The case plan in Ohio SACWIS is the tool used for addressing the overall needs of the family or case participants. Case plans can be ordered by the court or initiated by the responsible agency without court involvement. The case plan is required when in-home supportive services are being provided or need to be provided to a child, parent, guardian, or custodian.
The case plan is typically recorded after the family assessment has been completed. However, the case plan is created without a family assessment when the case plan participant is a deserted baby, safe-haven child, or a permanent-surrender child.
If a child is in the permanent custody of the agency, a child-only case (adoption case) is created which will allow for a child-only case plan. If a sibling group that is eligible for adoption is documented in the adoption case, you can create one case plan for the sibling group.
As a worker on the case, you work with the family to identify the strengths (non-risk contributors) and concerns (risk contributors). Then you identify the appropriate services that benefit the family or individual child. The case plan document reflects your service planning efforts, as well as the following:
Visitation and/or placement information for each child
The appropriateness of placement for each child
The exceptions to filing a motion for permanent custody for a child
Efforts to find a permanent placement for each child
Family participation
Court approval or disapproval (when necessary)
You can complete one of three types of case plans:
Initial case plan. The first case plan documented for the family within a case episode (open date to close date). Unless there's a court order to the contrary, a case may have only one initial case plan. The system assigns a whole number to an initial case plan (for example, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0).
A second initial case plan is completed when a judge orders the agency to develop multiple case plans for one family. A court order must be in place before you can create a second initial case plan. You can create a copy of the initial case plan (not an amended plan) and make the appropriate adjustments. The system assigns the next whole number to a second initial (copied) case plan (for example, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0). If any of the children in the case plan have changed placement settings since the initial case plan was copied, the system does not apply the change in placement or caregiver services information.
Amended case plan. Completed when there is an existing case plan during the current case episode. The agency is providing services to the family or child, and an amendment to the case is required for one of these reasons: a change in the services, placement, or visitation; the case is to be closed; or another significant change has occurred.
Once an initial case plan has been created, every other case plan within the same case episode must be an amended case plan. The system assigns decimal numbers based on the original case plan number (for example, 1.1 for the first amendment, 1.2 for the second, 1.3 for the third, and so on).
Proposed. A case plan that is completed for the court when the agency is filing for permanent custody. The case plan is presented to the court for approval when the court needs an alternative case plan for a child. The proposed case plan is created in the original case; the system copies it to the adoption case if it meets certain criteria. (See About adoption cases.)