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The Policy Portal is a web page where staff can request services from the Policy Development Section (new or revised policy, posting of FYIs/ITAs or changes to DCFS forms), download templates/cheat-sheets, sign up for policy updates, send questions, and view highlights of important policy changes.

 

Updated 7/21/2022

IMPORTANT NOTICE

For temporary policy changes due to the COVID-19 virus, refer to the "Coronavirus COVID-19 Updates" intranet page on LA Kids (accessible from the "Employee Support" section) and check your email regularly.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Requests for New/Revised Policy (updated 7/01/21)

Requests for New For Your Information (FYI) or Information Technology Alert (ITA)

Requests for New/Revised DCFS Forms

Requests to Place or Replace an Existing Form on CWS/CMS

Requests for a New Management Directive (MD) or Changes to an Existing MD (updated 8/20/21)

The Top 20: Policy & FYI highlights (updated 7/21/22)

Helpful Links (updated 4/01/22)

How-To Guides and Other Resources for Staff (Templates, Tutorials, and more) (updated 4/01/22)

Critical Incident/Child Fatality Policy Info

About Case Transfers

Have a policy question? Send it to EDL-DCFS_Policy (Outlook).

Requests for New Policy/Policy Changes, for New/Revised Forms, or to Post an FYI (For Your Information) or ITA (Information Technology Alert):

 

 

Requests for New Policy or Policy Changes -- Instructions: (Updated 7/01/21)

  1. For any change in policy (or new policy) that will result in a workload impact, the sponsor of this request (or a team member sponsor from the impacted program) must inform the Union of the requested change. Please contact Labor Relations countt@dcfs.lacounty.gov (Tiffany Countryman) to make these arrangements.

    1. If, at the time of the request, workload impact has not been determined, but it is determined during the revision/development process, the Policy Institute will advise the policy sponsor and/or designee of their need to contact Labor Relations.
    2. The revised policy will not be advanced through the review and approval process before the proposed change or draft is shared by the policy sponsor /manager with the Union.


  1. Complete the “Request for New Policy or Changes to Existing Policy” form including the appropriate Division Chief or Regional Administrator approval signatures.

  2. Email the request with any attachments to: DCFS Policy Revision Requests.

  3. Your request will be reviewed, a Policy Analyst will be assigned, and you will be contacted regarding any follow-up. If a Subject Matter Expert (SME) workgroup is needed for the revision or development of a policy, the Policy Analyst will request that you form and lead the SME workgroup (in which the assigned Policy Analyst will participate). The requesting manager should solicit represented staff to participate in the SME workgroup by going through Labor Relations.


OR

 

Posting of an FYI or Information Technology Alert (ITA) -- General Instructions:

(Last updated 4/13/21)

 

1. Write the FYI (or ITA) using the FYI template or ITA template, unless other arrangements have been made with the Policy section.(Note: ITAs are used for announcements about databases such as CWS/CMS, CWS-CARES, FCSS, SNAP, CACI TRAC, FCS, Automated CLETS, eForms, etc.).

 

2. Complete the “Request to Post a For Your Information (FYI) or Information Technology Alert (ITA)” form including the appropriate Division Chief or Regional Administrator approval of the request.

 

3. If instructed by the Policy section, present the draft FYI to Legacy 721/535 or 721/660 (Union) for review and comment.

 

4. Following the Legacy 721/535 or 721/660 presentation and any agreed to revisions of the draft FYI, email the draft FYI to the Office of the Senior Deputy Director (SDD) for final approval: leecs@dcfs.lacounty.gov and FORNIM@dcfs.lacounty.gov.

5. Following the SDD approval of the draft FYI, forward the finalized and approved FYI to the Policy Section.

 

6. The FYI/ITA number & release date will be assigned upon receipt of all of the above and the FYI/ITA will be posted as quickly as possible.

 

7. On the Monday following the posting of the FYI or ITA, it will be sent via email blast to all DCFS staff.

 

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Note: the Policy Section cannot edit most state or federal forms (e.g., SOC, JV, etc.).

Requests for a New Form or Changes to an Existing Form (including translation) -- General Instructions: (Last updated 2/14/20)

 

1. Write the new form or insert changes to an existing form using Word. (Forms written in Adobe may cause a delay in processing).

 

2. Complete the “Request for a New Form or Changes to an Existing Form” form including the appropriate Division Chief or Regional Administrator approval of the request.

 

3. If instructed by the Policy Section, present the new or revised form draft to Legacy 721/535 or 721/660 (Union) for review and comment.

