Chapter 1 : Section 3

Prioritizing Reports, Assigning Tracking Characteristics, and Reviewing Intakes

Procedures

Intake Screening and Prioritization

The Intake Specialist gathers and assesses information from the reporting source to determine the prioritization of Reports. The Intake Specialist uses the standardized Hotline Report Decision Tool, DCS-1968 to assist in determining Report criteria and the appropriate priority of each Report.

Criminal Conduct Screening

The Intake Specialist uses the standardized Criminal Conduct Screening Guide, CSO-1365A to determine whether criminal conduct exists.

Tracking Characteristics

Tracking characteristics are family conditions or special circumstances that are reported during the intake screening or discovered during the investigation. When an Allegation in a Report is assigned a tracking characteristic, the Intake Specialist will document the information that supports the tracking characteristic selected.

A tracking characteristic may be added to an Allegation in a Report during or after an investigation.

The Intake Specialist or Investigator assigns the following tracking characteristics to an Allegation in a Report:

Court Ordered Investigation

Assign this tracking characteristic to an Allegation when a Judge, Commissioner, or Hearing Officer has ordered DCS to investigate possible abuse or neglect of a child who may be involved with the court in another type of hearing, such as a delinquency or family court matter.

When this tracking characteristic is assigned to an Allegation, a minute entry must be received with information that meets Report criteria or with listed allegations.

Court Ordered Pick-up

Assign this tracking characteristic to an Allegation when a Judge, Commissioner, or Hearing Officer has ordered DCS to pick-up a child and:

• the court orders that the child remain in DCS Custody; and/or

• the child is ordered not to return home; and/or

• the court order contains allegations that meet Report criteria.

Criminal Conduct

Assign this tracking characteristic to an Allegation when an allegation of criminal conduct exists. This tracking characteristic serves as an alert to the DCS Specialist or Child Welfare Investigator of the need to coordinate with Law Enforcement. See Investigations Involving Allegations of Criminal Conduct.

Domestic Violence

Assign this tracking characteristic to an Allegation when there is information reported or discovered that domestic violence is occurring and it is a contributing factor to the abuse or neglect.

Drowning

Assign this tracking characteristic to an Allegation when there is information reported or discovered that a caregiver did not practice adequate supervision causing the child to drown or nearly drown, and the child is in serious or critical condition.

Intent to File

Assign this tracking characteristic to an Allegation when an interested party notifies the Department that they intend to file a Private Dependency Petition (PDP) pursuant to ARS § 8-841(B)(1).

Mental Illness

Assign this tracking characteristic to an Allegation when a caregiver in the home has a mental, behavioral, or emotional condition that may substantially impair caregiver’s functioning and it is a contributing factor to the abuse or neglect.

Near Fatality

Assign this tracking characteristic to an Allegation when information is reported or discovered that the injury is most consistent with a non-accidental injury and the child is in serious or critical condition because of the injury. The Intake Unit sends a notification to DCS administration when assigning this tracking characteristic to a Report.

Private Dependency Petition

Assign this tracking characteristic to an Allegation when a private party or their legal counsel files a private dependency petition (PDP), and the Department is:

• joined as “a party to the petition” by the Juvenile Court; and/or

• instructed to investigate the circumstances of the petition.

Sex Trafficking

Assign this tracking characteristic to an Allegation when the Allegation contains information that the perpetrator was involved in sex trafficking the victim child. Sex trafficking means the recruiting, harboring, transporting, providing, obtaining, patronizing, or soliciting of a person for a commercial sex act.

Substance Abuse

Assign this tracking characteristic to an Allegation when there is information alleged or obtained that a caregiver in the home may be using substances (including prescribed and non-prescribed substances) that are impairing his or her ability to perform essential parental responsibilities and substance use is a contributing factor to the abuse or neglect. Do not use this tracking characteristic for substance exposed newborn (SEN) Reports.

Successor Permanent Guardianship

Assign this tracking characteristic to an Allegation when all of the following criteria are met:

• The Department filed the original petition for permanent guardianship.

• The current permanent guardian is no longer willing or able to care for the child.

• The child is without an appropriate caregiver.

Unsafe Sleep

Assign this tracking characteristic to an Allegation involving a child under one year of age when there is an indication that a caregiver:

• did not place a child alone, on their back and in a crib or other safe sleep environment every time the child is sleeping; or

• slept with a child and the child died, nearly died, or suffered other serious injury.

Notification

Intake Specialists assess whether or not any situation needs immediate response by an Investigator. Situations requiring an immediate response include, but are not limited to the following:

• all Reports with a Priority 1 response time;

• Action Requests that require immediate attention;

• emergency needs of a child in the care, custody, and control of the Department via court order or a Voluntary Placement Agreement. For example:

  • emergency hospital admission for medical or psychological treatment;

  • disrupted placement;

  • visitation issues; or

  • any other situation concerning the health or welfare of a child in DCS custody that requires an immediate response;

• emergency needs of a foster parent, caregiver, or service provider regarding a child in custody;

• parental requests for emergency contact with a DCS representative; and

• requests from Law Enforcement for assistance such as requests for immediate DCS assistance on a Report, regardless of response time; or

After-Hours Notification

All information received by the Intake Unit during after-hours that may require a response or action by an Investigator prior to the next regular working day, is referred to after-hours staff.

Requesting a Quality Assurance Review

Designated Intake staff will perform a Quality Assurance (QA) Review and submit a QA Request in Guardian prior to the start of the investigation for any Intake Category where a Supervisor or designee disagrees with the screening decision, priority level, or tracking characteristic selection.

The review will be completed and the requestor notified of the QA decision within eight business hours of receipt, excluding weekends and holidays.

Contact the Intake Supervisor or designee for urgent requests for QA Reviews, such as Priority 1 Reports and other Intake Categories that require an immediate response.

Quality Assurance Reviews for Screened Out Intakes

An Intake Supervisor or designee will perform a Quality Assurance (QA) Review of any concern of abuse or neglect that has been dispositioned as a Screened Out Intake.

 

 

Effective Date: February 29, 2024

Revision History: November 30, 2012, March 18, 2013, July, 1, 2013, September 30, 2013, February 4, 2015, March 13, 2016, August 6, 2016, July 25th, 2017, September 19, 2018, November 1, 2018, January 19, 2019, May 17, 2019, August 9, 2019, February 1, 2021