1997 Juvenile Court Blanket Minute Orders

At the request of DCFS, the Presiding Judge of Juvenile Court, the Honorable Michael Nash, has approved the following blanket minute orders which allow limited waivers of confidentiality. The following is a summary of those blanket minute orders:

1. Court Tours for Observation and Education
   Allows the Department to conduct tours for DCFS employees, service and placement providers, and other guest.

2. Applications to the State Restitution Fund
   Authorized DCFS' CSWs to make timely application for Victim-Witness Funds on behalf of dependent children under its care. It authorizes the release of relevant DCFS and Juvenile Court case-related information to the District Attorney's Victim-Witness program.

3. Publicity for Location/Identifying Relatives of Abandoned Infants
   Authorizes DCFS to seek and utilize appropriate electronic and print publicity, in order to locate the parent(s) or relative of any abandoned infant who is under one year of age in DCFS custody.

4. Release of Children's Services Worker's Name and Telephone Number
   Authorizes DCFS to release the name and telephone number of a CSW to a requesting party without first obtaining a Declaration in Support of Access to Juvenile Records and Information (DCFS 4389).

5. Waiver of Confidentiality for JPTA/SYETP Program
   Authorized DCFS to release specific information on selected foster care children, for the purpose of their participation in the Los Angeles County JTPA/SYETP youth employment programs.

6. Waiver of Confidentiality for Paramount Schools
   Authorized DCFS to release specific information on selected children under DCFS supervision to the Paramount School District, in order to facilitate administration of a state-funded grant for foster youth.

7. Waiver of Confidentiality for Joint Mental Health and DCFS SAMHSA Assessments
   Authorized the exchange and release of specific information regarding selected foster care children to mental health and contract services providers for the purpose of their participation in a multi-agency collaborative program (SAMHSA-funded under AB 3015), on behalf of severely emotionally disturbed children and adolescents.

8. Pre-Adoptive Publicity for Placement of Minors Freed for Adoption
   Authorized DCFS staff to seek and utilize appropriate electronic and print publicity to facilitate and assist DCFS' efforts to find suitable adoptive homes for children under dependency court jurisdiction.

NOTE: This list does not include blanket minute orders issued at the request of parties other than DCFS.

The following is a list of previous DCFS blanket minute orders which were not renewed by the Juvenile Court.

1. After-Hours Medical Consent and Medical Examinations and Immunizations for DCFS Minors
   Welfare and Institutions Code Section 369 allows DCFS to authorize emergency medical consent and/or medical examinations an immunizations if the child is in temporary custody or is under the jurisdiction of the court and the parent(s) and or legal guardian(s) are unavailable to grant consent or written consent has been previously obtained. This applies only to after-hours situations (i.e., 5 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. Monday through Friday, weekends and holidays).

If a child is not in temporary custody or there is no legal reason for the Department to take that child into temporary custody and the child is not under the jurisdiction of the court, DCFS has no authority to consent to any type of treatment to that child. In an emergency situation where the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) cannot be located, a doctor and or hospital has the authority to provide treatment (Business and Professions Code Section 2397).

2. General Order Authorizing HIV Testing (Applied to children under the age of 18 months)
   To obtain HIV testing for a child under the age of 18 months, CSWs are to first seek written consent from the child's parent or legal guardian. If unable to do so, CSWs are to request authorization by way of the DCFS 4225, Report of Children's Services Worker with Recommendation for Authorization for Medical Care. Policy regarding children over the age of 18 months remains unchanged. (See CSWH #HCI 93-04, AIDS/HIV: Testing, counseling and Resources).

The release of this FYI cancels FYI 95-01, Authorization to Consent to Treatment of Minors in Temporary Custody.

BES Contact:
Guy Trimarchi, (213) 351-5733

Approved:
Paul V. Freedlund, Deputy Director