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<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> V.B. Missing and RunawayEffective 9/30/16 |
  
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Effective 9/30/16
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<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> V.B. Missing and RunawayEffective 9/30/16 |
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I.SUBJECT
Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS) Missing and Runaway Youth Policy
II.PHILOSOPHY
OCFS recognizes an increased risk to youth when they have run away or go missing from an approved placement. Staff have a responsibility to respond immediately when youth in the care and custody of the State have run away or are missing.
III.PURPOSE
OCFS believes youth should have a safe place to sleep every night, and should have responsible adults to care for them. This policy is designed to delineate tasks that OCFS staff must do when youth, who are in the care and custody of the State, become missing and/or have run away from an approved placement. The policy also gives guidance to staff for those youth not in state custody and are missing and or run away.
IV.PRACTICE MODEL
We believe that children’s needs are best served in a family that is committed to the child. We support placements that promote family, sibling, and community connections, and encourage healthy social development.
V.LEGAL BASE
Title 22 M.R.S. §4008
H.R.4980 Preventing Sex Trafficking Strengthening Families Act
VI.DEFINITIONS
Missing Youth:
A child:
A. Who is under eighteen (18) years of age; and
B. Whose temporary or permanent residence is in or is believed to be in this State; and
C. Whose location is not determined within twenty-four (24) hours.
Runaway: An unmarried child/youth under eighteen (18) years of age who is absent from the home of a parent or guardian or other lawful placement without the consent of the parent, guardian or lawful custodian but the whereabouts are known and confirmed by a phone call within the first twenty four (24) hours of them being away from their approved placement and face to face contact with the child/youth within forty-eight (48) hours of them being away from their approved placement.
VII.PROCEDURE STATEMENT
A.When a youth in the care and custody of the State is reported missing
Caseworker’s responsibilities to be completed within the first twenty-four (24) hours:
1.If intake receives a report of a missing youth they will immediately pass the information on to the assigned worker or standby worker in the district.
2.Conduct a review of case records in an effort to determine where the child may have gone and/or who may have been involved in the child’s disappearance, or unauthorized absence.
3.Contact other individuals who may have had previous contact with the missing child (i.e. school personnel, physical and mental health providers, law enforcement personnel, friends, neighbors, relatives, family members, other children who may have shared a placement with the child, etc.).
4.Contact other community partners to inform them that the child may be missing and to request they keep us informed if they come in contact with the child or learn about his/her whereabouts. Be sure to connect with the local Homeless Youth Outreach agencies as well as Emergency Shelters.
5.Communicate with the law enforcement entity that covers the area that the child resides in and file a missing person’s report. Confirm with them that they have or will place the information into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database. If there is reason to believe that the youth was possibly abduction, alert law enforcement of that possibility right away and give as much detail as possible about who was last with the child, the relationship between the two etc.
6.Notify the assigned GAL.
7.Review the Human Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation Policy (HTCSEC) (IV. D- 2B) and assess the level of risk the youth is at utilizing the screening tool and follow next steps.
8.The Caseworker who filed the missing person’s report is responsible for immediately documenting what the plan will be to respond to law enforcement’s notification that the child has been found and being held for pick up. Those plans are to be recorded both in the narrative log and as “special instructions”.
9.If the youth is missing for twenty-four (24) hours the assigned caseworker or standby worker must report to the National Center on Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), see appendix A for the process. Documentation of this step will be placed in MACWIS narrative log.
10.Document the correct placement type in MACWIS. See appendix B.
B. Caseworker’s ongoing responsibilities while youth is missing:
1.Maintain ongoing contact with the biological family (when appropriate), as well as the child’s current placement provider to share information and to obtain new or additional information regarding the child.
2.Keep the GAL informed of the attempts to locate the youth weekly or when there is a change.
