BRIAN SANDOVAL STATE OF NEVADA RICHARD WHITLEY

Governor Director

AMBER L. HOWELL
Administrator

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

DIVISION OF CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES
4126 Technology Way – 3rd Floor
Carson City, Nevada 89706
(775) 684-4400
Manual Transmission Letter (MTL)
Family Programs Office: Statewide Child Welfare Policy Manual

MTL # 0506-06262015
06/26/2015
TO: Lisa Ruiz-Lee, Director - Clark County Department of Family Services
Betsey Crumrine, Social Services Manager V - DCFS – District Offices
Kevin Schiller, Interim Director - Washoe County Department of Social Services

FROM: Jill Marano, Deputy Administrator, Division of Child and Family Services

POLICY DISTRIBUTION:
Enclosed find the following policy for distribution to all applicable staff within your organization:
 Intake and Priority Response Times

This policy is/was effective: 06-19-2015

This policy is new. Please review the policy in its entirety
This policy replaces the following policy(s): MTL # - Policy Name:
This policy has been revised. Please see below for the type of revision:
This is a significant policy revision. Please review this policy in its entirety.
This is a minor policy revision: (List page number & summary of change):
A policy form has been revised: (List form, page number and summary of change):
 This policy speaks to issues related to Differential Response. The term “Community
Based Service Provider” was added while the “Differential Response” definition was
clarified in section 0506.4; response guidelines for P3 Differential Response were
added to 0506.5.2; and “Non-Agency Assessment” was changed to “Differential
Response Assessment” while “Service Only” was deleted from section 0506.5.3.
NOTE:
 Please read the policy in its entirety and note any areas that are additionally required by your
agency to be in compliance with the policy enclosed.
 This is an All STAFF MEMO and it is the responsibility of the person listed above to
disseminate the policy enclosed to appropriate staff within his/her organization and to ensure
compliance.
 The most current version of this policy will be posted on the DCFS Website at the following
address [Link] . Please check table of contents on this page for the link to
the chapter you are interested in.
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0506.0 Intake and Priority Response Times

0506.1 Policy Approval Clearance Record

 Collaborative Policy This policy supersedes: Number of pages in Policy: 14

Date Effective: 0506 Intake and Response Times
05/05/10
PART Review & Approval 03/03/2010 Policy Lead: B. Crumrine, SSPSIII; D.
Flowers, SSPSIII
DMG Approval 04/23/2010 Policy Lead: B. Crumrine, SSPSIII; D.
Flowers, SSPSIII
DCFS Administrator Approval: 04/23/2010 Signature: N/A
DMG Approved Revisions: 06/19/2015 Policy Lead: H. Jarolimek, SSPIII

Review by Representative from the

Office of the Attorney General: 02/17/2010 Signature: N/A

0506.2 Statement of Purpose

0506.2.1 Policy Statement:

The intake process is a standardized application of procedures for collecting consistent
information to respond to reports of child abuse and/or neglect in a timely manner.
0506.2.2 Purpose:

Intake decision-making is influenced by the information obtained from a reporting party.

Structuring intake information collection contributes to more efficient practice and results
better quality of information to reach screening and urgency response decisions.

During the intake interview with the reporting party, information collection should begin to
consider family functioning related to the six fundamental assessment questions.

0506.3 Authority
Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, Reauthorized 2003
NRS 432B.010, .130, .160, .190, .220, .230, .240, .250, .260, .270, .280, .290, .630
NAC 432B.140, .150, .155, .330

0506.4 Definitions
0506.4.1 Abuse or Neglect of a Child:
A. “Abuse or neglect of a child” means, except as otherwise provided in subsection 2 of
NRS432B.020:
1. Physical or mental injury of a non-accidental nature;
2. Sexual abuse or sexual exploitation; or
3. Negligent treatment or maltreatment as set forth in NRS 432B.140, of a child caused
or allowed by a person responsible for his welfare under circumstances which
indicate that the child’s health or welfare is harmed or threatened with harm.

