DFPS CPS Handbook §2281.4
Unable To Complete

CPS September 2019 The caseworker assigns the Unable to Complete ( UTC ) disposition to an individual allegation, or to all allegations in an investigation, in specific circumstances. The caseworker must not assign the UTC disposition unless the caseworker has made reasonable efforts to locate the principals and gather information from them. When to Assign the UTC Disposition The caseworker assigns the UTC disposition for the allegation only if one of the scenarios below applies. A principal , also called a principal source, is a person closely connected with the case. Scenario One The caseworker has made reasonable efforts to locate the principals, but these efforts have been unsuccessful. The caseworker cannot reach a disposition for the allegations. The caseworker does the following: • Assigns the UTC disposition to all allegations. • Chooses the Recommended Action of Close – Fam moved/cannot locate . • Places the family on the Child Safety Check Alert List (CSCAL). Scenario Two The caseworker has located some (or all) principals and may have gathered enough information to reach a disposition for the allegations. However, CPI can no longer locate the family, and one of the following applies: • The caseworker is not sure whether the child is safe. • There are immediate, ongoing concerns for child safety that CPI must address. The caseworker does the following: • Assigns the UTC disposition to all allegations. • Chooses the Recommended Action of Close – Fam moved/cannot locate . • Places the family on the Child Safety Check Alert List (CSCAL). • Documents in a contact narrative before submitting the case for approval, according to these directions: • The caseworker does this if he or she could have reached a disposition at the time of closure but chose the UTC disposition because of concerns for child safety. • The documentation includes the following: • The disposition that the caseworker would have assigned to each allegation if UTC had not been required. • The supporting rationale for each of those dispositions. Scenario Three The caseworker has located all the principals in the case. The caseworker has made reasonable efforts to contact the principals and gather information from them, but these efforts have been unsuccessful with all the principals, and legal intervention is not possible. The caseworker may have gathered enough information from other sources to reach a disposition for some of the allegations. The caseworker cannot reach a disposition for the remaining allegations. The caseworker does the following: • Assigns the UTC disposition to only the allegations that do not have a disposition because of factors in Scenario Three. • Assigns a disposition other than UTC to each of the other allegations, as appropriate. • Chooses the Recommended Action of Close – Fam uncooperative . Scenario Four The caseworker has located all the principals in the case. The caseworker has interviewed some of the principals and may have gathered enough information to reach a disposition for some of the allegations. The caseworker has made reasonable efforts to contact the remaining principals and gather information from them, but these efforts have been unsuccessful, and legal intervention is not possible. The caseworker cannot reach a disposition for the remaining allegations. The caseworker does the following: • Assigns the UTC disposition to only the allegations that do not have a disposition because of factors in Scenario Four. • Assigns a disposition other than UTC to each of the other allegations, as appropriate. • Chooses the Recommended Action of Close – Fam uncooperative . When Not to Assign the UTC Disposition The caseworker does not assign the UTC disposition if any of the following occur: • The caseworker has not made reasonable efforts to locate the principals and gather information from them. • The caseworker cannot gather enough information to determine whether the alleged abuse or neglect occurred, who is responsible for it, or both. However, the reason the caseworker cannot gather enough information is something other than the caseworker being unable to locate a principal or a principal being uncooperative. • All of the following apply in the case: • The caseworker has gathered information from principals. • The caseworker has enough information to determine whether the abuse or neglect occurred and who is responsible for it (for all allegations). • CPI believes the child is safe at the time of closure, even though CPI can no longer locate the family. DFPS Rules, 40 TAC §707.495(b)(3) DFPS Rules, 40 TAC §707.495(c)(3) When to Change a UTC Disposition Because the Family Is Located CPI addresses all allegations when all of the following apply: • The caseworker in the family’s previous case assigned a UTC disposition and chose the Recommended Action of Close – Fam moved/cannot locate . • CPI or another entity locates the family. • The family has a new (current) CPI case. The caseworker in the family’s current case does the following: • Gathers information and addresses the allegations from the previous case, during the current case. • Assigns dispositions (other than UTC ) to these allegations. If the family’s previous case fell under Scenario Two , above, the caseworker in the current case does the following: • Reviews the disposition and supporting rationale for the disposition that the caseworker, in the previous case, provided in the contact narrative. • Determines whether that disposition still applies to those allegations. • Assigns a disposition (other than UTC ) to the allegations that previously had a UTC disposition. The caseworker does this based on both of the following: • Information gathered in the previous case. • Current information that the principals have provided. See: 3110 Purpose of the Child Safety Check Alert List (CSCAL) Finding Families Resource Guide