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Navig
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the
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Depen
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Court
Proces
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From Child Protection to Child Welfare

2001 Passage of AB 636, The Child Protection System
Improvement and Accountability Act:
Protect children from abuse and neglect.
Have children safely maintained in their own homes whenever
possible and appropriate.
Provide children permanency and stability in their living
situations.
Preserve the continuity of family relationships and connections
for children.
Enhance families capacity to provide for their childrens needs.
Ensure children receive appropriate services to meet their
educational needs.
Ensure children receive adequate services to meet physical and
mental health needs.
Prepare youth emancipating from foster care to transition into
adulthood

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CWS Structure
Administered under the Department of Social Services
(DSS)
Three Divisions:
Santa Maria (investigate about 1440 referrals annually)
Lompoc (investigate about 750 referrals annually)
Santa Barbara (investigate about 1000 referrals annually)
County-wide, approximately 300 children are detained into
foster care each year

Across divisions, there are five primary units:

Central Intake Unit (Hotline CIU)

Assessment/Investigation Unit (AIU)
Court Unit
Ongoing Unit
Permanency Unit/Transition Unit

Legal intervention is through Juvenile Dependency

Court

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The Dependency Court Process

Important to know where case is in the process:
Legal guardianship changes depending on dependency status
Parent or child may have treatment participation spelled out in
their case plan (which may guide the length or focus of treatment)
Child may have upcoming transitions that may impact their
recovery or adjustment
This may impact the interests of foster parents and bio parents,
and as a result, your boundaries regarding the unit of treatment
In rare cases, treatment providers are called to serve as witnesses

Three paths
Path 1: Initial review and referral
Path 2: Field Investigation/referral, voluntary program participation
Path 3: CWS Legal intervention

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Path 1: Initial Assessment/Investigation

Law Enforcement/Probation

Central Intake Unit

(CIU)
Child Abuse
Received on

Report
Hotline

AIU

Child Welfare Services

Substantiated

Field Investigation
Unfounded or
Inconclusive
Front Porch

Refer Out

Clinical
Services
Child Abuse Tx
DV Program
Child-Parent
Tx
Parenting
PCIT

Refer Out

CALM

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Path 2 and 3: Support and Intervention

Criminal Investigation

Cross-Report

Incarceration
Law Enforcement/Probation
Charge
s Filed
Probation
SART
Temporary
Care Child Welfare Services
AIU
Substantiated Mandated
Detainment
Hearing
Detainment
within 72
Foster Care/
hours
Dependency
Voluntary
WIC 300
Family
Jurisdictional
Maintenance
20 days
Petition
(30 if @
Dismissed
Clinical
home)
Children
Services
Returned
Child Abuse Tx
DV Program
CALM
Child-Parent
Tx
Parenting
PCIT
CWS IIH

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Path 3: Intervention
Law Enforcement/Probation

Court
AIUUnit
Disposition
Hearing w/in

10 days
(detained)
30 days (home)

CSS
Screener

Child Welfare Services

Decline
Reunification
Termination
Case Plan of
Rights
Established
Family
Maintenance or
Reunification
Services
Mandated

Clinical
Services
HOPE
Child Abuse Tx
(placed in foster
DV Program
care)
Child-Parent
CWS IIH
Tx
(placed at home)
Parenting
Reunificatio
PCIT
n

Ongoing Unit

Care/
Ongoing
Foster
Case
Dependency
Team Decision
300
Meetings WIC
(TDMs)
CWS
Worker
Foster
Parent

Bio Parent
Parental Treatment
CALM
(MH and Substance
Childs
Abuse) Lawyer
Drug Testing
Parents
Stable Housing
Lawyer
Court-Appointed
Employment
Special Advocate
Attend Visitation
(CASA)
Safe Living Env.
Treatment
(end relationship
Providers
with perpetrator)

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Path 3: Intervention & Resolution

254 Hearing: Children on
Probation

Review Hearings
6 months (child < 3)
12 months (child > 3)
*Extensions are
granted for progress
with case plan

Law Enforcement/Probation
Child Welfare Services
Permanency/Adoptio
Ongoing Unit
ns

Rights
Terminat
ed

Permanent
Case
Ongoing
Placement
Team Decision
6 mos. of
Meetings (TDMs)
monitoring

Family reunified
6 months
monitoring
Case Closed

CALM

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The therapists role

Trauma recovery
Support close relationships with caregivers
Emotional support/treatment with caregivers
Consultant to support the transition of the
child
Often will be asked by CWS to report on progress
In rare, contested cases, may be called to serve as a
fact witness regarding their observations.

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