6.5 Closing Cases Referred By Physicians/Health Care Providers
The Division may have cases open in which a physician or health care provider completed a written assessment that the child is at risk of abuse or neglect.
The Division shall not “cease providing services for any child exposed to substance where a physician or health care provider has made or approved a written assessment which documents the child is being at risk of abuse/neglect until such physician, health care provider or designee authorizes such file to be closed.”
The Children’s Service Worker shall discuss the planned case closing with the DHSS service coordinator, and make a joint visit with the coordinator, when possible.
The Division should then send their reasons for recommending closure in writing to the coordinator.
At least 15 days prior to the planned closing date, the DHSS service coordinator will send a letter to the referring physician/provider (or hospital/clinic if physician is no longer involved with this family) with the following information (the worker should provide as much of this information as is available in their written recommendation to DHSS):
- Reason for initial referral;
- Services provided by all agencies involved with the family and whether they agree that CD may close its case;
- How those services met the family’s needs;
- Name of infant’s current physician, and if different that the referring physician;
- How risk of abuse or neglect to the child has been reduced;
- Other agencies that plan to continue providing services;
- Projected closing date; and
- Request their written agreement that the case may be closed or that we will close the case on the specified date if we do not receive a response.
If there is no contact from the physician/health care provider, or the response is positive, the case shall be closed on the planned date. If a negative response is received, or there is a request for further clarification, the case cannot be closed.