Policy |
Upon acceptance of a report of suspected
abuse, neglect or in danger of abuse, the Hotline staff shall establish a case in LINK
and a record in a manila folder which shall be transferred to the appropriate regional
office investigation unit.
Note: Keep all correspondence in the manila folder in
the Uniform Record format.
The assigned investigator shall continue to enter LINK data and
file correspondence and related forms in the manila folder until the investigation is
concluded. Upon transfer of a substantiated case, the assigned Assessment/Services worker
shall ensure the establishment of a Uniform Case Record in a three-ring binder. |
Definition |
The Uniform Case Record consists of
the manila folder or three-ring binder and contents and all information recorded in
LINK concerning the case. |
| Investigation, Assessment and Services Uniform Case
Records |
All Protective Services’
Investigation, and Assessment and Services Uniform Case Records shall be maintained as a
family record.
Children entering out-of-home care shall have a separate section
established within the family record. |
Specialist Services Records |
If the Commissioner becomes the statutory
parent of a child and/or the youth is in independent living, a distinct Uniform Case
Record shall be established for that child/youth. |
| Case Closing and Record Retention |
Once a case is closed in LINK, the hard
copy portion of the Uniform Case Record is kept in the Regional Office for one (1) year,
after which it is sent to the Department’s Closed Records Unit.
Note: Adoption records shall be sent to the Adoption
Specialist when the parental rights are terminated and the goal is adoption.
Cross-Reference: 48-7-3. |
| Access to Records |
Staff may have direct access to LINK
information and to each others’ hard copy Uniform Case Records. However, workers must
have supervisory approval to add or delete any part of the hard-copy Uniform Case Record. |
| Case Records Leaving the Office |
No hard-copy Uniform Case Record or any
printed information from LINK shall leave the Department’s offices with the following
exceptions
- court subpoena
- court trials where the record is necessary for testimony by the staff and preparation
with an Assistant Attorney General
- with administrative approval.
Note: Staff are responsible for their LINK entries and
for the integrity of the hard-copy Uniform Case Record and for maintaining
confidentiality. |
| Sections of the Hard-Copy Uniform Case Record |
The sections of the hard-copy Uniform Case
Record are
- Planning
- Reports
- Placement/Payment
- Legal
- Medical
- Educational
- Correspondence
- Adoption Information
- Administrative
- Non-Committed Treatment Program
- Confidential
- Special Documents
- Subsidized Adoption Record.
Note: The format for the Uniform Case Record is
currently under review. The attachment to 31-8-7 will be reissued when the review is
completed. |