3.Ensure ongoing contact and collaboration with NCMEC and law enforcement
C. When a missing youth in the care and custody of the State is located:
Caseworker’s responsibilities include:
1.Pick the youth up as soon as possible from law enforcement and assess the need for safety, placement, and care. Instructions on who will pick the youth up when they are found will be documented in MACWIS. (When a child is picked up on a Missing Persons Report, the child cannot be confined unless he/she has been identified as an out of state runaway).
2.Contact the law enforcement entity where the youth was reported missing, to notify them that the youth has been located, and that the missing person’s report should be cancelled. Contact any other individuals or organizations who have been contacted about the youth’s status. This should include but is not limited to, the GAL, NCMEC, other law enforcement agencies, and community partners. There should be one entry into narrative log in MACWIS that these people were contacted and updated that the youth has been located.
3.As soon as possible and no later than twenty-four (24) hours after being located, utilize the screening tool found in the HTCSEC Policy (IV. D-2B) and follow next steps based on the results of the screening.
4.Gather information around the circumstances of the youth’s absence from their approved placement. For a sample of questions that may help elicit this information, please see appendix C. Document this information using the Missing/Reasons for running template located in MACWIS narrative log see Appendix D.
D. When a youth in the care and custody of the State has run away from an approved placement
Caseworker responsibilities include:
1.Review all of the youth’s options given the situation. If the youth does not agree to return to their previous placement, plan with them around where they will be staying and follow next steps in the Selection of Substitute Care Placement Policy (V. D) for next steps in regards to placement.
2.Plan with the youth around when, where and how to contact them using all relevant communication technology available and make a plan for your next meeting with them.
3.Review the HTCSEC Policy (IV.D-2B) and screening tool and follow next steps based on screening tool risk factor category.
4.Gather information around the circumstances of the youth’s absence from their approved placement. For a sample of questions that may help elicit this information see Appendix C. Document this information using the Missing/Reasons for running template located in MACWIS narrative log see Appendix D.
5.Enter the appropriate placement type in MACWIS see Appendix B.
E. When OCFS staff works with youth who have run away who are not in the care and custody of the State:
1.OCFS staff will work with the youth’s parent/legal guardian and encourage them to follow the above procedures where appropriate for a parent/legal guardian. OCFS staff may also encourage a referral to a homeless youth outreach worker.
2.OCFS staff will ensure the parent/legal guardian/ and treatment team (if applicable) is aware of resources for runaway youth and suggest that a supportive person (known to the youth) reach out to the youth to plan for their safety and where they will be staying.
3.OCFS staff will encourage parents/legal guardians and the youth’s treatment team to contact Child Protective Intake with questions regarding when Child Protective Services would become involved with a runaway youth and their family and/or if there is any suspicion of child abuse or neglect by the parent/legal guardian. OCFS staff will report suspected abuse or neglect per the requirement of 22 M.R.S. §4011-A.
4.OCFS staff should alert law enforcement that this child has runaway or become missing if the parent/caregiver is unwilling or unable to do so.
Appendix A
Reporting to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)
1. Assigned Caseworker or Standby worker must notify their Supervisor, APA or PA prior to making a report to the NCMEC.
2. Caseworker should make sure that Law Enforcement has been notified and a missing person’s report has been filed and the youth has been entered into the NCIC.
