1.2.1 Mandated Reporter Referrals
The purpose of Mandated Reporter Referrals is to help other professionals connect families with support services in the community. As a result, the Division will only accept as "M" referrals those called which relate to a familial situation, including foster/adoptive parents for the Division.
These will be transmitted as "M" referrals through the child abuse/neglect system from a mandated reporter with concerns regarding a family, but no specific incident of abuse or neglect. The reporter will be advised by CANHU that the information is not being accepted as a CA/N report, but a referral is being made to the county office. All reports alleging abuse of a child under 18 years of age where there is no care, custody or control are classified as N-referrals.
The county staff will contact the reporter within three (3) working days or the next working day on a referral received on the weekend or holiday, unless information indicates an emergency situation such as a child is threatening suicide, in which case the mandated reporter should be contacted as soon as possible. Discuss the situation with the mandated reporter and determine the most appropriate response. Upon completion, M-referrals must be updated in the CA/N system to reflect “actions taken”. Possible M-referral “actions taken” are as follows:
- The mandated reporter is made aware of appropriate community resources and can provide referrals for the family.
- The reporter or CD staff may contact the family by telephone to assist the family in making appropriate referrals.
- CD staff may contact the family to obtain additional information and assess the needs of the family. If interviews of the children are necessary they should be conducted with the permission of the parent/guardian. However, in some rare situations (e.g. a child is threatening suicide and the reporter believes it is not in the child’s best interest to contact the parents) and interview with the child without parental permission may be appropriate. The interview should take place with the reporter and the reasons for not contacting the parents thoroughly documented.
- Documentation of actions taken by staff relating to an “M” referral should include the result of the contact with the reporter, subsequent actions taken with the family, if any, and summary of the activities. The documentation can be handwritten and filed in a manner that allows county staff to access this information during the period prior to expungement. No formal case record must be set up unless the division decides to open a family for services.
- CD staff may determine that, based upon additional information, a CA/N report and investigation is necessary.
- Referrals received on families with an open FCS case may be given to the FCS Worker. Staff should be responsive to the mandated reporter, and if appropriate, let him/her know the referral has been received. However, in these situations, it is not necessary to follow the policy for "M" referrals. Information received from the mandated reporter should be used in working with the family.
- Complete an assessment with the family to:
In situations of sibling/adolescent sex abuse, in addition to the above steps, staff shall:
- ensure the victim is safe;
- ensure that future risk to the victim is reduced;
- identify services needed by the abuser and the victim; and
- provide Family-Centered Services (FCS) as appropriate, and/or provide information and referral services to the family.