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B. A child is not abused or neglected, nor is his health or welfare harmed or threatened for
the sole reason that his:
1. Parent delivers the child to a provider of emergency services pursuant to NRS
432B.630, if the parent complies with the requirements of paragraph (a) of subsection
3 of that section; or
2. Parent or guardian, in good faith, selects and depends upon non-medical remedial
treatment for such child, if such treatment is recognized and permitted under the laws
of this State in lieu of medical treatment. This paragraph does not limit the court in
ensuring that a child receive a medical examination and treatment pursuant to NRS
62E.280.
3. As used in this section, “allow” means to do nothing to prevent or stop the abuse or
neglect of a child in circumstances where the person knows or has reason to know
that a child is abused or neglected.
0506.4.2 Agency which provides child welfares services:
A. In a county whose population is less than 100,000, the local office of the Divisions of Child
and Family Services: or
B. In a county whose population is 100,000 or more, the agency of the county which
provides or arranges for necessary child welfare services.
C. May also be referred to as “Agency” or “Child Welfare Agency.”
0506.4.3 Child Welfare Services: As defined by NRS 432B.044, includes, without limitation: 1.
Protective Services, investigations of abuse or neglect and assessments; 2. Foster care
services, as defined in NRS 432.010; and 3. Services related to adoption.
0506.4.4 Collateral Contacts: Refers to other persons who the agency may contact regarding an
allegation of child abuse or neglect.
A. Collateral contacts are used at intake when the reporting party does not have the
information necessary to initiate an investigation or to locate the family, obtain criminal
history, or document agency history.
B. During an investigation, collateral contacts may consist of written documents, telephone
calls or an in-person communication with an individual to obtain information used to
corroborate or dispute an allegation of child maltreatment.
0506.4.5 Community Based Service Provider: A public or private nonprofit (including a church or
religious entity) that provides community-based services accessible to individuals and
families in specific geographic areas of a community. The staff of a CBSP identifies the
natural supports of each person/family and uses a strengths-based approach in meeting
human, educational, environmental, and/or public safety needs.
0506.4.6 Differential Response (DR): A service oriented response to screened-in Priority 3 child
maltreatment reports by a CBSP.
0506.4.7 Face-to-face contact: Refers to an in-person interaction between individuals that will allow
for the caseworker to observe and assess the child, parents and/or caregivers.
0506.4.8 Household: Means an association of persons who: 1) live in the same home or dwelling
and 2) may be related by blood, adoption or marriage; or 3) may be unrelated persons
residing in the same home or dwelling as the child.
0506.4.9 Incident: An act of the caregiver or circumstance of a child, reported to the Child Welfare
Agency by the community, which if true would constitute abuse or neglect.
0506.4.10 Impending Danger: A family situation or household member’s behavior that is determined
to be out-of-control and will likely result in serious harm to a child. (This was previously
known as “foreseeable danger”).
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0506.4.11 Information Collection Standard: Refers to the six critical areas that are used for
assessing and analyzing family strengths, risk of maltreatment and child safety. These are:
1) surrounding circumstances accompanying the maltreatment; 2) child functioning on a daily
basis; 3) adult functioning with respect to daily life management and general adaptation
(including mental health functioning and substance usage); 4) the disciplinary approaches
used by the parent; 5) the overall, typical, pervasive parenting practices; and 6) the extent of
the maltreatment.
0506.4.12 Information only (I/O) and/or Information and Referral (I/R):
A. Information only (I/O): When an agency which provides child welfare services receives
a referral that a child has been abused or neglected, the agency must determine if the
information in the referral meets the allegation criteria, thereby constituting a report of
abuse or neglect. “Information Only” occurs when a referral alleging child abuse or
neglect is made to a child welfare agency with the intent for an investigation to be
conducted, however after review the information, it is determined that the referral does
not meet the allegation criteria and is therefore screened out as “Information Only”.
B. Information and Referral (I/R): A referral alleging child maltreatment is made to a child
welfare agency with an intent for an investigation to be conducted, however after review
of the information, it is determined that the referral does not meet the allegation criteria.
The child welfare agency believes the family may benefit from services and makes
referral(s) for services to the family and screens out the child maltreatment referral, as
“Information and Referral”.
0506.4.13 Initiate investigation: This refers to the child welfare agency beginning or opening an
investigation by means of contact or attempted contact with the victim, siblings, caregivers
and other involved parties by a face-to-face contact, telephone contact or case review.
0506.4.14 Intake worker: The state/county child welfare agency worker who takes the report. This
does not refer to a dispatch or an Emergency Response Team Worker.
0506.4.15 Investigation: A report that has been screened in for assignment is investigated by a child
welfare agency. The investigation process is outlined in the 0509 Nevada Initial Assessment
(NIA) Policy and includes interacting with a family for the purpose of assessing factors or
conditions that are known to contribute to the likelihood of child abuse or neglect; to
determine the strengths and/or protective capacities that can help mitigate risk and safety
threats; to reconcile information contained in the Intake reports about alleged child abuse and
neglect and alleged threats to child safety; and to make a conclusion regarding the existence
of present and/or impending danger.
0506.4.16 New report: A referral about a new incident of child abuse or neglect.
0506.4.17 Present danger: An immediate, significant, and clearly observable family condition that is
actively occurring or “in process” of occurring at the point of contact with a family; and will
likely result in serious harm to a child.
0506.4.18 Referral: Information received from a reporting party alleging child abuse, neglect, and/or
requesting services.
0506.4.19 Report: A referral becomes a report upon child welfare agency determination that
information received constitutes an allegation consistent with Nevada child abuse and neglect
allegation definitions. Reports are then forwarded to a supervisor or supervisory-level
designee for review and a priority response time is assigned.
0506 4.20 Residential institution: As used in NAC 432B.330 to 432B.370, inclusive, unless the
otherwise requires “residential institution” means a facility which provides care to a child on a
24-hour basis and which is operated by a public agency or private person, including facilities
for the training and detention of youth, institutions for child care, facilities for mental health

