When a CPS letter lands in your mailbox, the clock starts. A founded finding can affect custody, employment, housing, and even your professional license. This hub explains CPS appeals and administrative reviews for families navigating substance use—what they are, how to act fast, and how to appeal a founded finding CPS without losing precious time. The stakes are real: every year there are millions of hotline reports, hundreds of thousands of children in foster care on any given day, and tens of thousands of cases that end in permanent outcomes. Deadlines are short. Documentation decides outcomes. Action this week can change the direction of your case.
Navigating This Guide
This hub page serves as the entry point for deeper exploration. Use the links below to dive into specific areas of CPS Outcomes, Appeals & Permanency:
- CPS Basics & Parent Guide
- Family Roles
- Stories, Media & Community
Sub-Menu
- Reunification: Steps to Transition Children Home Safely
- Appeals & Administrative Reviews
- After Reunification: Court Monitoring & Maintaining Sobriety
CPS Appeals and Administrative Reviews: What They Are & Why They Matter
An administrative review is your first chance to challenge a CPS decision without going to court. It’s usually done on paper (sometimes by phone or video) and focuses on whether CPS followed policy and whether the evidence truly supports the finding. If the review upholds the decision, many states offer a higher-level appeal or a hearing before an independent officer. These steps don’t replace the juvenile court case about placement or services, but they do shape your record—and that record can influence employment checks, reunification timelines, and future investigations.
What’s at risk if you do nothing? A founded finding can stay on your administrative record for years. That can block certain jobs, limit volunteer roles, and weigh against you in future custody or adoption proceedings. If addiction is part of your story, the review is also your chance to show verified treatment, testing, and safety steps that CPS may not have captured yet.
How to Appeal a Founded Finding (CPS): Steps, Deadlines & Templates
Time limits are tight—often measured in days, not months—so treat this like an emergency project. Use the steps below as your starter plan.
- Request appeal rights in writing today. Ask for the deadline, the correct form, where to send it, and confirmation when received. Keep a timestamped copy.
- Get the case record. Ask for the investigative file, hotline narrative, assessments, safety plans, interview notes, and evidence list. If redactions apply, ask for them to be expedited so you can still meet your deadline.
- Identify the claim to be disproved. Circle the exact allegation and the standard CPS used (e.g., “preponderance of evidence”). Your appeal should directly address those points.
- Assemble proof. Include treatment enrollment and completion letters, medication-assisted treatment documentation (if applicable), clean drug/alcohol test results, therapy notes, parenting class certificates, attendance logs, witness statements, medical or school records, housing/lease letters, and pay stubs.
- Write a concise appeal. Two to four pages is typical. Use clear headings: “Background,” “Errors of Fact,” “New Evidence,” and “Current Safety Plan.” Attach organized exhibits (A, B, C…).
- Propose a remedy. Ask that the finding be changed to unfounded, amended, or sealed as allowed by your state’s rules. If policy wasn’t followed, request a new review or investigation.
- Keep working your case plan. While the appeal is pending, continue services, clean testing, and visits. Send a weekly progress email to your caseworker and attorney with proof attached.
Template line you can adapt:
“I am filing this appeal within the required timeframe to challenge the founded finding dated [date]. The evidence does not meet the standard because [specific reasons]. Attached are Exhibits A–H showing verified treatment, negative tests, and a current safety plan that addresses the concerns.”
Evidence That Moves Decisions (Especially in Addiction Cases)
Strong appeals are built on credible, current documentation—not just explanations.
- Treatment verification: intake date, level of care (detox, residential, IOP, outpatient), attendance, progress, and discharge summary.
- Testing: lab-confirmed negative tests over time; quickly explain any positive or missed tests with proof of step-up actions (e.g., increased testing or a higher level of care).
- Medication-assisted treatment (MAT): naltrexone, buprenorphine, or methadone documentation, dosing, and monitoring. Courts and agencies increasingly recognize MAT when clinically appropriate.
- Parenting & safety: certificates, coaching notes, written home safety plan (who supervises, locked storage for meds/chemicals, sleep routines), and proof of reliable childcare/transportation.
- Stability: lease or landlord letter, pay stubs, school attendance for the child, therapy/medical appointments kept, and letters from sober supports or recovery mentors.
- Timeline chart: one page showing dates of services, tests, and visits. Decision-makers love clear, chronological proof.
Remember: honesty and speed matter. If you had a slip, show same-day disclosure, a documented step-up plan, and clean tests after the event. Reviewers often weigh your response to setbacks as heavily as the setback itself.
True Stories of Addiction: Watch, Then Take the Next Step
Get Help Now: Move From Crisis to Action
If you’re facing a founded finding or a goal change, this week is crucial. Use our directory to find CPS-savvy detox, outpatient, residential, and family programs that understand timelines, testing, and documentation. Ask every provider whether they can send attendance logs, progress notes, and test results directly to your caseworker and attorney on a set schedule. Consider legal aid or a parent attorney who handles CPS appeals and administrative reviews in your state.
Your next step starts today. Build your packet, send your request, and keep doing the work that proves safety. If you need support right now, call our 24/7 helpline at (866) 578-7471 for confidential guidance. With the right plan—and the right proof—you can appeal a founded finding (CPS) and protect your family’s future.
