The nine (9) Counties of the County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA) Southern Region have forged a partnership to define and implement a process for responding to cross-jurisdictional referrals. The nine (9) counties are: Imperial, Inyo, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino, and Ventura.

The CWDA Inter-county Transfer (ICT) Protocol ensures that every child who is referred for allegations of child abuse, neglect, and/or exploitation will be seen within the required response times regardless of where and with whom the child is living. The Protocol also coordinates efforts to ensure child safety and well-being when the child is located outside of their county of legal residence.

The Host CountyThe county that provides courtesy supervision for a child residing with a relative or in foster care placement whose legal jurisdiction is in another California County., specifically the social services/CPS agency where the child is located, is responsible for ER in-person investigations on all referrals they assess as requiring an “immediate response” (IR).

When a child is born in prison, the child’s legal residence is considered the mother’s legal residence prior to her incarceration.

Conflicts between counties regarding CPH referrals will be resolved in the following ways:

Response determinations will be resolved through the chain of command.

For a downgraded, lesser response, the Host County will notify the County of Residence’s Hotline of this action within two (2) hours of the call being accepted by the Host County’s Hotline.

Referrals will be transferred electronically via CWS/CMS after prior approval by phone is obtained from the receiving county’s Hotline supervisor. Once approval is received, the sending county will obtain the location of the inbox where the receiving county wants the referral to be transferred.

The above process does not apply to infants born to women incarcerated in counties outside of their county of residence.

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PROCEDURE

Responding to Reported Child Abuse in One County when a Non-Dependent Child is Physically Located in another County

CPH CSW Responsibilities

Gather relevant information from the caller to assess whether or not the details provided constitute a report of alleged child abuse or neglect.

If so, created a referral in CWS/CMS according to established agency procedures and screen the report to determine if an in-person investigation is required using the structure and definitions of the SDM Hotline screening tool.
If the report does not meet the child abuse criteria, evaluate out the referral.

If the report requires an in-person response, use the appropriate SDM Hotline Tool response priority decision tree(s) to determine if an immediate response is needed.

Call the Child AbuseThe non-accidental commission of injuries against a person. In the case of a child, the term refers specifically to the non-accidental commission of injuries against the child by or allowed by a parent(s)/guardian(s) or other person(s). The term also includes emotional, physical, severe physical, and sexual abuse as defined in CDSS MPP Section 31-002(c)(9)(D). Hotline supervisor/manager in the child’s legal county of residence and offer them the opportunity to respond.

Consult the following chart and proceed based on the county of legal residence’s response to the referral:

County of Legal Residence Response to Referral	Next Steps
Agrees to respond	Transfer the referral via CWS/CMS to the legal county of residence according to the electronic transfer protocol.
Does not agree to respond and the referral has an immediate response time	Forward the referral to the SCSW for approval and assignment to the appropriate Regional office. The CPH SCSW will assign the referral to the appropriate regional CPH office.
The report meets the definition of child abuse definition but an immediate in-person response is not needed	Telephone the Child Protection Hotline in the county where the child legally resides. If a referral was created,electronically transfer the referral via CWS/CMS.

Document all contacts in the Screener Narrative.

CPH SCSW Responsibilities

If the county of legal residence does not agree to respond, assign the referral to the appropriate regional office.

ER CSW Responsibilities

Conduct an ER investigation per established policy and procedures.

The Host County may, on a case-by-case basis, honor courtesy visit requests in exceptional circumstances (e.g., considering driving distance, length of a client's visit in the Host County, or other factors).

Proceed as necessary, based on the determination of the abuse investigation:

Determination of the Investigation	Next Steps
The referral meets the definition of abuse and a hospital hold is necessary.	If exigency or a court order exists (or parental consent is obtained), place a hospital hold and respond on an immediate basis pursuant to policy and procedures. If the county of legal residence places a hospital hold, that county will follow through with the case and filing the petition as it is deemed appropriate.
The child cannot be safely maintained in his or her home.	Place the child into protective custody and file a petition.
A referral involves children of a dependent minor parent of another County and an immediate response is not required.	The referral will be responded to by the county that has jurisdiction over the dependent minor parent.
Protective custody is not needed, but additional voluntary services are warranted.	Telephone the county of legal residence regarding the findings and recommendations.

Retain the case through the adjudication and transfer the case to the county of legal residence for the dispositional hearing using the inter-county transfer protocol.

Document all findings and contacts with the other county in the Contact Notebook.

Close the referral. The county of legal residence will make the final determination regarding services to be provided to the family.

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Receiving a Child Abuse Report in Los Angeles County when the Child is Identified as a Dependent of Another County

CPH CSW Responsibilities

Determine if the report meets the definition of child abuse and whether an immediate in-person investigation is needed.

If the report does not meet the definition of child abuse, evaluate out the referral.

Phone the assigned CSW/SCSW in the county where the child legally resides and inform him/her of the information/report received regarding the dependent child.

