Merge Protocol

  1. Referrals are only merged to open investigations or service cases following the information below. Do not merge a new referral to a Closed In Follow-up referral. When a referral Closure Reason shows Closed In Follow-up the referral is no longer being actively investigated. 

    a. If the allegation and AP (if applicable) are the same as the Closed In Follow-up referral, send a case staffing on the Closed In Follow-up referral using the Actions tab and close the new referral I&R as allegations investigated on R-XXXXX, closed on 00-00-00.

    b. If the new referral has new allegations and/or a new AP, assign the referral as new to the specialist next in rotation and send a case staffing on the Closed In Follow-up referral using the Actions tab. Case staffing should state referral R-XXXXXX has been assigned as new to ABC. Document on the screening note of the new referral there is a closed in follow-up referral R-XXXXXX assigned to DEF. 
  2. New service case with no new information (no new allegations) and open service case less than or equal to 45 days or older than 45 days with documented activity (contact with AV, AP, Collateral) within the last 10 days. New referral will be I&Rd and case staffing is entered in open referral.  
  3. New investigation with no new information (no new allegations) and open investigation less than or equal to 45 days or older than 45 days with documented activity (contact with AV, AP, Collateral) within the last 10 days. New referral will be I&Rd and case staffing is entered in open referral. 
  4. New service case with new concerns, merge with open service case when open referral is less than or equal to 45 days or older than 45 days with documented activity (contact with AV, AP, Collateral) within the last 10 days. Use Actions tab to merge referrals, case staffing is automatically entered in open referral and new referral is I&Rd and closed by AVA. 
  5. New investigation with new concerns, merge with open investigation when open investigation is less than or equal to 45 days or older than 45 days with documented activity (contact with AV, AP, Collateral) within the last 10 days. Use Actions tab to merge referrals, case staffing is automatically entered in open referral and new referral is I&Rd and closed by AVA. Add new allegation(s) and new AP (if applicable) to open referral.  
  6. New investigation and open referral is service case, escalate service case to an investigation when open service case is less than or equal to 45 or older than 45 days with documented activity (contact with AV, AP, Collateral) within the last 10 days. Use Action tab to escalate referral to investigation. Use Actions tab to merge referrals, case staffing is automatically entered in open referral and new referral is I&Rd and closed by AVA. Add new allegation(s) and new AP (if applicable) to open referral.  
  7. New service case and open referral is an investigation less than or equal to 45 days or older than 45 days with documented activity (contact with AV, AP, Collateral) within the last 10 days, referrals are merged. Use Actions tab to merge referrals, case staffing is automatically entered in open referral and new referral is I&Rd and closed by AVA. Add new allegation of self-neglect (if applicable) to open referral. 
  8. New referral received (service case or investigation) and open referral is older than 45 days without documented activity within the past 10 days – assign as new to same specialist who has open referral older than 45 days and case staffing is entered in open referral. In the event the assigned specialist is noted as being out of rotation, on leave, not taking referrals, etc. – email supervisor and ask which specialist referral should be assigned to. (Email should read: You are being notified R-XXXXXX is new and there is an open referral R-XXXXXX, past 45 days, assigned to XYZ (currently out of rotation) – should the new referral be assigned to XYZ, or does it need to be assigned to a new specialist?)
  9. New referral received (service case or investigation) and the county of residences is different than the open referral, review the new referral to determine if the AV has permanently moved to a new county or is temporarily staying with someone in a new county. 

    a. If AV has permanently moved to a new county assign the referral as new. In the screening note document, there is an open referral R-XXXXXX in XYZ county assigned to ABS. Send a case staffing on the open referral using the Actions tab to the assigned specialist and their supervisor informing the assigned specialist there is a new referral R-ZZZZZZ in UVW county assigned to DEF and copy and paste the Specific Situation Reported in the cases staffing.  

    b. If the AV is only staying temporarily in a new county, update the AV information, if needed, and update the county of residence on the Incident Details section of the referral and follow the above instructions for merging. 

    c. If you are unable to determine if the AV has moved permanently to a county notify both county supervisors via email and ask how they prefer the referral to be handled – assigned as new to the newly list county or merged with the open referral.  
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