CFSR Resource

Welcome to the Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) Resource Page from NRC-CWDT. The goal of the CFSR is to help States improve child welfare services and achieve safety, permanency, and well-being for children and their families.

One of the goals of NRC-CWDT is to promote the use of automation for measuring child welfare outcomes, which includes the Child and Family Services Reviews. In that regard, NRC-CWDT staff has collected reports, policy guidance, and training and technical assistance materials to support State, local, or Tribal child welfare agencies engaged in the review process.

2006 State Data Profile Toolkit New!

• The NRC-CWDT has created a new toolkit to help you understand and work with the new composite measures for Round Two of the CFSRs. The 2006 State Data Profile Toolkit contains a general overview of the CFSR initiative, an introduction to the data used in the CFSRs, a detailed explanation of the State Data Profile, and a guide to looking at what’s behind the numbers. Additionally it contains a Quick Reference Guide to the CFSR State Data Profile Elements, a CFSR Glossary, a generic discussion of composite measures and weighted components, as well as other useful documents and tools.

  The first version of the Toolkit will be distributed on CD at the 9th National Child Welfare Data and Technology Conference in July and will soon be available here on the NRC-CWDT website.

Data and Reports

• A Preliminary Review of Alcohol and Other Drug Issues in the States' Children and Family Service Reviews and Program Improvement Plans  A total of 31 state reports from the Children and Family Service Reviews (CFSRs) and 7 Program Improvement Plans (PIPs) were reviewed to compile this preliminary review. This document provides a summary and analysis of these CFSRs and PIPs highlighting the substance abuse issues included in the States' reports. This document will be updated as new state reports are completed.
  
  
• Background Paper: National Child and Family Services Review National Standards  (issued 09/01/2001) This paper combines relevant information from memorandums ACYF-CB-IM-00-11 and ACYF-CB-IM-01-01, which have been withdrawn due to the issuance of ACYF-CB-IM-01-07 on August 16, 2001. This paper reflects the most up-to-date information on the national standards as of September 2001. For a more detailed synopsis of the child and family services review, please consult the regulations and the Child and Family Services Reviews Procedures Manual, both are available on the Children's Bureau website at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/
  
  
• CFSR Onsite Review Instrument and Instructions  (issued 07/01/2003) The onsite review is the second stage of the Child and Family Services Review process. The review team examines a sample of case records and conducts interviews with children and families engaged in services, child welfare case managers, and community stakeholders. Information gathered using this instrument (along with information collected during the stakeholder interviews and Statewide Assessment) is used to make determinations regarding the State's substantial conformity with Federal requirements. (Please note that the Onsite Review Instrument now contains the Built-in Instructions.)
  
  
• CFSR Promising Approaches  The Children's Bureau has released a web page dedicated to Promising Approaches that are used by states as observed during the first round of Child and Family Services Reviews. Promising approaches are organized by state and by topical area, such as Agency Collaboration and Quality Assurance, which correspond with the items reviewed during the CFSRs. Each description includes the relevant contact information for those seeking additional information.
  
  
• CFSR State Executive Summaries and Final Reports  The executive summary and final CFSR reports are available for these States on the Children's Bureau web site in html and pdf formats.
  
  
• Changing the Culture of the Workplace  (issued 01/29/2003) Closing Plenary Session - Annual Meeting of States and Tribes - January 29, 2003
  
  
• Child and Family Service Review Data Index  The Center for Social Services Research (CSSR) at the School of Social Welfare at U.C. Berkeley at the request of the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has developed a Child and Family Service Review Data Index. The data index includes versions of the aggregate statewide Data Profiles, county specific estimates of the portions of the Profiles that are the National Standards, as well as Child Welfare and Probation breakouts.
  
  
• Child and Family Service Review Final Reports: An Assessment of States' Success in Involving Children and Families in Case Planning  This document presents results for the 22 states with reports completed by February 2003.
  
