Chapter 1 : Section 2

Decision to Take a Report

Procedures

Report for Field Investigation

If an intake meets the criteria for a Report, the Intake Specialist shall:

• Inform the reporting source that a Report is being taken and provide the reporting source with contact information for appropriate DCS office.

• Search Guardian to determine whether there have been previous Reports or intakes on the family and the status of prior assessments or cases. This search assists the Intake Specialist to determine if:

  • the information was previously reported and another intake type is appropriate; and

  • there is a pattern of concerning behavior outlined in intakes that may be escalating and cumulatively would result in meeting the Report criteria;

• When needed, search the Arizona Technical Eligibility Computer System (AZTECS) database to gather and/or confirm demographic information on household composition and members, including absent parent information, if available;

• Finalize entry of the Report into Guardian after determining the appropriate response time, and verify the Report is assigned to the appropriate DCS office.

Location or Identity of Child Victim, Child Victim's Family, or Perpetrator Unknown

When an intake meets all other criteria of a Report but the reporting source does not know the identity or location of the child, family, or perpetrator, or states that the parent has fled with the child to avoid contact from the police or the Department, the Intake Specialist takes the following steps to gather information that will allow the Intake Specialist or DCS Specialist to reasonably ascertain the identity or location of the child, family, or perpetrator:

• Continue with the phone interview, or follow-up with the reporting source who submitted an online report, to obtain all pertinent information regarding the maltreatment of the child.

• Discuss different ways to locate the family.

• Explore whether the reporting source can describe where the child/family might be located, or if there are other options to locate the child/family. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • directions to a home or area, if enough details are provided (e.g., description of the home, cross streets, etc.)

  • apartment or hotel name;

  • non-custodial parent's home;

  • any location where the child or parent is currently located (e.g., home of relative or friend, hospital, police station, juvenile detention center, etc.);

  • parent's place of employment;

  • a place a child can be found consistently (e.g., karate class, church, other enrichment class, etc.); and

  • parent’s jail address (if parent is currently in jail).

• Consider a collateral contact or a professional mandated reporter.

If the reporting source does not have the above information, advise the reporting source to call the Hotline if it becomes available.

The Intake Specialist researches Guardian and AZTECS to locate the child/family and assigns the Report when the victim, the victim’s family, or the perpetrator can be identified.

If none of the above information can lead to the identity or location of the victim, victim's family, or perpetrator, then Report criteria is not met and the information shall be documented as a Screened Out Intake.

Non-Reports

If an intake does not meet the criteria of a Report, the Intake Specialist:

• Informs the reporting source that the information provided did not meet Report criteria and further research/review will take place to determine if there is any action the Department can take. If no action can be taken the information will be retained for future reference.

• Refers the reporting source, when applicable, to a community resource that may address the concerns.

• Directs the reporting source to notify law enforcement when information provided warrants police involvement and, in addition, cross reports the information to law enforcement (see Cross Reporting).

• Searches Guardian to determine whether there have been previous Reports or intakes on the family and the status of prior Assessments and Cases. This assists the Intake Specialist to determine if:

  • the information was previously reported, closed, and the new information affects child safety or previous findings;

  • there is a pattern of concerning behavior outlined in previous intakes that may be escalating and cumulatively would result in meeting the Report criteria; and

  • the information in the Report was previously investigated and closed, however the investigation resulted in an Unable to Locate finding.

Upon determination that Report criteria has not been met, the Intake Specialist immediately finalizes entry of the appropriate intake type in Guardian, including the following, if available, within the narrative or applicable Guardian fields:

• child’s full name, age or date of birth, and how to locate;

• parent/caretaker’s full name, address, phone, and other pertinent information to locate;

• identity of the alleged perpetrator, relationship to the child, and how to locate; and

• if applicable, specifics of the alleged criminal offense;

  • when the criminal activity took place (or estimated time frame); and

  • where the criminal activity occurred.

This is critical to determine law enforcement jurisdiction. If out- of- state, identify the law enforcement entity, if possible. Every three days, an Intake Supervisor or designee shall review intakes concerning abuse or neglect of a child that did not meet Report criteria (Screened Out Intakes) to verify that the intake was properly classified.

Effective Date: October 3, 2023

Revision History: November 30, 2012, September 13, 2013, February 4, 2015, July 7, 2018, August 6, 2016, June 24, 2019, February 1, 2021 , September 24, 2022