3. Caseworker should gather as much of the following information as possible and have it on hand to file the report
Child Information |
Endangerment Information (with any details of each)
|
Companion information |
Guardian Information (If social services just state that) |
•First Name (Alias) •Last Name (Alias) •Nick name •Sex •Race •Missing Date •Missing Time •Social Security Number •School Attended/Grade •Cell phone number •Cell phone provider •Missing Location Type •Missing Location Address •Missing From Zip •Missing from City •Height •Weight •Eye Color •Hair Color •Hair Style •Build •Teeth •Complexion •Scars, Marks, Tattoos •Scars, Marks Tattoo’s description •Clothes
|
•Has run away before •Medical Condition •Mental Health Condition •Medications •Drugs •Pregnant •Cutting •Suicidal •Gang Involvement •Weapons •Child Sex Trafficking •Internet Related •Internet additional information •Email address •Website Name •User Name |
•Type •Relationship •First Name •Middle Name •Last Name •Alias First Name •Alias Last Name •Sex •Race •Date of Birth •Social Security Number •Occupation •Email Address •Sex Offender •In Military •Height •Weight •Eye Color •Hair Color •Hair Style •Build •Teeth •Complexion •Scars, Marks, Tattoos •Clothes •Last Known Address •Last Known Zip •Last Known City •Last Known State •Home Phone Number •Work Phone Number •Fax Number •Cell Phone Number •Driver's License Number •Driver's License State |
•GUARDIAN INFORMATION •Relationship/Social Worker •First Name •Last Name •Sex •Agency •Address •Zip •City •State •Work Phone Number •Fax Number •Cell Phone Number •Email Address •Custody Date •Additional Information Law Enforcement Information •Law Enforcement Agency •Assigned Officer •Responding Officer •Department •Unit •Address •Zip Code •City •State •General Phone Number •Direct Phone Number •Poster Phone Number •Cell Phone Number •Fax Number •Email Address •Case number •Additional Information |
4. Call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-843-5678. Enter a narrative stating that both law enforcement and NCMEC were notified.
5. Send a photo of the child along with the child’s name and date of birth to the NCMEC using this e mail address Imaging@ncmec.org and using the encryption process (Follow the steps in the How do I: Encrypt Email section of the OCFS intranet)
6. Follow up with the Case Manager from NCMEC as necessary throughout the location process and within twenty-four (24) hours of the child being located.
Appendix B
Placement documentation in MACWIS
When the child has been either missing or has runaway for twenty-four (24) hours the child’s placement status needs to be documented appropriately;
1. Choose the correct Resource Type, Resource and Service based on the descriptions below in Macwis within twenty four (24) hours of the youth not being in his/her approved placement.
2. Make the youth’s current placement a secondary placement until they return to that placement. If he/she do not return within two (2) weeks then close the secondary placement (or sooner if you know they will not return). For any other types of placement, please consult the placement guide.
Service Type |
Definition |
How to document the child’s placement in MACWIS |
Missing youth |
This is defined as a child who has run away and the caseworker does not know how to find the child. A. Who is under eighteen (18) years of age; and B. Whose temporary or permanent residence is in or is believed to be in this State; and C. Whose location is not determined. |
Within Community Resources, the Resource Type will be: Miscellaneous The resource will be: Whereabouts Unknown-(or home office of case worker) The Service will be: Missing |
Unapproved |
An unmarried child/youth under eighteen (18) years of age who is absent from the home of a parent or guardian or other lawful placement without the consent of the parent, guardian or lawful custodian because they have run away, but the whereabouts are known and confirmed by a phone call within the first twenty four (24) hours of them being away from their approved placement and face to face contact with the child/youth within forty eight (48) hours of them being away from their approved placement. |
Within Community Resources, the Resource Type will be: Foster Child on Own The Resource will be: Child’s name The Service will be: Unapproved |
Appendix C
Questions that may be helpful when a youth has runaway.
Are you ok?
Do you need any support, services, medical attention?
What do you need right now to feel safe?
Who should I contact to let them know that you are safe?
Is there anything I can do to make it easier to stay at _______ house?
Was there anything that would have changed your mind about leaving?
What did you hope would happen when you left?
Did you have a plan on how to take care of yourself and did it work out? (this may lead to)
Where they ran to
What they did
Who they contacted while away
What happened while they were away
What made you decide to run?
What are your plans for the near future?
What do you want to see happen in the next 3 months?
Was there a time that you had to trade sex for things that you needed like a place to sleep, money, food, etc.
Appendix D
Missing/reasons for running template
For all of the above that apply, please write an action step that can be taken to increase the chances of the youth remaining
in an approved OCFS placement in the future
