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ICAN'S HIGH RISK FAMILY AND CHILDREN'S INDEX
In 1995, over 180,000 children were reported for to the Department
of Children's Services Child Abuse Hotline because of suspected abuse
and neglect. This staggering number increases each year, and with
the increase comes ever greater risks to the lives and health of
children as an underfunded and overburdened child protection
system struggles to meet the awesome demands placed upon it.
All too familiar is the child who "falls through the cracks" despite
conscientious efforts on the part of public agencies to provide
adequate protection and appropriate interventions.
Because of the many thousands of abused and at risk children and
families in our Count and the multitudes of professionals and
agencies involved with them, it is nearly impossible to ensure that
critically important information regarding the well-being of children
is exchanged or shared among those professionals who may come
into contact with or provide services to the family.
The inability to share information often places vulnerable children at
greater, even life threatening, risk. Cases reviewed by ICAN's Child
Death Review Team provide poignant examples of the ultimate
tragedy of a failed system:
a preschool age child abuse homicide victim whose family had
more than two dozen contacts with various public agencies,
including several contacts involving domestic violence, prior to
the murder of the child;
a one year old child treated at four separate hospital
emergency rooms, each time for separate instances of
suspicious injuries, and each time released to the abusive
parent, ultimately to be killed by that parent.
ICAN's Family and Children's Index, once operational, will provide a
system through which professionals from different public agencies
will know when other professionals have had relevant contacts with
a child or family that is at risk for abuse or neglect. This will clearly
result in the ability to conduct better assessments of the needs of
children and their families for services, and will provide a means for
timely and effective intervention before children are seriously
harmed or fatally injured.
ICAN National Center
on
Child Fatality Review
Concept Paper
10/1/96
Los Angeles County
Inter-Agency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect
(818) 455-4585
Concept Paper
NATIONAL CENTER FOR CHILD FATALITY REVIEW
A Joint project of the Los Angeles County Inter-Agency Council on
Child Abuse and Neglect and ICAN Associates.
This concept paper outlines plans to establish the National Center on Child Fatality
Review under the auspices of the Inter-Agency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect
(ICAN) and ICAN Associates.
ICAN is the largest county-based child abuse and neglect network in the nation.
Members include 27 city, county, state and federal agencies, 17 community-based
child abuse councils, and thousands of professional and volunteer participants.
ICAN is chaired by the Los Angeles County Sheriff, with participation from
Department Heads and professional specialists from all member agencies, standing
committees, and multiple special projects. This mixture of social services, criminal
justice, civil law, health, mental health and education, along with community
agencies and individual child advocates, have created a series of unique national
model programs. Individuals from all of these fields have reached national
prominence. There is no counterpart hands-on multi-agency organization addressing
child abuse and neglect in the world.
ICAN Associates is the private sector partner of ICAN. It's membership includes
corporate, media, and community leadership. This non-profit organization supports
ICAN through donations of services, including media campaigns, materials,
brochures, Public Services Announcements, special events for children and families
as well as cash contributions for special projects. ICAN Associates has donated the
layout and graphic design for Unified Response, the National Child Fatality Review
Team Newsletter (currently funded, in part, by NCCAN) and has committed a seed
grant to establish the National Center on Child Fatality Review.
1
Background
The U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect has estimated that at least
2000 children, or five every day, die at the hands of their parents or caretakers.
NCCAN has reported that 573,000 children are seriously injured from abuse.
18,000 children are permanently disabled from abuse that, by chance, did not kill
them. More children under 5 years of age die from child abuse and neglect than
from falls, choking on food, suffocation, drowning, housefires, or auto accidents.
Child Abuse Fatalities represent the ultimate failure of our child protection system,
our neighborhood and family support systems, and reflect our society's failure to
recognize and prioritize the health and safety of vulnerable children. Through the
process of sharing information regarding these tragic consequences of child abuse
and neglect, all participants in the child protection system, as well as communities
and neighborhoods, learn to become more sensitive to behavior and circumstances
which can lead to serious harm to children.
PURPOSE OF THE CENTER
The central purpose of the Center will be to improve child safety and promote more
effective risk assessment, accountability, and child abuse prevention through the
establishment, expansion, and sharing of information regarding severe and fatal
child abuse and neglect. The Center will:
Coordinate and disseminate information about teams and projects addressing
child death and child death review
Provide training and technical assistance to local, state, regional and national
teams and projects addressing child abuse fatalities
Provide a national and local focus on suspected fatal child abuse/neglect
Encourage expansion of this focus to:
- family fatalities including fatal domestic violence, patricide and matricide,
and child perpetrators
- serious non-fatal injuries including brain damage, burns and injuries requiring
hospitalization
- other preventable injuries (e.g. accidental or natural)
Provide data models for systems management
2
Provide models for psycho social support for surviving family members and
professionals
Provide support for unique models and programs developed by others, assuring
credit is given them for their work; sharing information nationally about these
unique models.
Activities will include:
Maintaining Directories of teams, organizations and projects relating to child
fatality review
Working with the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect Clearinghouse
to maintain a library with reports, protocols and unique articles
Working with National Justice, Child Welfare, Education and Health agencies
to improve multi-agency collaboration in investigations, service provision and
accountability
Providing Liaison with other national advocacy groups
Maintaining an active national advisory board
Publishing a newsletter at least bi-annually (Unified Response)
Maintaining or supporting a computerized electronic information sharing
system
Convening an annual meeting/conference in Los Angeles
Developing an integrated National data system on child abuse fatalities using
available data from UCR, NCCAN, Vital Statistics, NCPCA, NCANDS
3
The ICAN Center on Child Fatality Review intends to operate in
cooperation with:
The National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention,
U.S. Department of Justice
The National Center on Maternal and Child Health, DHHS
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC)
The National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse (NCPCA)
The United States Attorney, District of Columbia
The American Bar Association
Child Fatality Review Teams in all states and the District of Columbia
Project Managers:
Deanne Tilton Durfee, Director of ICAN, has administered the Los Angeles
County Child Death Review Team since it's inception. She has a background in
Child Protective Services as a Worker and an Administrator. She has served as a
principal on a series of national forums, including Chairperson of the U.S. Advisory
Board on Child Abuse and Neglect during the Board's 2 year study of child abuse
fatalities, resulting in the comprehensive document A Nation's Shame: Fatal Child
Abuse and Neglect in the United States. She has contributed her services as editor of
Unified Response, and is a frequent consultant and media spokesperson on the issue
of physical, sexual and fatal child abuse and neglect.
Michael Durfee. M.D., founded the ICAN Child Death Review Team and has
been credited with initiating and maintaining the now international movement to
create child fatality review. He has provided consultation, training and technical
assistance to every state. Dr. Durfee co-chairs the Los Angeles County Team
serving a population of 9 million, and the also co-chairs the California state team
serving a population of 31 million. He is recognized as the nation's foremost
expert on child fatality review, maintaining phone, mail, or personal contact with
almost all states on this issue at least annually for a decade. He initiated the first
multi-state meeting in Washington D.C., a seven state meeting in Boston, and helped
create an international meeting in Niagara Falls. His work has inspired team
formation in two Canadian Provinces and Australia. He has also served as Co-
Principal Investigator for the NCCAN grant, "Training for Teams", managed by
the ABA.*
4
Paul Mones has devoted his career to protecting the rights of children. He
maintains a private practice and works as trial attorney and expert legal consultant
on intra-family homicides, with a special emphasis on children who kill their
parents. He has worked on over two hundred patricides and matricides throughout
the nation. In addition to his legal work, Mr. Mones lectures national and
internationally on a variety of juvenile justice and family violence-related issues. He
regularly conducts continuing education seminars for judges, attorneys, physicians,
psychologists and social workers. In June, 1991, Mr. Mones was selected by the
ABA as one of twenty attorneys in the nation "who have done something with their
lives and legal skills to make a difference". In 1993, he was awarded the Livingston
Hall Juvenile Justice Award for his outstanding contributions to the rights of
children and youth. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the American
Media Council on Child Abuse, and serves as Vice-President of ICAN
Associates.
*Michael and Deanne Durfee have published journal articles on Child Fatality
Review and presented in local, regional, national, and international conferences.
