3.6 Specialty Assessments

To better understand the holistic needs of the family, the worker may conduct specialty assessments using specific assessment tools.

Throughout the years, the Department has developed specialty assessments and tools for specific populations that are served. In addition, caseworkers make referrals to community services providers for specialized assessments that cannot be done by the caseworker. As these specific tools are used, the findings will be integrated into the updated comprehensive assessment. A description of some of the assessments used in Illinois child welfare practice is as follows:

• Developmental and Educational Assessement: The purpose of an educational assessment is to determine a child's educational needs and to ensure that necessary supports are provided to give the child the best chance for academic and social success. This assessment should include a developmental screening, child's medical history, behavioral and educational history. (See Procedure 314.40)
• Screening, Assessment and Support Services (SASS): SASS evaluations are completed to determine the need for a child to be psychiatrically hospitalized. (See Rule and Procedure 327and Policy Guide 96.5)
• Psychiatric Evaluation: This is an assessment conducted by a psychiatrist to determine the potential value of psychotropic medication, the client's mental status, whether the client is a danger to self or others, and diagnosis.
• Psychological Evaluation: A psychological evaluation generally provides three types of information: intelligence quotient, possible leanring diasbilities, brain damage and personality characteristics. It can only be performed by a certified psychologist. A psychological evaluation requires prior approval by a Department psychologist.
• Substance Abuse Assessment: An assessment performed by a CADC- certified individual that determines the client's level of misuse of alcohol or other drugs and makes recommendations for treatment. (Policy Guide 99.13, Services for DCFS Substance Affected Families.)
• Sexually Aggressive Children and Youth (SACY): The assessment identifies behavior which may be sexually problematic or aggressive, collects and analyzes information about the behavior to determine whether it is sexually problematic or aggressive, provides intervention appropriate to the child's needs and minimizes the risk of harm to other children. The SACY assessment results in a written protection plan. Refer to Procedures 302, Subpart B, Reports of Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect or Incidents Involving Sexually Aggressive Wards.
• Daniel Memorial Life Skills Assessment: The objective of the life skills assessment is to establish a baseline for education, housing, employment and health areas to be addressed in a youth's individualized transition plan. It is administered within 30 days of the youth's 14^th and 16^th birthdays, and 60 days prior to the youth's planned discharge from guardianship. (See Procedure 302, Appendix M)
• Health Works: When protective custody is taken of a child, an initial health screening must be conducted and the child must be registered with the Healthworks provider in the geographic area of the field office having jurisdiction of the case. The results of the initial health screening must be documented on an Encounter Form and maintained in the case record.
• EPSDT: A child for whom the Department is responsible must have a comprehensive EPSDT (examination, periodic screening, diagnosis and treatment) within 21 days of protective custody and annually thereafter. The results of the medical exam must be documented on a CFS 600 and maintained in the case record.

In addition there are assessments addressing special needs and requests. They are:

• Interstate Compact: An interstate compact assessment is completed to ensure that each child expected to be placed across state lines receives appropriate care, to ensure that both sending and receiving authorities are able to make informed decisions on suitable placements and to establish appropraite jurisdictional responsibility for placements. (See Rule 328)
• Child Custody Assessments: The purpose of the child custody assessment is to assist the court in determining who will be awarded custody of a child. (See Procedures 330)
• Foster Home Studies: The licensing worker and the foster family determines whether or not the family meets licensing standards and is willing and capable of fostering children as well as working with the agency in a foster parent role.
• Adoption Home Study: A formal assessment of a family to determine if a family meets licensing standards for adoptive homes and is willing and capable of parenting an adoptive child, as well as their ability to meet the special needs of the children.
• Permanency Assessments: Assessment of the child for adoption should be built on the comprehensive assessment initiated at the beginning of the case and should encompass certain topics leading to recommendations for adoption planning and placement selection. When the ongoing assessment indicates that reunification of the child with the birth family should not or cannot occur, the permanency worker must assess the birth family for potential adoption planning in conjunction with the assessment of whether adoption is in the child's best interest. Assessing the child's current caregiver and their willingness and capacity to provide for the child's needs is the third part of the assessment that must be initiated when adoption is considered as a potential permanency outcome for the child.