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CONNECTIONS

OCFS Intranet

Updated: September 9, 2021

Job Aids and Tip Sheets

Tip Sheets

Placement Window

• Accepting or Declining a Referral (November 2019)
• Closing or Withdrawing a Placement Request (November 2019)
• Completing a Placement Request (October 2019)
• Entering Congregate Care Resource Characteristics (February 2021)
• Getting Ready to Search in the Placement Dashboard Window (January 2020)
• Initiating a Request with "New Using" (October 2019)
• Initiating the Placement Request (November 2019)
• Placing a Child (October 2019)
• Searching for Resources and Sending Referrals (October 2019)
• Using an Exact Search (January 2020)
• Using the Placement Module to Modify Activities Data (January 2020)
• Verifying a Placement (October 2019)

Activities Window

• Activities Task Tips (Updated December 2020)
• Activities Window Security Tip Sheet (Updated December 2020)
• Activities Worksheet for Legal Entries (December 2020)
• Documenting Eligibility: Candidacy for Foster Care (January 2021)
• Documenting Respites (September 2020)
• Using the Placement Module to Modify Activities Data

Security Tip Sheets

• Accessing Someone Else's Workload and To-Dos (Updated February 2021)
• Creating an On-Call Unit for Accepting After-Hours SCR Reports (Updated September 2020)
• Placement Business Functions (October 2019)
• Adding a User to CONNECTIONS (Updated August 2020)
• Agency Access and Organizational Hierarchy (Updated August 2020)
• Data Redaction (Updated December 2020)
• Encrypting Email (June 2014)
• Removing a worker from CONNECTIONS (Updated May 2021)
• Specialty Path Access (Updated August 2020)
• Understanding Designees and Assignees (Updated February 2021)
• Understanding Business Functions (Updated August 2020)
• Working with Units (Updated February 2021)

CPS/FAR Tip Sheets

• Creating and Maintaining the On-Call Schedule (Updated December 2020)
• The Complete Guide to Progress Notes (May 2018)
• Consolidating a CPS Investigation in CONNECTIONS (Updated February 2021)
• CPS Intake (Updated February 2021)
• Creating a FAR-Associated FSS (Updated August 2015)
• Creating an FSI from a CPS Investigation (Updated September 2020)
• The Family Relationship Matrix (FRM) (Updated December 2020)
• Intake Priority Closures: Closing a Duplicate CPS Report (DUP) and Additional Information (ADD) (Updated February 2021)
• Local Data Maintenance on Closed Investigation (INV) Stages (June 2020)
• Combined Open Case Inquiry (July 2020)
• INV/FAR Open Case Inquiry Report (July 2020)
• Reviewing Intake Stages in CONNECTIONS (Updated February 2021)

FAD Tip Sheets

• Accessing the FAD Closure Report (September 2020)
• Adding a Provider/Resource (July 2021)
• Creating and Maintaining Contracts in CONNECTIONS (January 2019)
• FAD Tips for Troublesome Tasks (September 2020)
• Foster Care Transfer Procedures (November 2019)
• Recording KinGAP Data (Updated August 4, 2021)
• Resolving Common Adoption Subsidy Database Connections Issues (June 2021)
• Supervised Independent Living Program (SILP) Job Aid (July 2020)

Services Workers

• Children in Foster Care Who Are Parents-Handling "8D" Infants (Updated April 2021)
• Combined Open Case Inquiry (July 2020)
• The Complete Guide to Progress Notes (May 2018)
• Completing the Missing Child Window for Family Services Stages (July 2020)
• The CONNECTIONS-WMS Interface (Updated February 2021)
• Creating a Child Case Record for a Legally Freed Child (Updated August 11, 2021)
• Designating Health Responsibility (Updated February 2021)
• Documenting Eligibility-Candidacy for Foster Care (Updated January 28, 2021)
• The Family Relationship Matrix (FRM) (Updated December 2020)
• FASP Tip Sheet (Updated August 20, 2021)
• Filtering the Person View of the Workload to Locate 21-Year-Old Youth (July 2018)
• FSS Case Closure (2005)
• Health Services Component (2007)
• Linking an FSI to a case (Updated Sept. 7, 2021)
• NYTD Reporting Requirements Tip Sheet (Updated September 2020)
• Permanency Hearing Reports--New Using Launch Option (Updated October 2015)
• Permanency Hearing Report Procedure (March 2012)
• PHR Submission Edits (Updated July 2021)
• PHR Title Page: Updating Type and Date of Placement (July 2021)
• Plan Amendments and Removal Updates (Updated February 2021)
• Preventive Services for a Pregnant Woman and her Unborn Child (February 2021)
• Recording Essential Information When a Child Enters Care (June 2018)
• Recording Sex Trafficking Information for the Family Services Stage (July 2020)
• Updating O & A Blocks (2007)

