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 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 A.R.S. § 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 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.

Screened Out Indicators

Screened Out Indicators are tracking characteristics assigned to Screened Out Intakes. The following Screened Out Indicators may be added to a Screened Out Intake:

Federal Custody

Assign this Indicator when the only reason an Intake is being screened out is because the abuse or neglect occurred in a foreign country and the child is in the custody of the federal government.

Historical

Assign this Indicator when the only reason an Intake is being screened out is due to the abuse or neglect occurring:

• 3 or more years ago without a criminal conduct allegation; or

• 7 or more years ago when the allegation includes criminal conduct.

This Indicator cannot be used for allegations involving child fatalities, allegations of sexual abuse, or if information received indicates there is a vulnerable child or a current condition which causes a child to be considered unsafe.

Medical Marijuana

Assign this Indicator when the information gathered at Intake involves a mother that used medical marijuana during her pregnancy and has a medical marijuana card that was observed by the reporting source.

Mental Illness

Assign this Indicator when a caregiver in the home has a mental, behavioral or emotional condition that may substantially impair the caregiver's functioning, but the information provided does not meet report criteria.

Safe Haven Newborn

Assign this Indicator when a newborn infant, 30 days or younger, is left at a Safe Haven by the parent or an agent of the parent and there are no allegations of abuse or neglect that meet report criteria. See Safe Haven for Newborn Infants for more information.

Sex Trafficking

Assign this Indicator when the information received does not meet report criteria, but contains information that a child was involved in sex trafficking.

Unborn Concern

Assign this Indicator when the mother is currently pregnant and there are concerns that would meet report criteria if the baby was born.

Unknown/Unknown

Assign this Indicator when the only reason an Intake is being screened out is because the identity and location of the child victim, the victim's family, or the alleged perpetrator is not known and cannot be reasonable ascertained.

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.

After-Hours Notification

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

Requesting a Quality Assurance Review

When there is a disagreement with a screening decision, priority level, or tracking characteristic selection, the assigned DCS Program Supervisor or designee will submit a Quality Assurance (QA) Request in Guardian prior to the start of the investigation.

Designated Intake staff perform Quality Assurance (QA) Reviews and notify the DCS Program Supervisor, or designee, that submitted the QA Request of the review outcome within eight business hours of receipt, excluding 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: March 17, 2025

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, February 29, 2024