  
• Child Maltreatment Recurrence  This publication focuses attention on those circumstances of maltreatment and intervention that are most important in addressing the reduction of recurrence and to illuminate aspects of the Child and Family Service Review (CFSR) recurrence measure that can help in understanding how it is likely to be impacted by CPS policy, information system, and program changes.
  
  
• Findings from the 2001-2004 Child and Family Services Review  The report summarizes the results from the first two phases of the CFSRs for all states including Puerto Rico and District of Columbia and provides state-level and case-level data analyses.
  
  
• Partners in Progress: Improving Outcomes through Systemic Change  (issued 01/28/2003) is a presentation by Joan Ohl - Annual Meeting of States and Tribes - January 28, 2003
  
  
• Results of the 2001 and 2002 Child and Family Services Reviews  A PowerPoint presentation containing the compiled results of the 2001 and 2002 Child and Family Services Reviews.
  
  
• Results of the 2001 Child and Family Services Reviews  This section contains the compiled results of the child and family services reviews from the states to-date.
  
  
• Strategic Planning for Child Welfare Agencies  This report presents strategic planning techniques and highlights PIP examples to allow agencies to establish and move toward improved outcomes for children and families.
  
  
• Using Data to Monitor PIP Progress  This new edition to the NRC-ITCW Tips, Tools, and Trends series provides information on how the state of Texas has approached their quality assurance process in four distinct ways, and are incorporating these tools into the social work practice of the State of Texas.
  
  

  Policy Guidance

• Amendment to ACYF-CB-IM-00-01, December 28, 2000, to correct the methodology for calculating foster care re-entries/ACYF-CB-IM-01-01  (issued 02/21/2001) The purpose of this information memorandum (IM) is to amend the section of ACYF-CB-IM-00-11, dated December 28, 2000, to correct the methodology for calculating foster care re-entries. (Note: This IM does not supersede ACYF-CB-IM-00-11 in its entirety. It amends and corrects the chart in the section titled "The National Standards" on pages 4 and 5 of the original issuance.)
  
  
• CFSR Performance Measurement Request for Public Comment  (issued 11/07/2005) The Administration for Children and Families has released for comment the proposed performance areas and measures for the next round of CFSRs. The proposed measures consist of six data composites addressing the child welfare outcomes of maltreatment recurrence, maltreatment in foster care, timeliness of adoptions, timeliness of reunifications, placement stability, and permanency for children. The public is invited to comment on these proposed measurements during the 30-day comment period. Further information is available in the November 7, 2005 edition of the Federal Register.
  
  
• Child and Family Services Review Technical Bulletin #1  The Children's Bureau has released a Technical Bulletin regarding the second round of Child and Family Services Reviews and evaluation of State?s achievement of Program Improvement Plan (PIP) goals established during the first round of CFSRs.
  
  
• Executive Summary of the Child Welfare Final Rule  (issued 01/25/2000) The final rule is, in part, a response to Federal legislation requiring HHS to reform its approach to monitoring State compliance with Federal child welfare requirements and to promulgate regulations for reviews of State child and family service programs.
  
  
• Guidance and Suggested Format for Program Improvement Plans in Child and Family Service Reviews/ACYF-CB-IM-02-04  (issued 04/04/2002) The purpose of this Information Memorandum is to provide guidance and assistance to States in developing Program Improvement Plans in response to the findings of the Child and Family Service reviews, and a suggested format for preparing the Program Improvement Plan.
  
  
• Interjurisdictional Adoption Violations/ACYF-CB-PI-02-09  (issued 10/07/2002) The purpose of this Program Instruction (PI) is to provide instruction to States and other entities that receive title IV-E funds about the requirements related to interjurisdictional adoption in sections 471(a)(23)(A) and (B) of the Social Security Act (the Act), and the penalty and corrective action provisions (section 474(d)(1) of the Act). The PI also will provide guidance on the distinction between the section 471(a)(23) provision and the section 422(b)(12) provision of the Act on the effective use of cross-jurisdictional resources that is subject to the Child and Families Services Reviews (CFSRs).
  
