About Assessments / Investigations

When an intake is screened in and assigned, all assessment activities are documented in Ohio SACWIS. The specific tools you use in the system depend upon the type of intake or case.

Assessment tools are all accessed from the Case Overview screen for the individual case. To display this screen, from the Home screen, select the Case tab, then select the Case ID Number link (on the Workload tab).

These tools include the following:

• Safety Assessment. This tool is completed in response to a child abuse and/or neglect (CA/N) report, a dependency report, a family in need of services report (optionally for types other than "Stranger Danger"), or any other instances throughout the life of a case when safety needs should be assessed. See Record a safety assessment.

• Safety Plan. This tool is required when the protective capacities in the family cannot control currently active safety threats, and safety interventions must be implemented. A safety plan can be implemented at any time during the life of a case. The safety plan identifies specific activities to be conducted to secure the safety of the child(ren), identifies the person(s) responsible for each activity, outlines how the activities will control the identified safety threats, and explains how the plan will be monitored. A safety plan is a voluntary agreement between the participants and the agency. However, if the safety plan is not followed, legal action may follow. See Record a safety plan.

• Family Assessment. This tool is used assess the risk and identify the strengths and needs present in the family in order to determine what level of service the family needs. Details of a family assessment include the review of safety issues, child harm, emerging danger, strengths and needs assessment, family perception, risk assessment, and service planning. The family assessment is completed for all intakes within the CA/N category / Dependency / FINS "Stranger Danger" and is optional for other intake categories. A family assessment is completed within 30 days of the receipt of the intake report (and before the case plan) and must be recorded on all cases transferred for ongoing case services. See Record a family assessment.

• Specialized Assessment / Investigation (A/I). This tool allows you to capture the investigative requirements when the alleged perpetrator has access to the alleged child victim through his or her affiliation or employment with an institution and is responsible for the care, physical custody, or control of the child. See Record a specialized assessment/investigation.

• Ongoing Case Assessment / Investigation (A/I). This tool helps you assess or re-assess risk, identify emerging danger, describe child harm, and document investigative activities when the agency receives a report of child abuse and/or neglect and the case category is "Ongoing". See Record an ongoing case assessment/investigation.