Georgia's Child and Family Services Federal Review and Evaluation

Statewide Assessment
May 2001 


U. S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families
Administration on Children, Youth and Families
Children's Bureau
OMB Control No:  0970-0214
				                 				Expiration date:  04/30/2003 
August 2000

Introduction

The child and family services reviews, regulated by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and facilitated by the Social Security Act Amendments of 1994, are designed to support a stronger Federal-State partnership in improving the outcomes of services to children and families. The review strategy seeks to achieve this by linking review of State child and family services to joint planning and technical assistance and emphasizing continuous improvement in State child welfare systems. The reviews include three outcome domains that cover the continuum of child welfare services: safety, permanency, and child and family well-being, as well as an examination of State and local agency characteristics that affect the achievement of positive outcomes.

This instrument, "Child and Family Services Reviews: Statewide Assessment," is completed in the first stage of the review process by the State, in consultation with State representatives external to the State agency and ACF Regional and Central Office staff. The second stage of the review process is an onsite review, conducted by a team of State and Federal representatives, peer reviewers, and external reviewers. "Child and Family Services Reviews: Onsite Review Instrument" is used for the onsite case reviews, and the Stakeholder Interview Guide is used for the onsite stakeholder interviews. Information from the statewide assessment and the onsite review is used to make determinations about the States' substantial conformity with the State plan and other program requirements under review.

Section I of the statewide assessment requests general information about the State agency. Section II focuses on State child welfare agency characteristics and requires narrative responses on systemic factors, based on data to the extent available to the State. Section III includes data profiles for the safety and permanency outcomes, including the statewide aggregate data indicators used to determine substantial conformity. Section IV requires a narrative assessment of the outcome areas based on the data profiles in section III. Section V requires the State to assess its strengths and needs and identify issues and locations for further examination through the onsite review. The data profiles in section III are based on the Adoption Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) and National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) data that are provided by the ACF to the State when the State initiates the statewide assessment.

The statewide assessment must be completed in collaboration with State representatives who are not staff of the State agency, pursuant to 45 Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) 1355.33 (b). Those individuals should represent the sources of consultation required of the State in developing its title IV-B State plan. The names of external representatives who participated in developing the statewide assessment must be listed in section V of the instrument.

The instrument is available electronically through the Children's Bureau Web site at <http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/cb/>.

THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT OF 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13)

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 240 hours for the initial review and 120 hours for subsequent reviews. This estimate includes the time for reviewing instructions, completing the assessment, and reviewing the collection of information.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