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and mental retardation, boarding schools, residential programs for alcohol and drug abuse
group and family foster homes, and nursing homes caring for a child.
0506.4.21 Resource Referral: A request made by the public with the intent to receive information on
resources from the child welfare agency or to receive a referral for resources and/or services.
This does not require recording in UNITY.
0506.4.22 Response Timelines/timeliness: The time frame that is determined by the urgency of the
report for the initiation of a response to a report of child abuse or neglect (NRS 432B.260).
0506.4.23 Screening: The process of determining whether or not a referral will be accepted as a report
of child maltreatment based on whether the referral falls within the guidelines established by
state law, regulations or policies, and whether the agency has an appropriate role with the
child and family.
0506.4.24 Similar reports: Pursuant to NAC 432B.140, “more than one report on the same family
referring to the same incident occurring on the same date with the same alleged perpetrator”
is the same report. An additional report must be made of any subsequent incident.
0506.4.25 Vulnerable Child: A child who is unable to protect him/herself and dependent on others for
protection.
0506.4.26 Priority Response Time: The investigative response required based on the screening
determination.

0506.5 Procedures
0506.5.1 Report Information:
A. Information that must be obtained from the reporting party is outlined in NRS 432B.230.
While acknowledging that certain reporting parties may not have knowledge or in-depth
substantive information about a family (such as routine parenting practices or adult
functioning), the expectation and pursuit of such information provides the opportunity to
collect thorough, comprehensive and child safety-oriented information for use in intake
decision-making.

