Child Preventive Services and the SIPP Program provide supportive assessment and referral services to:
- Prevent the placement of a child into foster care
- Return a child currently in foster care to his/her parents sooner than would otherwise be possible
- Prevent the re-placement of a child into foster care
Other problems occur which may require outside intervention such as: incidents of abuse and neglect, parent or child-related problems (health, emotional, behavioral), or Family Court contact through the initiation of Persons in Need of Supervision (PINS) or Juvenile Delinquent (JD) petitions.
Available services may include:
- Caseworker Counseling
- Day Care
- Homemaker Services
- Transportation
- Clinical Services
- 24 hour access to Emergency Services.
Eligibility Criteria:
Eligibility for Preventive Services is determined by criteria established through the Child Welfare Reform Act of 1979. Eligibility is not based on income and the child must be under 18 years of age.
Referral Process:
Schools may make referrals through school Child Study or Pupil Personnel Support Services Teams to the SIPP caseworker (s) placed at participating Herkimer County school districts. This provides a single point of entry for delivery of services to at-risk youth. Community agencies or Family Court may make referrals to the Department of Social Services directly. Families may call the Department of Social Services directly. A referral form must be completed.
Client Fees:
Basically there is no charge for Preventive Services but fees do exist for Day Care services and are determined by family size and income.