Their combined leadership and the unique resources of ICAN and ICAN Associates
have helped create national models for multi-agency data collection, multi-agency
protocols for management of prenatal substance abuse, multi-agency intervention
with child abduction, and special forums for teen and preteen parents, burn injuries,
grief and mourning following fatal family violence, and a multi-agency computer
index to help agencies serving the same families find each other (Family and
Children's Index).
Attachments:
National Map of Child Fatality Review Teams
A Nation's Shame: Fatal Child Abuse and Neglect in the United States (Summary)
Origins and Clinical Relevance of Child Death Review Teams
Child Fatality Review (American Humane Association)
L.A. Times Magazine Article
Reader's Digest Article
Standards for Grief and Mourning Counseling
Directories of Teams, Agency and Association Contacts
5
Family and
Children's Index
Project Initiation Report
1
c
County of Los Angeles
Inter-Agency Council on Child Abuse and Negleat
July 1991
Family and Children's Index
A.
PROJECT IDENTIFICATION
1. Project Name:
Family and Children's Index (FCI)
2. Originator:
Inter-Agency Council on Child Abuse
and Neglect (ICAN)
3. Representative:
Deanne Tilton, Executive Director
B.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
1. Purpose
The purpose of this project is to protect children and families against
abuse by using inter-agency information sharing to detect abuse patterns
earlier, when there is opportunity to intervene.
ICAN agencies throughout Los Angeles County need to know when
relevant agency contacts have been made with a family or child that may
be at risk. Families and children identified to be at risk include those
involved in incidents of physical, sexual, emotional and substance abuse,
suspicious injuries and deaths, domestic violence, etc. Inter-agency
communication regarding at risk families and children is critical in
determining what action may be necessary when responding to a
particular incident or referral. The current capability for inter-agency
communication is limited and the need is not well supported by the
diverse automated and manual systems that are currently used by ICAN
agencies.
The ICAN Policy Committee created a Subcommittee of agency represen-
tatives to conduct a feasibility study for a County-wide automated Family
and Children's Index. The Subcommittee's study included the following:
a. An analysis of organizational and data exchange needs.
b. An analysis of technological viability and alternatives.
1
Family and Children's Index
C. A preliminary analysis of the costs and benefits.
d. A proposed funding approach and alternatives.
e. Recommendations for an organizational structure to manage FCI
development on an ongoing basis.
This Project Initiation Report is based on the above study findings, which
have been incorporated into this document. The Subcommittee
concluded that it would be feasible for an automated index to serve as
an inter-agency information sharing data base to identify other agencies
who have had encounters with a particular high risk family or child.
To support the Subcommittee's conclusion, each agency has identified
the high risk incident information needed from the other agencies that
would assist in making sound decisions when encounters with families
or children occurred. Exhibits I and IA provide a summary of the types
of high risk incident information requested from each source agency and
identifies the information important to each agency.
Agencies also requested that perpetrator information be included in the
Index. The feasibility of including perpetrator information will be
studied as part of the Project Definition Study.
2. Nature and Goals
Nature of the Project
The nature of this project is to propose a computerized Family and
Children's Index (FCI) that will be a central repository to record that
an ICAN agency has had a contact with a family and/or child identified
to be at risk. Telecommunication links and interfaces to the computer
systems of participating agencies will allow for updating and accessing
the Index.
The new system will contain basic identifying information on families or
children identified to be at risk. If an agency has had a contact with the
family/child, the date of the contact, agency, case number/identifier,
agency contact liaison and phone number will be recorded in the Index
2
Family and Children's Index
along with identifying family/child information. To pursue specific
information about the incident, the inquiring agency would
communicate with relative agencies and arrange for response to
inquiring agencies.
Several system concepts were considered to determine the most viable
approach for obtaining accurate information from other agencies while
creating a system that would be manageable, easy to use and cost-
effective. The proposed system achieves this goal. It provides an Index
that will:
a. Record basic identifying information on at risk families and children
and ICAN agency contacts;
b. Track and report on contact occurrences by family group or
individuals and;
C. Interface with existing agency systems to obtain its source of
information.
The Subcommittee ruled against an indexing system to record detailed
information relative to high risk families and children. This was due to
the complexity of creating a detailed system that may not guarantee
accurate and complete information on which life-threatening decisions
might be made. The system will, however, be designed so that it is
flexible enough for later expansion should the need arise for more
detailed information.
Exhibit II provides the overall concept for the proposed system.
Goals of the Project
The goals of this project are to:
a. Provide early diagnosis of abuse to families and children through
the availability of inter-agency information, and
b. Contribute to the prevention of further abuse at the time an agency
encounters a family or child identified to be at risk.
3
Family and Children's Index
3. Scope
The system will support and supply information to the following ICAN
agencies participating in the project:
Inter-Agency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect
Los Angeles Sheriff's Department
Department of Children's Services
Department of Health Services
District Attorney
County Counsel
Los Angeles Unified School District
Coroner
Los Angeles Police Department
Probation Department
Office of Education
Department of Public Social Services
Los Angeles City Attorney
Department of Corrections
Superior Court
The Index will be a County-wide system and will reside at the County's
Data Center located in Downey. Most agencies already have access to the
County's Data Center network through their existing systems.
4. Relationship to Long-Range Information Systems Plan
The FCI project is consistent with the direction set by the ICAN Policy
Committee, State Department of Health and Human Services and Chief
Administrative Office. These agencies have released initiatives to local
and State governments which ask for preventive measures to improve the
services provided for the protection of families and children.
ICAN agencies participating in the project will be required to consider FCI
data needs as part of their long range systems plan.
4
Family and Children's Index
C.
APPROACH
1. Environment
Existing agencies' systems containing information about families
and children consist of manual processes, personal computer, mini-
computer and mainframe applications. Exhibit III provides an overview
of each agency's system and the environment in which the system
operates.
Each agency's computer system will be analyzed to determine those
agencies capable of creating a high risk family/child record transaction for
updating to the Index whenever a high risk incident occurs. Exhibit IIIA
provides a listing of the basic identifying information available within
each agency. Record transactions to the Index will be based on select
incident criteria as determined by the individual ICAN agency. The
transaction records will be updated to FCI by direct update, batch update
or electronic interface.
ICAN agencies in conjunction with the Internal Services Department's
Information Technology Service (ISD/ITS) will develop, implement and
maintain the FCI on the County's Data Center. ICAN agencies will assist
ISD/ITS in development of the project to determine agency specific
interface and high risk incident programming requirements. Agencies
will also assist in the system implementation effort within their respective
agency.
The need for outside contractor staff to program existing systems to
provide data to the Index will be determined during the Project
Definition Study.
2. Support Services
a. Data Processing Service Requirements
The Internal Services Department's Information Technology Service
(ISD/ITS) will work closely with ICAN agencies to provide project
management and analyst/programming support services necessary
to develop and implement the FCI.
5
Family and Children's Index
b. Communication Requirements
Since most ICAN agencies are currently connected to the County's
network, additional data communication requirements for these
agencies are not anticipated at this time. Data lines will be required
for those agencies not connected to the County's Data Center. A
complete analysis of the communication requirements will be
performed by ISD/ITS as part of the Project Definition Study.
C. Facility Requirements
No facility modifications are anticipated.
d. Procurement Requirements
ICAN agencies currently connected to the Data Center may use
existing personal computers or terminals to access FCI. Procurement
of additional equipment for individual agencies will require further
analysis during the Project Definition Study. No additional main-
frame equipment is anticipated.
3. Constraints
The Subcommittee identified the following issues that need to be
researched, analyzed and resolved by ICAN agencies and ISD/ITS during
the Project Definition Phase and prior to developing the Index:
a. The ability to make meaningful matches both in querying the system,
identifying household members as a family group, and updating
existing family/child identifying information such as address changes.
Not all agencies have enough information available, nor is the data
consistent.
b. Multiple systems exist within individual agencies with no one system
containing all of the information. In addition, these systems are not
linked to one another.
C. Existing systems, both manual and automated, need to be examined
to determine the workload and resources necessary to provide the
information to pass on to the Index. Conversion of existing records
to build the data base should be considered.