1. Method of making report; contents (NRS 432B.230): “1. A person may

make a report pursuant to NRS 432B.220 by telephone or, in light of all the
surrounding facts and circumstances which are known or which reasonably
should be known to the person at the time, by any other means of oral,
written or electronic communication that a reasonable person would believe,
under those facts and circumstances, is a reliable and swift means of
communicating information to the person who receives the report. If the report
is made orally, the person who receives the report must reduce it to writing as
soon as reasonably practicable.
2. Contents: The report must contain the following information, if obtainable:
 The name, address, age and sex of the child(ren);
 The name and address of the child’s parents or other person responsible
for his/her care;
 The nature and extent of the abuse or neglect of the child, the effect of
prenatal illegal substance abuse on the newborn infant or the nature of
the withdrawal symptoms resulting from prenatal drug exposure of the
newborn infant;
 Any evidence of previously known or suspected abuse or neglect of the
child or the child’s siblings;

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The name, address and relationship, if known, of the person who is

alleged to have abused or neglected the child;
 Any other information known to the person making the report that the
agency which provides child welfare services considers necessary,
including information on other relatives; and
 Names of potential witnesses/collateral sources that have observed
and/or aware of the abuse/neglect.
3. The Information Collection Standard (ICS): The six standard questions are
woven into the intake gathering process and lay the foundation for assessing
safety and risk. The six questions and subsets are as follows:
What are the circumstances surrounding the child maltreatment?
 The caregivers’ response to CPS;
 The caregivers’ explanation of what happened, the injuries and related
conditions including the child’s condition;
 History and duration of the situation;
 Co-existing factors and conditions such as substance abuse, domestic
violence or mental health;
 Contextual issues such as use of instruments, acts of discipline, threats,
caretaker intentions, etc.
How do the children function on a daily basis?
 Behavior
 Cognitive abilities
 Social Relations
 Emotions
 Physical
 Temperament
 Development
 Vulnerability
How do the adults (primary caregivers) function on a daily basis?
 Behavioral, emotional, physical, social and cognitive functioning
 Reality orientation
 Life management
 Problem solving
 Communication
 Social Support and relations
 Role performance
 Mental health
 Substance abuse
What are the general parenting practices in this family? This includes an
exploration of overall parenting practices and what influences them.
 Age and child appropriate
 Sensitive to child’s needs and limitations
 Realistic in view of circumstances and intentions
 Creative
 Satisfaction and motivation

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 Reasonable expectation
 Parenting style
 Parenting history
What are the disciplinary practices in this family? Focus is placed on the
socialization, direction giving, guidance, punishment and reward, and teaching
practices apparent in the family.
 Caretaker intention
 Caretaker self-control
 Purpose of disciplinary action
 Relationship to child’s needs or caretaker’s needs
 Methods
 Flexibility
 Appropriateness
What is the extent of child maltreatment?
 The kind and specific description of the maltreatment
 The severity of the maltreatment
 The specifics of the events, injuries and conditions present
 The conclusion reached by the worker confirming the maltreatment
4. Collecting the Information - Interview Structure: The standardized intake
protocol for interviewing a reporting party is intended to gather sufficient
information to evaluate and determine agency response. The intake interview
protocol of the reporting party includes the following structure and content
areas:
Step A. The Initial Phase:
 Complete introductions;
 Allow reporting party to share information unimpeded;
 Respond to emotional reactions of the reporting party;
 Determine reporting party’s motivation for reporting; and
 Determine the need for child welfare agency involvement or a referral to
another agency or community service (consistent with agency mandate).
Step B. The Examination Phase:
 Focus the reporting party by informing and clarifying the intake review
process;
 Obtain detailed information associated with the Information Collection
Standard (maltreatment, child functioning, adult functioning, etc.); and
 Seek clarification regarding information that may indicate present or
impending danger.
Step C. The Closing Phase:
 Ensure that all essential information has been collected from the
reporting party;
 Elicit reporting party’s opinion regarding the level of intervention
necessary;
 Assure the reporting party of the importance of his call;
 Inform the reporting party of the next steps; and

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 Document any concerns regarding worker safety.