All Workers

• Accessing CONNECTIONS via the Internet (October 2017)
• Accessing Online Resources (January 2016)
• Recording AFCARS Information (Updated January 2021)
• AFCARS and Activities: Documenting Removal Information in CONNECTIONS (Updated May 2017)
• The Complete Guide to Progress Notes (May 2018)
• Creating and Maintaining Contracts in CONNECTIONS (January 2019)
• Data Redaction (Updated December 2020)
• District Agency Profile (DAP) (2009)
• Family Services OCI Report Version 3 Tip Sheet (June 2020)
• Help - "Using Online Help" (2008)
• Implied Role/Cross District Access (Updated September 2021)
• Multiple PIDs: Troubleshooting Merge Error Messages (Updated February 2021)
• Narrative Recovery (November 2011)
• Person Unrelate (Updated September 2020)
• Progress Notes Instructions (March 2011)
• Progress Notes - Successfully Documenting Casework Contacts with Children in Foster Care (Updated March 2016)
• Records Retention (Updated October 2015)
• Using Reminder To-Dos to Share Confidential Information (December 2017)
• Uploading Photos and Documents in CONNECTIONS Job Aid v 3.0 (May 2020)
• User Resource Information (2006)

Training Handbooks

• Child Protective Services Handbook (2020)
• Case Management Handbook (2019)
• Foster Care Handbook (2016)

Job Aids and Other Resources

Activities Window Build

• Getting to Know the CONNECTIONS Activities Window (October 2014)

Family Assessment Response (FAR) Build

• FAR Build Job Aid (March 2014)
• Investigation Stage Summary and Transformed Investigation Windows Job Aid (April 2014)

FSI Modernization Build

• Getting to Know the Transformed FSI Stage in CONNECTIONS (January 2015)

FSS Modernization Build

• Changes to the CONNECTIONS Family Services Stage (FSS), Phase 4 (May 2016)

Helpful Tips for CONNECTIONS

• Did You Know? (Intranet Access) November 2008
• Did You Know? (SSL-VPN Intranet Access) November 2008
• Did You Know? (Helpful CONNECTIONS Hints) October 2008

Placement Module

• Placement Module - Phase 3 Job-Aid

Post Transformation Technical Assistance Handouts

• Reviewing Person History (Updated March 2014)
• Personalizing CONNECTIONS
• Completing a Person Search (Updated April 2014)
• Reviewing Person History via FSS Stage (Updated April 2014)

Security Document

• Password Protecting Files April 2009

Job Aids For All Workers

• Guide to: Accessing CONNECTIONS Online Training
• Practicing Permanency Hearing Report Tasks: Training Application Guide (January, 2012)

Q4-09

• CONNECTIONS Job Aid SharePoint Open Caseload Inquiry (OCI) Worker Report

Q2-09

• Q2-09 Job Aid

Q3-08 (Build 18.10) Job Aid

• Q3-08 Job Aid

Build 18.9.7 Job Aid

• Build 18.9.7 Job Aid (Version 1)

Build 18.9.6 Job Aids

• Updated: CONNECTIONS System Build 18.9.6 Job Aid - Functionality for All Users (Dated 4/07/08)
• AFCARS Job Aid (Dated 3-3-08)
• Bridges to Health (B2H) Job Aid (Dated 2/29/08)

Build 18.9.3 Job Aid

• CONNECTIONS Build 18.9.3 Job Aid: Changes to Access to the Child Protective Investigation via Implied Role in CONNECTIONS

