65C-30.011. Placement Responsibilities of the Child Welfare Professional

(1) The child welfare professional making the placement shall:

(a) Provide or arrange for the transport of the child to the placement;

(b) Advise the caregiver as to the reason or circumstances that caused the child to be placed;

(c) Facilitate the adjustment of the child to the placement. The child welfare professional shall be aware of, and attend to, the child’s emotional needs;

(d) Ensure that the child’s special physical, medical, developmental, educational or emotional needs are met as specified in Rule 65C-28.004, F.A.C. A behavior management plan is required for children with the following behaviors:

1. Juvenile sexual abuse;

2. Aggressive behaviors;

3. Wounding or killing animals; or

4. Property destruction.

(e) Provide information about the out-of-home caregiver to the child, as age or developmentally appropriate;

(f) Provide any formal assessment of the child to the child’s parent, out-of-home caregiver, Children’s Legal Services attorney, and guardian ad litem and child’s attorney, if appointed;

(g) Encourage and provide necessary support to the parent and out-of-home caregiver in participating in the assessment or medical evaluation process;

(h) Provide service referrals whenever a physical, medical, developmental, educational, or emotional need is suspected;

(i) Document in the Florida Safe Families Network (FSFN) any notification provided to parents and others regarding a child’s assessment and any referrals made as a result of the assessment;

(j) If there is any potential that a child may qualify for social security survivor benefits, social security disability benefits or Supplemental Security Income due to disability, or other benefits, ensure that an application is made for the benefits on behalf of the child and documented in FSFN;

(k) Arrange for services for the child and supports for the out-of-home caregiver, if a disability is determined and a need for services is identified;

(l) Ensure that the needs of the child for emotional safety and recovery are addressed and that precautions are taken in regards to the safety of other children in the same setting, if a child is identified as a victim of sexual abuse and needs to be placed in out-of-home care; and

(m) Provide the caregivers with written, detailed, and complete information regarding the circumstances surrounding the child’s behavior so that they can avoid any unwitting replication of those circumstances, if a child who is known to have exhibited any behaviors that may result in harm. Information given provided to caregivers shall include the dates of all known incidents; the nature of the relationship between the child and victim; the types of behavior exhibited; a brief narrative outlining the event; the types of treatment needed or provided; and any current treatment outcomes.

(2) Continuation of Medical Care and Treatment. The child’s medical care and treatment shall not be disrupted by change of placement. To the extent possible, the child welfare professional making the placement shall arrange for transportation in order to continue the child with his or her existing treating physicians for any on-going medical care. If this is not possible, the child welfare professional shall secure a copy of the child’s medical records from the treating physician within three (3) working days of the change to a new provider. The child welfare professional is responsible for the following tasks relating to on-going medical care and treatment:

(a) Discuss with the caregiver all known health care facts regarding the child;

(b) Review with the caregiver all health care and Medicaid information contained in the child’s resource record;

(c) Obtain any prescription medication currently taken by the child. To continue medication as directed, the child welfare professional shall obtain the medication in labeled medication bottles, inventory the medications provided, and transport the medications to the child’s caregiver. The inventory shall include:

1. The child for whom the medication is prescribed,

2. The condition and purpose for which the medication is prescribed for this child,

3. The prescribing physician’s name and contact information,

4. The pharmacy from which the prescription was obtained and the contact information,

5. The prescription number,

6. The drug name and dosage,

7. The times and frequency of administration, and if the dosages vary at different times,

8. Any identified side effects,

9. Any other specific instructions regarding the medication; and,

10. A space for the caregiver to sign and date the medication inventory to indicate receipt of the child’s medication.

(d) If the child is taking unlabeled medications or prescription information is insufficient, the child welfare professional shall contact the prescribing physician, if available, to ensure the proper identification and labeling of the medication or to arrange for a medical evaluation in order that treatment not be interrupted; and

(e) If a child uses medically assistive devices, the child welfare professional shall ensure that these devices are taken with the child to the out-of-home placement and that the caregiver receives instruction concerning the use of the devices from the child’s health care provider.

(3) The Child’s Resource Record. A child’s resource record shall be developed for every child entering out-of-home care. The child welfare professional making the placement is responsible for the initial development, monitoring, updating and transporting of the child’s resource record.