Step D. Collateral Information (as needed): Collateral information can be
obtained from additional sources when:
 The reporting party does not provide the information necessary to make
a screening and response decision;
 When the family’s address is unknown; or
 To corroborate and/or dispute reported criminal activity and child
maltreatment as it related to child safety.
5. Completing the Intake Process:
Step A. UNITY Data Search: Upon receipt of a referral and prior to disposition
of the report, the intake worker must complete a thorough data search in the
UNITY system to locate and review prior allegations or reports of child abuse or
neglect in Nevada. Depending upon reported circumstances, it may be
appropriate to conduct criminal history checks and collateral contacts, such as
obtaining information from other state child welfare agencies regarding child
maltreatment.
Supervisors or their agency designees, (or lead workers, based on jurisdictional
preference), must review report provided by the intake worker as soon as
possible.
 Review report;
 Review existing CPS history in UNITY and the CA/Ns system; and
 Determine whether or not allegations of abuse or neglect exist; and
 Code the report as abuse, neglect, information only, information and
referral and determine the appropriate response time accordingly.
 Assign a response code.
Step B. Nevada Child Abuse and Neglect Allegation Definitions: When an
agency which provides child welfare services receives a referral that a child is
alleged to be abused and/or neglected or threatened with harm, the agency must
determine if the information received constitutes a report of abuse and/or neglect
as defined by Nevada Child Abuse and Neglect Allegation definitions. If yes,
then the appropriate allegation is assigned and the referral is then made into a
report.
Step C. Screen and Response Criteria: Use the Screening and Response
criteria to recommend an agency response to the supervisor.
6. Screening Decisions:
 Screen-In Criteria:
 Alleged victim must be 0-18 (child);
 Alleged perpetrator must be someone who is responsible for
child’s welfare, specifically a parent, guardian or other primary
caretaker (NRS 432B.130)
 Must contain an allegation of child abuse or neglect; or
Indications of present danger and/or plausible risk of physical
injury or sexual abuse.
 Screen-Out Criteria:
 Reasonable discipline (not resulting in bruising pursuant to NRS
432B.260(3)(d)(1));
 Alleged victim is not a child;

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 Family/child cannot be located;

 No allegation of abuse or neglect.


506.5.2 Timelines:
Table 0506.1 Child Welfare Agency Priority Response Times:
A. This matrix is based on response from the time that a report is received by the intake
worker.
Initiation of
Coding Identified Danger Investigation: Response Type*
Time Fame

Urgent/emergency
Priority 1 Present Danger within 3 hours  Initiate face-to-face by CPS agency
Safety factors identified

Urgent/emergency
Priority 1 Present Danger
Rural Safety factors identified
within 6 hours  Initiate face-to-face by CPS agency

Victim 5 & Under – any maltreatment or Preferred order of response:

Impending Danger  Initiate face-to-face by CPS agency
Safety factors identified, this includes reports
Priority 2
involving a child fatality or near fatality
within 24 hours  Collateral contacts (face-to-face or
(regardless of whether or not there are siblings telephone)
in the home).  Case Review
Preferred order of response:
 Initiate face-to-face by CPS agency
Maltreatment indicated No safety factors
Priority 3
identified
within 72 hours  Collateral contacts (face-to-face or
telephone)
 Case Review (NAC 432B.155)
Preferred order of response
 Initiate face-to-face by CBSP
Priority 3
Maltreatment indicated with no safety factors Within 3
 Telephone contact with family by
Differential CBSP
identified business days
Response  Collateral contacts (face-to-face or
telephone)
 Case Review (NAC 432B.155)
B. * This chart applies when the child welfare agency is the first responder to a report of
abuse or neglect and law enforcement is not involved.
C. Note 1: Preferred initiation of contact with child/family:
1. Face-to-face whenever possible
2. Telephone call
3. Contact by other means
D. Note 2: The supervisor or designee or lead worker should document any variation in
response.
0506.5.3 Report Disposition Types, as they appear in UNITY.
A. Investigation: Referral information meets the criteria of one or more child abuse and/or
neglect allegation definitions and thus constitutes a report which is appropriate for
investigation. An agency which provides child welfare services or a law enforcement
agency shall immediately initiate an investigation if the report indicates that:
1. The child is 5 years of age or younger;
2. There is a high risk of serious harm to the child;

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3. The child has suffered a fatality; or

4. The child is living in a household in which another child has died, or the child is
seriously injured or has visible signs of physical abuse.

