1. Minnesota and Wisconsin CHIPS processes

2. Family Assessment:
Family assessment has been implemented in all 87 Minnesota Counties
Family assessment is an alternative to the Child protection investigation process.
Avoids “confrontation and intrusion of child protection investigation”.
Family assessment assesses safety and risk of maltreatment

3. Family Assessment: Assesses and builds on strengths of families
Partners with families to find solutions to problems they are facing
Not used in cases of concern of imminent danger (i.e. injuries, sexual abuse, serious neglect.
Involves community agencies and organizations in providing support, and intervention before situation becomes more serious.

4. Family Assessment:
Allows CPS flexibility to meet the needs of the family when child abuse and neglect is reported
Enables parents to receive services with minimal negative labeling
Meets individual family needs
Elicits community participation to support families and keep children safe.

5. Family Assessment: Short-term case management
If improvement in situation is not made, case goes to traditional investigation.

6. Minnesota CHIPS process
Traditional investigation
Traditional investigations are conducted when there are concerns of imminent danger or sexual abuse
Investigations conducted in coordination with law enforcement
If safety concerns exist, CHIPS petition filed

7. Minnesota CHIPS
If child is taken into custody, Law enforcement takes into “police protective custody” for up to 72 hours
Child protection has this time to file a CHIPS petition to keep the child in custody
Child is placed in Emergency Protective Care (EPC)
CHIPS hearing must be held within 10 days of EPC hearing

8. Minnesota CHIPS
Petition may be filed with child in Emergency placement or with child remaining in home
If child is placed outside of home, may be in relative care or foster care

9. Minnesota CHIPS
At initial hearing, parents may admit or deny the allegations in the petition
If deny, then the case may to go a trial by judge, most resolve before that time
Guardian Ad Litems are appointed in any case involving a child

10. Minnesota CHIPS
GAL is a trained and certified volunteer from the community, appointed by the court to be the child’s representative in the court process
GAL evaluates actions taken by all parties and makes recommendations based on the best interest of the child

11. Minnesota CHIPS
When case is opened goes to dispositional order, parents are ordered to complete certain conditions to regain placement of their children
90 day review of case in court if child is in placement, 6 month if child is at home
Child may remain in their home or return home
If child cannot return home, Termination of Parental Rights Hearing may be filed.

12. Children’s Justice Initiative
Collaboration between the Minnesota Judicial branch and Minnesota DHS.
Objective is to form a partnership between courts, SS agencies, attorneys, public defenders, courts, GAL and other stake holders to improve CPS cases.
“timely safe, stable, permanent homes for abused and neglected children, first through reunification with the child’s parents that if that is safe or, if not, through another permanent placement option.”

13. Goals of the Children’s Justice Initiative
Operating through the “eyes of a child”
Timeliness of cases
Safety and stability of the child
Permanent, nurturing, family for each child
Recognition of cultural, social and economic differences
System accountability
Due process in court system

14. Wisconsin CHIPS
When a report is received, if screened in assigned for investigation
Investigations usually conducted with law enforcement
If impending danger threats/safety concerns exist CHIPS petition may be filed
If child is taken into custody child placed with relative or in foster care

15. Wisconsin CHIPS
Law Enforcement or Social Worker may take child into custody
CPS/delinquency Social workers are state certified to take child into custody
If child is taken into custody TPC hearing must be held within 48 hours, (excluding holidays and weekends)
CHIPS petition is filed at the TPC hearing

16. Wisconsin CHIPS
After TPC hearing, initial plea hearing must be held within 30 days
At this time, parents may admit or deny the petition
If admit, dispositional hearing must be scheduled in 30 days
If deny, scheduled for fact-finding within 10 days
May go to trial by jury if parents do not agree
Most situations resolve before trial

17. Wisconsin CHIPS
GAL is assigned any proceeding involving a child. If child is over the age of 12 they are assigned adversary counsel
GAL are attorneys, appointed by the court
When case is opened goes to dispositional order, parents are ordered to complete certain conditions to regain placement of their children

18. Wisconsin CHIPS CHIPS may be in-home or out of home
Court may order day court reviews of cases
If child is placed out of the home, 6 month permanency review hearings are required
Child may remain in their home, or return home
If child cannot return home, Termination of Parental Rights Hearing may be filed.

19. Wisconsin vs. Minnesota
Wisconsin social workers may take into custody
Minnesota only law enforcement
GAL in Minnesota may be community professional
GAL in Wisconsin must be an attorney
Time lines for reviews may vary
Minnesota has Family Assessment, Wisconsin only traditional investigation
Minnesota follows Chapter 260 of the Minnesota Statues
Wisconsin follows Chapter 48 of the Wisconsin Statutes

20. Federal Legislation-Adoption and Safe Families Act
All states are mandated to follow the Adoption and Safe Families Act
When a child is placed in out of home care (relative or foster care) “the clock starts ticking”.
States are mandated to file for Termination of Parental Rights if a child has been in out of home care for 15 out of 22 months unless case meets certain exceptions

21. Federal legislation
ASFA also states that if a parent has not made “substantial progress” in the first 6 months of the case, CPS agency may file for termination of parental rights.
ASFA requires 6 month review of permanency plan for child
ASFA requires a “concurrent plan” for children when they enter out of home care

22. Concurrent Planning Dual track for child to plan for permanency
If child cannot be reunified with their family of origin, have another plan ready to go when decision is made
Foster parents and relative placements are working with families to reunify, also prepared to adopt the child if reunification is not possible

23. Family Based Services
Services offered to families focus on the needs of the family
Family Group Decision Making
In-home family counseling
Intensive parenting education
One-on-one parenting education
Family interaction- supervised/in foster home, family settings when possible as frequently as possible