In CPS practice, which action initiates the investigation?

In CPS practice, which action initiates the investigation?

• A. The referral
• B. The intake
• C. The evaluation
• D. The court filing

Answer: (A)

A referral is the trigger that starts the CPS response. It’s the initial report of suspected abuse or neglect from a mandated reporter, a family member, or another observer that brings concerns to the agency’s attention. That referral sets everything in motion and leads to the intake process, where information is gathered, jurisdiction and risk are assessed, and a decision is made about whether to open an investigation. The intake is a processing step: it handles the report and determines if an investigation will occur. The actual investigation or safety assessment happens after intake decides to proceed. The court filing comes later, as a legal action to pursue protective orders or guardianship, not the initiation of the investigation. Evaluation is part of the ongoing assessment within the investigation to determine safety and needs, not the starting point.

A referral is the trigger that starts the CPS response. It’s the initial report of suspected abuse or neglect from a mandated reporter, a family member, or another observer that brings concerns to the agency’s attention. That referral sets everything in motion and leads to the intake process, where information is gathered, jurisdiction and risk are assessed, and a decision is made about whether to open an investigation.

The intake is a processing step: it handles the report and determines if an investigation will occur. The actual investigation or safety assessment happens after intake decides to proceed. The court filing comes later, as a legal action to pursue protective orders or guardianship, not the initiation of the investigation. Evaluation is part of the ongoing assessment within the investigation to determine safety and needs, not the starting point.