Case Plan Reviews 624-05-15-50-03

(Revised 7/1/2023 ML #3737)

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Detailed in the Title IV-E of the Social Security Act, Sec. 475(5), a case review requires states to identify a procedure for assuring that each child has a fully executed case plan with documentation found in the child's case record.

The periodic review (North Dakota reviews are conducted quarterly and referred to as the Child & Family Team Meeting) determines the safety of the child, the continuing necessity for and appropriateness of the placement, the extent of compliance with the case plan, and the extent of progress which has been made toward alleviating the causes which necessitated the foster care placement, and projects a likely date when the child may be returned to and safety maintained in the home or placed for adoption or legal guardianship.

 

North Dakota requires custodial case manager to host a formal quarterly review of each child's case which is referred to as the Child & Family Team Meeting (CFTM). A CFTM outline was created for the custodial case managers to follow in efforts to capture required updates and planning specific to:

  1. Discussions of agency involvement/reasons the family is receiving case management.

  2. Review or update the current present danger or safety plans.

  3. Discussion of the Protective Capacities Progress Assessment (PCPA) – (Tool 7) specific to parent/caregiver enhanced capacities, diminished capacities, self- awareness of what must change and areas of agreement or documented disagreement with parents regarding what must change.

  4. Visitation Planning

  5. Family Connections

  6. Review of Children’s Needs (Tool 5)

  7. Determine and assess the steps the agency is taking to ensure the child’s foster care provider is following the reasonable and prudent parent standard and to ascertain whether the child has regular, ongoing opportunities to engage in age or developmentally appropriate activities to achieve normalcy.

  8. Discussion of timely permanency

  9. Discharge planning

  10. Agreement from the team members whether or not they agree with the plan and sign the PCPA (Tool 7).

 

Note: Foster parents, pre-adoptive parents, or relatives providing care for the child must be provided with notice of and a right to be heard in any review Child & Family Team meeting) or hearing with respect to the child.

 

Administrative Reviews:

Children and Family Services Field Service Specialists (FSS) are required to attend at least one Child & Family Team Meeting every six months to engage in administrative review of the case. FSS’s are required to:

  1. Determine the safety of the child,

  2. Review the continued necessity for and appropriateness of the placement,

  3. Ensure compliance with the case plan federal requirements as compared to the Safety Framework Practice Model case plan criteria,

  4. Discuss progress which has been made toward alleviating the causes which led to the foster care placement, and ensure establishment and adjustment of timely and appropriate permanency goals.