(a) The Family Service Worker will:

1. (1)

   1. (A) Visit the child and family in the home to address their assessed needs.
   2. (B) If there is a reason why the visit did not occur in the home, document the reason in the case record.
   3. (C) The FSW is responsible for making weekly face-to-face contacts with the family during the first month that the case is opened.
   4. (D) Visits by other the division staff (e.g., Program Assistant, supervisor) will count as a weekly visit after the case has been opened thirty (30) days.
   5. (E) A face-to-face contact is defined as an in-person contact with the perpetrator, victim, or caretaker (parent, guardian, or other person responsible) for the purpose of observation, conversation, or interviews about substantive case issues.
   6. (F) Risk/needs assessment, treatment planning, case planning and/or progress, are examples of substantive case issues.
   7. (G) A weekly or family visit is completed once contact is made with the victim child and primary caretakers to assess the child’s health and safety and case plan progress;

2. (2)

   1. (A) If the case is opened longer than one (1) month, and the supervisor has approved less frequent visits than weekly, visit the family in the home, with a face-to-face visit with the child as frequently as approved, but at least once a month.
   2. (B) High-risk cases must continue to have at least weekly face-to-face contact.
   3. (C) Moderate or low-risk cases must have at least monthly face-to-face contact.
   4. (D) Visits can occur in other locations, however, there must be a once a month visit to the home.
   5. (E) Visits by other division staff will not count as monthly visits;
3. (3) Engage family members in meaningful activities as dictated by the case plan;

4. (4)

   1. (A) Document weekly visit contacts in the CHRIS client information screen by clicking on services/contacts and selecting new for each new client contact.
   2. (B) Include the proposed visitation schedule in the case record documentation; and

5. (5)

   1. (A) Weekly contacts must be maintained for cases with “High” and “Intensive” risk levels and for families where the child’s or family’s situation raises protective concerns and where weekly contact is necessary to monitor the family situation and ensure child safety.
   2. (B) In addition, the worker should maintain weekly visits if the child is experiencing a period of crisis in the home, school, or community and contact with the worker can be of assistance to the child in coping with the crisis.

(b) The Family Service Worker Supervisor will:

1. (1) Click on the reviewed check box after reviewing the worker’s contact; and

2. (2)

   1. (A) Click on the weekly contacts waiver check box and key in the mandatory explanation field to include documentation that the health and safety assessment and risk assessment has been reviewed in order for less than weekly contacts to be approved (see Procedure II-D8 and II-D9 [repealed]).
   2. (B) Under no circumstances can a waiver be granted for less than weekly contacts based on staff shortages without other appropriate justification.