Probation Department Policy/Procedure Manual
4.5 Case Staffing Coastal Valley Academy, Juvenile Services
| Location |
Juvenile Services - Division Wide |
| Section |
N/A |
| Subject |
4.5 Case Staffing |
| Purpose |
To ensure accuracy and consistency with staffing of cases in the Juvenile Division |
| Effective Date |
12/23/2019 |
| Previous Effective Date |
11/1/2022 |
APPLICATION
Deputy Probation Officers (DPOs) shall follow this procedure when requesting consideration for a youth to receive Wraparound Services and prior to making a recommendation to the Juvenile Court for transfer to adult court pursuant to WIC 707, out of home foster care placement, commitment to Juvenile Hall for longer than 15 days post-disposition, commitment to the Coastal Valley Academy (CVA), commitment to a Secure Youth Treatment Facility (SYTF) or commitment to the Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ).
GENERAL PROCEDURE
- Staffing time and location
- Staffing will begin at 11:00 AM each Tuesday unless that Tuesday is a holiday. The meeting will be located at the Juvenile Services Center (JSC). Individual staffing will be limited to no more than 20 minutes in length with respective starting times being 11:00, 11:20 and 11:40 AM. Staffing sign-ups will start with the earliest time first. Date and times of staffing may vary with the approval of the Juvenile Division Chief Deputy Probation Officer (CDPO) or his/her designee.
- Staffing may occur on an emergency basis as needed with the approval of the Juvenile Division CDPO or his/her designee.
- Staffing Group Members
- The core staffing group should include: Juvenile Division and/or Custody Division CDPO, CVA Supervisor and/or CVA Deputy Probation Officer III, Placement Legal Clerk, the case presenter, Juvenile Supervision Supervisor, Juvenile Court Supervisor and the Deputy Probation Officer III assigned as the Juvenile Court Officer.
- Staffing Requirements
- The sign-up sheet for staffing is located in Microsoft “F:” Drive > Juvenile Division > Juv Sign Up Docs > Staffing Sign-up. All cases to be staffed must be signed up by 11:00 AM on the proceeding Friday (48 business hours before staffing) unless otherwise approved by a supervisor.
- All staffing memorandums shall be reviewed by the case presenter’s supervisor prior to the scheduled staffing date/time. Upon approval by the case presenter’s supervisor, the staffing memorandum shall be emailed to PR_JUVStaffing at least 24 business hours in advance of the scheduled staffing date/time. Those attending the staffing are responsible for bringing their own copy of the staffing memorandum to the staffing meeting.
- Decision Making
- Dispositional recommendations should be reached through consensus. If consensus cannot be reached, the Juvenile Division CDPO or his/her designee present shall make the final decision for the dispositional recommendation. The Juvenile Division CDPO shall obtain the final approval from the Chief Probation Officer prior to submitting a recommendation to the Juvenile Court for a youth to be placed in a Short Term Residential Therapeutic Program (STRTP), committed to a SYTF, committed to the DJJ, or transferred to the adult court.
- Removal
- Requirements for recommending the removal of a minor from his/her parent(s)/guardian(s):
- For a minor to be removed from their home, the minor must be declared a ward of the court. Additionally, a psychological evaluation shall be completed prior to staffing (unless one has been completed within the past year). Verbal or written notice of the results and findings from the evaluator prior to receipt of the official report is acceptable.
- As outlined in WIC 726, in order to remove a ward of the court from the physical custody of a parent or guardian, the court must find one of the following facts:
- That the parent or guardian is incapable of providing or has failed or neglected to provide proper maintenance, training and education for the minor.
- That the minor has been tried on probation while in custody and failed to reform.
- That the welfare of the minor requires that custody be taken from the minor’s parent or guardian.
- Factors to consider
- Behaviors endangering self
- Behaviors endangering others
- Lack of effective parental care and control
- Abuse, neglect, abandonment
- Out of control behaviors
- Victims residing in the home (i.e. sex offenses)
- Prior “reasonable efforts” made to prevent removal
- Prior services provided or offered to the family
- Options for removal
- WIC 202(b) states that a minor should be removed from the custody of his or her parents “…only when necessary for his or her welfare or for the safety and protection of the public. If removal of a minor is determined by the juvenile court to be necessary, reunification of the minor with his or her family shall be a primary objective. If the minor is removed from his or her own family, it is the purpose of this chapter to secure for the minor custody, care, and discipline as nearly as possible equivalent to that which should have been given by his or her parents.”
- WIC 727.1 decisions regarding choice of foster care placement “shall be based upon selection of a safe setting that is the least restrictive or most family like, and the most appropriate setting that is available and in close proximity to the parent’s home, consistent with the selection of the environment best suited to meet the minor’s special needs and best interests.” It further details the order of priority for foster care placements as follows:
- Relatives
- Tribal members
- Foster families
- Group care
- Residential treatment
- Non foster care out-of-home options include but are not limited to commitments such as the following:
- Juvenile Hall
- Camp: Coastal Valley Academy (CVA)
- Secure Youth Treatment Facility (SYTF)
- Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) (NOTE: DJJ closed to most new intakes effective 7-01-21 and will be officially closed 7-01-23)