6
Family and Children's Index
In addition, confidentiality laws on family and children information are
complex, specific in nature and varied for the different agencies. This
prevents the sharing of information in many situations. ICAN agencies
are currently able to share information by telephone, however, without
legal barriers. It is recommended that ICAN's Legal Issues Committee
undertake the responsibility to resolve confidentiality issues among the
various agencies.
4. Alternatives
During the Project Definition Study, ISD/ITS will examine how each
ICAN agency system can interface with the Family and Children's Index
and determine the data sharing mechanism and software to be used to
develop the system. Alternatives to be considered will include on-line
versus batch update, the use of Proactive Information Exchange (PIX)
versus custom software, and methods for streamlining existing manual
systems.
5. System Development Methodology
The standard ISD/ITS system development methodology will be used for
the project.
6. Next Phase
The next phase of the project will be to commence the Project Definition
Study by ISD/ITS. The Project Definition Study will consist of the
following tasks:
a. Data Sharing Applications and Transactions
Identify the sources of input and transactions in each agency's
applications which will create or update a record on the Index.
Determine the need for, and feasibility of, including perpetrators and
criminals in the Index.
b. Data Sharing Mechanisms
Determine how each system can interface with the Index; i.e., batch,
on-line, and direct updates or 'mailbox' deposits, and the data sharing
7
Family and Children's Index
software to be used. Identify manual processes that can be stream-
lined within agencies to supply family and children record
information to the Index. Define control elements for system
management of data confidentiality.
C. Conceptual Design
Develop a conceptual design of the system and provide a description
of the major functions and data. Document Departmental criteria for
creating high risk record transactions to the Index.
d. Alternative Approaches
Document technological alternatives available for the development
and implementation of the Index.
e. Cost/Benefit Analysis
Provide an analysis of the costs associated with the development of
the Index, including hardware, software and data communication
requirements, the need for outside contractors, ongoing operating
costs, and the estimated costs to program existing agencies' systems
to produce high risk record transactions to the Index. Document
tangible and intangible benefits expected to result from
implementation of the system.
f. Market Analysis
Survey other agencies and government jurisdictions as potential
prospects for marketing the Index. Compile and analyze responses to
determine marketing potential.
g. External Design Phase Plan
Prepare a project plan for the External Design phase. The primary
focus of this phase is to define the user requirements in complete
detail and refine the technical requirements and cost/benefit analysis.
8
Family and Children's Index
D. RESOURCE INVESTMENT AND RETURN
ISD/ITS has provided the following estimations and milestones for
development and implementation of the system.
1. Time Frame
System development and implementation is estimated to take a total of
17.4 work months. The following timeframe is based on a projected start
date of January 1, 1992.
No. of
Estimated
Phase
Work Months
Completion
Project Definition
3.5
April, 1992
External Design
2.6
June, 1992
Internal Design
2.6
September, 1992
Programming
4.3
February, 1993
Testing
2.6
April, 1993
Implementation
1.8
June, 1993
2. Budget Requirements
a. Preliminary Overall Cost
The preliminary overall costs to develop and implement the system
are estimated to be $399,000. These costs include staffing for a Project
Director, programmers and analysts:
FY 1991/92
FY 1992/93
Project Definition
$ 41,000
Internal Design
$ 60,000
External Design
$ 49,000
Programming
$180,000
$ 90,000
Testing
$ 48,000
Installation
$ 21,000
$309,000
Total
$399,000
9
Family and Children's Index
b. Next Phase
The cost for ISD/ITS to complete the Project Definition Study is
estimated at $41,000, as previously identified in the preliminary
overall cost.
C. Options
Funding may be accomplished through the use of Productivity
Investment Funds, County Innovative Funds, grant awards by the
Board of Supervisors, and private organizations interested in investing
in the project. The possibility of cost sharing among the participating
ICAN agencies will be evaluated as a last alternative to funding. It is
recommended that ICAN pursue these options through the County's
Chief Administrative Office and/or Board of Supervisors to acquire the
necessary funding to fully develop and implement the FCI.
d. Market Potential
The marketing potential for the FCI is currently unknown. The
system may be applicable, however, to other governmental agencies
and jurisdictions interested in identifying high risk families and
children. ICAN agencies and ISD/ITS will explore the system's
marketing potential during the Project Definition Study.
3. Potential Benefits
The potential benefits that the FCI will provide include:
Early assessment of high risk families and children through the
availability of inter-agency information, and
Increased prevention of further abuse to families and children
identified to be at risk.
ICAN agencies and ISD/ITS will quantify additional tangible and
intangible benefits during the Project Definition Study.
10
Family and Children's Index
E.
STAFF RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS
The proposed organization structure to manage the development and
implementation of the Index consists of ICAN, the FCI Project Director
and the FCI Steering Committee. Exhibit IV provides an organization
chart for the project.
1. Project Director
A Project Director will be appointed by ICAN to manage, direct, and
monitor all work activities of the project. During the development and
implementation of the system, the Project Director will be required
full-time. The Project Director or designate will be responsible for the
acceptance of project deliverables. The Project Director will report
directly to ICAN.
2. Steering Committee
The FCI Steering Committee will consist of the Project Director and
representatives from each of the ICAN agencies participating in the FCI
project. Steering Committee members will work under the direction of
the Project Director. They will meet on an as-needed basis throughout
the project timeframe. The Committee will be responsible for resolving
FCI policy issues and reviewing all project deliverables.
Exhibit V provides a proposed Steering Committee charter which
details the participating ICAN agencies' roles and responsibilities in the
FCI project.
3. ISD/ITS
ISD/ITS estimates an average of 2.7 staff to a maximum of 5 staff
throughout the duration of the project. The staffing estimate includes
percentages of work hours for the Project Director, analysts and
programmers.
11
Family and Children's Index
Below is a graph depicting the staff needed during the 17.4 months
estimated to develop and implement the system. The maximum of
5 staff will be needed during the Programming phase, months 9-13,
of the project.
8
STAFF
4
0
5
10
15
20
WORK MONTHS
17.4
F.
EVALUATION
The evaluation process may be required to take place over an extended
period of time, approximately six months after the system is actually
operational. The criteria used to evaluate the success of the system may
include tracking the usage of the Index by the number of inquiries
performed by the various agencies. Agencies will also provide input as
to their ability for successful prevention of abuse through information
obtained from the Index. A survey will be completed to determine when the
availability of FCI made an impact on the agency in dealing with a particular
referral.
12
Γ anny
Most Requested Information
This Exhibit displays the results of a survey of the ICAN agencies to determine the most
requested high risk information needed from each agency. The number of other agencies
requesting information from the particular source agency is also identified.
# of Agencies
Source
Requesting
Agency
Information Requested
Information
Los Angeles Sheriff's Department
Physical abuse
(5)
Domestic violence
(4)
Death of child
(3)
Sexual abuse
(3)
Crime report, prosecution and case
(6)
disposition for High Risk cases
Department of Children's Services
Children under DCS supervision
(6)
Physical abuse
(3)
Child Abuse Hot Line emergency response
(3)
Crime report, prosecution and case
(6)
disposition for High Risk cases
Department of Health Services
Physical abuse
(6)
Minors with sexually transmitted diseases
(5)
Parents/minors with emotional problems
(5)
Prenatal drug exposure
(4)
District Attorney
Crime report, prosecution and case
(6)
disposition for High Risk cases
County Counsel
Crime report, prosecution and case
(6)
disposition for High Risk cases
Los Angeles Unified Schools
Physical abuse
(5)
Sexual abuse
(3)
Neglect
(2)
Domestic violence
(2)
Suicide/threat of suicide
(2)
Students expelled/drop out/chronic absences
(2)
High Risk Pregnancy
(2)
Department of Coroner
Death of child
(7)
SIDS death when sibling died of SIDS
(2)
Tep ,
3/13/91
Most Requested Information
This Exhibit displays the results of a survey of the ICAN agencies to determine the most
requested high risk information needed from each agency. The number of other agencies
requesting information from the particular source agency is also identified.