 

4. Following the Legacy 721/535 or 721/660 presentation and any agreed to revisions of the new or revised form draft, present the new or revised form draft to the Office of the Senior Deputy Director (SDD) for final approval: leecs@dcfs.lacounty.gov and FORNIM@dcfs.lacounty.gov.

 

5. Following the approval and any agreed to revision of the new or revised form draft, forward the finalized and approved form to the Policy Section.

 

6. The new form number (when applicable) and release date will be assigned upon receipt of all of the above and the form will be posted as quickly as possible.

 

Requests to Place or Replace an Existing Form on CWS/CMS -- General Instructions:

 

  1. Complete the "Request to Place or Replace an Existing Form on CWS/CMS" form, including the appropriate Division Chief or Regional Administrator approval of the request.

  2. Email the approved "Request to Place or Replace an Existing Form on CWS/CMS," with the form attached, to: DCFS Policy Revision Requests.

  3. You will be contacted by a Policy Analyst to review and confirm your request. This Policy Analyst will be your primary contact for the progress of your request.

NOTE: The form must be submitted in Word 97-2003 (.doc or .dot) format – CWS/CMS does not accept .pdf (Adobe) documents. Additionally, templates and documents created in Word 2016 for use in CWS/CMS must be in Compatibility Mode. Only DCFS officially approved forms or changes to existing forms may be placed on CWS/CMS. If your form or changes to an existing form has not been officially approved, please review the requirements in “Request for a New Form or Changes to an Existing Form” .

Requests for a New Management Directive (MD) or Changes to an Existing MD (Last updated 8/20/21)

Management Directives (MDs) are published documents drafted by members of the Executive Team, Human Resources, Department Heads, Program Managers or other high-level managers that guide the conduct of business and provide standards and expectations for all DCFS staff. The Policy Institute serves a consultation and quality assurance role in the MD process, but does not author MDs.

General Instructions:

  1. Complete the "Request for a New MD or Changes to an Existing MD" including the appropriate Division Chief or Regional Administrator approval.

  2. Email the request with any attachments to: DCFS Policy Revision Requests.

  3. Your request will be reviewed and you will be contacted regarding any follow-up and information as to when your request will be completed.

 

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The Top 20: Policy and FYI Highlights (updated 7/21/22)

 

  •  
    1. The Clearances policy was just updated to include information about the California Statewide Automated Welfare System (CalSAWS), procedures to Live Scan applicants for Resource Family Approval (RFA), and uploading California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS) results in CWS/CMS.

    2. Did you know the policies on writing Detention Reports and PRC/JDX reports have both been revised as of July 2022?

    3. Are you aware there is a brand new policy on Father Engagement?

    4. Are aware of the new forms and procedures intended to prevent the over prescription of psychotropic medication to youth in care?

    5. Have you reviewed the new WIC 388 petition court report requirements for sending a child home to a parent/petitioner? 

    6. The SDM Safety Plans policy and SDM Safety Plan form have both been revised. The policy now includes sample SDM Safety Plans. Review them here.

    7. Are you clear on the circumstances under which to visually inspect a child? View the revised policy (Visual Inspection of Children) here.

    8. Do you understand the role of MAT assessments in Child and Family Team Meetings?

    9. The "Services for Teen Parents" policy is now called Services for Minor and Nonminor Dependent (NMD) Parents. Review the revised policy here.

    10. Did you know the timeframe for adoptively placing a child was changed from within ten (10) days to thirty-eight (38) calendar days from receipt of the acknowledgment notification? See Adoptive Placements for further information.

    11. Did you know that STRTPs must provide a regular monthly clothing allowance within 30 days of the placement date? Review the revised Clothing Allowances policy for details.

    12. Are you aware of the Family Urgent Response System (FURS)? Click here to view the new policy published 3/31/22.

    13. The Hospital Holds policy and DCFS 164 form have been recently revised. View them here.

    14. The Placement Responsibilities policy was recently revised and now addresses the Foster Youth Bill of Rights (FYBOR). View the policy here.

    15. Are you aware of the current responsibilities for ICWA inquiries? Read FYI 22-07 for more information.

    16. Have you heard about the expansion of Supervised Independent Living (SIL) settings, or the allowance for a THP to be paid up to 14 days while a nonminor dependent (NMD) is absent? See FYI 22-06.

     

    1. Did you know that as of February 1, 2022, the Los Angeles Superior Court Justice Partner Portal (JPP) began providing access to the court case information and minute orders for Juvenile Dependency, Criminal, Family Law, and Probate Courts? Any DCFS staff member with access to JPP can now access these records, in addition to the Juvenile Dependency records that were previously available through JPP. See FYI 22-05 for more information.

