Certified Case Manager Practice Test

When is a case plan not required to be submitted to the court?

1. When the child is in care for less than 30 days

2. After 90 days from disposition

3. After 6 months from removal

4. After a judge's ruling

The correct answer is: When the child is in care for less than 30 days

A case plan is typically designed to outline the goals and services that will meet a child's needs and address the concerns that led to the child's placement in care. When a child is in care for less than 30 days, the pressures and requirements surrounding case planning are generally less stringent because the situation is still in a relatively early stage. The immediate focus may be on establishing safety and stability rather than fully developing and submitting a comprehensive case plan to the court. This allows for flexibility and rapid responses to the child's needs without the extensive documentation that a longer-term case would require. In contrast, as time progresses—after 90 days or six months—requirements for formal case planning typically increase, as there is a need to ensure that there is a structured approach to addressing the child's situation and the family's circumstances. Likewise, court rulings can complicate matters as they may impose specific requirements regarding documentation and procedural adherence. Thus, the first scenario accurately reflects a situation where submitting a case plan is not mandated, aligning with early intervention protocols.