1.3.1 Chief Investigator

Missouri law identifies the role and responsibility of a Chief Investigator in § 210.145 RSMo.. The Division Director shall name at least one Chief Investigator in each county CD office. The person(s) in each county office who is responsible for supervising staff responding to hotline reports shall be considered a Chief Investigator. Each county must develop procedures to ensure the tasks listed below are completed by the Chief Investigator, or substitute, in the Chief Investigator’s absence. Substitutes might include the circuit manager, social work specialist, or other experienced supervisor.

Within 72 hours of receiving a hotline report, the Chief Investigator will review the Safety Assessment (CD-17), Safety Plan (CD-18) (if required by the CD-17), other pertinent case record documentation, and/or information contained in the Family and Children’s Electronic System (FACES).  If in agreement with the CD-17 and if applicable the CD-18, the Chief Investigator will approve and date the physical copy of the CD-17 and CD-18 (if applicable) and enter approval in FACES.   If the CD-18 is required, the Chief Investigator will evaluate the feasibility of the safety plan and plan to monitor the plan and if in agreement will sign and date the physical copy of the CD-18 and enter approval in FACES. The Chief Investigator is expected to communicate with the worker to discuss the case whenever possible.

County offices must develop local protocol to ensure required information obtained for reports received after normal business hours, on weekends and holidays is made available to the Chief Investigator for review within seventy-two (72) hours of the report.  Some portions of the Chief Investigator review may be conducted over the telephone in cases of emergency situations.  When these situations occur, staff should document the date and time of the consultation in the case narrative in FACES.  The Chief Investigator's approval of the safety assessment and/or safety plan should also reflect the date on which they provided initial oversight.

Tasks of the Chief Investigator include:

• Verify the report was appropriately screened as an investigation or family assessment;
• Verify the reporter was contacted, or attempts have been made to initiate contact with the reporter, if their identity is known to the Division;
• Verify that all children in the household have been seen within appropriate timeframes, not to exceed seventy-two (72) hours of the report, unless sufficient documentation indicates the reason(s) for a delay in initial contacts;
• Verify that all family history with the Division has been considered as it relates to the hotline report and/or the overall assessment of the family;
• Verify and review the case record documentation of all contacts made to the point in the case at which the Chief Investigative review takes place;
• Verify that all reported concerns have been explored and addressed as needed;
• Verifying that any additional safety concerns presented (in addition to reported allegations) have been explored and addressed as needed;
• Ensure that co-investigative efforts have been implemented for CA/N Investigations and/or ensure that sufficient documentation is received from law enforcement if they decline to co-investigate the reported concern;
• Support Children Service Workers as they establish and maintain relations with multidisciplinary team members;
• When the report involves a child enrolled in school, ensure information regarding the status of reports is provided to the public school district liaison. Should the subject child attend a non-public school, the principal of that school should be notified of the report;
• If in agreement with the Safety Assessment (CD-17) and the Safety Plan (CD-18) (if required), the Chief Investigator, or their substitute, should enter approval in FACES.
• If the safety assessment safety decision is unsafe and a CD-18 is developed the Chief Investigator will review the CD-18 and plan for monitoring the safety plan and if in agreement will enter approval in FACES and sign and date the physical copy of the safety plan.

Local protocols must be developed to ensure supervisory coverage and accessibility to Children’s Service Workers to provide 72 hour Chief Investigator consultations and for any safety concerns which may develop during the completion of a CA/N Investigation or Family Assessment. The Chief Investigator is expected to communicate with the worker to discuss the case whenever possible or necessary, and provide guidance to the Children’s Service Worker with regard to the completion of the reported concern.