ACES: Protective Services Alert (PSA)

Protective Services Alert (PSA) – A code that alerts both KIDS and IMS systems to communicate when Child Welfare has identified an unsafe or high risk child who they cannot find. Its purpose is to notify staff that if the family makes contact with a county office, Child Welfare needs to be notified immediately.
The child may or may not be in DHS custody at the time. The child may have an active court order on them already placing them in DHS custody and have not yet been physically found / retrieved. In this case the parents do not have legal custody because we do.

Please keep in mind that private discretion is extremely important by AFS staff. Once a PSA has been discovered AFS should know the family SHOULD NOT be alerted or informed that we have an open PSA, or that child welfare will be notified. The PSA exists because the family is or has been intentionally avoiding child welfare and is likely to flee if they realize our units communicate or that the child is a risk of safety intervention (removal).
The issuance of a PSA is based on a substantial risk or safety threat to a child. These alerts only go out to Child Welfare and AFS systems; this is in case the family ever attempts to get services through DHS. Overall goal is to ensure awareness of the alert so that it is more noticeable to all AFS staff.

  • PSA alert notifications are visible in the far left hand column on the AS, FD and AXM/AXL results screen under the ‘SPWK’ column. Look for the initials CPSA (Child Protective Services Alert).
    • SPWK IS SUPERVISOR/WORKER FROM THE SOURCE SYSTEM
    • AS Transaction ALFX inquiry by Social Security Number
      PSA 1
    • FD is the formatted ALFX database inquiry
      PSA 2
    • AXM is the ALFX database inquiry for males
      PSA 3
    • AXF is the ALFX database inquiry for females
  • If you know about or suspect safety threats or risks report the situation to the Child Abuse/Neglect Hotline at 1-800-522-3511 or there is the electronic (email/fax) referral form (04CP007E) as well.
  • What to do when you discover an active PSA on a client you are serving?
    • Discuss the alert with your direct leadership (supervisor or Field Manager). The CPS Programs Office would advise that you contact CW staff immediately. Anyone in DHS can notify CW that a child with an open PSA has been located by email or by calling the hotline 1-800-522-3511 or email CPS Programs unit at STO.DCFS.CPSNotifications@okdhs.org. The CPS Programs main line is 405-521-2283.

The ACES Case Scan Report will also display a message if there is an alert or a possible alert on a case member. The message will be in red font in the Person Information section.

  • If the person on whom there is an alert has a Social Security Number (SSN), the message will be Child Protective Services Alert!!! Contact Child Welfare. Proceed to initiate contact with Child Welfare Services (CWS) according to the county office protocol.
  • If the person does not have an SSN, the message will be: Possible Child Protective Services Alert – Check FIND! This means that either your client or someone with a similar name has an alert. Do not contact CWS at this point. Run the FIND or FD IMS transaction, locate your client, and then look for the letters “CPSA” in the last column of the screen. If no alert is shown for your client, take no further action. If you can verify that your client has a CPSA, contact CWS.
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