Free FAMILY WITH SERVICE NEEDS PARENTAL NOTICE - Connecticut

FAMILY WITH SERVICE NEEDS PARENTAL NOTICE
JD-JM-120A Rev. 5-09 C.G.S. § 46b-149

STATE OF CONNECTICUT SUPERIOR COURT JUVENILE MATTERS www.jud.ct.gov

As a parent or guardian, making the decision to refer your child to the court as a child from a Family with Service Needs (FWSN) may be difficult, but may be necessary when you believe your child needs help for certain behaviors. The FWSN statute applies to children (up to age 16) who are: Truant, Defiant of School Rules, or demonstrate Out of Control Behavior. The FWSN process is intended to assist you and your child to resolve the issues related to the behavior of concern. You as the parent or guardian, working with the Probation Officer and other individuals, are key to achieving a successful outcome. In order to help you make an informed decision about filing a FWSN complaint, the following information is provided to parents and guardians. After you have filed a FWSN complaint you can expect: One or more meetings with a Juvenile Probation Officer (JPO) to assess your family's needs. You may be asked to sign Releases of Information allowing the Juvenile Probation Officer to contact your child's school and other agencies that you are currently working with, or have worked with in the past. Sometimes, referrals for clinical assessments are also necessary. This may require other visits by you and your child to a licensed professional.

In some cases, a referral to a Family Support Center will be made. The Center, operated by a private agency, provides crisis intervention, short term respite, assessment and evaluation. At the Center, a plan is developed with your family to address the issues. In some cases, services needed by your child may be met by a referral to the Department of Children and Families (DCF) for Voluntary Services. DCF may also become involved with your family if the court believes your child requires out of home placement and commits your child to the custody of DCF. Prior to any court hearing or court order, your child is entitled to have an attorney represent him or her. If you meet established financial eligibility guidelines, your child will be provided with a state paid attorney by the Office of the Chief Child Protection Attorney. If you do not meet established financial guidelines, you will be required to pay for your child's attorney. In general there will be no, or minimal cost, to you for the services provided to you and your child. You may be responsible for a "co-pay'' based on your insurance coverage. If your child needs a court ordered inpatient hospitalization or residential placement, you may be responsible for some portion of those costs. All the practices and procedures of the Juvenile Probation Officer are regulated by law and Judicial Branch policies. Since they work within the framework of the law, they can only act within permitted guidelines. These may at times conflict with your wishes or desires in the case, but you should understand that every effort is made to work with you and to help your child and family. The effort to resolve the problems presented always requires the on-going commitment of the parents or guardian to work with professionals to deliver effective strategies for change. You should be prepared to make this commitment before making a referral to the court. If you have any questions prior to filing this complaint, you may ask to speak with the Probation Supervisor. If you do not have additional questions, please sign below, to indicate that you have read this notice and understand the information provided.
Signed (Parent/Guardian) Date Child's name

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