  
• June 30, 2002 submission of the Annual Progress and Services Report/ACYF-CB-PI-02-05  (issued 05/10/2002) This PI addresses the requirement for States to integrate the Child and Family Services Reviews' Program Improvement Plans with the Annual Progress and Services Report, as well as required actions for States and Tribes to receive Federal funds for FY2003.
  
  
• National Standards for the Child and Family Service (CFS) Reviews/ACYF-CB-IM-00-11  (issued 12/28/2000) (Word | PDF) National Standards for the Child and Family Service (CFS) Reviews. The purpose of this information memorandum (IM) is to transmit the national standards on the six statewide data indicators that will be used in the child and family service reviews to determine, in part, whether or not States are operating in substantial conformity.
  
  
• Sampling Period for Selecting Cases for the Child and Family Services (CFS) Reviews/ACYF-CB-IM-01-06  (issued 07/03/2001) The purpose of this information memorandum (IM) is to announce a change in the method used to determine the time period from which the sample of cases for the onsite CFS reviews will be drawn. This change will be effective immediately for all CFS reviews scheduled for Federal fiscal years 2001 and 2002.
  
  
• Updated National Standards for the Child and Family Service Reviews and Guidance on Program Improvement Plans/ACYF-CB-IM-01-07  (issued 08/16/2001) (PDF) This information memorandum provides guidance on the updated National Standards for the Child and Family Services Reviews and Guidance on Program Improvement Plan.
  
  

  State Web Sites

• California Child and Family Services Review Project  Information pertaining to how California is preparing for the Child Family Services Review has been posted by the California Department of Social Services.
  
  
• Delaware Child and Family Services Federal Review  An executive summary and the final CFSR report are available on Delaware's Department for Children, Youth, and Their Families web site.
  
  
• Georgia's Child and Family Services Federal Review and Evaluation  The Statewide Assessment, the Final Report, a draft of the Program Improvement Plan, and additional stakeholder documentation are available on Georgia's Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) comprehensive CFSR website.
  
  
• Minnesota Child and Family Services Review Press Release  Documentation related to Minnesota's Child and Family Services Review. An executive summary, the full report, and related press release are available through the Minnesota Department of Human Services web site.
  
  
• North Carolina Child and Family Services Review  An executive summary, the final CFSR report, and a related press release are available on North Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services web site.
  
  

  Technical Assistance Materials

• A Framework for Quality Assurance in Child Welfare  (issued 03/01/2002) A guide from the National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement (NCWRCOI). This guide presents a framework for child welfare quality assurance systems that includes the broad elements all agencies should consider in creating new or energizing existing QA systems. The framework also presents the main elements in the form of implementation steps and state examples to assist readers in conceptualizing application within their agencies.
  
  
• Child and Family Services Review: Toolkit for Understanding the State Data Profiles  (issued 03/22/2002) This document was developed on behalf of the Children's Bureau to help States understand the State Data Profile and to use data more effectively in the Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSR).
  
  
• Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSR) Resources page  The National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information has launched the Child and Family Services Reviews Resources page. The site contains results and analyses from the first round of reviews, information on the upcoming round of reviews, promising approaches and more.
  
  
• Child Welfare Reviews  Information, documentation, and insturments related to the Child and Family Services Review Process.
  
  
• Schedule for Child and Family Services Reviews for 2001-2004  The Children's Bureau has published the schedule for Child and Family Services Reviews for 2001-2004.
  
  
• The CFSR Program Improvement Plan (PIP) Instructions and Matrix  The Children's Bureau has made available a series of instruments related to the Child and Family Services Reviews. (Note: It is advisable to print the PIP Instructions and Matrix in Word [on legal-size paper] or Adobe Acrobat [on regular-size paper].)
  
  

State Reports

• The executive summary and final CFSR report for States that have completed their CFSR are available on the Children's Bureau web site in html and pdf formats.