# of Agencies
Source
Requesting
Agency
Information Requested
Information
Domestic violence
(6)
Los Angeles Police Department
Physical abuse
(4)
Substance abuse
(3)
Crime report, prosecution and case
(6)
disposition for High Risk cases
Probation
High Risk Probation/parole information
(5)
Child threat caseload
(4)
All active juvenile probation cases
(3)
Registered sex offenders
(2)
Court ordered counseling
(2)
Physical abuse
(3)
Office of Education
Neglect
(3)
Sexual abuse
(3)
Students expelled/drop out/chronic absences
(3)
Department of Public Social Services
Physical abuse
(3)
Sexual abuse
(2)
Welfare fraud
(2)
Los Angeles City Attorney
Crime report, prosecution and case
(6)
disposition for High Risk cases
Corrections
High Risk Probation/parole information
(6)
Registered sex offenders
(4)
Children under DCS supervision
(4)
Superior Court
Crime report, prosecution and case
(6)
dispostion for High Risk cases
Court ordered counseling
(3)
Tep ,
5/15/91
This Exhibit provides a matrix of the high risk incident information important to each
agency. regardless of which source agency the information was requested from.
Incidents
Important to
Each Agency
SHERIFFS DEPT
CHILDREN'S SERVICES
HEALTH SERVICES
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
COUNTY COUNSEL
IA UNIFIED SCHOOL
CORONER
POLICE DEPT
PROBATION
OFFICE OF EDUCATION
SOCIAL SERVICES
CITY ATTORNEY
CORRECTIONS
INTERNAL SERVICES
SUPERIOR COURT
ICAN
Physical Abuse
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Head Injuries
X
X
X
X
X
Neglect
X
X
X
X
X
Abandonment
X
X
X
Child Abduction
X
X
Death of Child
x
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
SIDS Death When
X
X
X
Sibling Died of SIDS
Emotional Abuse
X
X
X
Endangerment
X
X
X
Sexual Abuse
X
X
X
X
X
X
Minors w/Sexually
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Transmitted Diseases
Registered Sex Offenders
X
X
X
X
Release of Sex Offenders
X
X
Substance Abuse
X
X
X
X
X
Prenatal Drug Exposure
X
X
X
X
X
X
Domestic Violence
X
X
X
X
X
X
x
X
X
Parents Deceased
X
X
Parents/Minors with
X
X
X
Emotional Problems
Suicide/Threat of Suicide
X
X
X
X
X
Gang Involvement
X
X
X
Matrix 2
7/31/91
This Exhibit provides a matrix of the high risk incident information important to each
agency. regardless of which source agency the information was requested from.
Incidents
Important to
Each Agency
SHERIFFS DEPT
CHILDREN'S SERVICES
HEALTH SERVICES
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
COUNTY COUNSEL
LA UNIFIED SCHOOL
CORONER
POLICE DEPT
PROBATION
OFFICE OF EDUCATION
SOCIAL SERVICES
CITY ATTORNEY
CORRECTIONS
INTERNAL SERVICES
SUPERIOR COURT
ICAN
Students Expelled/Drop
X
X
X
X
Out/Chronic Absences
Welfare Fraud
X
Homeless
X
Child Threat Caseload
X
X
X
X
Abused Child Unit Cases
X
x
X X X X X
Children Under DCS
X
X
X
X
X
X
Supervison
High Risk Probation/
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
x
Parole Information
High Risk Pregnancy
X
X
X
X
X
Child Abuse Hotline
X
X
X
X
Emergency Response
Crime report, prosecution
X
X
X
X
X
X
and case disposition for
High Risk cases
All Active Juvenile
X
X
X
X
Probation Cases
Court Ordered
X
X
X
X
Counseling
School Regional Center
X
X
X
X
Abuse Caseload
Macrix 2
7/31/91
Exhibit II
Family and
Children's Index
System Proposal
ii
F
C
County of Los Angeles
Inter-Agency Council on Child Abuse and Neglea
July 1991
Family and Children's Index
OVERVIEW
THE CONCEPT
- Overview
- System Description
- System Process
THE DATA
- Index Data
- Update Process
Family and Children's Index
THE
CONCEPT
Family and Children's Index
THE CONCEPT
OVERVIEW
The proposed Family and Children's Index (FCI) will be a central repository for
recording that a family or child identified to be at risk has had contact(s) with an-
ICAN agency.
This Index will:
- Record basic identifying information on at risk families and children and
ICAN agency contact occurrences;
- Track and report on contact occurrences by family group and/or individuals;
- Utilize the existing County Data Center Network currently used by most
ICAN agencies;
- Interface with existing computer systems to avoid duplication of individual
agency's computer systems;
- Allow a direct input feature if an automated link is not available; and
- Maintain strict security access and standards for confidentiality.
SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
The proposed system will be an automated indexing and on-line inquiry system
that can be input to and accessed by each ICAN agency. It's purpose will be to
provide authorized personnel with minimal information regarding an at risk family
or child contact with ICAN agencies. It will also provide a resource or contact
person for pursuing additional information.
The system will contain common record data received on a daily basis from each
agency via a batch update, electronic interface process, or direct update. Existing
agency systems will be programmed to provide a contact transaction whenever a
high risk incident occurs based on select incident criteria.
Family and Children's Index
SYSTEM DESCRIPTION (Cont'd)
The new system will be accessible to all agencies via personal computers or
terminals and reside on the IBM or UNISYS main-frame computer located at the
County Data Center.
Please refer to Attachments I and IT for examples of High Risk occurrences to be
recorded in the Index and the flow of an agency's incident record transaction.
SYSTEM PROCESS
The system will be structured so that each time a 'contact' transaction is received
and processed, it will search the data base to determine whether a new record
should be established or an update to an existing record is necessary. The system
will have the capability to group individual family members into a single record
based on name, telephone number and address.
Inquiries to the system can be made using several different search criteria such as
name, address, phone number, or Social Security Number. The system will provide
an on-line screen response consisting of a family/person record including:
- Basic family/child identifying information;
- Date of contact;
- Name and phone number of the agency person to contact for more
information;
- Other at risk family members' names associated with the individual.
Hard copy print-outs will also be available from the system.
Please refer to Attachments III, IIIA & IIIB for examples of system inquiry and
response screens.
Family and Children's Index
THE
DATA
Family and Children's Index
THE DATA
INDEX DATA
At risk family and children's records will be input to the new system on a daily
basis using data common to all systems. ICAN agency computer systems will be
programmed to identify and create an at risk family/child contact transaction to
the new system. Family and children records to be input to the new system will be
determined based on select at risk incident criteria as defined by the ICAN
agencies.
The contact record transaction will contain the following data:
- Family/Child Name(s)
- Sex
- Address
- Telephone Number
- Social Security Number(s)
- Birthdate(s)
- Date of Contact
-
Agency Case Number/Identifier
UPDATE PROCESS
The system will receive the record transaction for processing. The system will
access an internal table of ICAN Agency Contact Liaisons for completing the
information necessary to record the contact in the Index. The system will search
the data base to determine whether:
-
A new family/child record should be established; or
-
A contact should be added to an existing family/child record.
Once the system is updated, the information is available on-line to all ICAN
agencies.
Attachment I
Sample of High Risk Occurrences
Recorded in the FCI
Incident
Incident
#1
#3
Los Angeles
Probation Department
Sherill's Department
Jan 27, 1991: Parent of child
Jane Doe was released from jail &
Agency
Agency
May 5, 1991: Officers respond to
placed on a 6 month probation.
System
System
a report of domestic violence
involving children at the Doe
Charge was physical abuse of
residence.
child.
This contact is recorded into the
This contact is recorded into the
index.
index
Family &
Children's Index
Agency
Agency
System
System
Incident
Incident
#2
#4
Department of
Department of
Children's Services
Health Services
Agencies Linked Into the FCI:
May 1.3, 1991: An ER referral
April 9, 1991: Child Jane Doe is
LA Sheriff
Probation
revealed that Jane Doe was at
treated for a suspicious head
risk. Jane has been removed from
Children's Services
Office of Education
injury and bruises on face.
the home & placed in protective
Health Services
Public Social Services
services.
This contact is recorded into the
District Attorney
City Attorney
index.
This contact is recorded into the
County Counsel
Corrections
index.
