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Section C - Independent Exercise

Instructions

The attached state data profile for fictional State "X " will allow you to apply some of the analysis skills and knowledge learned in today's training. The exercise is to be completed at your own pace when it is convenient for you.

1. Examine the state data profile and look for inconsistencies, obvious errors such as transposition errors, or possible policy or programmatic issues that would cause a fluctuation in the data.
2. Note these errors or anomalies. Then draft some investigative questions about each that you would ask the State to help explain them or research them further.
3. You can check your how well you did by comparing your answers to the Answer Key. The Answer Key consists of an annotated state data profile (page 13) and some sample questions and possible reasons (page 21) for the errors, anomalies, or inconsistencies.
4. You can view the sample questions and possible reasons in the answer key profile.

I. CHILD SAFETY PROFILE
State X
Calendar Year 1999
Calendar Year 1998
Calendar Year 1997
  Reports % Duplic Chn.2 % Uniq Chn.2 % Reports % Duplic Chn.2 % Uniq Chn.2 % Reports % Duplic Chn.2 % Uniq Chn.2 %
I. Total CA/N Reports Disposed1 47,832   93,849   76,595   48,347   95,582   77,421   48,443   95,773   77.575  
                                     
II. Disposition of CA/N Reports3                                    
                                     
Substantiated & Indicated 10,730 22.4 22,914 24.4 20,012 26.1 11,265 23.3 23,418 24.5 21,136 27.3 13,661 28.2 27,870 29.1 20,325 26.2
                                     
Unsubstantiated 36,959 77.3 71,384 76.1 56,369 73.6 37,082 76.7 72,165 75.5 56,285 72.7 34,782 71.8 67,903 70.9 57,250 73.8
                                     
Other 143 0.3 271 0.3 214 0.3                        
                                     
III. Child Cases Opened for Services4     14,048 70.2 16,435 71.7     16,767 71.6 14,858 70.3     19,453 69.8 13,862 68.2
                                     
IV. Children Entering Care Based on CA/N Report5     2,195 9.6 1,640 8.2     2,365 10.1 1,839 8.7     2,647 9.5 1,524 7.5
                                     
V. Child Fatalities6         10 0         1 0         0 0
STATEWIDE AGGREGATE DATA USED TO DETERMIND SUBSTANTIAL CONFORMITY
VI. Recurrent of Maltreatment7         12,385 6.98         12,374 6.56         13,461

6.75
                                     
VII. Incidence of Child Abuse and/or Neglect in Foster Care8 (for January-September)         46 of 2,685 1.7         102 of 2,673 3.8         115 of 2,842 4.0


II. POINT-IN-TIME PERMANENCY PROFILE
State X		 Federal FY 1999   Federal FY 1998   Federal FY 1997  
           
  # of Children % of Children # of Children % of Children # of Children % of Children
I. Foster Care Population Flow            
Children in foster care on first day of year 10,300   4,245   9,854  
Admissions during year 4,852   10,265   5,175  
Discharges during year 3,885   3,955   4,045  
Children in care on last day of year 11,267   10,555   10,985  
Net change during year (% = net change/served) 967 6.38 290 2 1,130 7.52
             
II. Placement Types for Children in Care            
Pre-Adoptive Homes 315 2.8 306 2.9 494 4.5
Foster Family Homes (Relative) 4,388 38.5 1763 16.7 1,878 17.1
Foster Family Homes (Non-Relative) 3,053 27.1 5,404 51.2 5,295 48.2
Group Homes 946 8.4 834 7.9 912 8.3
Institutions 991 8.8 897 8.5 912 8.3
Supervised Independent Living 135 1.2 21 0.2 22 0.2
Runaway 597 5.3 507 4.8 593 5.4
Trial Home Visit 755 6.7 739 7 714 6.5
Missing Placement Information 56 0.5 11 0.1 99 0.9
Not Applicable (Placement in subsequent year) 79 0.7 74 0.7 66 0.6


