PURPOSE: This rule requires the establishment of a case plan for every child in the custody of Division of Family Services or receiving social services from the Division of Family Services. It also provides a definition of a case plan as well as describing the required content and time periods for development and review of the case plan.

1. (1) Every child in the care and custody of, or receiving social services from, the division shall have a case plan developed for the purpose of preventing removal of the child from the care of the parents, reunifying a child separated from parent(s) or securing a permanent placement for a child if it is determined the child cannot be reunified with his/her parents.
2. (2) Every case plan must be developed within thirty (30) days from the date if has been determined a child should receive protective services or from the date that a judicial determination has been made that the child should be placed in the care and custody of the division. Thereafter, each case plan shall be reviewed and modified, as necessary, every six (6) months. The purpose of the review is to determine the extent of compliance with the case plan and determine what changes, if any, should be made.
3. (3) The term case plan means a written document which describes social and child welfare services and activities to be provided by the division and other local community agencies for the purpose of achieving a permanent familial relationship for the child as described in 13 CSR 40-30.010(1).

4. (4) This case plan shall include, at a minimum, the following information:

   1. (A) Identifying information about the child and his/her immediate and extended family;
   2. (B) A description of the factors and conditions, including the psychological needs of the child, which caused the division to determine that protective or alternative care services were needed or a copy of the judicial determinations made regarding the child’s placement in the custody of the division;

   3. (C) A description of what efforts were made to prevent removal from the custody of 13 CSR 40-30

      *Original authority: 207.020, RSMo 1945, amended 1961,

the parent(s), to reunify the family or to 1965, 1977, 1981, 1982. achieve a permanent placement for the child;

1. (D) A statement of the intended plan for permanency for the child which shall consist of one (1) of the following:

   1. 1. Maintain the child with the biological

parents;

1. 2. Reunify child with his/her biological

family if a judicial determination has been made for the child to be removed from the custody of the parent(s) and placed in an alternate care facility;

1. 3. Place the child for the purpose of

adoption; or

1. 4. Maintain child in a long-term separa-

tion from his/her biological parents with an agreed upon plan with the care provider. This provision applies only if a child is over sixteen (16) years of age;

1. (E) A description of how the plan is designed to maintain or reunify the child with his/her biological parent(s) or achieve a permanent substitute placement for the child including:

   1. 1. A description of the social services to

be provided and a description of the services needed to carry out any requirements of a judicial determination proceeding or order with a designation of the responsible parties for the provision of any services:

1. 2. A description of the responsibilities

of the parent(s); and

1. 3. A description of parental behaviors

which determine that services are no longer necessary or that alternative care is no longer needed;

1. (F) A description of the appropriateness and necessity for placement away from the biological parents if the court has ordered placement, including at a minimum, the following:

   1. 1. The least restrictive characteristics of

the alternate care placement facility correlated to the condition and best interests of the child;

1. 2. The degree of proximity of the alter-

nate care placement facility to the location of the biological parent(s)’ residence(s);

1. 3. A description of how the needs of the

child will be met while in placement; and

1. 4. A parental visitation schedule includ-

ing frequency, location, arrangements and a method of documentation for actual visits; and

1. (G) An evaluation of case plan achievement by all parties including a time period for case plan achievement.

AUTHORITY: section 207.020, RSMo 1986.* Original rule filed June 28, 1983, effective Nov. 11, 1983.