016.15.13 Ark. Code R. § 008 - POLICY IX-B (AND RELATED PROCEDURES): Child Near Fatality and Fatality; POLICY IX-C: Incident Reporting; CFS-307: Child Fatality Disclosure Case Briefing Summary; CFS-329: Child Death Notification
Although an infrequent occurrence, near fatalities and fatalities of children who are receiving services or who have recently received services from the Division do occur. Fatalities may occur due to an illness or other medical condition, as a result of child neglect or abuse, or because of a non-child maltreatment related. accident. Regardless of the cause of a near fatality or fatality, these events are extremely traumatic for the family of the child, the foster family (if applicable), Division staff, and service providers. Division staff will be supportive and helpful to those who have had a meaningful and/or legal relationship with the child including relatives and foster parents. Division management and leadership will recognize the importance of appropriately supporting staff who worked directly with the child and encourage those staff members ,to seek appropriate, individualized services as needed.
Pursuant to A.C.A. § 12-18-103 a near fatality (also referred to in DHS Policy 1090 as a serious injury) means an act that, as certified by a physician, places a child in serious or critical condition. As such, the Division will rely on the involved medical facility's designation of the child's condition in determining if a particular incident meets the criteria of near fatality as defined by law.
The Division of Children and Family Services County Office will immediately (within one hour) notify the appropriate Area Director or designee and the Assistant Director of Community Services or designee and initiate action to ensure the safety of other children in the home when DCFS becomes aware of a child near fatality or fatality that may be the result of maltreatment and:
The Assistant Director of Community Services will immediately (within one hour) notify the Division Director who will notify the DHS Deputy Director and the DHS Director of Communications.
As such, the Division will not automatically issue press releases on cases of child near fatality orfatality related to maltreatment but will respond to requests for information as they are received in consultation with the DHS Director of Communications.
The county office will also immediately (within one hour) notify the appropriate Area Director or designee .and the Assistant Director of Community Services or designee of any near fatalities and fatalities involving children with open investigations or any type of active case even if the cause of the near fatality or fatality is not related to maltreatment or suspected maltreatment. The Division will not automatically issue press releases on cases of child near fatality or fatality unrelated to child maltreatment but will respond to requests for information as they are received in consultation with the DHS Director of Communications.
The Division will ensure that DHS Policy 1090 adhered to regarding all near fatalities and fatalities.
The Division will respectfully assist and support the parents in making funeral arrangements or take other *
actions deemed necessary by the Area Director.
Because quality improvement and accountability guides the work of DCFS, an internal team of DCFS staff will meet following a child fatality related to child maltreatment to review the case and identify where practice could have been improved in that particular case in an effort to prevent future child fatalities and near fatalities. Information regarding child fatalities will also be entered into the National Child Death Review Case Reporting System (NCDRCRS). Any child fatality meeting the criteria for an external review based on the information entered into the NCDRCRS. will be reviewed by the Arkansas Child Death Review Panel. These external reviews will provide the, Division and other stakeholders involved with, child serving systems with an additional opportunity to collaboratively review the facts surrounding the fatality, and determine recommendations to improve practice and work together as a system to prevent future child fatalities and near fatalities.
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PROCEDURE IX-B1: Near Fatality of Child*
08/2013
In the case of a child near-fatality the county office will:
The CPS Manager will:
------ Schedule, a meeting with DCFS staff to ascertain information involving facts surrounding the near_,fatality if needed,. The meeting will include the following:
The Quality Assurance Unit will:
PROCEDURE IX-B2: Disclosure of Information on Near Fatalities
08/2013
PENDING
Upon request, the Division shall release the following information .via the DHS Director of Communications to the general public when an investigation is pending on a report of a near_fatality of a child to the Child Abuse Hotline:
TRUE REPORTS
Upon request, the Department of Human Services shall release the following information via the DHS Director of Communications to the general public when the investigative determination is true on a report of a near_fatality of a child:
UNSUBSTANTIATED REPORTS
Upon request the Department of Human Services shall release the following information via the DHS Director of Communications to the general public when the investigative determination is unsubstantiated on a report of a near fatality of a child:
INFORMATION NOT TO BE RELEASED
Concerning the near_fatality of a child, the Department of Human Services shall not release:
PROCEDURE IX-B3: Child Fatality Notification
08/2013
In the case of a fatality of a child the county office will:
The Area Director or designee will:
.The Assistant Director of Community Services or designee .will:______________________________________________
The CPS Manager will:
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________________________________________________________________________________
Area Director____________________________________________________________________________
The Quality Assurance Unit will:
The Crimes Against Children Division will:
The Family Service Worker will:
PROCEDURE IX-B44: Disclosure of Information on Fatalities
078/201309
PENDING | Upon request, the Division shall release the following information ,via the DHS Director of Communications to the general public when an investigation is pending on a report of a fatality of a child to the Child Abuse Hotline:
| D. County and.type of placement of the child at the time of incident leading to the child's death_____________
TRUE I REPORTS
Upon request, the Department of Human Services shall release the following information via the DHS Director of Communications to the general public when the investigative determination is true i on a report of a fatality of a child:
A-. -A summary of previous child maltreatment investigations, but s
J4C. All.relevant risk and safety assessments completed on the child:____________________________________*
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___________________________________________________
.UNSUBSTANTIATED REPORTS__________________________________________________________________________
,Upon request, the Department of Human Services shall release the following information via the DHS Director of Communications ,to the general public when the investigative determination is an unsubstantiated report of a fatality of a child:
INFORMATION NOT TO BE RELEASED
Concerning the fatality of a child, the Department of Human Services shall not release:
PROCEDURE IX-B5: Arkansas Child Death Review Panel
08/2013
,Based on the information entered in the online National Child Death Review Case Reporting System, any child / fatality cases meeting the criteria for review by the Arkansas Child Death Review Panel,,will be assigned to the,local / child fatality review teams for review and recommendations. .Division staff will cooperate as appropriate to provide / all needed information to the local child fatality review teams.______________________________________________
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I PROCEDURE IX-B6: Guidelines for Funeral Arrangements for Children in Out-of-Home Placement
I 08/2013
The Family Service Worker will:
B . Assist parents with funeral arrangements, considering the religious and cultural beliefs of the family, and finances as deemed appropriate and meet with funeral homes to obtain cost estimates.
