Step-by-Step Guides

Job Aids/Tip Sheets

Quick Tips

How To's

Archives Page

Job Aids and Tip Sheets

Reminder: In all areas of CONNECTIONS, you can press F1 for help or contact:

Customer Care Center: 1-800-NYS-1323

CONNECTIONS Application questions: ocfs.sm.conn_app@ocfs.ny.gov

CONNECTIONS Communications Connectionsi@ocfs.ny.gov

Tip Sheets

Activities Window

Activities Task Tips (April 2015)
Activities Window Security Tip Sheet (Updated July 2016)
Documenting Determinations for Foster Care Candidacy (April 2018)

Security Tip Sheets

Accessing Someone Elses Workload and To-Dos (Updated September 2015)
Adding a User to CONNECTIONS (Updated November 2015)
Agency Access and Organizational Hierarchy (Updated October 2015)
Creating an On-Call Unit for Accepting After-Hours SCR Reports (Updated July 2016)
Data Redaction (Updated September 2015)
Encrypting Email (June 2014)
Removing a worker from CONNECTIONS (Updated November 2015)
Specialty Path Access (Updated March 2016)
Understanding Designees and Assignees (Updated September 2015)
Understanding Business Functions (Updated September 2015)
Working with Units (Updated September 2015)

CPS/FAR Tip Sheets

The Complete Guide to Progress Notes (May 2018)
Consolidating a CPS Investigation in CONNECTIONS (Updated January 2017)
CPS Intake (Updated October 2015)
Creating a FAR-Associated FSS (Updated August 2015)
Creating a FSI from a CPS Investigation (Updated August 2015)
Creating/ Maintaining the On Call Log Schedule (Updated September 2015)
The Family Relationship Matrix (FRM) (September 2018)
Intake Priority Closures: Closing a Duplicate CPS Report (DUP) and Additional Information (ADD) (Updated June 2016)
Managing Family Assessment Reponse in CONNECTIONS (November 2012)
Reviewing Intake Stages in CONNECTIONS (Updated August 2015)

FAD Tip Sheets

Accessing the FAD Closure Report (June 2018)
Recording KinGAP Data (Updated September 2015)
Adding a Provider/Resource
- Field Description Addendum to Adding a Provider (November 2011)
FAD Tips for Troublesome Tasks (January 2018)
Foster Care Transfer Procedures (November 2012)
Creating Contract Headers
- Resource Information Addendum to Contract Header (2011)

Services Workers

The Complete Guide to Progress Notes (May 2018)
The Modernized Bridges to Health (B2H) Windows in CONNECTIONS (May 2015)
Children in Foster Care Who Are Parents (Updated October 2015)
The CONNECTIONS-WMS Interface (May 2018)
Creating a Child Case Record for a Legally Freed Child (June 2016)
Designating Health Responsibility (Updated November 2016)
Documenting Determinations for Foster Care Candidacy (April 2018)
FASP Tip Sheet (Updated October 2016)
The Family Relationship Matrix (FRM) (September 2018)
Family Services OCI Report (November 2011)
Filtering the Person View of the Workload to Locate 21-Year-Old Youth (July 2018)
FSS Case Closure (2005)
Health Services Component (2007)
Recording KinGAP Data (Updated August 2016)
NYTD Reporting Requirements Tip Sheet (Updated March 2017)
Permanency Hearing Reports--New Using Launch Option (Updated October 2015)
Permanency Hearing Report Procedure (March 2012)
PHR Title Page: Updating Type and Date of Placement (July 2016)
PHR Submission Edits (Updated August 2015)
PHR User Guide for Attorneys (January 2012)
Plan Amendments and Removal Updates (Updated October 2016)
Recording Essential Information When a Child Enters Care (June 2018)
System and Casework Contact Implications for Youth Moved Into and Out of OCFS Facilities (August 2016)
Updating O & A Blocks (2007)

All Workers

Accessing CONNECTIONS via the Internet (October 2017)
Accessing Online Resources (January 2016)
Recording AFCARS Information (Updated February 2018)
AFCARS and Activities: Documenting Removal Information in CONNECTIONS (Updated May 2017)
The Complete Guide to Progress Notes (May 2018)
District Agency Profile (DAP) (2009)
Help - "Using Online Help" (2008)
Implied Role/Cross District Access (December 2016)
Linking an FSI to a case (Updated November 2015)
Multiple PIDs: Troubleshooting Merge Error Messages (Updated September 2015)
Narrative Recovery (November 2011)
Progress Notes - Create and Modify (2010)
Progress Notes and Narratives – Copying and Pasting Only Text (August 2012)
Progress Notes Instructions (March 2011)
Progress Notes - Search, Sort, and Print (2010)
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)
User Resource Information (2006)
Data Redaction (Updated September 2015)

Training Handbooks

Child Protective Services Handbook (2016)
Case Management Handbook
Foster Care Handbook (2016)

Job Aids and Other Resources

FSS Modernization Build

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

FSI Modernization Build

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

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)

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

Security Document: Password Protecting Files April 2009

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)

Job Aids For All Workers

Build 18.9.1 Job Aids

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

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

Adoption Subsidy Job Aid(dated 4/2/04)
CONNECTIONS Guide: Adding a Provider/Resource to CONNECTIONS(dated 5/7/04)

CONNECTIONS

OCFS Intranet

Job Aids and Tip Sheets

Reminder: In all areas of CONNECTIONS, you can press F1 for help or contact:

Tip Sheets

Training Handbooks

Job Aids and Other Resources

Job Aids For All Workers

Q4-09

Q2-09

Q3-08 (Build 18.10) Job Aid

Supervised Independent Living Program (SILP) Job Aid

Build 18.9.7 Job Aid

Build 18.9.6 Job Aids

Build 18.9.3 Job Aid