LA Unified Schools
Internal Services
County Coroner
Superior Court
LA Police
ICAN
Care Feample
Attachment II
High Risk Transaction Flow
County Data Center
AMILY CHILDREN
Investigation of high risk incident
IBM
Unisys
Mainframe
Mainframe
or referral
Input incident data into the agency
system
Incident triggers contact transac-
Family and
tion into the Family and Children's
Children's Index
Index
High risk index available for
Establishes a new record or;
lise by each agency
Records contact to an
Name, Address, Social
existing record
Security Number, etc, search
AMILY CHILDREN THOEX
Phone contact liaison for
information about the
family/child.
Transation Flow
5/13/91
Attachment III
Screen 1: Accessing the Index
Welcome to the
FAMILY & CHILDREN'S INDEX
To access the index, please enter:
User-ID: DCS395
Attachment HA
Screen 2: Querying the Index
FAMILY & CHILDREN'S INDEX
To search the Index,
enter one or more search criteria:
Last Name: Doc
First Name: Jane
Address: 8378 Main St.
Sex: F
DOB: 8/29/84
SSN:
Attachment III
Screen 3: Family/Person Record
FAMILY & CHILDREN'S INDEX
Primary Name Search
Others in Household
Name
Sex
DOB
SSN
Name: Doe, Jane
Address: 8378 Main St.
Doe, Victoria
F
02/14/66
250-44-6512
Downey, CA 90241
Doe, Phillip
M
09/27/64
178-51-2149
Phone: (213) 555-1212
Jackson, Ronnie
M
06/17/83
Sex: F
Smith, Roberta
F
03/25/67
250-18-6621
Age: 7 yrs
SSN: 123-45-6789
Occurrences:
Date
Agency
Key Identifier
Contact Liaison
Telephone
01/27/91
Probation
178-51-2149
Officer Jack
(213) 940-3100
04/09/91
Health Services
074-5712-149
Dr. Smith
(213) 974-8093
05/05/91
LA Sheriff
910505-0230-01
Sargeant Jones
(213) 946-7901
05/13/91
Children's Services
4571238-1-2
Caseworker Harris (213) 940-3444
Press the "Page Down" key to view more data regarding this inquiry
Family & Children's Index
This Exhibit is an analysis of each agency's system environment that contains High
Risk incident record information. The estimated number of High Risk records and total
system records is also displayed.
Agency System Environments
Containing High Risk
Incident Record Information
Manual System
Automated On-Line System
Automated Batch System
Mainframe Computer
Mini Computer
Personal Computer
Data Center Connection
Estimated Number of
High Risk Records Per Day
Estimated Number of
Records In Database
Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department
Child Abuse Referral System (CARE)
X
X
25
70,000
Department of Children's Services
Child Information System (CIS)
X
UNI
X
444
Child Abuse Hotline (CAHL)
X
UNI
X
X
171
Intake Detention Center (IDC)
x
X
53
Health Services
Hospital Inpatient Medical Record
X
X
IBM
X
3,000
X
Scan Team Report
X
IBM
X
Vital Records
District Attorney
Prosecutors Mgmt Info System (PROMIS)
X
X
IBM
X
10
900
County Counsel
Juvenile Automated Index (JAI)
X
IBM
X
N/A
360.000
X
20
6,000
L.A. Unified School District
County Coroner
Coroner Case Management System
X
X
Los Angeles Police Department
Police Arrests and Crime Mgmt Info System (PACMIS)
X
IBM
X
N/A
N/A
Microfilm Arrest Record Services (MARS)
X
X
Computer Assisted Microfilm Search (CAMS)
X
X
Probation
Area Directors Report
X
Juvenile Automated Index (JAI)
X
IBM
X
75
360,000
Adult Probation System (APS)
X
IBM
X
FC16.pm4
Page 2
Family & Children's Index
This Exhibit is an analysis of each agency's system environment that contains High
Risk incident record information. The estimated number of High Risk records and total
system records is also displayed.
Agency System Environments
Containing High Risk
Incident Record Information
Manual System
Automated On-Line System
Automated Batch System
Mainframe Computer
Minl Computer
Personal Computer
Data Center Connection
Estimated Number of
High Risk Records Per Day
Estimated Number of
Records In Database
Office of Education - - Not available
Department of Social Services - Not available
City Attorney
City Attorney Mgmt Info System (CAMIS)
X
IBM
3
720
Corrections
Offender Based Information System (OBIS)
X
State
X
30
N/A
Revocation Tracking System
X
State
X
30
N/A
Internal Services Department - - Not available
Superior Court
Juvenile Automated Index (JAI)
X
IBM
X
N/A
360,000
FC16.pm4
Family & Children's Index
This Exhibit is a listing of the basic identifying information available within each
agency for creating a High Risk transaction record to the index.
High Risk
Transaction
Record Data
Availability
SHERIFFS DEPT
CHILDREN'S SERVICES
HEALTH SERVICES
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
COUNTY COUNSEL
LA UNIFIED SCHOOL
PROBATION
CORONER
POLICE DEPT
OFFICE OF EDUCATION ..
CHILD
ADULT
SOCIAL SERVICES
CITY ATTORNEY
CORRECTIONS
INTERNAL SERVICES
SUPERIOR COURT ..
ICAN
- Family/Child
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N/A
N/A
Name
- Sex
Y
Y
Y
S
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
- Address
Y
Y
Y
C
Y
Y
Y
S
S
Y
Y
- Telephone Number
S
Y
S
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
N
Y
Y
- Social Security
N
Y
S
N
Y
S
N
N
N
Y
Y
Number
- Birthdate
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N N N N N N N Y
Y Y Y N N Y Y Y
- Date of Contact
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
- Agency Case Number/
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Identifier
LEGEND:
Y = Yes
C = Confidential
S = Sometimes
N = No
*
= Data received from other agencies
**
= Not available
Mass 3
7/31/91
Exhibit IV
Proposed Organization Structure
FCI Steering Committee
ICAN
FCI
PROJECT
DIRECTOR
CHILDREN'S
HEALTH
DISTRICT
COUNTY
SHERIFF
SERVICES
SERVICES
ATTORNEY
COUNSEL
LOS ANGELES
COUNTY
LOS ANGELES
OFFICE OF
UNIFIED
PROBATION
CORONER
POLICE
EDUCATION
SCHOOLS
PUBLIC
SOCIAL
CITY
INTERNAL
SUPERIOR
CORRECTIONS
ATTORNEY
SERVICES
COURT
SERVICES
EXHIBIT V
Family and
Children's Index
Steering Committee
Proposed Charter
ii
F
c
County of Los Angeles
Inter-Agency Council on Child Abuse and Neglea
July 1991
ICAN Family and Children's Index
Steering Committee
Proposed Charter
I.
PURPOSE OF CHARTER
The purpose of this document is to define the nature and scope of
Agency commitment towards creating a County-wide Family and
Children's Index.
II. MISSION AND GOALS
A.
Mission
The Family and Children's Index (FCI) Steering Committee will
manage and oversee the development of an inter-agency auto-
mated indexing and on-line inquiry system for recording that a
family or child identified to be at risk has had contact(s) with an
ICAN agency.
B.
Goals
The goals of this Committee are to:
Provide a manageable. accurate and easy to use system for
access by numerous ICAN agencies.
Use information from existing computer systems as FCI's
source for data.
Maintain strict security access and standards for confidentiality.
Pursue funding for development and implementation of the
system through County Productivity Investment Funds. Innova-
tion Funds. and/or grant award programs by the Board of
Supervisors.
Provide a plan for the on-going support and maintenance of this
index once it is fully developed and implemented.
Develop a cost sharing methodology for prorating on-going costs
to participating agencies.
1
ICAN Family and Children's Index
Steering Committee
Proposed Charter
III.
ORGANIZATION
A.
General
The FCI Steering Committee adheres to the mission. membership,
and goals of the ICAN charter.
B.
Membership
The member agencies are those whose heads and designated
specialists agree to participate in the coordinated development,
implementation, and management of the FCI.
