(a) Establishment.--Every county agency shall make available child protective services within the agency. The department may waive the requirement that a county agency be the sole civil agency for receipt and investigation of reports pursuant to section 6362 (relating to responsibilities of county agency for child protective services) upon a showing by the county that:

(1) It is participating in a demonstration project for or has become part of an approved combined intake system for public human service agencies as permitted by department regulations. Nothing in this paragraph is intended to permit noncounty government agencies to participate in the receipt and investigation of the reports.

(2) The goals and objectives of this chapter will continue to be met if a waiver is granted.

If the department grants a waiver under this subsection, the county agency and its agents shall be bound by all other provisions of this chapter, including requirements concerning the maintenance and disclosure of confidential information and records.

(b) Staff and organization.--The county agency shall have a sufficient staff of sufficient qualifications to fulfill the purposes of this chapter and be organized in a way to maximize the continuity of responsibility, care and services of individual workers toward individual children and families. The department, by regulation, shall set forth staff-to-family ratios for the various activities required of the county agency under this chapter, including reports and investigations of suspected child abuse, risk assessment and the provision or monitoring of services to abused children and their families.

(c) Functions authorized.--The county agency staff shall perform those functions assigned to it by this chapter and such other functions as would further the purposes of this chapter.

(Dec. 16, 1994, P.L.1292, No.151)

1994 Amendment. Act 151 amended the entire section, effective July 1, 1996, as to subsec. (b) and July 1, 1995, as to the remainder of the section.

Cross References. Section 6361 is referred to in sections 6362, 6364, 6375 of this title.