TRANSFER OF CASES
§ 3490.401. Intercounty transfer of cases.
(a) County agencies shall share that information which will assist them in protecting children.
(b) When a report of suspected child abuse is under investigation, a report is being assessed to determine the need for general protective services or when a case has been accepted for protective services and the family moves to another county, and the address is known, the county agency shall:
(1) Immediately telephone the receiving county agency and tell them:
(i) The name and address of the child and parents.
(ii) The reason for agency involvement.
(iii) The status of the case.
(iv) The services that were being provided.
(v) The level of risk assigned to the case.
(vi) Other information that would assist the receiving agency.
(2) Within 24 hours of the phone call, send a fax to the receiving agency to confirm the referral. The faxed information shall contain:
(i) The name and address of the child and parents.
(ii) The level of risk assigned to the case.
(iii) The status of the case.
(c) The receiving agency shall accept the referral and determine what services are necessary to protect the child from abuse or neglect.
(d) When the case is a high risk case, the receiving county agency shall reassess the risk of abuse or neglect to the child and see the child within 24 hours of receiving the telephone referral. The county agency worker shall see the child at the child’s new address.
(e) The receiving agency shall notify the referring agency of the status of the referral upon completing the investigation or assessment.
(f) Regardless of whether or not the address of the child and family is known, within 72 hours of the telephone referral, the referring agency shall fax or send by overnight mail to the receiving agency the following:
(1) The family demographics.
(2) The current family service plan and placement amendment.
(3) The current risk assessment matrix and summary.
(4) Court petitions and court orders.
(5) A social summary, when available.
(6) A copy of the CY-48 and other relevant ChildLine forms.
(7) Other information that would assist the receiving agency in providing services to the child and parents.
(g) When a report of suspected child abuse or neglect is under investigation or assessment or when a case has been accepted for protective services and the family moves to another county, and the county where the child has moved to is known but not the street address, the referring county agency shall telephone the receiving county and give it the names and dates of birth of the child and parents.
(h) The referring and receiving agency shall make reasonable efforts to locate the family, including as appropriate, based on the age of the child and other circumstances, by contacting the following:
(1) Post office of the last known address.
(2) School.
(3) Health professionals and health agencies.
(4) Domestic relations office.
(5) Parent locator services.
(6) Law enforcement official.
(7) County assistance office.
(8) Known relatives.
(9) Known neighbors.
(i) The referring and receiving county shall document their efforts to locate the child and family.
(j) The receiving county shall notify the referring county:
(1) Within 10 days of locating the child and family, when found.
(2) When the county has exhausted all reasonable efforts to locate the family.
Notes of Decisions Record of Proceedings
Where a mother claimed that it was an abuse of discretion not to transfer her child’s case to the children and youth services of the county to which the mother moved, the appellate court was unable to properly review the appeal in the absence of a transcript of the proceedings. Therefore, the matter was remanded for an evidentiary hearing to construct a record for appellate review. In the Interest of J.H., 788 A.2d 1006 (Pa. Super. 2001).
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