This document provides a table of contents for a child welfare policy manual containing chapters on administration, information management, legal issues, intake, investigations, family support services, foster care, adoptions, independent living programs, and resource development. The table of contents lists the section titles within each chapter to provide an overview of the policies covered.

1. Page 1 of 6
Department of Human Services
Online Directives Information
System
Index:
Revised:
Review:
MAN3000
11/17/14
11/17/16
CHILD WELFARE POLICY MANUAL
Table of Contents
CHAPTERS
SECTIONS TITLES
Chapter 1 Administration
1.0 Administration of Child Welfare Services
1.1 Reserved for Future Use
1.2 Vision, Mission and Values
1.3 Access, Distribution and Review of Child Welfare Policies
1.4 Non-Discriminatory Child Welfare Practices
1.5 American Disabilities Act (ADA)
1.6 Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and Transfer of Responsibility for
Placement and Care to a Tribal Agency
1.7 Monitoring, Reviews, Reporting and Independent Audits
1.8 Volunteer Services
1.9 Public Inspection of Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) Materials
and Availability of Plans
1.10 Child Fatality Review
1.11 Specific Goals in State Law for Children in Foster Care Over 24 Months
Audits
1.12 Review of Payments and Approval Standards
Chapter 2 Information Management
2.0 Reserved for Future Use
2.1 Case Record Maintenance
2.2 Case Record Retention
2.3 Adoption Case Record
2.4 Adoption Assistance Case Record
2.5 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
2.6 Confidentiality and Safeguarding Information
2.7 Contacts with the Media, Legislators, County Officials, Board Members
2.8 Subpoenas for Disposition of Case Records
2.9 Open Records Act of Georgia
2.10 JJ vs. Ledbetter and Parents Request for Information
2.11 CAPTA Public Access to records in Child Fatality/Near Fatality Cases
Chapter 3 Legal
3.0 Introduction to Court and Legal Process
3.1 The Juvenile Court Process
3.2 Case Review/Permanency Plan Hearings

2. Page 2 of 6
3.3 Court Orders and Placement Authority
3.4 Mediation
3.5 Continuances
3.6 Public Access to Dependency Proceedings
3.7 Dependency Resulting from Substance Abuse
3.8 Caregiver’s Right to be Notified and Heard
3.9 Court Review of Custodial Orders
3.10 Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)/Guardian Ad Litem (GAL)
3.11 Termination of Parental Rights (TPR)
3.12 Voluntary Surrender of Parental Rights
3.13 Court Transfer of Jurisdiction
3.14 Establishing Paternity via Legitimation or Paternity Acknowledgement
3.15 Fair Hearings
3.16 Enlistment in the Armed Forces
Chapter 4 Intake
4.0 Introduction to Intake
4.1 Receiving Intake Reports
4.2 Screening Case Participants
4.3 Making an Intake Decision
4.4 Sharing Intake Reports with Law Enforcement or District Attorney
4.5 Mandated Reporters
Chapter 5 Investigations
5.0 Introduction to Investigations
5.1 Special Circumstances
5.2 Conducting an Investigation
5.3 Conducting a Special Investigation
5.4 Safety Assessment and Management
5.5 Safety Resources
5.6 Collateral Contacts in CPS and Permanency
5.7 Risk Assessment
5.8 Making an Investigation Decision
5.9 Notification of CPS Investigation Outcome
5.10 CPS Administrative Reviews
5.11 Children 1st
and Babies Can’t Wait
5.12 Family Team Meeting for CPS and Permanency
5.13 Diligent Search
5.14 Case Transfer
Chapter 6 Family Support Services
6.0 Introduction to Family Support Services
6.1 Conducting a Family Support Services Assessment
6.2 Making a Family Support Services Determination
6.3 Family Support Service Provision
6.4 Family Support Services Case Closure
Chapter 7 Family Preservation Services
7.0 Introduction to Family Preservation Services
7.1 Initiation of Family Preservation Services
7.2 Purposeful Contacts with Families Receiving Family Preservation Services
7.3 Case Planning
7.4 Targeted Case Management
7.5 Service Provision
7.6 Case Reassessment
7.7 Case Closure
Chapter 8 Support Services to Preserve or Reunify Families
8.0 Introduction to Support Services
8.1 Early Intervention

