River Valley

Meth Endangered Children

Response Protocol

 

The purposes of this protocol are:

 

·         To develop multidisciplinary procedures that protect children found at meth lab sites

·         To improve multidisciplinary procedures that protect law enforcement and family service workers who encounter meth lab sites

·         To better protect foster families who receive meth endangered children

·         To improve multidisciplinary collection of evidence

 

When suspicious methamphetamine lab site activity is reported to the Child Maltreatment Hotline, there are two (2) possible responses.

 

ACCEPTED REPORT

 

“Child Maltreatment”

UNACCEPTED REPORT

 

“Child Welfare Concern”

1.  CACD investigator notified by ASP

     Child Maltreatment Hotline.

 

2.  CACD investigator notifies law

     enforcement agency for assistance with

     investigation.

 

3.  CACD investigator notifies DCFS to

     assess safety of the child.

 

4.  DCFS responds to:

 

    a.  Assess child safety.

 

    b.  Assess with law enforcement agency

         appropriate decontamination at the scene.

         (Utilize Meth On-Call procedures)

 

    c.  Transport for medical evaluation with

         assistance of law enforcement agency.

         (See medical procedures on back)

 

    d.  Provide appropriate placement.  Insure meth

         residual free contact with foster family.

 

    e.  Collect evidence (See Area V Protocol). 

 

1.  ASP Child Maltreatment Hotline

     notifies law enforcement agency of

     child welfare concern.

 

2.  If law enforcement agency verifies meth

     production, and a child(ren) are present:

   

    a.  immediately notify child

        maltreatment hotline at

        1-800-482-5964.

 

    b.  Notify Pope County DCFS at

         968-5596 or on-call # at 264-9042.

 

3.  DCFS responds to:

 

    a.  Assess child safety.

 

    b.  Assess with law enforcement agency

         appropriate decontamination at the scene.

         (Utilize Meth On-Call procedures)

 

    c.  Transport for medical evaluation with

         assistance of law enforcement agency.

         (See medical procedures on back)

 

    d.  Provide appropriate placement.  Insure meth

         residual free contact with foster family.

 

    e.  Collect evidence (See Area V Protocol).   

 

 

                                                                                     

Points to remember:

 

·         Law enforcement agency is responsible for securing the house and the people inside, including removing the children from the house.

·         DCFS caseworkers may not enter a meth lab site house per agency policy (FSPP Appendix VIII 06/18/2004).

·         DCFS and law enforcement agency jointly assess level of contamination of child and needed decontamination.

·         Law enforcement personnel should consider utilization of charcoal filtered masks for protection.

 

 

 

 

Return to Child Protection

 

APPCW  11/3/04; Revised 3/15/05; 3/30/05