DCFS Investigations and Preventing a Dependency Case Filing with Tips on Drug Testing for DCFS

“Begin the morning by saying to thyself, I shall meet with the busy-body, the ungrateful, arrogant, deceitful, envious, unsocial…”   Marcus Aurelius- Meditations

Having fought DCFS social workers in Los Angeles County for over a decade, I am never surprised by their arrogance and sometimes wicked nature. Some social workers are amazing, but so many of them are hacks. Social Workers are always deflecting and distorting facts about families to protect themselves. They rarely act as social workers and are robotic and inflexible in thought.  What you say and how you say it determines how the social worker will react. When a family encounters a social worker, it is often new territory. Los Angeles County has a big social worker problem and that no one wants to acknowledge it. I feel passionate about helping families avoid the common traps that lead to their children being ripped away and placed in a foster home.

The beginning is always the most important part of the journey. Your first interaction with DCFS can make or break your case. This blog has the intent of informing Los Angeles County families on how to fight back against DCFS and protect their families.

The Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (“DCFS”) cannot remove your children from your care without a warrant signed by a Judge of the Los Angeles Superior Court, your consent, or if exigent circumstances exist to protect the children of immediate risk of danger. Each year Los Angeles DCFS receives over 265,000 referrals of child abuse on their child abuse hotline. The referrals come from teachers, police officers, therapists, some hater, or a relative. The name of the game is to convince DCFS not to file a petition in Dependency Court against you or file a warrant to remove your children. My practice provides representation during DCFS investigations and advice on how to make sure your children are not swallowed up with the over 35,000 children in the Los Angeles Dependency Court System.

As part of the DCFS investigation, social workers are required to interview you, your children, and collateral witnesses to determine if the allegations against you are substantiated, unsubstantiated, or unfounded. If substantiated, the social worker will determine if enough risk to the children exists to seek removal from a parent.

If DCFS finds that enough risk exists, then they will seek a warrant to remove the kids. In the end, the judge takes your children away, but relies solely on social worker reports. Unfortunately, the judge that current signs most of the warrants in Los Angeles County is nothing, but a rubber stamp for DCFS. The social worker submits a warrant with a statement of their interview of you, the children, and anyone else.

These statements are compiled in the warrant application and what eventually is filed on your first day of court, called the Detention Report. The social worker reports make or break your case and what you tell DCFS in your initial interview can be the difference to your children spending a year in foster care or staying home with you.

During an initial DCFS investigation, cooperation with the social worker is vital and essential. Blowing off the social worker or trying to evade them can lead to serious problems. Remember there are over 265,000 referrals each year. It is important to make sure that you say the right things so that they move on to the next referral.

Parents Rights in DCFS Investigation

Parents have a right to have an attorney present when they make their initial statement to the social worker.  However, social workers often show up unannounced at your home and start asking questions about the allegations. This leads to parents making bad admissions or making the same old mistakes that lead to a case being filed.

Ideally, you would find a social worker’s card at your door or receive a voicemail from the social worker. Immediately call an experienced dependency attorney to advise at (562) 247-0045.  If you chose to hire a dependency attorney, they would reach out to the social workers’ attorney and set up an interview with you and your children. This boys you time and time for the social worker to take their witch hunt to another referral.

You will not know the allegations of child abuse against you until the interview, but an experienced dependency attorney should be able to flesh out the issues. This will allow for time for you to figure out your defense to the allegations and a strategy to prevent a case from being filed.

Do not take legal advice from criminal or family law attorneys on DCFS investigations. You need someone that has worked against DCFS for years. If you are under criminal investigation having coordination between your dependency and criminal lawyer is vital. I have seen kids end up in foster care because a criminal lawyer did not understand how DCFS works.

Best case scenario to start an investigation is that the social worker’s card is at your door and you call a dependency attorney before responding.

The reality is that the social worker shows up to your home unannounced, blind sides you, and gets you talking. If a social worker shows up, you are entitled to an attorney. Invoke your right to have an attorney present for your interview and state that you will cooperate. This will delay the investigation and give you the opportunity to flesh out the issues in your case. However, you must act quickly in hiring an attorney and setting up your interview. I have seen cases filed while waiting to set up a DCFS interview.