B. Institutional Abuse Investigation: A report alleging child maltreatment has been

screened in for investigation of a child(ren) residing in out-of-home care. Examples of
such institutions include, but are not limited to; foster care homes, treatment homes,
hospitals, child care institutions, juvenile detention facilities, boarding schools and drug or
alcohol abuse treatment facilities.
C. Differential Response Assessment (DFRP): When a public child welfare agency
determines that an investigation is not warranted; the child welfare agency may assign a
report on a particular child and family, to a Community Based Service Provider for the
purpose of conducting assessments and providing appropriate services that will support,
preserve and improve the child’s safety and family’s well-being and functioning.
D. Information Only (I/O): A referral received by the child welfare agency alleging child
abuse or neglect that does not constitute a report of abuse or neglect based on the
Nevada allegation definitions.
E. Information/Referral: A referral received by the child welfare agency alleging child
abuse or neglect that does not constitute a report of abuse or neglect based on Nevada
allegation definitions, however the family is contacted and referrals for services are
provided by the child welfare agency.
F. Additional Information: If more than one report is received on the same family, referring
to the same incident, occurring on the same day, with the same alleged perpetrator, the
agency shall consider them to be a single report. These reports are enhancements to a
report already received or under investigation.
G. No Jurisdiction: When a public child welfare agency receives a referral of alleged child
maltreatment and determines the child’s residence is on tribal land, that referral must be
passed, as soon as possible, to the appropriate tribal social services entity. If the tribe is
the entity making the referral of alleged abuse and/or neglect to the child welfare agency,
the agency must determine if the information received constitutes a report of abuse
and/or neglect and they must disposition that referral as appropriate.
H. Family Assessment: A report of a situation outside the scope of the child welfare
agency’s mandated jurisdiction. The child welfare agency provides services because of
the potential risk to the child or because of family malfunctioning, which without
preventive services could lead to a referral or placement of a child.
0506.5.4 Procedures for Reconciling Various Intake Scenarios.
A. New allegations: For all new allegations of child abuse or neglect, the following steps
must be taken:
1. Make the referral into a report on the UNITY system by the end of the work
day or as promptly as possible by the following business day if the report is
taken after business hours, on a weekend or a holiday.
2. Conduct a background search in UNITY to determine if there is a previous
report of child maltreatment.
3. If there is a previous report or multiple reports of abuse or neglect, and if the
current report will be screened out, a supervisor must document the screen-
out determination.
4. If there is an open case, including voluntary service cases; notify the
caseworker and the supervisor of the new report and document the
information.

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5. New reports made on an open case (legal or voluntary) must be investigated

and should not be considered as an “Information Only” or “Information and
Referral” simply because the case is currently open. There may be a joint
investigation occurring with the investigative and ongoing caseworker.

