NC Register Volume 9 Issue 15 - Office of Administrative Hearings

PROPOSED RULES
(1) A discussion of the allegation with the
individual who has on-site
administrative responsibility for the
institution;
(2) A discussion of the procedure to be
followed during the investigation;
(3) The utilization of resources within and
without the institution as needed and
appropriate;
(4) A discussion of the findings with the
Administrator of the institution which
shall be confirmed in writing by the
county director and shall be held
confidential by all parties as outlined in
10 NCAC 411 .0313, of this
Subchapter.
Statutory Authority G.S.
7A-544; 143B-153.
.0306 WHEN ABUSE, NEGLECT
OR DEPENDENCY IS FOUND
(a) When a thorough investigation reveals the
presence of abuse, neglect, or dependency, the
county director shall
or agencies of the case finding:
notify the following persons
(1) any parent or caretaker who was
alleged to have abused or neglected the
child or children;
(2) any parent or other individual with
whom the child or children resided at
the time the county director initiated the
investigation; and
(3) any agency with whom the court has
vested legal custody.
Notification shall be in writing, and within five
working days of the case decision.
If the county
director is unable to contact a parent, caretaker, or
perpetrator, documentation of reasonable efforts to
locate that person must be included in the case
record.
(b) The county director shall conduct a
structured risk assessment of every family in which
abuse or neglect is substantiated. This risk
assessment shall be completed within seven
working days following a case finding of abuse or
neglect and the findings of the risk assessment
shall be used to evaluate the need for services and
to
develop an intervention plan.
(c) The director shall evaluate the
appropriateness of using the formal risk assessment
process in individual substantiated dependency
cases. Examples of substantiated dependency
cases that are appropriate for formal risk
assessment are cases involving both neglect and
dependency, and cases involving dependent
children who are being considered for reunification
with their family.
(d) In all cases in which abuse, neglect, or
dependency is found, the county director shall
determine whether protective services
are needed
and, if so^ shall develop, implement, and oversee
an intervention plan to ensure that there is adequate
care for the victim child or children. The
intervention plan shall:
(1) be based on the findings of the structured
risk assessment when such a risk
assessment was determined to be required
according to the instructions
provided by the Department of Human
Resources, Division of Social Services;
and
(2) contain goals representing the desired
outcome toward which all case activities
shall be directed; and
(3) contain objectives that:
(A)
(B)
(C)
describe specific desired outcomes,
are measurable,
identify necessary behavior changes,
(D) are based on an assessment of the
(E)
specific needs of the child or children
and family,
are time-limited, and
(F) are mutually accepted by the county
director and the client;
(4) specify all the activities needed to
achieve each stated objective;
(5) have clearly stated consequences that
will result from either successfully
following the
plan or not meeting the
goals and objectives specified in the
plan; and
(6) shall include petitioning for the removal
of the child or children from the home
and placing the child or children in
appropriate care when protection cannot
be initiated
or children's own home.
or continued in the child's
(e) For those cases that require the completion
of a structured risk assessment, the risk assessment
tool shall be completed at the following points in
the case:
(1) within seven working days following a
case finding of abuse, neglect, or dependency,
and prior to the development
of the intervention plan and prior to the
provision of treatment or supportive
services; and
(2) as part of the six-month review and the
annual review, if the case remains open
for services; and
1169 NORTH CAROLINA REGISTER November 1, 1994 9:15