1. Voting Membership
Voting Members are those who agree to:
a) Follow the Charter and cooperate with ICAN's FCI work
efforts;
b) Support the FCI project as mutually agreed upon with
human, financial and information resources.
2. Associate Membership
Non-voting associate membership is extended to all agencies
who wish to participate in coordinated FCI planning. but do not
meet voting membership conditions. Associate membership is
established by a letter which:
a) Requests an associate membership. and
b) Designates a representative.
C.
Management Structure
ICAN will select a full-time Project Director to direct the
activities of the Steering Committee during FCI development
and implementation. The Project Director will be funded as
part of the overall project development and implementation costs.
2
ICAN Family and Children's Index
Steering Committee
Proposed Charter
1. Project Director
The Project Director seeks the assistance of the FCI Steering
Committee project members in reaching mutually acceptable
solutions to problems. The Project Director is responsible
for reporting directly to the ICAN Executive Director and
ensuring that the goals and objectives of the FCI project are
realized.
2. Assistant Project Director
The Assistant Project Director will assist the Project Director
and act in the absence of the Project Director. The Assistant
Project Director will be appointed by ICAN and may be a
representative from one of the ICAN agencies.
3. Steering Committee
The Steering Committee will consist of representatives from
each of the ICAN agencies participating in the FCI project. The
representatives will be responsible for directing their respective
agency's data sharing and system interface activities for
development of the FCI.
D.
Meeting and Procedures
1. Meetings
The FCI Steering Committee will meet once per month or on an
as needed basis during the development and implementation of
the project.
2. Procedures
a. Voting
Each voting member ICAN agency has one vote. Each
agency appoints one management level representative and
an alternate. Alternates are empowered to exercise the
voting rights of the agency, in the absence of the
representative.
3
ICAN Family and Children's Index
Steering Committee
Proposed Charter
b. Decisions
A majority of all eligible Steering Committee members
present is required to approve actions.
C. Tie Breaking
The Project Director may break tie votes or carry issues over.
3. Changes to Charter
Changes to these documents require a majority vote of all
Steering Committee members.
IV.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
A. FCI Steering Committee
The FCI Steering Committee is responsible for the timely and
orderly review and approval of all work efforts under its direction.
The Committee is responsible for selecting and approving a single
solution from proposed alternative solutions provided by the
Project Director and ISD/ITS for those problems encountered and
has the responsibility to:
Provide direction to each respective agency's long range plan for
consideration of the FCI data needs.
Establish policies and standards for FCI data and programs.
Develop a budget. request funding and allocate agency resources
for the FCI.
Approve, set priorities, and monitor progress of the project.
Review and evaluate the effectiveness of the FCI.
B.
Project Director
1. Administrative Duties
The Project Director is responsible to ICAN for the administrative
management of all work efforts. The Project Director is
4
ICAN Family and Children's Index
Steering Committee
Proposed Charter
responsible for conducting FCI Steering Committee meetings,
including:
a. Establishing a meeting schedule.
b. Establishing meeting rules and procedures.
C. Making arrangements for meetings.
d. Notifying members of meeting location, date. time. and
agenda.
e. Preparing and distributing meeting minutes.
f. Preparing and distributing progress reports.
g. Ensuring timely actions.
2. Management Duties
The Project Director's management duties are to:
a. Provide direction to the FCI Steering Committee members by
ensuring that the specific scope and objectives have been
set for all work efforts.
b. Monitor the development and implementation of the FCI.
C. Ensure that affected agencies are appropriately and
adequately represented.
d. Review all work plans.
e. Ensure proper accounting of resources used.
f. Establish appropriate reporting procedures.
5
ICAN Family and Children's Index
Steering Committee
Proposed Charter
C.
Assistant Project Director
The Assistant Project Director assists the Project Director and
conducts the Project Director's duties in case of absence.
D.
Additional Officers
The FCI Project may, by a majority of Voting Members. add or
delete additional officers.
E.
Steering Committee Members
Each participating agency designates a Steering Committee
representative and alternate authorized to exercise their vote.
Alternates shall identify themselves to the Project Director at the
beginning of each meeting. Steering Committee representatives'
responsibilities are to:
1. Attend FCI meetings adequately briefed to represent agency's
viewpoint and ensure continuity of progress.
2. Inform the represented agency's management of FCI Project
status, problems. needs, funding and staff requirements as
theybecome known and expedite their management's approval
of recommended system concepts. reports. contracts, and
policy changes.
3. Assign agency resources and ensure that competent personnel
are made available to assist the FCI project as needed and
mutually agreed upon.
4. Facilitate access by FCI Project representatives to agency's
management. systems, and other personnel or documentation.
5. Seek resolution to problems between the FCI Project and their
agency.
6. Integrate FCI Project standards in their systems and assist the
FCI system implementation effort within their agency as
appropriate.
6
ICAN Family and Children's Index
Steering Committee
Proposed Charter
7. Ensure the accuracy and completeness of documentation
and reports prepared to reflect their agency's requirements.
8. Resolve FCI policy issues.
9. Review all project deliverables.
10. Request budget resources to support the FCI Project.
V.
POLICY
A.
Funding Policy
FCI Project development and implementation funding will be
pursued through County Productivity Investment Funds.
Innovation Funds and/or grant award programs by the Board of
Supervisors. and cost sharing among the ICAN agencies. Decisions
concerning funding require a majority of all Steering Committee
Voting Members. Initiation of FCI Project activities must include
considerations of current and future funding.
B.
Overhead Expenses
Member agencies agree to share in the cost of overhead expenses
associated with the FCI Project and not funded by Productivity/
Innovation or grant award programs.
C.
Methodology
It is the policy of the FCI Steering Committee to observe
established County standards for information resource systems
development.
D.
Advisory Nature of FCI Project
Members agree to observe ICAN policies. standards and action
items adopted by the FCI Steering Committee. Decisions related to
an individual member's budget or proprietary information system
are advisory.
7
Display
BILL
NUMBER: A5 3491
BILL TEXT
PASSED THE ASSEMBLY
JULY 5, 1992
PASSED THE SENATE
JULY 2, 1992
AMENDED IN SENATE
JUNE 25, 1992
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY
MAY 26, 1992
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY
MAY 13, 1992
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY
APRIL 20, 1992
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY
APRIL 8, 1992
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Gotch
(Principal coauthor: Senator Royce)
FEBRUARY 21, 1992
An act to amend Section 11167 cf the Penal Code, and to add Section
18961.5 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to child abuse c=
neglect.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 3491, Gotch. Child abuse or neglect.
Existing law, the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act, requires any child
care custodian, health practitioner, or employee of a child protective agency,
as defined, to report instances of known or suspected child abuse, as
specified. Existing law also provides that these reports are confidential and
may be disclosed only to persons or agencies to whom disclosure of the
information is permitted, as specified, including, among others, counsel
appointed under certain provisions of the Welfare and Institutions Code which
authorize the court to appoint a minor counsel when it appears to the court
that the minor would benefit from the appointment of counsel, persons or
agencies with whom investigations of child abuse are coordinated under the
regulations promulgated by the Department of Justice, multidisciplinary
personnel teams, as defined, persons or agencies responsible for the licensing
of child care facilities, and hospital scan teams, as defined. A disclosure
in violation of these confidentiality provisions is punishable as a
misdemeanor. Existing law also provides for the confidentiality of
applications and records regarding individuals receiving public social
services.
This bill would correct an obsolete reference in these provisions.
This bill also would include legislative declarations concerning child
abuse and neglect. In addition, the bill would, among other things, authorize
a county to establish a county computerized data base system within the county
to allow provider agencies, as defined, to share identifying information, as
specified, regarding families at risk, to be defined by the county prior to
participation in the system, for child abuse or neglect, for the purpose of
forming multidisciplinary personnel teams.
BILL NUMBER: AE 3491
BILL TEXT
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. (a) The Legislature finds and declares that the problem of child
abuse and neglect persists, despite the efforts of many governmental agencies
and private organizations to prevent, identify, and treat child abuse and
neglect. Agencies and organizations which have as a stated purpose the
prevention, identification, or treatment of child abuse, child neglect, 'cr
both, often provide multiple services to a child at risk for abuse or neglect,
or both, without having knowledge of prior contacts between other provider
agencies and organizations and the same child or family. This inability to
share information regarding prior contacts hampers the ability of an agency or
organization to accurately assess the true risk to a child, causes wasteful
duplication of effort, and prevents fulfillment of the legislative mandate
regarding the prevention and identification of child abuse and neglect.