B. Additional Information regarding the same allegations and report: If more than one
report is received on the same family referring to the same incident occurring on the
same date with the same alleged perpetrator, the agency shall consider them to be a
single report. These reports are enhancements to a report already received or under
investigation. The source of information is providing additional information such as exact
address, spelling of names or new collateral contact. Similar reports shall be considered
a single report. Each agency currently has a different way of handling these reports and
it is as follows:
1. The reports are merged on the report detail screen in UNITY (WCDSS).
2. Disposition the report as “Additional Information”, attach it to the current case and
notify the assigned caseworker (CCDFS).
3. Take the report and disposition it as “Information Only” (DCFS).
C. Which ever unique way it is handled, the 4 steps that MUST occur are:
1. Writing up the information received as a report.
2. Assigning a disposition to the report.
3. Attaching the report to the currently open investigation.
4. Notify supervisor regarding subsequent similar reports.
D. Additional allegations that present during an on-going investigation:
1. If during the first 30 days of an investigation, the caseworker uncovers additional
allegations that were not included in the initial report, those allegations MUST
either be: added to the UNITY Investigation Allegation Update window,
investigated and documented in the Nevada Initial Assessment as a part of the
current investigation OR a new report can be made and those allegations
investigated as a separate report and investigation depending on the scenario.
2. If additional allegations are uncovered by the caseworker anytime after 30 days
of the report date of current investigation, a new report MUST be made.
3. Additional allegations reported by the community during an open investigation,
are considered a new incident and MUST be written up as a report.
E. Multiple reports: When a new report is received and a child abuse and neglect records
check indicates there have been other reports that may have been substantiated or
unsubstantiated, or coded as “Information Only” or “Information and Referral,” the report
history must be provided to the supervisor for a review. The following is a guide for
making an intake disposition: Information Only – third report: A third report made with an
investigative intent, should be reviewed by the supervisor and a determination made
about whether an investigation should be conducted to ascertain the veracity of the report
and the safety of the child.
F. Differential Response: All reports of abuse or neglect must be evaluated by the child
welfare agency for appropriateness of assignment CPS or DR Assessment. Upon
completion of the CPS intake screening process by the child welfare agency (using the
Information Collection Standard), when a report has been “screened in” as meeting the
statutory definition of child abuse/neglect, a decision will be made by the child welfare
agency CPS supervisor(s), or other assigned supervisor, to assign as a child welfare
agency investigation, or a differential response, in the form of an agency assessment, or
forwarding to a Community Based Service Provider for assessment and service

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provision. Reports assigned to a Community Based Service Provider will be limited to

Priority 3 reports
G. The Safe Haven Act: In Nevada, the Safe Haven Infant Protection Act allows an
individual to surrender an infant with no fear of arrest or prosecution. Names and/or
records are not required. The parents can bring a baby less than 30 days old to any
hospital, and urgent care facility, an occupied fire or police station or they can call 911 to
have an ambulance dispatched to the location. NRS 432B.630 protects a parent from
identification and pursuant to NRS 432B.020 the child is not considered to be abused or
neglected if they are delivered to an emergency care provider in accordance with NRS
432B.630. As a result, there is no requirement that the child welfare agency investigate a
case of child abuse or neglect if an infant is left in accordance to NRS 432B.630.
However, child welfare agencies do have the responsibility of establishing guidelines
when a child is delivered to a safe haven provider. This shall include taking the newborn
into custody and placing the infant in a foster or pre-adoptive home. This law does not
protect a parent from being arrested and criminally prosecuted if the baby is a victim of
abuse or neglect.
H. Institutional Child Abuse and Neglect in Residential Facilities: The intake worker
who receives a referral of child abuse and/or neglect in a residential setting completes
the referral and immediately informs the assigned supervisor of the reported allegations.
The supervisor reviews the referral, determines if child abuse and neglect allegations
exist and if an investigation is warranted. If the report involves acts or omissions,
administered by the agency which provides child welfare services, than the supervisor
must invoke outside-agency investigation (see Statewide Policy Manual, 0901
Investigating Child Abuse and Neglect in Residential Institutions). If the report does not
warrant an investigation and the residential institution made the report, the residential
institution must be informed that no investigation will occur. Some referrals may not
clearly indicate if the complaint is a licensing violation or a CPS allegation. If there is
doubt, the report should be handled as a CPS issue and an investigation should be
initiated accordingly. If child abuse or neglect (pursuant to NRS 432B) is alleged, it is the
responsibility of the child welfare agency that receives the report to ensure that an
investigation takes place. If the referral does not constitute an allegation of abuse or
neglect, the referral should be forwarded to the applicable child care licensing entity for
assessment of licensing violations. Definitions of residential institutions can be found in
0901 Investigating Child Abuse and Neglect in Residential Institutions. Child welfare
agencies should make referrals to law enforcement in accordance with their agency
polices if they believe a crime has occurred.

