DHS Policy: Documentation Falsification

Baca County
Department of Human Services
POLICY

POLICY TITLE
Documentation Falsification, In the program area of Child Welfare and Adult Protection

REFERENCE
Code of Colorado Regulations Volume 7.601.81

Colorado Revised Statutes 2023 – Title 18 — § 18-8-114(1)(a), C.R.S

Colorado Revised Statutes 2023 – Title 26 – 26-1-118(2), C.R.S.

POLICY NO.
N/A

EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2024

REVISION DATE
N/A

DIRECTOR APPROVAL
Jona S. Mills

Purpose: To monitor casework practice to ensure contacts with children, at-risk adults and families are documented accurately and with integrity into statewide databases (Trails & CAPS)

Policy Statement: To clarify the process whereupon falsification of documentation is suspected and investigated, and steps are taken when falsification of documentation is confirmed. A confirmed incident of falsification is an incident that was found to be substantiated after an investigation by the county department where the county department establishes by a preponderance (more likely to be true than not) of the evidence, that a person knowingly or intentionally made a false entry in or falsely altered information in the Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System known as Trails or Colorado Adult Protection Services (CAPS) System in Adult Protection.

Policy: If any Baca County Department of Human Services employee becomes aware of suspected or confirmed falsification of casework, they shall report the matter to their direct supervisor immediately and that supervisor shall report the matter to the Director. They shall notify the covering supervisor or administrator if their supervisor is unavailable.

Supervisor and Director shall initiate the following actions when an identified concern has been brought to the Department’s attention. These steps shall include:

1. The supervisor and Director will immediately involve the County Attorney and Human Resources.
2. Consult with Human Resources to identify appropriate disciplinary action, including paid administrative leave during the investigation, suspension of their email and access to their respective databases.
3. Once an incident of falsification is confirmed, BCDHS Child Welfare or Adult Protection Division Direction shall notify the Division of Child Welfare or the Division of Adult Protection within three (3) working days of confirmation of falsification.
4. The Supervisor of record will create an addendum with the original date where information was falsified to outline accurate information and capture it in the system of record. The original documentation will not be deleted. The notice to the individuals of the corrected record shall be documented in the respective systems.
5. The information shall be shared with the district attorney’s office no later than ten (10) working days from the date of the confirmed falsification incident. The county department shall document the referral to the appropriate investigatory agency or the district attorney in the staff member’s personnel record.
6. The caseworker may be subject to discipline up to and including termination.

Efforts to prevent falsification and assist workers with accurately documenting their work in the statewide database.

1. Supervisors will accompany a caseworker to interviews, court, and/or home visits as an intervention for performance improvement and training a minimum of two (2) times a year and document completion of such within their supervisory notes.
2. Supervisors will engage each caseworker in detailed discussions on what the caseworker observed to inform safety, permanency, well-being, and children youth and at-risk adults and to verify completion of required duties.
3. Supervisors can contact families with open assessments, referrals, or cases to get feedback on how the caseworker and department are doing in assisting their families with meeting their needs.
4. Supervisors will ensure that caseworkers are in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
5. Supervisors and Administrators shall regularly monitor for worker fatigue, burnout, and missed deadlines, as well as other predictive indicators to prevent falsification.