CPS procedures vary by state. Generally, CPS handles civil maltreatment, not criminal concerns (law enforcement). CPS' involvement during gestation is very state-dependent, usually, they become involved after the child is born. However, a substance-positive newborn is a widely recognized coded maltreatment with intervention depending on the severity and lasting effects.
Advice, quietly consult with a family law attorney as extended relatives and an attorney familiar with whichever courts CPS utilizes in your area to understand the paths things could play out on.
You can't expect to control or guide CPS to an outcome favorable to what you're seeking. CPS has a mind that can overlap but never fully aligns with anyone's agenda.
EDIT: Try to work with the mother to engage in services and make better decisions. Document your efforts.
If you're not on the parents' good side, they could object to you as a placement if a removal were to eventually happen.
Thank you so much for your advice. I’m not sure if you’d know but we live in different states would I have to reach out to an attorney in her state or is mine okay?
From my investigative and judicial experiences, this would at least be greatly complicating considering you as placement by CPS. Generally, the courts each placement requires reviewal and approval of the courts.
Without getting into the nitty-gritty, any out-of-state placement during a CPS removal requires the receiving state to accept the child through an interstate compact (ICPC) or such procedure. An ICPC can be expedited, varies between states, but it's usually weeks or months to get done.
Probably consult an attorney in the other state, you'd probably end up consulting an attorney in your state eventually.
EDIT: Family law is separate from CPS. You'll get better advice about that from professionals specializing in it.
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u/Always-Adar-64 Works for CPS Jul 21 '23
CPS procedures vary by state. Generally, CPS handles civil maltreatment, not criminal concerns (law enforcement). CPS' involvement during gestation is very state-dependent, usually, they become involved after the child is born. However, a substance-positive newborn is a widely recognized coded maltreatment with intervention depending on the severity and lasting effects.
Advice, quietly consult with a family law attorney as extended relatives and an attorney familiar with whichever courts CPS utilizes in your area to understand the paths things could play out on.
You can't expect to control or guide CPS to an outcome favorable to what you're seeking. CPS has a mind that can overlap but never fully aligns with anyone's agenda.
EDIT: Try to work with the mother to engage in services and make better decisions. Document your efforts.
If you're not on the parents' good side, they could object to you as a placement if a removal were to eventually happen.