Placement-Permanency services are provided to youth and families that have experienced temporary custody being taken from the parents and given to DCFS and its assigns. Families are assigned a primary caseworker to support them through the process of establishing safety, well-being and permanency.  Caseworkers employ a family-centered, trauma-informed and strength based focus while providing families with an array of services and support.

F.A.Q.

How should I submit my CANS?

All Placement (CWS) workers will complete and submit CANS via SACWIS moving forward. If you do not already have an NT account to access SACWIS, please have your supervisor submit a new NT account form found on the DNet. If you do not yet have access to CANS in SACWIS, please ensure you have gone through CANS certification or recertification, as well as other training requirements such as the CANS Crosswalk and SACWIS Functionality trainings.

Do I need to be certified in the CANS?

All staff must have been certified or recertified on CANS 2.0 within the last year in order to gain access to CANS in SACWIS. All relevant trainings and certification are provided within the DCFS Virtual Training Center (https://www.dcfstraining.org/vtc). For specific questions regarding this process, please contact your supervisor, program administrator or the DCFS CANS use email (DCFS.CANSUSE@illinois.gov).

What version of the CANS do I complete?

CANS 2.0, or what is commonly referred to as the CANS. You can access the CANS 2.0 Manual

Who should be scored on the CANS?

It is mandatory that the CANS be completed on each youth in the case and every caregiver identified in the service plan.  It is necessary that the caregiver section of the CANS is completed on anyone living in the home or providing care to the youth.  Substitute caregivers are also scored using the CANS.

If you are working with any type of substitute caregiver (foster parent, grandmother, paramour, etc.) they must be added to your case in SACWIS as a “collateral”. Information on this process can be reviewed in the CANS in SACWIS Functionality Training available on the DCFS Virtual Training Center (https://www.dcfstraining.org/vtc).

How often should I complete the CANS?

The initial CANS is completed by an IA Screener within the first 45 days of case opening.  Placement workers should complete subsequent CANS every 6 months, but at least 2 weeks prior to each ACR cycle.

Do I need my supervisor’s approval before submitting my CANS?

Yes.  Once you have completed scoring a CANS for each youth and the associated caregivers to that youth (biological parents, foster parents, paramours, etc,) in SACWIS.  You need to submit your CANS for approval to your supervisor.  If your supervisor is not able to approve your submitted CANS, you may use the reroute feature and send it to another supervisor for approval. Once you submit the completed CANS, your supervisor may send it back to you for revision and re-submission. Supervisors must approve your submitted CANS. If your supervisor determines your submitted CANS is not an accurate reflection of the needs and strengths of the family, it will be returned to you for editing.

When is my CANS considered complete?

A CANS is consided completed when:

• All child items are scored and
• All caregiver items are scored for each involved caregiver (bioparents, fosterparents) and
• All collaterals have been scored (paramours, significant caregivers)