meetings involving allegations of Garrett's
				Law for which no protection plan was put into place during the investigation,
				the CFS-355: Team Decision Making Meeting Summary Report signed by all
				participants will serve as the TDM Action Plan for that family. As per the
				CFS-355, each person's signature on that form means that he or she understands
				and agrees to the actions steps outlined on the CFS-355
.
Privacy and respect are valued and practiced during TDM
				meetings. However, information from the meeting may be used, as applicable, for
				future case planning, in subsequent court proceedings, and/or in the
				investigation of any new allegations of abuse or neglect.
The Division maintains the legal responsibility to make
				decisions regarding children's placement and safety at all times. If the entire
				group involved in the TDM meeting cannot reach consensus, the Facilitator must
				at least ensure the Division staff involved in the TDM meeting reach
				consensus.
TEAM DECISION MAKING REVIEW PROCESS
A review process is available if Division staff members believe
				the decision puts the child at serious risk of harm or violates law or policy.
				A Division staff member who requests a review process must notify the group of
				his/her intent to seek review before the Team Decision Making meeting adjourns.
				The TDM Review will be conducted immediately by either a DCFS County Supervisor
				or the Area Director, as appropriate, prior to participants leaving. The TDM
				Review may be conducted in-person or by phone conference. The final decision is
				made by the TDM Reviewer after hearing summaries of the meeting and reason for
				review. Division personnel are responsible to implement the final decision and
				demonstrate full support.
TEAM DECISION MAKING FOLLOW-UP
Following all Team Decision Making meetings, the FSW, FSW
				Supervisor who approved the protection plan or
supervisor of the
				primary FSW investigator involving a Garrett's Law allegation,
and
				Facilitator will meet or conference call within 24 hours to debrief the TDM
				meeting. The debriefing meeting serves as a learning tool for Division staff by
				allowing them to give each other feedback regarding their interactions in the
				meeting specific to processes and roles. The debriefing meeting is not a time
				to revisit the content of the discussion or reconsider the decision made during
				the TDM meeting.
The DCFS Facilitator will enter all required TDM data elements
				into CHRIS within 72 business hours of the TDM meeting. If a back-up
				Facilitator participated in the meeting, that back-up Facilitator must provide
				all data elements to the DCFS Facilitator within 72 business hours. The DCFS
				Facilitator will enter the TDM data elements into CHRIS within 72 business
				hours of receipt of the data elements from the back-up Facilitator.
The FSW who put the protection plan into place will continue to
				be responsible for monitoring the protection plan and any other elements
				necessary, as determined during the TDM meeting, throughout the completion of
				the investigation.
For Garrett's Law referrals involving two
				counties (e.g., parents reside in one county but give birth to the infant in a
				neighboring county), the secondary FSW investigator who initiates the
				investigation will also interview any other collaterals available at the time
				of initiation in the county where the infant was born (if applicable) based on
				when infant was discharged from the hospital and when the hotline report is
				accepted.
The primary FSW investigator in the county
				where the family resides will conduct a home visit before the TDM meeting takes
				place, if possible. However, the primary FSW investigator must conduct a home
				visit prior to the infant's discharge from hospital (if applicable depending on
				when hotline report was made). If the home visit is conducted before the TDM
				meeting occurs
and
prior to the infant's discharge from the
				hospital, then that home visit will meet the requirement for both. The primary
				FSW investigator will also interview all other necessary collaterals who were
				not interviewed during the investigation initiation
.
The primary and secondary investigators must
				share all information regarding the investigation prior to the TDM meeting. The
				secondary investigator is not required to attend the TDM meeting but is
				encouraged to do so. The primary investigator must attend the TDM
				meeting
.
A
If a protective services
				or foster care case is subsequently opened, the FSW who initially put the
				protection plan into place and participated in the TDM meeting will communicate
				all information regarding the plan and TDM meeting to the appropriate FSW
				caseworker. The newly assigned FSW caseworker will then have the primary
				responsibility of monitoring the protection plan, any other associated
				elements, and case plan (i.e., the case plan is separate from the protection
				plan).
Procedure ll-Ll: Team Decision Making Initiation and
				Referral
07/2015
After establishing a protection plan
and/or
				initiating an investigation involving a Garrett's Law allegation
,
				the FSW will:
A. Inform parents (or
			 person responsible for care, as applicable) and youth (as appropriate) of:
1) The purpose of a Team Decision Making
			 (TDM) meeting;
2) That they will be
			 required to attend the next scheduled TDM meeting; and,
3) What will be expected of them during the
			 TDM meeting (e.g., to share their understanding of the safety
and
			 risk
issues as well as strengths in their home, their
			 understanding of the protection plan
as applicable,
etc.).