Build 18.9.1 Job Aids

• CONNECTIONS Build 18.9.1 Health Services Job Aid
• CONNECTIONS Build 18.9.1 Job Aid

Build 18.9 Job Aids

• Updated: CONNECTIONS System Build 18.9 Job Aid: Health Services
• Revisions: Health Services Job Aid
• CONNECTIONS System Build 18.9 Job Aid: Permanency Hearing Reports
• Revisions: Permanency Hearing Reports Job Aid
• CONNECTIONS System Build 18.9 Job Aid: Critical Improvements (dated 4/5/07)
• Revisions: Critical Improvement Job Aid
• CONNECTIONS System Build 18.9 Job Aid: Education
  • Revisions: Education Job Aid

Build 18.7Job Aids

• CONNECTIONS Permanency Bill System Build 18.7 Job Aid (dated 12/8/05)

Build 18 Job Aids

• CONNECTIONS Common Functions Guide Version 1.0 (dated 9/7/06) (this guide replaces the Build 18 Quick Start Guide along with the CPS and FAD Building Blocks Step-By-Steps)
• CONNECTIONS Build 18 Job Aid: Interfaces version 4.2 (dated 08/25/06)
• CONNECTIONS Build 18 Navigational Toolkit (This document is the first in a series and is designed as a navigational tool to assist in the day to day use of the CONNECTIONS system)
• CONNECTIONS Build 18 Case Management Quick Reference Guide for Upstate (This document is designed as a navigational tool to assist in the day to day use of the CONNECTIONS system)
• CONNECTIONS Case Management Step By Step Version 1.5(dated 5/5/06)
• Identified Revisions to the CONNECTIONS Case Management Step by Step Guide ~ (dated 5/2006)
• CONNECTIONS Supervisory Functions System Build 18 Job Aid v1.2 (dated 10/4/05; includes Builds 18.3 and 18.4 changes)
  • Identified Revisions to the CONNECTIONS Supervisory Functions System Build 18 Job Aid v1.2 (dated 10/4/05)
• CONNECTIONS System Build 18 Job Aid ~ Conversion (dated 6/15/05)
• CONNECTIONS Build 18 Case Management Security for Decision Making Training Video Companion Guide(dated 8/17/2004)
• OCFS Custody Youth Placed in Voluntary Agencies Job Aid (dated 6/1/05)
• CONNECTIONS Build 18 Job Aid: Changes to CPS Functions v1.3 (dated 9/22/05)

Build 17 Job Aids

• Build 17.5 Job Aid
• Build 17 Job Aid ~ Changes to Security for FSS stages

Job Aids For CPS Workers

Build 18

• CONNECTIONS Person Relate/Merge Procedural Update
• CONNECTIONS Build 18 Job Aid: Changes to CPS Functions v1.3 (dated 9/22/05)
  • Identified Revisions to the CONNECTIONS Build 18 Job Aid: Changes to CPS Functions v1.3 (dated 9/22/05)
• CONNECTIONS Build 15/15.1 Job Aid CPS: Data Maintenance (dated 7/30/02)
  • Updated CONNECTIONS Step by Step Guide: Data Maintenance for CPS Workers (6/13/2006)
• CONNECTIONS Tip Sheet ~ CPS Intake(dated 7/27/04)
• CONNECTIONS Tip Sheet ~ Safety Assessment(dated 2/23/06)

Job Aides For FAD Workers

Build 15

• CONNECTIONS System Build 15 FAD: Changes Affecting FAD and Related Common Functions(dated 4/15/02)
• CONNECTIONS Build 15 FAD: The Foster and Adoptive Home Record Summary (FRS) (dated 4/12/02)
• CONNECTIONS System Build 15.1 FAD: Local Data Maintenance (LDM) (dated 7/22/02)
• CONNECTIONS System Build 15.1: Vacancy Control (dated 7/24/02)

Job Aids For Other Staff

• OCFS Custody Youth Placed in Voluntary Agencies Job Aid (dated 6/1/05)

Fiscal Job Aids

• CONNECTIONS Guide: Adding a Provider/Resource to CONNECTIONS (dated 5/7/04)