To initiate the process, the referring Children’s Service Worker should assess the youth’s demonstrated behavior that indicates the need for intensive and individualized intervention. He/she will then prepare and submit a referral packet to the appropriate multidisciplinary foster care selection team. The staffing should occur within 30 days of the referral or resource provider’s request for a staffing.

The worker shall complete (including attachments) the Youth with Elevated Needs referral forms (CD-136 and CD-137) to submit to the review team.

Youth with Elevated Needs (YEN) Review Team
The role of the review team is to evaluate a child’s appropriateness for a higher level placement. The following people should be invited:

• Case Manager (required to attend)
• Case Manager’s Supervisor
• Circuit or Regional Specialist or designated facilitator (required to attend)
• Current Resource Provider
• Current therapist
• School Personnel (with knowledge of the youth’s behaviors and functioning level)
• Guardian Ad-Litem (GAL)
• Juvenile officer
• Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)
• Licensing Worker for the Family (current or potential)
• Other persons as appropriate for a child specific review including parents.

Placement Process
The YEN Review Team will receive the referral and review the material. The Team will interview, as appropriate, youth, current caregiver, therapist, referring Children’s Service Worker, etc. They will decide if the youth is an appropriate candidate for the program. The Screening Team may recommend:

• The youth is not appropriate for the program
• The youth is appropriate, but a compatible home is not available in the county of origin or nearby counties
• The youth is appropriate, and there is a compatible home

The case manager/Children’s Service Worker will receive a decision from the Screening/Selection Team facilitator indicating the team’s decision. The team can decide the appropriate start date, but this will be back-dated no further than the date of the initial referral.

The Resource worker of potential placement families will share all referral information with the prospective resource parents and assess with them their ability to meet the youth’s needs.

The Children’s Service Worker will then carry out any of the following actions, as appropriate to the youth being placed:

• Coordinate all planning with the service county, if the county of current placement is different from the case manager county
• Receive notification when a resource becomes available
• Notify the licensing worker if the placement is no longer needed

The Children Service Worker will communicate with the potential elevated needs placement regarding pre-placement visits and any other information required.

Level B Resource Parents may be reimbursed via a payment request for transportation costs of pre-placement activities. The actual number of visits is governed by the needs of the youth and the Level B resource family.

The Children’s Service Worker must gain commitment from both the youth and resource family and then proceed with the placement. The worker will assure the youth’s arrival at the resource home when all parties agree the child is ready.