Pursuant to KRS 209, any person, including but not limited to a physician, law enforcement officer, nurse, social worker, Cabinet personnel, coroner medical examiner, alternate care facility employee, or caretaker, having reasonable cause to suspect that an adult who because of mental or physical dysfunction is being abused, neglected or exploited, shall report or cause reports to be made to the CHFS. DCBS is required to investigate the reports, notify local law enforcement officials, offer appropriate protection and support services, and maintain case records.

DCBS is involved in placement and movement of individuals into, between, and out of facilities. Placement and Movement denotes assistance provided to Medicaid eligible individuals. Alternate Care services denotes assistance to non-Medicaid eligible individuals. Approximately 56,000 Kentuckians need alternate care or placement and movement services each year. The majority of these individuals have family or friends to assist them in finding alternate living arrangements. The Department assists those individuals who are not able to locate appropriate placements. Alternate Care Services help ensure that persons are not inappropriately placed in a level of care exceeding their need and thus promotes cost effectiveness. These services also help ensure that persons assisted receive the care they require.

DCBS is involved in the completion of court ordered guardianship assessments (interdisciplinary team reports) pursuant to KRS 387. These assessments are completed by qualified DCBS employees. The employee submits the assessment to the court and testifies in a guardianship hearing.

Domestic violence shelter services are available in each of the 15 Area Development Districts under a contract between DCBS and ZeroV (formerly Kentucky Coalition Against Domestic Violence). A portion of the marriage license fee as authorized by KRS 209A.045 provides part of the funding for this element.

Rape crisis centers services are available throughout the state and are provided under a contract with the Kentucky Association of Sexual Assault Programs (KASAP), which is the statewide coalition of Rape Crisis Centers.

Batterer Intervention Program (BIP) providers are mental health professionals meeting certification standards specified by DCBS who provide services to domestic violence batterers.

Alternatives for Children provides placement resources for children who have been or are at risk of being abused or neglected. Services are directed toward finding substitute care for children who must live apart from their family, working toward reuniting the child and family, and if that is not possible, securing an alternative living arrangement which will provide permanency for the child. The legal authority includes KRS Chapters 199; 600; and 620; Titles IV-B and IV-E of the Social Security Act; and the Social Services Block Grant.

The trauma of childhood abuse or neglect often leads to emotional and behavioral problems that are difficult to manage. In recent years an increasing proportion of children have had more severe problems which require more specialized treatment services (such as mental health, intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, or sexual abuse) and medical care that, in turn, has added to the cost of care. Adoption provides permanent families for children who cannot return home.

Family Foster Care provides a planned, goal-directed service in which the care of children and youth takes place in the home of an agency-approved family. Its value is the ability to respond to the unique, individual needs of infants, children, youth, and their families through the strength of family living, as well as family and community supports. The goal of family foster care is to provide opportunities for healing, growth, and development leading to healthier children and families with safe and nurturing relationships intended to be permanent. Effective June 27, 2019, DCBS implemented KRS 620.142 to assist relatives and/or fictive kin caregivers of abused, neglected, or dependent children.

Relative or Fictive Kin Placement is used as an alternative to foster care via a prevention plan or through temporary or permanent custody, given by the court to the relative or CHFS. This placement requires criminal background checks on all adult household members; home evaluations; 1.5 hours training regarding pediatric abusive head trauma (if child is five years of age or younger); monthly home visits to caregiver's home; and guardian ad litem services. At this time, all placements which qualify and meet DCBS guidelines are eligible for monthly stipends paid with general fund. These caregivers may also qualify for those services received by foster parents. The department provides case management activities that seek to utilize a least restrictive placement, assist parent/caretakers in reunifying with their child(ren), providing supportive services to the relative and achieving alternative permanency for the child if reunification is not possible. If CHFS is granted custody of the child, all applicable out of home care standard of practices (SOPs) are utilized. If the child is placed on a prevention plan with a relative or in the custody of the relative, in home SOPs are applicable. Fictive kin are individuals who are not related to a child by birth, marriage, or adoption but who has an emotionally significant relationship with the child, or an emotionally significant relationship with a biological parent, siblings, or half-siblings of the child in the case of a child from birth to twelve (12) months of age, prior to placement and may be utilized when a child is removed from their home of origin and when no family members or relatives are identified as an appropriate placement option for a child.

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