1. (a)

   1. (1) The official record of child welfare information for the Division of Children and Family Services is maintained through the Children’s Reporting Information System (CHRIS).
   2. (2) CHRIS is a fully automated, worker-based child welfare information system.
   3. (3) Data input instructions for the CHRIS applications are included throughout the Division of Children and Family Services Policy and Procedure Manual.

2. (b)

   1. (1) CHRIS is overseen by the Division of Administrative Services, Office of Technology .

   2. (2) The Division of Administrative Authority, Office of Technology is responsible for:

      1. (A) Enhancements to the CHRIS application;
      2. (B) Data monitoring;
      3. (C) Help desk function; and
      4. (D) Some specialized training.

3. (c)

   1. (1) In instances when information is not able to be entered into CHRIS, some hard copies (e.g., forms with signatures, medical records, education records, etc.) are also considered part of the official record.
   2. (2) A hard copy file of case information will be maintained for data not in CHRIS.
   3. (3) Hard copy files will be created, if necessary for case review.

4. (d) Division of Children and Family Services employees with access to CHRIS are prohibited from accessing and/or viewing any CHRIS information regarding investigative reports and/or open cases to which he or she is not assigned unless:

   1. (1) Permission from his or her supervisor is granted to view the information; or
   2. (2) The employee is the supervisor for that report and/or open case.

5. (e)

   1. (1) This prohibition extends to any Division of Children and Family Services employee or provider with access to CHRIS who is a “subject of the report” as defined in the Child Maltreatment Act, Arkansas Code § 12-18-101 et seq.
   2. (2) This part holds regardless of whether the information is restricted or not to the Division of Children and Family Services employee or provider.
6. (f) The Division of Children and Family Services supervisors are prohibited from accessing and/or viewing investigative report or open case information in CHRIS if the interest in the report or case is personal (i.e., not professionally related).
7. (g) The Division of Children and Family Services employees and providers are also prohibited from accessing and/or viewing any information in CHRIS if the interest in the investigation and/or case is personal (e.g., a friend, family member, present or former colleague, etc., is involved in the report or case).

8. (h) Record retention schedule.

   1. (1) Retain all information in the automated data system indefinitely to assist the Department of Human Services in assessing future risk and safety.
   2. (2) Records of all cases where allegations are determined to be true shall be retained by the Child Maltreatment Central Registry and all hard copy records with true determinations shall be retained forever.

   3. (3)

      1. (A) Hard copy records of unsubstantiated reports are not part of the Child Maltreatment Central Registry.
      2. (B) They will be destroyed by the investigating agency at the end of the month in which the determination is made.
   4. (4) Records of all cases where allegations are determined to be unsubstantiated shall not be included in the Child Maltreatment Central Registry.

   5. (5)

      1. (A) Retain all child protective services, differential response, out-of-home placement services, and supportive services for five (5) years after the youngest child turns twenty-one (21) years old.
      2. (B) Retain all other client files for five (5) years after:

9. (i) The file is closed; or

   1. (ii) The last case activity.
   2. (6) Retain all foster and adoptive applicant files that are denied for three (3) years from the date that the applicant is informed of the decision.
   3. (7) Retain all foster and adoptive applicant files where no decision is rendered due to incomplete process for three (3) years from the date of the last documented communication with the applicant.
   4. (8) Retain all adoption records for ninety-nine (99) years.

   5. (9)

      1. (A) Retain all rules until superseded.
      2. (B) Superseded rules must be retained on an as-needed basis.
   6. (10) Retain all records relating to a person or entity contracting with the department for five (5) years after the contract ends or is terminated.
   7. (11) Retain all administrative records including programmatic financial records for five (5) years after the end of the biennium in which the records were produced.

Codification Notes: This section as promulgated prior to codification into the Code of Arkansas Rules provided as follows: "05/2014"