Iowa Admin. Code r. 441-130.7 - Case plan

The department worker shall develop a case plan with or on behalf of persons approved to receive services. However, a case plan is not required (1) for child or adult protective assessment, (2) for foster care cases in which the department does not have custody, guardianship or a voluntary placement agreement, or (3) when child care is the only service. A case plan shall be developed with or on behalf of every other person approved to receive services unless the person has a case manager as specified in 441-Chapter 24. When department services are provided before an individual program plan in compliance with 441-Chapter 24 is approved, a department case plan must be developed according to the requirements of this rule.

When individual case management services are being provided under 441-Chapter 24 for persons with an intellectual disability, a developmental disability, or chronic mental illness, the rules in 441-Chapter 24 on time limits, plan format and on who develops the plan shall apply for adults and for children whose services are not under court jurisdiction. The department worker shall determine eligibility for those services provided by the department; however, a separate department case plan need not be developed. If the individual program plan does not include sufficient information to meet department service requirements or the requirements in this chapter, the person providing department social casework shall complete either a case plan or addendum and coordinate distribution to the persons who receive the individual program plan with the case manager.

The case plan shall become part of the client's case record. The client shall participate in the development of this plan to the extent possible. The case plan shall be consistent with other service or program plans. A copy of the case plan shall be provided to the client or, when indicated, to the parent or representative of the client. For adult services, the case plan shall be recorded using Form 470-0583, Individual Client Case Plan. For children's services, the case plan shall be known as the case permanency plan and shall be prepared using Form 470-3453, Family Case Plan.

(1) Services shall be directed toward the social services block grant goals of:

a. Achieving or maintaining self-support to prevent, reduce or eliminate dependency.

b. Achieving or maintaining self-sufficiency, including reduction or prevention of dependency.

c. Preventing or remedying neglect, abuse or exploitation of children or adults unable to protect their own interest, or preserving, rehabilitating or reuniting families.

d. Preventing or reducing inappropriate institutional care by providing for community-based care, home-based care, or other forms of less intensive care.

e. Securing referral or admission for institutional care when other forms of care are not appropriate, or providing services to individuals in institutions.

(2) The recorded case plan shall contain, but not be limited to, the following:

a. The goal and objective to which the plan is directed, stated in a clear manner indicating the specific services required to achieve or maintain the goals to meet the needs of the particular client.

b. Activities of clients, workers, and others involved in the plan related to specific services. These shall be measurable and have time frames for completion.

c. A summary of all pertinent information relating to the client and the client's situation relative to need, and containing, but not limited to, the following:

(1) Emotional behavior.

(2) Social aspects.

(3) Historical perspective.

(4) Reasons for success or lack of success.

(5) Safety-related information indicating whether a child has behaved in a manner that threatened the safety of another person, has committed a violent act causing bodily injury to another person, or has been a victim or perpetrator of sexual abuse. The safety-related information shall be withheld only if ordered by the court or the department or the agency developing the service plan determines that providing the information would be detrimental to the child or to the family with whom the child is living.

(6) An assessment of whether continued breastfeeding by a child's mother is in the best interest of the child, and a plan to support the mother's breastfeeding efforts, if appropriate.

d. Information on case entries that will substantiate the client's eligibility for service.

e. A target date for reevaluation of the case plan based on assessment of need, which shall not exceed six months.

f. A review of financial eligibility in accordance with 130.2(5).

g. The reason for termination or reduction of any or all services.

(3) The case plan shall be developed and filed in the case record as follows:

a. In child welfare cases, the case plan shall be developed in partnership with the child, the family, and the caregiver.

(1) The recommendations from the child protective services assessment and the safety plan developed with the family shall be considered an initial case plan.

(2) A case plan that meets the requirements of Iowa Code section 232.2 shall be filed within 60 days from the date the child enters foster care or the date the department opens a child welfare service case, whichever occurs first.

b. For all other cases, the case plan shall be developed before services begin unless there is an unanticipated provision of service for the protection and well-being of a client. In that case, the case plan shall be filed within 45 days from the date that services begin.

(4) The reevaluation of the case plan shall include all components listed under 130.7(2) and shall be filed at least every six months, or more often when there are significant changes, when required by the court, or when required according to the rules of the service.

(5) The case plan may be amended between evaluation periods. Participants in the plan shall receive a copy of the amendment.

This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code section 234.6.

Notes

Iowa Admin. Code r. 441-130.7

Amended by IAB September 7, 2022/Volume XLV, Number 5, effective 11/1/2022