    2. Did you know that effective January 1, 2022, an Expectant Parent Payment (EPP) in the amount of $900 per month, for a total of $2,700, will be available to (female) pregnant minors and nonminor dependents (NMDs) in placement, three months prior to the expected delivery date? See FYI 22-03.

    3. Do you know about the new Patch Rate ($500 or $1000) for youth with complex issues beyond an established LOC/SCI tier determination? See FYI 22-02 REV for details.

    4. Do you have questions about consent for COVID-19 vaccines for children? Refer to FYI 21-18.


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    Helpful Links

     

     

    Management Directives, Clerical, Eligibility, and Other Policy:

     

    Management Directives

    Clerical Handbook (Clerical Policies)

    Foster Care Eligibility Handbook (EW Policies)

    Action Directive (AD) 98-04: Self-Directed Training Funds for SCSWs & CSWs)

    Frequently Used Websites:

    Justice Partner Portal

    Justice Partner Portal User Guide

    California Department of Social Services (CDSS)

    CDSS Letters and Notices (All County Letters, All County Information Notices, etc.)

    Child Abuse Reporting Electronic System (CARES)

    Foster Care Search System (FCSS)

    Foster Care Search System (FCSS) Tutorial Videos

    Structured Decision Making (SDM) Info

    SDM Live/WebSDM

     

    Resource Websites:

     

    DCFS Referral Portal

    Safety Organized Practice Toolkit (CalSWEC)

    Referral Address Verification System (RAVS)

    Simple Notice Application (SNAP) 2.0

    Student Information Tracking System (SITS)

    DCFS Mobile Client Portal

    Family Preservation/Family Centered Services (FCS) System

    Online Detainee Locator System (to locate parents in I.C.E. custody)

    County of Los Angeles Public Library

    211 Los Angeles -- information and referrals for all health and human services in LA County

    LA County Department of Mental Health

     

    Training Websites and Other Resources:

     

    DCFS University

    Learning Link

    Udemy for Los Angeles County

    DMH+UCLA Wellbeing for LA Learning Center

    KnowBe4

    Core Practice Model -- Get to the Core

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    How-To Guides, Templates, Tutorials, & "Cheat Sheets"

     

     

    1. Court Report Samples and Questionnaires
    2. Creating a Contact in CWS/CMS
    3. Cheat Sheet for Creating a Petition
    4. Individualized Investigation Narrative Template

    5. Accessing Out-of-County Case/Referral Records on CWS/CMS
    6. CWS/CMS Search Tips
    7. Creating an Initial Case Plan
    8. Creating a Case Plan Update
    9. Sample Case Plan Family Assessment
    10. Sample Out of Home Care Information Document
    11. Microsoft Word 2016 Quick Reference Guide
    12. Microsoft Excel 2016 Quick Reference Guide

     

     

    If you have any helpful resources that you would like to see included here, please email them to us for consideration. Thank you!

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    Policies Referenced in Critical Incident/Child Fatality Section (CI/CF) Reviews:

     

    Since the Policy Section often receives inquiries about what policies are most often cited during critical incident case reviews, we developed the following list after consultation with Risk Management (for informational and/or training purposes only).

     

    1. Investigation, Disposition and Closure of Emergency Response Referrals (0070-548.10)

    2. Contact Requirements and Exceptions (0400-503.10)

    3. Assessment of specific abuse/neglect types:

    4. Court Family Maintenance and Voluntary Family Maintenance (0080-502.25)

    5. Case Plans (0080-502.10)

     

     

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    A Quick Word About Case Transfers . . .

     

    One of the most common inquiries the Policy section receives involves the transferring of cases (Case Transfer Criteria and Procedures,1000-504.10). Regional staff often ask the Policy Development section to resolve their specific transfer disputes for them -- rather than resolving them through their existing chain of command. Since this topic is such a common concern, we thought it important to remind regional staff of the following:

     

    As a resource for DCFS staff, the Policy Development Section is available to answer policy-related questions and provide staff with general information. However, the Policy Development Section cannot make case-related decisions for staff, override the chain of command -- nor give staff specific practice advice regarding individual cases. It is not the responsibility of the Policy Section to serve as arbitrators for staff/inter-office case disputes (e.g., case transfers). Staff must consult with their respective office management for practice guidance, specific directives or when higher level approval is required.

     

     

    Questions/comments about the Policy Portal? email us here:

     

     

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