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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 be eligible for a Comprehensive Trauma Assessment, the child must meet ALL of the following criteria:

  • The child must have an open MDHHS foster care, CPS (Category I), or juvenile justice case.
  • The child must be ages 0-17.
  • The child must be participating in and not benefitting from current services.

NOTE:  CPS cases must be open as a category I 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 also meet one or more of the following criteria to be eligible for a Comprehensive Trauma Assessment:

  • The Children’s Services Administration (CSA) MichiCANS Screener recommends a comprehensive trauma assessment AND the child’s team agrees they are not benefiting from current services. 
  • The comprehensive trauma assessment is court ordered.

The child must be participating in current services prior to referral for a comprehensive trauma assessment. 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.