II. POINT-IN-TIME PERMANENCY PROFILE
State X		 Federal FY 1999   Federal FY 1998   Federal FY 1997  
           
  # of Children % of Children # of Children % of Children # of Children % of Children
III. Permanency Goals for Children in Care            
Reunification 5,070 45 4,708 44.6 5,580 50.8
Live with Other Relatives 1,273 11.3 1,340 12.7 1,197 10.9
Adoption 338 3 2,998 28.4 3,021 27.5
Long-Term Foster Care 3,335 29.6 306 2.9 143 1.3
Emancipation 158 1.4 116 1.6 110 1
Guardianship 1,059 9.4 1,013 9.6 912 8.3
Case Plan Goal Not Established 34 0.3 21 0.2 22 0.2
Missing Goal Information 0 0 0 0 0 0
             
IV. Number of Placement Settings in Current Placement            
One 451 4 401 3.8 560 5.1
Two 3,234 28.7 3,388 32.1 1,571 14.3
Three 608 5.4 1,098 10.4 1,670 15.2
Four 3,639 32.3 2,987 28.3 3,054 27.8
Five 1,972 17.5 1,625 15.4 2,142 19.5
Six or more 1,363 12.1 1,056 10 1,988 18.1
Missing placement settings 0 0 0 0 0 0


II. POINT-IN-TIME PERMANENCY PROFILE
State X		 Federal FY 1999   Federal FY 1998   Federal FY 1997  
           
  # of Children % of Children # of Children % of Children # of Children % of Children
V. Number of Removal Episodes            
One 10,647 94.5 8,085 76.6 5,745 91.2
Two 619 5.5 1,837 17.4 1,813 16.5
Three 0 0 507 4.7 2,164 19.7
Four 0 0 127 1.2 1,099 10
Five 0 0 0 0 132 1.2
Six or more 0 0 0 0 33 0.3
Missing removal episodes 0 0 11 0.1 0 0
             
VI. Number of children in care 17 of the most recent 22 months (percent is based on cases required computation information) 2,743 58.4 3,266 62.3 2,043 42.3
  Number of Months   Number of Months   Number of Months  
VII. Median Length of Stay in Foster Care            
(of children in care on last day of FY) 15.8   17.3   14.2  
  # of Children Discharged Median Months to Discharge # of Children Discharged Median Months to Discharge # of Children Discharged Median Months to Discharge
VIII. Length of Time to Achieve Perm. Goal            
Reunification/Relative Placement 1,554 14.5 1,582 19.8 1,537 26.3
Adoption 1,165 34.7 988 36.2 1,051 42.1
Guardianship 466 12.3 1,186 14.3 1,213 16.7
Other 682 27.4 197 25.4 244 26.4
Missing Discharge Reason 16 15.3 2 14.2 0 0
Missing Date of Latest Removal or Date Error 2 N/A 0 N/A 0 N/A


II. POINT-IN-TIME PERMANENCY PROFILE
State X

 Federal FY 1999   Federal FY 1998   Federal FY 1997  
  # of Children % of Children # of Children % of Children # of Children % of Children
Statewide Aggregate Data Used in Determining Substantial Conformity            
IX. Of all children who were reunified with their parents or caretakers at the time of discharge from foster care, what percentage was reunified in less than 12 months from the time of the latest removal from home? (4.1) 999 64.3 905 57.2 822 53.5
X. Of all children who exited care to a finalized adoption, what percentage exited care in less than 24 months from the time of the latest removal from home? (5.1) 318 27.3 379 38.4 308 29.3
XI. Of all children served who have been in foster care less than 12 months from the time of the latest removal from home, what percentage have had no more than two placement settings? (6.1) 3,623 78.4 3,742 84.3 3,543 81.2
XII. Of all children who entered care during the year, what percentage re-entered foster care within 12 months of a prior foster care episode? (4.2) 893 18.4 908 21.4 1,221 23.6


III. PERMANENCY PROFILE
FIRST-TIME ENTRY COHORT GROUP
State X		 Federal FY 1999   Federal FY 1998   Federal FY 1997  
  # of Children % of Children # of Children % of Children # of Children % of Children
             
I. Number of children entering care for the first time in cohort group (% = 1st time entry of all entering within first 6 months) 2,365 94.28 1,986 90.89 2,037 89.73
             
