The caseworker must request a primary medical needs (PMN) staffing for all initial or subsequent placements involving a child or youth with PMN. The caseworker contacts the regional well-being specialist [sic, intranet link] to request the PMN staffing.

The purpose of the PMN staffing is to develop a plan to address the child or youth’s medical services, equipment, and other needs during a placement transition.

• The PMN staffing must occur after the placement has been identified but before any placement moves, unless an emergency situation occurs after hours. Additionally, the PMN staffing must occur for all of the following situations:
  • Respite care.
  • Reunification with parents.
  • Discharges from a hospital.
  • Children or youth without placement.
• The child or youth’s primary caseworker must ask the well-being specialist to request a PMN staffing within 24 hours of any of the following events:
  • The initial removal of a child or youth with PMN.
  • A request for a new placement to the Regional Placement Team, for a planned or unplanned move.
  • The decision to make a planned reunification or relative or kinship placement.
  • The decision to make an out-of-state placement.
• In an emergency situation, the PMN staffing must still occur after placement to ensure all equipment and services transition with the child or youth.

The well-being specialist sets up a conference call and facilitates the staffing. The well-being specialist must invite all of the following people:

• Child or youth’s CPS caseworker
• Caseworker’s supervisor
• Program director
• Local permanency specialist, if applicable
• Regional Placement Team staff
• Regional nurse consultant
• Developmental disability specialist, if applicable
• Education specialist
• Medical, hospital, or nursing staff
• STAR Health staff
• CASA or guardian ad litem
• Attorney ad-litem
• Current child placing agency (CPA) and caregiver, when appropriate
• New or proposed CPA and caregiver
• Other key parties involved in the child or youth’s case

If the new caregiver needs to participate in any training to care for the child or youth, the caseworker must follow up with the doctor or doctor’s office to ensure the training occurred and to discuss any concerns the doctor may have.

If the doctor or the doctor’s staff indicates any concerns about the caregiver’s ability to care for the child or youth, the caseworker must not proceed with the placement until meeting with the program director for approval.

See:

4113.5 Consult the Child’s Attorney Ad Litem, Guardian Ad Litem, and CASA Representative

Primary Medical Needs (PMN) Resource Guide