Section 360. Discharge from care

A. Prior to the child's discharge from care, the licensee shall formulate and document recommendations for aftercare services for the child and share those recommendations with the placing agency and parents, where appropriate. If recommendations were not shared with the child's parents, the licensee shall document the reasons in the child's file.

B. Prior to the planned discharge date, each child's file shall contain documentation that the child's discharge was planned and discussed with the placing agency, the child, the child's parents or guardian, and the members of the child's treatment team, if applicable.

C. Children in the legal custody of the local department of social services or private child-placing agency shall not be discharged by the licensee until the licensee has consulted with and notified the legal custodians of the plans for discharge. The licensee shall document in the child's file the names of the persons consulted and to whom notifications were provided, each date of occurrence, and a summary of each discussion.

D. Children shall be discharged only to the agency, parent, or guardian holding legal custody of the child. Youth 18 years of age and older shall be discharged to their own responsibility unless a court of competent jurisdiction has appointed a legal guardian to represent the youth.

E. No later than 30 days after the date of discharge, the licensee shall develop and place a comprehensive discharge summary in the child's file. The summary shall address:

1. Date of discharge;

2. Reason or reasons for discharge;

3. Name of the individual with whom the child was placed or to whom he was discharged;

4. Description of services provided to the child;

5. Summary of the child's progress toward meeting his goals and objectives, and as applicable for youth placed in independent living arrangements, the progress toward achieving life skills goals; and

6. Written recommendations for aftercare services including the nature, recommended frequency, and duration of services to be provided to the child and the child's family.

F. Upon the child's discharge from care, the licensee who holds custody of the child shall ensure that the parents or child-placing agency receiving the child for placement are provided with a copy of the child's birth certificate, medical records, and school records.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 28, Issue 10, eff. May 1, 2012.

Statutory Authority

§§ 63.2-217 and 63.2-1734 of the Code of Virginia.