1. (a) In order to ensure adequate communication with and provision of services to incarcerated parents, the Family Service Worker (FSW) will:

   1. (1)

      1. (A) Attempt to locate incarcerated parents at all stages of service provision, including during investigations.
      2. (B) Efforts to locate will include, at a minimum:

2. (i) Conducting a Lexis Nexis search;

   1. (ii) Searching local jail, Department of Corrections, etc., for inmate information at: www.vinelink.com;

      1. (iii) Checking Administrative Office of the Courts Public Court Connect at: https://caseinfo.arcourts.gov/cconnect/PROD/public/ck_public_qry_main.cp_main_idx; and

         1. (iv) Contacting the reporter and any listed collaterals from the current and former investigations and cases to ask for information about the location of the parent;
   2. (2) Document reasonable efforts to identify and locate incarcerated parents at all stages of service provision, including during investigations, in CHRIS contact screens, court reports, and affidavits;

   3. (3) Contact the identified Department of Corrections facility or local detention facility (city or county jail) and determine:

      1. (A) The appropriateness of visitation and venue for parent-child visitation for children in foster care by assessing the following:

         1. (i) Whether the parent is under any restriction by the facility that would affect visitation;
         2. (ii) Whether the facility has any limitations to visitation such as lack of space or lack of staff to meet facility protocols;
         3. (iii) Whether the facility is an appropriate venue for visitation based on the child’s age, trauma history, and current developmental status;
         4. (iv) Whether the distance to the facility is prohibitive for routine visitation based on the child’s educational and developmental status;
         5. (v) Whether the facility is open to allowing volunteer relatives/fictive kin to transport to visitation; and
         6. (vi) Whether the visitation can be accommodated in another manner such as Skype, Video Visitation, letter writing, email, or Facetime; and

      2. (B) How to adequately assess and coordinate services for the incarcerated parent by:

         1. (i)
3. (a) (a) Determining if the detention facility staff will assist in the completion of the parent’s portion of the CANS and in identifying necessary services for the parent.

4. (b) (b) The FSW will complete the CANS by phone with the parent if detention staff is unable to assist;

   1. (ii) Coordinating with the Department of Corrections or the local detention facility to ensure that services identified are provided to the inmate (whether provided directly by the detention facility staff/contract providers or by Division of Children and Family Services staff providing the services to the inmate in the facility and/or by sending educational materials to the facility for the inmate);

      1. (iii)
5. (a) (a) Sending staffing notices via CFS-590: Invitation to Family-Centered Meeting to the identified detentions contacts.

6. (b) (b) The FSW will notify the contact that the incarcerated parent is invited to participate in the staffing by telephone if the parent requests to do so at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the scheduled time for the staffing to begin.

   1. (c) (c) It will be the incarcerated parent’s responsibility to schedule with ADC or the local detention facility to have phone privileges as necessary;

      1. (iv) Adding the incarcerated parent to the CANS assessment and case plan while including all services provided by the detention facility;

         1. (v)
7. (a) (a) Requesting written progress reports and certificates of completion for services from the detention facility.

8. (b) (b) Attach all documents obtained to the written court report for upcoming hearings and place a copy of all correspondence with the detention facility in the physical case record;

   1. (vi) Coordinating discharge planning, including determining who will be the assigned parole/probation officer, when appropriate; and

      1. (vii) Providing a copy of local assistance organizations and services available for the tentative county of residence to the incarcerated parent thirty (30) days prior to the parent’s discharge from the detention facility;
   2. (4) Coordinate joint decision making as to the appropriateness of visitation with assigned attorneys ad litem, CASAs, and parent counsel;
   3. (5) Provide the incarcerated parent with a copy of all case plans, court reports, and court orders via standard mail to the Department of Corrections or local detention facility contact person; and

   4. (6) Coordinate services with resident county:

      1. (A) Refer the case for resident county services in the CHRIS assignment screen;
      2. (B) Email resident county FSW and copy resident county supervisor with a summary of service needs and requests;
      3. (C) Invite resident county FSW to staffings via CFS-590; and
      4. (D) Maintain minimum monthly contact with resident county FSW in an effort to coordinate on-going services, monthly face-to-face contact with the incarcerated parent, and parent-child visitation.

9. (b) FSW Supervisor will:

   1. (1) Monitor to ensure diligent efforts to locate incarcerated parents;
   2. (2) Attend staffings to assist in determining the appropriateness of services and visitation; and
   3. (3) Ensure case assignment to and coordination of services with resident county.

Codification Notes: This section as promulgated prior to codification into the Code of Arkansas Rules provided as follows: "04/2018"