Frequently Asked Questions

The Department is committed to providing the records as quickly as possible. Individual cases will vary, depending on the case circumstances. State law requires that the Department coordinate with the appropriate prosecuting agency before records on specific cases can be released. It also requires that the Department take appropriate steps to protect the privacy of crime victims, sources of DCS reports, and innocent parties in a case (such as siblings, grandparents, etc.) before the DCS records can be released.

The Records Coordinator will provide periodic updates to requestors letting them know the status of their request.

We highly recommend getting the contact information for all three and having it on hand in case of an emergency. The caseworker's contact information is on the Notice to Provider. You can call the assigned DCS office and ask for the supervisor and APM contact information; visit https://dcs.az.gov/about/contact for the list of DCS offices and telephone numbers.

Visit the Contact page on the DCS website.

Law enforcement agencies statewide are critical partners in protecting children; they ensure that perpetrators of child abuse or neglect are held accountable for the harm they cause to children.

State law requires that the prosecuting agency be given the opportunity to review DCS records that may be released in order to determine whether the release of the records would cause “specific material harm” to the criminal investigation.

If you are a licensed foster parent, R21-6-326 requires you to notify DCS and your licensing agency within 24 hours if any of the following incidents occur:

• Injury, illness, change of medication, or medication error that requires medical attention
• Theft of money or property belonging to a foster child
• Significant damage to the property of a foster child
• Injury to others or significant damage to the property of others caused by a foster child
• Using physical restraints to control a foster child’s sudden, out-of-control behavior
• Arrest of a household member or involvement of a household member with law enforcement that does not lead to an arrest
• Household changes that affect the foster parent’s ability to meet the foster child’s needs
• Life-threatening illness, injury, or the death of a household member
• Incidents involving a DCS report or investigation

If you are a licensed foster parent, R21-6-326 requires you to notify DCS and your licensing agency immediately if any of the following incidents occur:

• Death of a foster child
• Unexplained absence of a foster child
• Unauthorized removal or attempted removal of a foster child from the care and supervision of the foster parent
• A serious illness, injury, or mental health crisis of a foster child that requires hospitalization or emergency room treatment
• An allegation or the discovery of a sign of abuse or neglect of a foster child
• Arrest of a foster child or involvement of a foster child with law enforcement that does not lead to an arrest
• Fire or other situation requiring overnight evacuation of the home
• Incidents that involve or are likely to involve the media
• Any other unusual incident that seriously jeopardizes the health, safety, or well-being of a foster child
• Within 24 hours of any of the above noted incidents, licensed foster parents shall complete an Unusual Incident Report form and submit it to their licensing agency.

Unlicensed kinship foster parents are to notify DCS within 2 hours of the following: death of a child or hospitalization (medical or psychiatric), alleged abuse, or other emergency threatening the child’s placement.

Unlicensed kinship foster parents are to notify DCS within 48 hours if the child becomes seriously illness, death of a caregiver, change in family composition, or involvement with law enforcement.

Information protected by state or federal law cannot be released. This may include: information regarding the source of a DCS report, information related to the privacy and dignity of crime victims (Arizona Constitution), criminal history information obtained from the Department of Public Safety, medical records protected under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and educational records protected under the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.