II. Most Recent Placement Types            
Pre-Adoptive Homes 95 4 85 4.3 68 3.3
Foster Family Homes (Relative) 468 19.8 472 23.8 508 24.9
Foster Family Homes (Non-Relative) 1,220 51.6 1,115 56.1 1,109 54.4
Group Homes 173 7.3 152 7.7 187 9.2
Institutions 88 3.7 63 3.2 52 2.6
Supervised Independent Living 5 0.2 2 0.1 6 0.3
Runaway 97 4.1 77 3.8 68 3.3
Trial Home Visit 106 4.5 18 0.9 39 1.9
Missing Placement Information 114 4.8 2 0.1 0 0
Not Applicable (Placement in subsequent yr) 0 0 0 0 0 0


III. PERMANENCY PROFILE
FIRST-TIME ENTRY COHORT GROUP
State X		 Federal FY 1999   Federal FY 1998   Federal FY 1997  
             
             
  # of Children % of Children # of Children % of Children # of Children % of Children
III. Most Recent Permanency Goal            
Reunification 525 22.2 419 21.3 528 25.9
Live with Other Relatives 558 23.6 331 16.8 442 21.7
Adoption 319 13.5 346 17.6 365 17.9
Long-Term Foster Care 426 18 372 18.9 332 16.3
Emancipation 31 1.3 53 2.7 77 3.8
Guardianship 473 20 364 18.5 226 11.1
Case Plan Goal Not Established 19 0.8 83 4.2 67 3.3
Missing Goal Information 14 0.6 0 0 0 0
             
IV. Number of Placement Settings in Current Episode            
One 1,644 69.5 1,356 68.3 1,224 60.1
Two 291 12.3 288 14.5 271 13.3
Three 269 11.4 187 9.4 327 16.1
Four 59 2.5 67 3.4 69 3.4
Five 7 0.3 24 1.2 71 3.5
Six or more 95 4 64 3.2 73 3.6
Missing placement settings 0 0 0 0 0 0
             


III. PERMANENCY PROFILE
FIRST-TIME ENTRY COHORT GROUP
State X		 Federal FY 1999   Federal FY 1998   Federal FY 1997  
           
           
  # of Children % of Children # of Children % of Children # of Children % of Children
V. Reason for Discharge            
Reunification/Relative Placement 556 78.4 461 77.4 417 68.2
Adoption 0 0 29 4.8 67 10.9
Guardianship 77 10.8 57 9.5 53 8.7
Other 53 7.6 49 8.3 74 12.2
Unknown (missing discharge reason) 23 3.2 0 0 0 0
             
  Number of Months   Number of Months   Number of Months  
VI. Median Length of Stay in Foster Care 23.84   27.28   30.45  
             

Answer Key for Independent Exercise

I. CHILD SAFETY PROFILE
State X
Calendar Year 1999
Calendar Year 1998
Calendar Year 1997
  Reports % Duplic Chn.2 % Uniq Chn.2 % Reports % Duplic Chn.2 % Uniq Chn.2 % Reports % Duplic Chn.2 % Uniq Chn.2 %
I. Total CA/N Reports Disposed1                                    
  47,832   93,849   76,595   48,347   95,582   77,421   48,443   95,773   77.575  
                                     
II. Disposition of CA/N Reports3                                    
                                     
Substantiated & Indicated                                    
  10,730 22.4 22,914 24.4 20,012 26.1 11,265 23.3 23,418 24.5 21,136 27.3 13,661 28.2 27,870 29.1 20,325 26.2
                                     
Unsubstantiated 36,959 77.3 71,384 76.1 56,369 73.6 37,082 76.7 72,165 75.5 56,285 72.7 34,782 71.8 67,903 70.9 57,250 73.8
                                     
Other 143 0.3 271 0.3 214 0.3                        
                                     
III. Child Cases Opened for Services4     14,048 70.2 16,435 71.7     16,767 71.6 14,858 70.3     19,453 69.8 13,862 68.2
                                     
IV. Children Entering Care Based on CA/N Report5     2,195 9.6 1,640 8.2     2,365 10.1 1,839 8.7     2,647 9.5 1,524 7.5
                                     
V. Child Fatalities6         10 0         1 0         0 0
STATEWIDE AGGREGATE DATA USED TO DETERMIND SUBSTANTIAL CONFORMITY
VI. Recurrent of Maltreatment7         12,385