Once you have been initially interviewed by a social worker, a dependency lawyers hands get tied. Social workers do not have an obligation to interview you again. After the initial interview, they rarely take your calls or messages due to the volume of their work. I compare social workers to DMV or airport workers when it comes to customer service.

Frequently Asked DCFS Investigation Questions

Do I Have to Let DCFS Interview My Children Alone?

If you do not allow it, the social worker will get upset and seek a warrant to allow them to interview your children alone. Remember there are 265,000 referrals for child abuse each year. The goal is to cooperate and let them do their job to move on to someone else.

Can I Record the Social Worker’s Interview?

DCFS policy is to not allow recordings of their interviews. If you are caught recording a social worker’s interview, it can cause friction with the social worker. It could potentially be a violation of California law as well.

I have had client’s tape interviews and caught social workers in lies before. It could potentially come into evidence as the impeachment of a statement the social worker made to the court about your family. But remember, during the investigation, your goal is to cooperate and show that you understand their concerns and how to address them.

How Long Does The Social Worker Investigation Last?

They are supposed to last for 30 days. However, I have seen them last for six months. It all depends on your level of cooperation and the issues.

Be ready for the social worker to come back after 30 days and check in on you.

But What Happened Was Not Domestic Violence and I Do Not Want A Restraining Order, The Social Worker Sucks?

There are two parts to a restraining order. The first is getting a temporary restraining order issued. The second is having a hearing to determine if a permanent restraining order is needed. The goal is to continue the TRO until you get confirmation that the DCFS investigation is over. Judges in family law have no say to prosecute a restraining order if you chose to drop it.

Drug Testing For DCFS

Do I Have To Take A Drug Test?

The answer is no. But remember cooperation during the investigation is very important to prevent an open case from being filed. I advise almost all of my clients to take a drug test for DCFS during the investigation.

What If My Drug Test Will Come Up Dirty For Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Opiates, Or Heroin?

DCFS testing facilities are observed. Meaning that someone watches you urinate at the testing facility. The standards used at the testing facility are the gold standards for drug testing. If you dilute with water than they can potentially find out you cheated the test, which will cause major credibility problems for you.

There is very little room to reschedule or delay a scheduled drug test appearance. You should consult with an experienced dependency attorney prior to talking to a DCFS social worker.

I Am Going To Test Positive For Marijuana And It Is Legal?

Alcohol is legal as well, but people abuse it. The social worker will look at what level of marijuana and judge you from the levels. At your next test, the levels should be going down.

With regard to marijuana during a DCFS investigation, it is important to note that you do not smoke around the children and keep the marijuana locked and in a secure area. I have not seen a decrease in allegations of neglect as to marijuana. To DCFS it is still a liability that they must protect themselves from. So, yes even though marijuana is legal it is still a big issue to DCFS.

The Social Worker Wants Me To Go To These Stupid Classes, What Should I Do?

DCFS’ answer to resolve any allegation of abuse or neglect is for a parent to enroll in service. These could be parenting class, domestic violence classes, individual counseling, marriage counseling, or a drug treatment program.

Some of the classes will seem pointless like traffic school. However, programs and classes neutralize the risk that DCFS feels that you present. The sooner you get in and cooperate the better. This could be what prevents them from filing a case.

Generally, if during an investigation, they provide you with referrals to services it either means that they are going to close the referral or going to not close it and to follow up that you are progressing. Again, seek the counsel of an experienced Long Beach dependency attorney when determining when and what classes to get enrolled.

The Social Worker Wants Me To Agree To A 301 Contract Or A Voluntary Supervision Program With Them For Six Months, What Should I Do?

Remember, the goal is to prevent DCFS from opening a case against you. A 301 contract is an agreement with you and the social worker that they will not open a case if you go and take some classes. The supervision is minimal and is mostly there because they want some more time to make sure nothing bad happens.

I have never advised a client not to take a 301 contract or agree to informal supervision.