3. Page 3 of 6
8.2 Family Fusion
8.3 Prevention of Unnecessary Placement (PUP)
8.4 Parent Aide
8.5 Homestead
8.6 Wrap-Around Services
Chapter 9 Eligibility
9.0 Reserved for Future Use
9.1 Foster Care Maintenance Payments
9.2 Applying for Medical Services at Initial Entry and Exit
9.3 Applying for Initial Funding
9.4 Removal From the Home
9.5 Reasonable Efforts
9.6 Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) Relatedness Criteria
9.7 IV-E and Child Enters Care by a Voluntary Placement Agreement (VPA)
9.8 IV-E and Voluntary Surrender of Parental Rights
9.9 IV-E Reimbursability
9.10 Special Situations
9.11 Adoption Assistance (IV-E and State)
9.12 Child Support
Chapter 10 Foster Care
10.0 Introduction to Foster Care
10.1 Placement of a Child
10.2 Placement of a Child via Voluntary Placement Agreement
10.3 Changes in Placement
10.4 Placement Resources
10.5 Relative/Non Relative Care Assessment (R/Non-RCA)
10.6 Reserved for Future Use
10.7 Placement/Re-Placement Safety Screenings
10.8 Financial and Non-Financial Supports for Children in Foster Care or Who
Have Achieved Permanency
10.9 Six and/or 12 Month Reviews of Enhanced Relative Rate/Relative Care
Subsidy/Subsidized Guardianship/Non-Relative Subsidized Guardianship
Payments
10.10 Comprehensive Child and Family Assessment (CCFA)
10.11 Medical, Dental, and Developmental Needs
10.12 Psychological and Behavioral Health Needs
10.13 Educational Needs
10.14 Spiritual, Social, and Recreational Needs
10.15 Child Safety Equipment
10.16 Childcare Needs
10.17 Service Needs of an Immigrant Child
10.18 Purposeful Contact Requirements
10.19 Visitation
10.20 Preserving Sibling Connections
10.21 Minor Parent Expecting or Who Has a Child While in Foster Care
10.22 Permanency Planning
10.23 Case Planning
10.24 Missing Children
10.25 Youth Absent Without Permission (AYOP)
10.26 Conditions for Return
10.27 Case Closure

4. Page 4 of 6
Chapter 11 Adoptions
11.0 Introduction to Adoptions
11.1 Adoption Preparation
11.2 Parent Voluntary Surrender to Third Party or Private Agency
11.3 Putative Father Registry
11.4 Permanent Custody to Relatives/Non-Relatives Following TPR
11.5 Permanent Custody to DFCS When Both Parents are Deceased
11.6 Placement with Siblings
11.7 Wait List
11.8 Child Life History
11.9 Child Specific Recruitment Efforts
11.10 Adoption By Relatives
11.11 Foster Parent Adoption Consideration
11.12 Presentation of Child Life History to the Adoptive Family
11.13 Adoption Pre-Placement Staffing
11.14 Partnering with Foster Parent(s) to Prepare a Child for Adoption
11.15 Pre-Placement Visitation
11.16 Child’s Goodbye Before Adoptive Placement Move
11.17 Adoption Commitment Signing & Placement
11.18 Post Placement Supervision
11.19 Support Services: Post Adoptive Placement & Post Adoption
11.20 Finalizing the Adoption
11.21 Disruptions
11.22 Child Re-Enters Foster Care Following Adoption Finalization
11.23 Adoption Dissolution
11.24 Adoption Reunion Registry
11.25 Placement of a Georgia Child Into Another State for Adoption Purposes
11.26 Placement of a Child From Another State Into Georgia for Adoption Purposes
11.27 Family Moves to Another State Prior to Finalization
11.28 Disruption of an ICPC Child
11.29 ICPC Independent Adoption - Georgia Is Sending State
11.30 ICPC Independent Adoption - Georgia Is Receiving State
11.31 Independent Adoption Investigations - Appointed by the Court
11.32 Independent Adoption - Family Evaluation for Adoption by a Third Party
Chapter 12 Adoption Assistance
12.0 Introduction to Adoption Assistance
12.1 Eligibility - Adoption Assistance Payments, Medicaid & Non-Recurring
12.2 Adoption Assistance Application
12.3 Adoption Assistance Specialized Rate
12.4 Negotiating the Adoption Assistance Agreement
12.5 Reviewing and Signing the Adoption Assistance Agreement
12.6 Initiating the Adoption Assistance Benefits
12.7 Subsequent Determinations - Deferred Adoption Assistance Agreement
12.8 Continuation, Renegotiation or Termination of Adoption Assistance Benefits
12.9 Adoption Assistance Benefits - After 18
12.10 Supplemental Security Income (SSI) & Adoption Assistance Payments
12.11 Verification of Continuing Eligibility For Adoption Assistance Payments
12.12 Adoption Assistance Medicaid
12.13 Status Changes
12.14 Family Relocates
12.15 Respite for Medically Fragile Adoptive Children
12.16 Recovery of Adoption Assistance Overpayments
12.17 Case Record Maintenance & Documentation Requirements for Adoption
Assistance Benefits
Chapter 13 Independent Living Program
13.0 Introduction to the Independent Living Program
13.1 Eligibility and Enrollment
13.2 Casey Life Skills Assessment

