1.2  Preventive Services Cases

In Preventive Services cases, services are provided to prevent child abuse or neglect from occurring.  The parent/caretaker must voluntarily seek or accept services.  Contact may originate from a child abuse/neglect investigation which was unsubstantiated, however, the family is experiencing problems, which if unresolved, could potentially contribute to abuse/neglect.  Self-referrals and referrals from other community sources may also warrant the opening of a preventive services case.

To open a case on these families, all the following criteria must exist:

1. The family must be receptive and want services;
   
2. There must be at least one child under age 18, or there must be an expecting parent;

   Related Subject:  Section 3 Chapter 4 Attachment A   Problem Pregnancy Services

3. Failure to provide services could result in some identifiable form of abuse or neglect to the child(ren) or the expected child;
4. Services which are requested are necessary, and are unavailable through any other agency or resource;
5. Parents/caretakers do not have the capability to obtain services on their own;
6. The services which are needed are accessible to the family; and
7. Funding and/or staff are available to provide the services;

   NOTE:  A priority status based on Structured Decision Making (SDM) risk levels is also identified by the CA/N investigator on "unsubstantiated - preventive services indicated" cases.  The same time frames in Section 1.1 apply.