DHS & eSIS Tracking (SB414)
Senate Bill 414 is a law passed by the 2007 legislature regarding children in foster, residential or group care under the custody of DHS. Much of the measure addresses placement of siblings in care as well as the need to track the progress of students in care. The bill also includes a provision requiring DHS workers to report to the court on school attendance and school progress.
Here are links to use for students who are in custody of the Oregon Department of Human Services, in compliance with Senate Bill 414:
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Court Order Sample (pdf)
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eSIS Procedure for Student in Custody of DHS (pdf) NEW!
When your school receives a letter from DHS, please follow the Flow Chart protocol in order to comply with the order.
WHAT THE MEASURE DOES:
- Requires the Department of Human Services (DHS) to make diligent efforts to place siblings together when siblings are removed from the home and placed in foster care, residential care or group care unless such a placement is not in the best interest of the children.
- Requires DHS to report to the court on these efforts.
- Recognizes as a matter of state policy the importance of a child's relationship with parents, siblings and other relatives.
- Requires a court to make written findings when a child is removed from the home concerning whether DHS made diligent efforts to place the child with a relative. Allows a court to order visitation by the ward's parents and siblings with the child or children removed from the home and placed in foster care.
- Requires DHS to report to the court information on school attendacne and school progress, face-to-face contacts of the assigned caseworker with a child in the guardianship or custody of DHS; and parent and sibling visits while a child has been in the guardianship or custody of DHS.
- Also allows DHS to make federal foster care maintenance payments to for-profit organizations.
The law went into effect on January 1, 2008, and in Multnomah County, schools will begin receiving letters from DHS on May 1st.
A consortium of representatives from county school districts, DHS and MESD put together a process that we believe has the least day to day impact on a school staff and their workload, yet still complies with the law.
When a school receives one of these letters from DHS, it is important to respond promptly and the best tools to use are the document titled "SB 414 Flow Chart" as well as the document titled "eSIS Procedure for Student in Custody of DHS".
For GenEd students, the process is primarily an eSIS process in which the ‘parent’ is changed to reflect "Social Services" and DHS Services are identified as well. One additional step is for the School 504 Coordinator to copy and send the 504 plan to the DHS worker assigned to the student. All other information needed by DHS will be culled from eSIS and sent to DHS in an electronic report (this will be done by the MESD, which coordinates eSIS services county-wide).
For SPED students, the process is somewhat different because there are additional forms to be shared with DHS (IEP’s, Initial Evaluation Reports, etc.). In this case, the secretary will first send a notice to the foster parents (or other guardian of the student), whomever is currently listed as the parent. The purpose of this letter is to inform these individuals that records will be shared with DHS and if, for any reason, the individuals named want to oppose this release of records, they will know whom to contact to address their concern (the court). After six days, the secretary faxes the special education records request and court order to the Special Ed. Records room at 503-916-3018.
If you receive a letter and have questions, please call Student Services at 503-916-5460.