(a) The out-of-home caregiver shall be provided with the child’s resource record. The child’s resource record from previous placement(s) shall be reviewed with the out-of-home caregiver upon the child’s new placement. The child welfare professional shall discuss with the out-of-home caregiver the caregiver’s role in maintaining and updating the child’s resource record. If the caregiver reports that materials are missing from the child’s resource record, the child welfare professional shall be provided all available materials within five days.

(b) The child welfare professional shall review confidentiality requirements with each caregiver. The caregiver is responsible for maintaining confidentiality of the child’s resource record documents.

(c) The resource record shall accompany the child during any change of placement.

(d) Since some of the information necessary in the child’s resource record is not available immediately upon initial removal, the documents required in the child’s resource record shall be placed in the record as available. The child’s resource record shall include the following information:

1. Medical, dental, psychological, psychiatric and behavioral history,

2. Copies of documentation regarding all on-going medical, dental, psychological, psychiatric and behavioral services, including child health check-ups provided through Medicaid,

3. Parental consent for treatment or court order,

4. Copy of the Medicaid card,

5. Copy of the Shelter Order,

6. Copy of the court order or “Voluntary Placement Agreement” placing or accepting the child into out-of-home care. The “Voluntary Placement Agreement,” CF-FSP 5004, October 2005, is incorporated by reference and available at http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-06451,

7. Copy of the Case Plan,

8. Copy of the most recent Judicial Review Social Study Report,

9. All available school records,

10. An envelope for storing pictures,

11. The most recent photograph available,

12. Copy of the child’s birth certificate or birth verification certified by the Office of Vital Statistics, as appropriate,

13. Documentation of immigration status, including certificate of citizenship, if available; and,

14. The names and phone numbers of staff to be contacted in emergencies.

(e) Where the Department or contracted service provider has originals of documents required to be included in the child’s resource record, the original documents shall be placed in the child’s case file and the copies shall be kept in the child’s resource record.

(f) Where medical or educational information is not available and accessible, written documentation of the efforts made to obtain the information shall be documented in FSFN.

(g) The child’s resource record shall be physically located with the caregiver, whether the child is in licensed care or placed with a relative or non-relative. The child’s caregiver shall ensure that the child’s resource record is updated after every health care, psychological, psychiatric, behavioral and educational service or assessment provided to the child.

(h) The case manager shall ensure that medical and court-related documentation are kept current at each visit that is made at least every 30 days. If additional information is needed in the child’s resource record, the case manager and the caregiver shall work together to ensure that the child’s resource record is updated.

(4) Transportation. The caregiver shall have the primary responsibility for ensuring the transportation of children in out-of-home care to and from hearings, visitation and other activities. If the caregiver cannot arrange or provide transportation, he or she shall contact the child welfare professional who shall be responsible for developing contingency transportation plans. When the licensed caregiver refuses to perform these required transportation responsibilities, the child welfare professional shall notify licensing staff of the refusal.

(5) Review of Licensed Caregiver Performance. At the time of license renewal for a licensed out-of-home caregiver, the case manager shall complete a “Case Manager/Case Worker Review of Foster Parent,” CF-FSP 5223, March 2013, incorporated by reference and available at http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-06452.

(6) Completion and Review of the Partnership Plan. The person making the placement shall complete the “Partnership Plan for Children in Out-of-Home Care,” CF-FSP 5226, January 2015, incorporated by reference and available at http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-06453, review with out-of-home caregivers the information provided on the form and its relevance to their responsibilities, obtain a signature of the out-of-home caregiver attesting acknowledgment of the requirements at time of placement, and place in the child’s case record.

(7) When a child is placed in a relative’s or non-relative’s home, the child welfare professional shall inform the relative or non-relative that he or she may seek licensure as a caregiver in accordance with Chapter 65C-45, F.A.C., to be eligible for payment as a shelter or foster parent and provide information regarding the Relative Caregiver Program, including non-relative financial assistance.

Rulemaking Authority 39.012, 39.0121(2), (6), (12), (13), 39.307(7), 409.145(4) FS. Law Implemented 39.307(1)(b), 39.401(3)(b), 39.402(8)(h)6., 39.407(3)(b), 409.145(2) FS. History–New 5-4-06, Amended 2-25-16, 8-2-21.