0506.6 Forms and Tools:

A. FPO 0506A – Nevada Allegation Definitions: This document references Nevada’s child
abuse and neglect allegations which were approved by the DMG and deployed in UNITY
on 10/23/08.
B. FPO 0506B – Nevada Allegations as they Appear in UNITY: This document references
the allegations as they are appear numbered in UNITY. Please note that physical abuse,
sexual abuse and mental injury could have occurred because of either abuse or neglect.
When assigning an allegation make the best decision possible based on the information
you have at Intake.

0506.6 Jurisdictional Action

0506.6.1 Development of Internal Policies: NA

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 MTL 0506-062615
Division of Child and Family Services Section 0506
Family Programs Office: Statewide Policy Manual Subject: Intake and Priority Response

0506.6.2 Timelines:
Table 0506.1: Timelines for Jurisdictional Response to Policy Development
Requirement Deadline Starting Date Responsible Party Actions to be Taken
NA NA NA NA NA

0506.6.3 Tools & Forms: NA

0506.6.4 Documentation:
A. Case File Documentation (paper): NA

B. UNITY Documentation (electronic):

Table 0506.2 UNITY Documentation for Intake Policy
Applicable UNITY Screen Data Required
CFS006 Referral Detail
CFS242 Intake Narrative
CFS008F Find Person
CFS008 Person Directory
CFS033 Referral Participants
CFS016 Person Detail
CFS023 Referral Allegation Detail
CFS116 Substance Use Detail
CFS007 Referral Disposition
CFS036 Case Create/Case Participant
CFS034 Disposition Report

0506.7 Child Welfare Agency Policy Compliance Requirements

0506.8.1 Development of Internal Policies: The child welfare agencies are expected to follow this
policy as written.
0506.8.2 Forms and Report Requirements: N/A
0506.8.3 Compliance Timelines: Each child welfare agency is expected to meet response time
criteria as outlined in this policy.

0506.8 State Responsibilities

0506.9.1 Participants in Policy Development
A. FPO Staff: CAPTA/CPS Specialists
B. Child Welfare Agency Representatives: WCDSS, CCDFS, DCFS Rural Region
C. External Stakeholders: N/A

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 MTL 0506-062615
Division of Child and Family Services Section 0506
Family Programs Office: Statewide Policy Manual Subject: Intake and Priority Response

0506.9.2 Technical Assistance

D. Requesting Technical Assistance (TA): N/A
E. Resources: N/A
0506.9.3 Clearance Record
Table 0506.3: Policy Clearance History
PART
DAG DMG DCFS
Final
Workgroup Name & Recomm Final Admin. Effective
Policy Name & MTL Number Recomm
Review Dates endation Approval Approval Date
endation
Date Date Date
Date
Workgroup met between
0506 Intake and Initial Response September 2009 and January 2010 02/17/10 04/07/10 04/23/10 04/23/10 04/23/10
approximately 6-8 times
04/23/10 04/23/10 05/05/10
0506-101508 Intake unknown unknown unknown 10/15/08 10/15/08 10/15/08

04/23/10 04/23/10 05/05/10

10/15/08 10/15/08 10/15/08
0506 Intake unknown unknown unknown
09/17/07 09/17/07 09/17/07
08/30/05 08/30/05 08/30/05
Intake 203 of 2005 Child Protective
unknown unknown unknown 08/30/05 8/30/05 10/31/05
Services Manual

0506.9.4 Policy Impact:

F. State Plans:
1. Child and Family Services Plan (CSFP)
 Performance Item 1: Timeliness of Investigations
 Performance Item 2: Repeat Maltreatment

0506.10 Policy Cross Reference

0503 Differential Response
0901 Investigating Child Abuse and Neglect in Residential Institutions
0506.11 Attachments
FPO 0506A – Nevada Allegation Definitions
FPO 0506B – Nevada Allegations as they Appear in UNITY

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