SECTION 135:10-25-3. Approval of freestanding multidisciplinary child abuse team

(a)   Definitions. The following words and terms, when used in the Subchapters, shall have the following meaning, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

(1)   "Annual survey"means a written document submitted to the Commission summarizing the activities of the team as related to child protection investigations and services with the data elements and format proscribed by the Commission.

(2)   "Annual Site Review" means the annual on-site review of multidisciplinary team records that assist the Commission in determining the functioning of the freestanding multidisciplinary team.

(3)   "Commission" means the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth

(4)   "Confidentiality statement" means the written document signed by the multidisciplinary team members assuring that all proceedings conducted during team meetings and child protective investigations will be kept confidential according to clearly defined limits, state law, and respective agency policy and procedure.

(5)   "Community Needs Assessment" means conducting a process that results in a written document that identifies available services, service gaps, untapped resources and community based priorities for improvement or development of services to the victim and family according to the format and schedule of the Commission.

(6)   "Child Abuse Multidisciplinary Account" means a continuing fund established by the Oklahoma Legislature for the purpose of providing operating funds to provisionally functioning and functioning multidisciplinary teams.

(7)   "Child Advocacy Center" means a child friendly, safe and neutral location in which law enforcement and child protective services may conduct and observe forensic interviews with children who are alleged victims of crimes and where non-offending family members may receive support, crisis intervention, and referrals for mental health and medical treatment.

(8)   " Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team" means a Multidisciplinary Child Abuse team utilized by a Child Advocacy Center to meet National Accreditation Standards.

(9)   "Data Collection" means multidisciplinary teams shall maintain data on every case reviewed by the multidisciplinary team in the format proscribed by the Commission.

(10)   "Expertise" means individual team members' obtaining training and experience in a particular aspect of the multidisciplinary team approach, conducting legally sound and age appropriate interviews, effective investigation techniques, or knowledge about how to conduct joint investigations.

(11)   "Freestanding multidisciplinary team" means a team not used by a child advocacy center for its accreditation.

(12)   "Functioning Freestanding Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team" means a freestanding multidisciplinary team that has met minimal standards promulgated by the Commission.

(13)   "Provisionally Functioning Freestanding Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team" means a team that has met the minimal freestanding multidisciplinary team standards for a new team.

(14)   "Non-Functional Freestanding Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team" means a team that has not met the minimal standards promulgated by the Commission.

(15)   "Joint Investigations" means law enforcement and child welfare staff collaborative investigation with written protocols to decrease duplicative efforts and to ensure a thorough process.

(16)   "Interagency agreement(s)" means the written document(s) signed by the multidisciplinary team member agencies that specify the cooperative effort of the member agencies to the team and delineates roles and responsibilities.

(17)   "Initial Freestanding Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team Training" means training conducted during the early formation of the team where individual team members are oriented to the multidisciplinary child abuse team approach.

(18)   "Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team" means a group of individuals of differing disciplines working together collaboratively on a common purpose.

(19)   "Protocol" means specific methods and procedures used to conduct child protection investigations and interviews.

(20)   "Standards" means the criteria used to determine functionality of a multidisciplinary team.

(b)   Types of Freestanding Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team.

(1)   Functioning Freestanding Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team. A Freestanding Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team shall be included on the list of Freestanding Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Teams when documentation that supports compliance with minimal standards for a functioning freestanding multidisciplinary child abuse team.

(2)   Provisionally Functioning Freestanding Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team. A Provisionally Functioning Freestanding Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team shall be included on the list of Functioning Freestanding Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team when documentation supports compliance with minimal standards for a provisionally functioning Freestanding Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team.

(3)   Non-Functioning Freestanding Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team. ANon-Functioning Freestanding Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team shall be removed from the list of Functioning Freestanding Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team when documentation does not support compliance with minimal standards for a functioning or provisionally functioning Freestanding Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team.

(c)   Annual On-Site Review.

(1)   Annual On-Site Visit. Commission staff annually shall conduct one on-site compliance visit to each Freestanding Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team to document compliance with minimal Freestanding Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team standards.

(2)   During each on-site compliance visit Commission staff shall request a completed Annual Survey document and review Freestanding Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team: interagency agreement, confidentiality statements, member sign-in sheets, joint-investigation and interview protocol, case review documentation, training records, financial accountability policies, and other documents to ascertain compliance with minimal standards.

(d)   Forms. Commission staff shall use standardized on-site review forms available for public inspection.

(e)   Reports. Commission staff shall annually issue a Freestanding Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team Summary Report.

[Source: Added at 31 Ok Reg 878, eff 9-12-14]