Section 315.100  Assessment

Assessment consists of an initial assessment of a child and family to determine whether a case should be opened and services delivered, a comprehensive assessment to determine the needs of the family to provide the appropriate intervention and services, and an ongoing assessment conducted throughout the duration of time that the children and family are receiving services. Initial assessment provides a baseline of family strengths and needs by which a caseworker and supervisor can evaluate subsequent progress.

a)         Initial Assessment

The initial assessment consists of a preliminary assessment prior to case opening in order to:

1)         assess the health and safety of the children to determine whether the child can safely remain in his or her current living arrangement;

2)         identify the level of risk of harm to the children in the family, develop and implement a safety plan (if at any time the aggravating circumstances appropriate for expedited termination of parental rights exist, the worker shall immediately follow the instructions for expedited termination of parental rights contained in 89 Ill. Adm. Code 309 (Adoption Services for Children for Whom the Department of Children and Family Services is Legally Responsible));

3)         identify what interventions and services can be provided to address the causes of abuse and neglect, and assure a child's health and safety without placement;

4)         identify any needs of an emergency nature, including food, shelter, and clothing;

5)         identify whether the child is an Indian child as defined in 89 Ill. Adm. Code 307 (Indian Child Welfare Services);

6)         begin to identify and preliminarily select placement resources that meet the placement selection criteria contained in 89 Ill. Adm. Code 301 (Placement and Visitation Services); and

7)         identify any special communication needs the child may have, in addition to identifying the communication needs specified by the child's parents and/or legal guardians.

b)         Comprehensive Assessment

The comprehensive assessment is an assessment completed in time to ensure submittal of the service plan to the juvenile court no later than 45 days after placement as required by Section 2-10 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 [705 ILCS 405/2-10].  During the comprehensive assessment period the worker shall conduct at least weekly face-to-face visits with the parent and any children remaining in the custody of the parent. When the parent cannot be located, a diligent search shall be made to locate the parent, as required by 89 Ill. Adm. Code 332 (Diligent Searches Conducted by the Department of Children and Family Services), and the parent's portion of the comprehensive assessment shall be completed within 30 days after the parent is located.

1)         The comprehensive assessment shall consist of any part of the initial assessment that has not yet been completed and the following tasks:

A)        completion of a social history of the child and family to determine the strengths and needs of the family;

B)        continued assessment of the health and safety and level of risk to the children in the family (If at any time the aggravating circumstances appropriate for expedited termination of parental rights exist, the worker shall immediately follow the instructions for expedited termination of parental rights.);

C)        assessment of the parents as it relates to their ability to care for the child, including referral for diagnostic mental health and substance abuse assessment, when indicated;

D)        for children for whom the Department has legal responsibility, the comprehensive assessment shall also include:

i)          a compilation of the medical and immunization history of the child and, where available, relevant medical history of the child's parents;

ii)         location of missing or non-custodial parents and other relatives and their relationship to the family;

iii)        a preliminary, age appropriate substance abuse screening of the child, if indicated by any other component of the assessment;

iv)        a basic educational screening including identification of the child's current school and grade level, educational history, and identification of any educational goals and needs, including the need for any further educational testing or assessments.

2)         In addition, for those children, who are placed in substitute care, the comprehensive assessment shall also include:

A)        an initial health screening by a qualified medical provider in accordance with EPSDT standards, within 24 hours after placing the child in protective custody, of sufficient scope to permit the Department or purchase of service agency to ascertain enough about the current health of the child to identify:

i)          any health needs requiring immediate attention; and

ii)         any health information needed to make an informed placement decision.

If a child is in the hospital at the time the Department takes protective custody, the hospital discharge summary shall serve as the initial health screening.

B)        a comprehensive health evaluation in time to submit the service plan to the juvenile court within the 45 day period after a child's placement in foster care that includes a physical, dental and mental health status of all children and a developmental screening on all children not yet of school age conducted by medical personnel and followed by more intensive evaluation as indicated or recommended.  All children taken into Department custody are to be enrolled in Health Works within the first 45 days after the Department assumes custody.

3)         For those children in foster or relative care, the comprehensive assessment shall include an assessment of whether the foster parent/relative caregiver identifying information shall be released to the parent.  Identifying information of the foster parent/relative caregiver shall not be released to the child's parents or siblings in the care of their parents when any of the following is found in the assessment of the parent or other adult living in the home:

A)        A check of the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (LEADS) identifies a conviction for any of the crimes listed in Appendix A(a)(1), (3), or (4) of 89 Ill. Adm. Code 301 (Placement and Visitation Services); or

B)        The parent or other adult living in the home has threatened violence against a foster parent/relative caregiver or Department or purchase of service agency worker; or

C)        The parent or other adult living in the home has exhibited violence against a foster parent/relative caregiver or Department or purchase of service agency worker in the past; or

D)        The parent or other adult living in the home has or has threatened to abduct or harm the child.

c)         Ongoing Assessment

Ongoing assessment continues throughout the life of the case until service termination and shall be used to guide the Department or purchase of service agency in developing an appropriate case plan and guide decisionmaking concerning the Department's or purchase of service agency's reasonable efforts and the client's reasonable progress to correct conditions and/or behavior that threaten a child's health and safety.  The ongoing assessment shall consist of reassessing health, safety and risk and the reapplication of any additional screenings as described in subsection (b) whenever the facts of the case indicate the need as well as well-child exams and a review of immunizations, until termination of services.

(Source:  Amended at 32 Ill. Reg. 8103, effective May 30, 2008)