appropriate clothing, and a reasonably-priced grave marker.
Gt 3) Prior approval from the DCFS Director will be received .before contracting for final arrangements. C. Upon approval from the DCFS Director make the funeral arrangements with the help of the foster parents if the Division has guardianship or the parents are unable to assume this responsibility.
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POLICY IX-C: Incident Reporting
08/2013
The health and safety of all DCFS clients, employees, and volunteers is of the utmost importance. All DCFS employees must report an incident that may affect the health and safety of DCFS clients, employees, volunteers, and others on DHS premises or while receiving DCFS services as well as occurrences that interrupt or prevent the delivery of services. Incidents include (for information specific to child near fatalities and fatalities see Policy XI-B and related procedures for more information):
interruption in phone service or the inability to fully occupy a DHS office, facility or, institution due to
fire, flood, or other disaster.
For full information regarding Incident Reporting, please refer to DHS Administrative Policy 1090.
PROCEDURE IX-C1: Incident Reporting
08/2013
The DCFS Employee will:
The Area Director will:
The Assistant Director or designee will:
ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
Division of Children and Family ServicesMi Child Fatality Disclosure Case Briefing Summary
Case Name:_______________________________ Case ID#____________________
County:_________________________________
Name of Deceased Child:______________________________
DOB:_____________ Date of Incident:______________ DOD:___________
Race of Child:____________________Gender of Child:____________________
Placement of child at time of incident:____________________________________________
Allegations or preliminary cause of incident:
Relationship of alleged offender to the child:_______________________________________
Legal Action by DCFS at time of incident?_________________________________________
Agency Conducting the Investigation:_____________________________________________
Information on Current Open Case:
Ops EHfC OSSDate Opened:__________________
Reason Case was opened:
Most Recent Services Provided (Last 12 Months) Attach a summary
Dates and Purpose of Family Contact (Last 12 Months) Attach a summary
Prior Cases:
PS FC SSDate Opened: ___________Date Closed: ___________
Reason for Closure ____________________________________________________
PS FC SSDate Opened: ___________Date Closed: ___________
Reason for Closure ____________________________________________________
PS FC SSDate Opened: ___________Date Closed: ___________
Reason for Closure ____________________________________________________
Summary of Prior Investigations:
Date, Investigator's Name and Phone #, Allegation, Finding, ____________________________________________________
Date, Investigator's Name and Phone #, Allegation, Finding, ____________________________________________________
Date, Investigator's Name and Phone #, Allegation, Finding, ____________________________________________________
Date, Investigator's Name and Phone #, Allegation, Finding, ____________________________________________________
Date, Investigator's Name and Phone #, Allegation, Finding, ____________________________________________________
Primary Worker ______________________________________________
Supervisor ______________________________________________
Were there any other children in the home? Yes NO
Number __________
Were they removed? Yes NO
Date of removal: __________
Grief Services provided to other children in the home? Yes No By whom? _____________________________________
Family Members:
Name, DOB, Relationship _______________________________________________________________
Name, DOB, Relationship _______________________________________________________________
Name, DOB, Relationship _______________________________________________________________
Name, DOB, Relationship _______________________________________________________________
Name, DOB, Relationship _______________________________________________________________
Name, DOB, Relationship _______________________________________________________________
Name, DOB, Relationship _______________________________________________________________
Medical History and Services (Last 12 Months) Attach Summary
Mental Health History (Last 12 Months)\ Attach summary
Medications Attach list
Police Report -What LLE agency is involved? Attach info with contact info
Notes
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