Proceed as necessary, based on the evaluation of the child abuse report:

Result of Child Abuse Report	Next Steps
The report from the county of legal residence meets the definition of child abuse and an immediate in-person investigation is needed.	Create a new referral in CWS/CMS and telephone the case-carrying social worker or supervisor in the county where the child legally resides. Offer the case-carrying social worker or supervisor the opportunity to respond. If they agree to respond, electronically transfer the case via CWS/CMS. Document the county’s response.
The county of legal residence does not agree to respond and the referral has an immediate response time.	Forward the referral to the SCSW for approval and assignment to the appropriate Regional OfficeThe DCFS office that is responsible for providing services to the child, youth, dependent, or nonminor dependent. Usually, the office where the child's CSW is located..
The report meets the definition of child abuse, but an immediate in-person response is not needed.	Telephone the Hotline in the county where the child legally resides. Electronically transfer the referral via CWS/CMS.

The Host County may, on a case-by-case basis, honor courtesy visit requests in exceptional circumstances (e.g., considering driving distance, length of a client's visit in the Host County, or other factors).

CPH SCSW Responsibilities

Review the referral documents to verify that the referral meets the definition of child abuse and that an in-person investigation is needed.

Ensure that the County having legal jurisdiction over the child has been offered an opportunity to respond to the referral. If the County has agreed to respond:

Ensure that said agreement is adequately documented.

Evaluate Out the referral.

Ensure that the referral is transferred via CWS/CMS following the Electronic Transfer Protocol.

If the County with legal jurisdiction over the child did not agree to respond, and if the child has been assessed to be at immediate risk of abuse, neglect or exploitation, assign the referral to the appropriate Regional office or ERCP (for after hours IRs) for an immediate response investigation.

If it is determined that the child is not in immediate danger:

Review the referral documents

Ensure that the CPH CSW has adequately documented calling the CPS Hotline of the County having legal jurisdiction over the child

Ensure that the CPH CSW informed the County of the referral.

Approve the referral with an "evaluated out" response determination, if appropriate.

Place in the designated basket for filing.

ER CSW Responsibilities

Conduct child abuse and neglect investigations.

If the child is removed, contact the county of legal residence for placement instructions.

Inform the county of residence that the Investigation Narrative, regarding the investigation’s findings and outcomes, is available on CWS/CMS within 48 hours.

If a child is not in immediate danger, notify the county of legal residence that the Investigation Narrative is available on CWS/CMS for review by a designated social worker.

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Transferring Referrals/Cases Electronically

CPH/ER SCSW Responsibilities

Obtain approval by phone from the receiving county’s Hotline Supervisor before transferring the referral/case.

Any referrals showing up in the receiving county’s inbox, without prior approval of the Hotline Supervisor, will go immediately to the Hotline Manager for conflict resolution.

Obtain the location of the inbox where the receiving county would like the referral/case to be transferred.

Make the assignment in CWS/CMS immediately, while still on the telephone with the receiving county’s supervisor.

Document all contacts in the Investigation Narrative.

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APPROVALS

CPH/ER SCSW Approval

Referral

SDM Tools
Immediate In-Person Investigation

Temporary CustodyThe removal of a child from the home of a parent or legal guardian and placement or facilitation of placement of the child in the home of a non-offending parent, relative, foster caregiver; group home or institutional setting.Temporary custody also includes: placing hospital holds on children; situations in which the CSW interrupts an established Family Law Court custody or visitation orders when the CSW believes that if the order is carried out, the child would be placed in immediate risk of abuse, neglect or exploitation and the child is allowed to remain in the home of the non-offending parent; situations in which DCFS requests that law enforcement remove a child from the home of his or her parent/legal guardian and the CSW places the child with a relative or unrelated caregiver; and situations in which the child is living with a relative or an unrelated caregiver and all of the following conditions exist: child’s parent is asking for the child to be returned home, CSW believes that the return of the child to his or her parent would place the child at risk of abuse, neglect or exploitation, CSW does not allow the child to be returned to his or her parent; and, the child remains in the home of the relative or is placed in out-of-home care.

Closing the Referral

Telephone Approval for transferring a referral to the receiving county

Inbox Referral Receipt

HELPFUL LINKS

Forms

CWS/CMS

Screener Narrative

LA Kids

DCFS-196, Notice of Referral Closure

Individualized Investigation Narrative

Referenced Policy Guides

0050-502.10, Child Protection Hotline (CPH)

0050-503.15, Response Times to Referrals

0070-548.05, Emergency Response Referrals Alleging Abuse in Out-of-Home Care Regarding Children who are Under DCFS Supervision

0070-548.10, Disposition of Allegations and Closure of Emergency Response Referrals

0070-548.20, Taking Children into Temporary Custody

0070-548.24, Structured Decision Making (SDM)

0070-570.10, Obtaining Warrants and/or Removal Orders

0300-303.06, Hospital Holds

1000-504.75, Inter-county Transfer (ICT)

Statutes

CWDA Inter-county Transfer (ICT) Protocol – States the protocol for when child welfare cases and referrals may be transferred to other counties. It includes the requirements that (1) every child who is referred for allegations of child abuse, neglect and/or exploitation will be seen within the required response times regardless of where and with whom the child is living; and (2) the Social Service/CPS Agency where the child is located/found (Host County) is responsible for ER in-person investigations on all referrals they assess as requiring an "immediate response."

Penal Code Section 11165.6. – Provides a definition of child abuse.

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