Plans of Safe Care Infants With Prenatal Substance Exposure and Their Families - Pennsylvania

Date: August 2019

Definitions

This issue is not addressed in the statutes and regulations reviewed.

Notification/Reporting Requirements

Citation: Cons. Stat. Tit. 23, § 6386

For the purpose of assessing a child and the child's family for a plan of safe care (POSC), a health-care provider shall immediately give notice or cause notice to be given to the Department of Human Services if the provider is involved in the delivery or care of a child under age 1 and the health-care provider has determined, based on standards of professional practice, the child was born affected by either of the following:

  • Substance use or withdrawal symptoms resulting from prenatal drug exposure
  • A fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)

The notification by a health-care provider to the department and any transmittal to the county agency by the department shall not constitute a child abuse report.

Assessment of the Infant and Family

Citation: Cons. Stat. Tit. 23, § 6386

The department, in collaboration with the Department of Health and the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, shall develop written protocols that include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Definitions and evidence-based screening tools, based on standards of professional practice, to be utilized by health-care providers to identify a child born affected by substance use or withdrawal symptoms resulting from prenatal drug exposure or a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
  • Notification to the department that a child born affected by substance use or withdrawal symptoms resulting from prenatal drug exposure or a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder has been born and identified

Ongoing involvement of the county agency after taking into consideration the individual needs of the child and the child's parents and immediate caregivers may not be required.

Responsibility for Development of the Plan of Safe Care

Citation: Cons. Stat. Tit. 23, § 6386

The department, in collaboration with the Department of Health and the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, shall develop written protocols that include, but are not limited to identification, informed by an assessment of the needs of the child and the child's parents and immediate caregivers, of the most appropriate lead agency responsible for developing, implementing, and monitoring a POSC, informed by a multidisciplinary team meeting that is held prior to the child's discharge from the health-care facility. The multidisciplinary team may include representatives of the following:

  • Public health agencies
  • Maternal and child health agencies
  • Home visitation programs
  • Substance use disorder prevention and treatment providers
  • Mental health providers
  • Public and private children and youth agencies
  • Early intervention and developmental services
  • Courts
  • Local education agencies
  • Managed care organizations and private insurers
  • Hospitals and medical providers

Services for the Infant

This issue is not addressed in the statutes and regulations reviewed.

Services for the Parents or Other Caregivers

Citation: Cons. Stat. Tit. 23, § 6386

The department, in collaboration with the Department of Health and the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, shall develop written protocols that include, but are not limited to engagement of the child's parents and immediate caregivers in order to identify the need for access to treatment for any substance use disorder or other physical or behavioral health condition that may impact the safety, early childhood development, and well-being of the child.

Monitoring Plans of Safe Care

Citation: Cons. Stat. Tit. 23, § 6386

The department, in collaboration with the Department of Health and the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, shall develop written protocols that include, but are not limited to, collection of data to meet Federal and State reporting requirements.

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