(b) The Legislature further finds and declares that existing law permits
members of a multidisciplinary personnel team which is engaged in the
prevention, identification, and treatment of child abuse or neçlect to
disclose and exchange any information or writing that is kept or maintained in
connection with any program of public social services or otherwise designated
as confidential under state law which they reasonably believe is relevant to
the prevention, identification, or treatment of child abuse or neglect.
(c) Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature in adding Section
18961.5 to the Welfare and Institutions Code to permit the accumulation of
data regarding contacts between family members and various social service,
health, law enforcement, and educational agencies that is relevant to the
identification, prevention, and treatment of child abuse and neglect, and to
allow access to that information by the heads of provider agencies,
representatives within those agencies, and members of multidisciplinary
personnel teams, as defined in existing law.
SEC. 2. Section 11167 of the Penal Code is amended to read:
11167. (a) A telephone report of a known or suspected instance of child
abuse shall include the name of the person making the report, the name of the
child, the present location of the child, the nature and extent of the injury,
and any other information, including information that led that person to
suspect child abuse, requested by the child protective agency.
(b) Information relevant to the incident of child abuse may also be given
to an investigator from a child protective agency who is investigating the
known or suspected case of child abuse.
(c) Information relevant to the incident of child abuse may be given to the
licensing agency when it is investigating a known or suspected case of child
abuse, including the investigation report, and other pertinent materials.
(d) The identity of all persons who report under this article shall be
PATELL NUMBER: AE 3491
BILL TEXT
confidential and disclosed only between child protective agencies, or to
counsel representing a child protective agency, or to the district attorney in
a criminal prosecution or in an action initiated under Section 602 of the
Welfare and Institutions Code arising from alleged child abuse, or to counsel
appointed pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 317 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code, or to the county counsel or district attorney in an action
initiated under Section 232 of the Civil Code or Section 300 of the Welfare
and Institutions Code, cr to a licensing agency when abuse in out-of-home care
is reasonably suspected, or when those persons waive confidentiality, or by
court order.
No agency or person listed in this subdivision shall disclose the identity
of any person who reports under this article to that person's employer, except
with the employee's consent or by court order.
(e) Persons who may report pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 11166 are
not required to include their names.
SEC. 3. Section 18961.5 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to
read:
18961.5. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any county may
establish a computerized data base system within that county to allow provider
agencies, as defined in subdivision (h), to share identifying information, as
specified in subdivision (c), regarding families at risk for child abuse or
neglect, for the purpose of forming multidisciplinary personnel teams, as
defined in subdivision (d) of Section 18951, for the prevention,
identification, management, or treatment of child abuse.
(b) Each county shall develop its own standards for defining "at risk"
before joining this system. Only information about children or the families
of children at risk for child abuse or neglect may be entered into a
computerized data base system established pursuant to this section.
(c) With regard to a case in which a child or family has been identified 25
at risk for child abuse or neglect under this section, only the following
information shall be entered into the system:
(1) The name, address, telephone number, and date and place of birth of
family members.
(2) The number assigned to the case by each provider agency.
(3) The name and telephone number of each employee assigned to the case
from each provider agency.
(4) The date or dates of contact between each provider agency and a family
member or family members.
(d) The information may only be entered into the system by, or disclosed
to, provider agency employees designated by the director of each participating
provider agency. Members of the multidisciplinary personnel teams shall be
drawn from these designated employees, or other persons, as specified in
Section 18961. The heads of provider agencies shall establish 2 system by
which unauthorized personnel cannot access the data contained in the system.
(e) The information obtained pursuant to this section shall be kept
confidential and shall be used solely for the prevention, identification,
management, or treatment of child abuse, child neglect, or both.
(f) This section shell not supplant any duties required by the Child Abuse
and Neglect Reporting Act (Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 11164) of
Chapter 2 of Title 1 of Part 3 of the Penal Code).
Display 199
NUMBER: A3 3491
BILL TEXT
(g) No employee of a provider agency which serves children and their
amilies shall be civilly or criminally liable for furnishing cr sharing
nformation as authorized by this section.
(h) For the purposes of this section, "provider agency" means any
governmental or other agency which has as one of its purposes the prevention,
identification management, or treatment of child abuse or neglect. The
provider agencies serving children and their families which may share
information under this section shall include, but not be limited to, the
following entities or service agencies:
(1) Social services.
(2) Children's services.
(3) Health services.
(4) Mental health services.
(5) Probation.
(6) Law enforcement.
(7) Schools.
Family and
Children's Index
Steering Committee
Memorandum of
Understanding
F
C
County of Los Angeles
Inter-Agency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect
April 19, 1995
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR
THE ICAN FAMILY AND CHILDREN'S INDEX
BETWEEN:
THE LOS ANGELES SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT
THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES
THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SOCIAL SERVICES
THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT
THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH
THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES
PURPOSE
The purpose of this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is to describe
the framework for the use of the ICAN Family and Children's Index (FCI),
outline each agency's risk indicators, ensure that confidentiality requirements
are maintained and affirm each agency's commitment to participating in the
FCI network.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The ICAN Family and Children's Index (FCI) is a computerized inter-agency
data information system which is designed to better identify children and
families who are at-risk of child abuse and neglect. FCI is a centralized
database which ties together basic data about families and children that have
had relevant contacts with public agencies and have been identified as at-risk
for abuse or neglect. It provides authorized ICAN agency personnel with
minimal information regarding other ICAN agencies' contacts with a family
or child. It provides contacts for pursuing additional information. The data
is gathered from existing computer systems from within the agencies. It
allows professionals to know when other agencies may have pertinent
information about a child or family with whom they are involved.
ENABLING LEGISLATION
In 1992, Assembly Bill 3491 (Gotch) was adopted by the State Legislature
and signed by the Governor, which added Section 18961.5 to the Welfare
and Institutions Code (WIC). This Section authorizes counties to establish a
computerized database system within the county to allow specified provider
agencies to share certain identifying information regarding families at-risk
for child abuse or neglect for the purpose of forming multidisciplinary
personnel teams.
2 -
Provider agencies are defined as governmental or other agencies which have
as one of their purposes the prevention, identification, management or
treatment of child abuse or neglect. The provider agencies serving children
and their families which may share certain identifying information under
Section 18961.5 WIC include, but are not limited to : (1) Social services, (2)
Children's services, (3) Health services, (4) Mental health services, (5)
Probation, (6) Law enforcement (7) Schools.
Section 18961.5 WIC allows only the following information to be entered
into the system: (1) The name, address, telephone number, and date and
place of birth of family members, (2) the number assigned to the case by
each provider agency, (3) the name and telephone number of each employee
assigned to the case from each provider agency, (4) the date or dates of
contact between each provider agency and a family member or family
members.
Section 18961.5 WIC requires each county to develop its own standards for
defining "at-risk" before joining this system. Only information about
children and families of children at-risk for child abuse or neglect may be
entered into such a system.
The information may only be entered into the system by, or disclosed to,
provider agency employees designated by the director of each participating
provider agency. Members of multidisciplinary personnel teams shall be
drawn from these designated employees, or other persons, as specified in
Section 18961 WIC. The heads of provider agencies shall establish a system
by which unauthorized personnel cannot access the data contained in the
system.
The information obtained pursuant to Section 18961.5 WIC shall be kept
confidential and shall be used solely for the prevention, identification,
management or treatment of child abuse, child neglect, or both.
AT-RISK FACTOR DEFINITION
Agencies participating in the ICAN Family-and Children' S Index agree that
an At-risk Indicator is:
a.) All substantiated or unsubstantiated reports of child abuse to a child
protective agency not including unfounded reports; or,
- 3 -
b.) An event or fact involving a child or family member which in and of
itself would not meet the definition of "Child Abuse" in the Child Abuse
and Neglect Reporting Act, Penal Code Section 11164 et seq., nor trigger
a report pursuant to that Act, but which would, when combined with
additional events or facts, raise reasonable cause for concern that the
family is in need of intervention or services to prevent the occurrence of
child abuse as defined in the act.
