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Trauma Assessments

Trauma Assessments

A comprehensive trauma assessment is an in-depth assessment of the impact of trauma a child has experienced, how the trauma impacts the relationship with the child's caregivers and the child's functioning, and recommendations for services or community supports for the child and family/caregivers.

The purpose of assessment is to obtain clinical recommendations to guide case managers in developing case plans to assist the child and family with addressing identified trauma, behaviors, and diagnoses that meet clinical criteria in order to heal and remain stable in the home setting.

These assessments are not intended to provide answers to best interest decisions, such as permanency, parenting time or placement. Best interest decisions should be made by the case manager based on a holistic review of the child's case and following supervisor discussion and support.

To determine if a child is eligible for a comprehensive trauma assessment, staff must utilize the appropriate Trauma Screening Checklist based on the age of the child, 0-5 (MDHHS-5719) or 6-18 (MDHHS-5720) years of age. The score of the Trauma Screening Checklist will determine if a referral for a mental health assessment or a comprehensive trauma assessment is necessary. Referral for mental health assessments/treatment or comprehensive trauma assessments are not intended as standard practice for every child.

The child must meet the following eligibility criteria to be referred for a comprehensive trauma assessment:

  • The child or youth has a current open MDHHS foster care, children’s protective services (CPS), or MDHHS juvenile justice (JJ) case.  The current open MDHHS foster care, CPS, or JJ case must remain open until the comprehensive trauma assessment report is completed and sent to the case manager, recommendations are reviewed with the family and plans are made for implementation, and the invoice is paid. 

NOTE:  CPS cases must be open as a category I or category II to be eligible for comprehensive trauma assessments. CPS investigations, category III, category IV, category V, and prevention cases are not eligible for comprehensive trauma assessments.

  • The child must be ages 0-17.

    1. Prior to referral for a comprehensive trauma assessment, any child less than three years of age must have been referred to ALL of the following:
    1. Medical professional/Pediatrician.
    2. Early On.
    3. CMH for Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health treatment services.

    NOTE:  At least one of the professionals listed above must recommend a referral for a comprehensive trauma assessment.  Documentation of the decision to refer, including applicable reports, must be included with the MDHHS-5594, Comprehensive Trauma Assessment Referral/Invoice. 

    The child must also meet one or more of the following criteria:

  • The child is struggling with functioning and behaviors in their current placement despite participating in services.
  • The child entered care within the last 30 calendar days, and current placement is in danger of disrupting due to the child's functioning and behaviors.Child has not been referred to or started services.
  • The assessment is recommended by a current mental health clinician or current medical professional.
  • The child is not benefiting from current services AND received an 11+ on the trauma screening checklist.
  • The assessment is court ordered.

The child must be participating in current services prior to referral for a comprehensive trauma assessment. The only exceptions to this are the following:

  • The child entered care within the last 30 calendar days, and current placement is in danger of disrupting due to the child's functioning and behaviors. Child has not been referred to or started services.
  • The assessment is court ordered.

If the child is benefitting from current services, the child is not eligible for a comprehensive trauma assessment.

Please see FOM 802 for additional information. If you have further questions or concerns regarding Comprehensive Trauma Assessments, please contact Erica Barrett at BarrettE1@michigan.gov.