5. Page 5 of 6
13.3 Written Transitional Living Plan
13.4 Transition From Foster Care
13.5 Individual Development Accounts (IDA)
13.6 Credit Reports for Youth in Foster Care
13.7 Graduated Independence Plan
13.8 Driver Education and Licensure
13.9 Extended Youth Support Services (EYSS)
13.10 Medical Insurance for Youth 18 Years of Age and Older and the Georgia Advance
Directive for Health Care
13.11 Post Foster Care (PFC) Resources
13.12 Juvenile Court Reviews for Youth Ages 18-23
13.13 National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD)
13.14 Asset Inventory
13.15 Events
13.16 Vendor Contracts
Chapter 14 Resource Development
14.0 Introduction to Resource Development
14.1 Safety and Quality Standards
14.2 Criminal Records Checks
14.3 Caregiver Safety Screening at Initial and Re-evaluation
14.4 Waiver of Non-Safety Approval Standards for Relative Partnership Parents
14.5 Family Daycare and Personal Care Home Operation in Foster Homes
14.6 Recruitment and Retention
14.7 Inquiries and Information Sessions
14.8 Pre-service Training
14.9 Continued Parent Development
14.10 Initial Family Evaluation Administrative Requirements
14.11 Initial Family Evaluation Components
14.12 Initial Family Evaluation Outline
14.13 Family Re-evaluation
14.14 Family Evaluation Addendums
14.15 Household Approval Status
14.16 Working with Caregivers
14.17 Foster Parent Bill of Rights and Grievance Procedure
14.18 Supervision of Children
14.19 Home Safety
14.20 Discipline and Behavior Management
14.21 Reporting Allegations of Abuse and Neglect in Approved Homes
14.22 Policy Violations
14.23 Home Closure
14.24 Inter-County and Inter-Agency Partnerships
14.25 Staff Restrictions on Being Caregivers
Chapter 15 Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children
15.0 Introduction to Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC)
15.1 Placements Subject to ICPC Jurisdiction
15.2 Placement of Georgia Children into Other States/Georgia Sending State
15.3 Placement of Children from Other States into Georgia/Georgia Receiving State
15.4 ICPC Expedited Placements
15.5 ICPC Placement Supervision
15.6 Court Jurisdiction Cases and Other ICPC Components
15.7 ICPC Related Travel Expenses
15.8 Border Agreements

6. Page 6 of 6
Chapter 16 Room Board Watchful Oversight
16.0 Introduction to Room Board Watchful Oversight (RBWO)
16.1 Program Destination Types
16.2 Performance Based Placement
16.3 RBWO Placement Referral
16.4 Specialty Program Designation
16.5 Specialized Foster Care Per Diem
16.6 Group Care or Child Care Institutions Age Requirements
16.7 RBWO Minimum Standards
16.8 Discharge Planning
Chapter 17 Children In Need of Services (CHINS)
Under Construction