IDENTIFIED DEPARTMENTAL "AT-RISK" INDICATOR
CRITERIA
Agencies participating in the ICAN Family and Children's Index agree to
provide identifying information on families where the following criteria are
present:
Los Angeles Sheriff's Department
LASD information will be made available to FCI under the following
circumstances:
1.
A child or a child's sibling has been named in a suspected child abuse
report.
2.
A child or child's sibling has died suspiciously.
3.
There has been a narcotics arrest in the home in which a child is
living.
4.
There has been a report of danger due to a violent person in the home
in which a child is living.
5.
There has been a domestic violence report in the home in which a
child is living.
Department of Children and Family Services
All children for whom a report of maltreatment has been received and for
whom an investigation has been completed. Incident information will be
provided at the time of the disposition of the Emergency Response (ER)
episode.
Department of Public Social Services
1.
Domestic violence: The children in battered women's shelters who
have been exposed to violence and are homeless. Shelter addresses
will not be passed to FCI.
- 4 -
Department of Public Social Services (Cont'd)
2.
Pregnant/Parenting Minors: Pregnant minors 12 years and under, and
minor mothers under 14 years old.
Probation Department
Juvenile Probation data will be made available for the following
circumstances:
1.
Those referred under the age of fourteen.
2.
Those with a sustained charge of "rape of minor under
fourteen."
3.
Those with a sustained charge of drug or alcohol abuse or sales.
4.
Those with a sustained charge as listed by the District Attorney
in this document.
Adult Probation data will be made available for the following circumstances:
1.
Defendants convicted of offenses requiring registration under
290 P.C.
2.
Defendants convicted of 273.5 P.C.
3.
Defendants supervised on Child Threat caseloads.
4.
Female defendants supervised on Narcotic Testing caseloads.
Department of Mental Health
1.
A child is suspected to be at-risk for abuse/neglect and a concomitant
report has been filed with DCFS.
2.
A child has been referred for mental health services by DCFS and
abuse/neglect has already been substantiated.
District Attorney
Disposition of all child abuse (physical abuse/ sexual abuse/
neglect) and domestic violence investigations presented by law
enforcement where criminal charges were filed (261.5, 266, 207B,
208B, 271, 271A, 273A, 273D, 273.5 when children are in the home,
285, 288, 288.5 P.C.)
Open child abduction investigations (207, 277, 278.5, P.C.)
5 -
Department of Health Services
Pregnant minors 14 years old and younger
Infants born to mothers who received no prenatal care
Children with late/no immunizations
Domestic violence cases seen in emergency rooms where
children are identified to be in the home
Suicide attempts/ self-destructive behavior in minors
under 18 years old who require medical care
Sexually transmitted diseases in children under 14 years
Head injuries in children under 3 years old unless caused
by vehicle accident
Spiral fractures in children under the age of 3 years of age
INFORMATION TO BE PROVIDED BY AGENCIES
Agencies participating in the ICAN Family and Children's Index agree to
provide the following identifying information to the Index when one of the
at-risk indicator criteria have been met:
1.
Name of individual and/or family members.
2.
Address of individual and/or family members.
3.
Telephone number of individual and/or family members.
4.
Date of birth of individual and/or family members.
5.
Place of birth of individual and/or family members.
6.
Case number assigned by the agency providing the data.
7.
Name and telephone number of employee(s) assigned to
provide further information on the case to multidisciplinary
personnel team.
8.
Date or dates of contact between the agency providing data and
a family member or members.
CONFIDENTIALITY AND USE OF INFORMATION ON FCI
Agencies participating in the ICAN Family and Children's Index agree that
information may only be entered into FCI by, or disclosed to, agency
employees designated by the director of the participating agency. Members
of multidisciplinary personnel teams shall be drawn from these designated
employees, or other persons, as specified in Section 18961 WIC.
Participating agencies shall establish a system by which unauthorized
personnel cannot access the data contained in the system.
- 6 -
The information contained in FCI shall be kept confidential and shall be
used solely for the prevention, identification, management or treatment of
child abuse, child neglect, or both. Every employee with access to FCI will
have taken an oath of confidentiality and have a confidentility statement on
file with their employer agency.
This Memorandum of Understanding shall be effective upon the signature
date below. Should this Memorandum of Understanding require
modification, such modification shall be added by mutual agreement by all
parties shown below.
This Memorandum of Understanding may be terminated by any of the below
listed parties by issuing a notice which includes the reason for termination.
Human Bink
4-19-95
SHERIFF SHERMAN BLOCK
DATE
ICAN CHAIRPERSON
Pun Diene
4/11/95
PETER DIGRE, DIRECTOR
DATE
DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES
Danala
4/11/95
EDDY S. TANAKA, DIRECTOR
DATE
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SOCIAL SERVICES
Bany BARRY NIDORF Widorf
4-19-95
-
DATE
CHIEF PROBATION OFFICER
-7-
auta Gowell
4-11-95
ARETA CROWELL, DIRECTOR
DATE
DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH
je
4-19-95
,
GIL GARCETTI
DATE
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Rahel. Mats
4-11-95
ROBERT GATES
DATE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES
Family and
Children's Index
Steering Committee
Procedures for
Multidisciplinary Personnel
Teams
ii
F
c
County of Los Angeles
Inter-Agency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect
Approved by ICAN Policy Committee
November 1, 1995
ICAN FAMILY AND CHILDREN'S INDEX
PROCEDURES FOR MULTIDISCIPLINARY PERSONNEL TEAMS
BACKGROUND
In accordance with Section 18961.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code
(WIC), Los Angeles County has established a computerized data base, the
ICAN Family and Children's Index (FCI), to allow specified provider
agencies to share certain identifying information regarding families at risk
for child abuse and neglect for the purpose of forming multidisciplinary
personnel teams (MDPTs).
Section 18951 (d) WIC defines a MDPT as:
" any team of three or more persons who are trained in the prevention,
identification, and treatment of child abuse and neglect cases and who are
qualified to provide a broad range of services related to child abuse."
Section 18961.5 (d) WIC states:
"The information may only be entered into the system by, or disclosed
to, provider agency employees designated by the director of each
participating provider agency. Members of multidisciplinary
personnel teams shall be drawn from these designated employees, or
other persons, as specified in Section 18961."
An opinion from the County of Los Angeles Office of the County Counsel
dated July 27, 1994 states that
" nothing in WIC sections 18951 (d) or 18965 prevents a team from
being formed on an ad hoc basis as needed to discuss a particular case. In
fact the FCI statute was drafted with the intent that MDPTs would
ideally be created as needed and composed of people already familiar
with a case.
"The statutes do not prohibit more than one member coming from the
same agency as long as the individuals meet the definition, and the
purpose of the team is the "prevention, identification, management, or
treatment of an abused child and his or her parents." The MDPT may
6.
MDPT members must understand that no confidential information
may be shared with anyone outside the team except as otherwise
allowed by law. Information shared as a result of the MDPT
discussion should not become the sole basis for a criminal
investigation. Such information shall be used in developing
information relative to assisting the MDPT in deciding the best course
of action to follow in protecting and providing services for children
and their families. This may include, of necessity, a criminal
investigation.
7.
Based on the intervention and service plan for the child and family
the MDPT determines the degree of need for further MDPT
collaboration. They may include additional persons on the team who
are also qualified by WIC 18951 (d).
USE OF FCI BY EXISTING MDPT'S
Several standing MDPTs exist in Los Angeles County, including but not
limited to:
ICAN Child Death Review Team
ICAN Child Abduction Task Force
LAC+USC Medical Center, Center for the Vulnerable Child
Harbor/UCLA Medical Center Child Crisis Center
Stuart House
Certain members of these standing MDPTs are in a position to utilize FCI as
part of preparing cases for review/staffing. MDPT members from the
provider agencies listed on FCI, if authorized by the director of their
individual agency, will be responsible for researching their agency's
involvement with the child and/or family and presenting the results of that
research to the MDPT as part of their existing procedures.