List of Questions

  1. Systemic Factors
    1. Statewide Information System Capacity
      1. Discuss how effectively the State is able to meet the State plan requirement that it operates a Statewide information system that can determine the status, demographics, location, and goals for all children in foster care in the State. In responding, consider the accessibility of this information to State managers and local staff and the usefulness of the information in carrying out the agency's responsibilities.
    2. Case Review System
      1. How effectively is the State able to meet the requirement that each child in foster care under the State's placement and care responsibility have a written case plan with all the required elements?
      2. How effectively is the State able to meet the case review system requirement that parents of children in foster care participate in developing the child's case plan? In responding, consider their participation in activities such as identifying strengths and needs, determining goals, requesting specific services and evaluating progress related to their children.
      3. Citing any data available to the State, discuss how effectively the State is meeting the requirement that the status of each child in foster care be reviewed periodically, i.e., at least every 6 months, by a court or by administrative review.
      4. Citing any data available to the State, discuss how the State meets the requirement that permanency hearings for children in foster care occur within prescribed timeframes. Discuss the effectiveness of these hearings in promoting the timely and appropriate achievement of permanency goals for children.
      5. Citing any data available to the State, discuss how the State meets the requirement to provide foster parents, preadoptive parents, and relative caregivers of children in foster care with notice of and an opportunity to be heard in, any review or hearing held with respect to the child in their care.
    3. Quality Assurance System
      1. Discuss how the State has complied with the requirement at section 471 (a)(22) of the Social Security Act to develop and implement standards to ensure that children in foster care placements are provided quality services that protect their health and safety, and any effects of implementing the standards to date.
      2. Discuss the effectiveness of the agency's quality assurance system in helping to ensure safety, permanency, and well-being for children served by the agency and their families in all jurisdictions of the State. In responding, discuss the jurisdictions in the State covered by the quality assurance procedures, the capacity of the system to evaluate the adequacy and quality of the State's child and family services system, and its capacity to produce information leading to program improvements.
    4. Staff and Provider Training
      1. Citing any data available to the State on the numbers and timeframes of staff trained, discuss the effectiveness of the State's initial and ongoing training for all child welfare staff employed by the agency that includes the basic skills and knowledge required for their positions.
      2. Citing any data available to the State, discuss the effectiveness of the State's training of current and prospective foster and adoptive families and the staff of State-licensed or approved child care institutions that care for children in the State's care or responsibility that addresses the skills and knowledge base needed to carry out their duties.
    5. Service Array and Resource Development
      1. Discuss how effective the State has been in meeting the title IV-B State plan requirement to provide services designed to help children safely and appropriately return to families from which they have been removed.
      2. Discuss how effective the State has been in meeting the title IV-B State plan requirement to provide preplacement preventive services designed to help children at risk of foster care placement remain safely with their families.
      3. Discuss how effective the State has been in meeting the title IV-B State plan requirement to provide services designed to help children be placed for adoption, with a legal guardian, or if adoption or legal guardianship are determined not to be appropriate for a child, in some other planned, permanent living arrangement.
      4. Describe the extent to which all the services in items 1-3 above are accessible to families and children on a statewide basis.
    6. Agency Responsiveness to Community
      1. Discuss how effective the State has been in meeting the requirement to consult and coordinate with external community stakeholders in the development of the State's Child and Family Services Plan (CFSP). In responding, discuss how the concerns of stakeholders are addressed in the agency's planning and operations and their involvement in evaluating and reporting progress on the agency's goals.
      2. Discuss how effective the State has been in meeting the State plan requirement to coordinate its services with the services and benefits of other public and private agencies serving the same general populations of children and families.
      3. Does the agency have any agreements in place with other public or private agencies or contractors, such as juvenile justice or managed care agencies, to perform title IV-E or IV-B functions? If so, how are services provided under the agreements or contracts monitored for compliance with State plan requirements or other program requirements and accurate eligibility determinations made, where applicable?
      4. Citing any data available, discuss how effective the State has been in meeting State plan requirements for determining whether children are American Indian and ensuring compliance with the Indian Child Welfare Act.
    7. Foster and Adoptive Home Licensing, Approval, and Recruitment
      1. Discuss how effective the State has been in meeting the requirement to establish and maintain standards for foster family homes, adoptive homes, and child care institutions in which children served by the agency are placed.
      2. Citing any data available to the State, discuss how effective the State has been in meeting the State plan requirement to ensure that the State's licensure standards are applied equally to all foster and adoptive homes and child care institutions that serve children in the State's care or custody.
      3. Citing any licensure or safety data available to the State, discuss how effective the State has been in meeting the State plan requirements to conduct criminal background clearances on prospective foster and adoptive families, including those being licensed or approved by private agencies in the State. How does the State address safety considerations with respect to the staff of child care institutions and foster and adoptive families (if the agency has opted not to conduct criminal background clearances on foster care and adoptive families)?
      4. Citing any data available to the State, discuss how effective the State has been in meeting the State plan requirement to recruit and retain foster and adoptive families that represent the ethnic and racial diversity of children in the State for whom foster and adoptive homes are needed, including the effectiveness of the State's official recruitment plan.
      5. Citing any data available to the State, discuss how effective the State has been in meeting the State plan requirement to recruit and use adoptive families for waiting children across State or other jurisdictional boundaries. In responding, consider relevant agency policies, timeframes for initiating recruitment activities, and specific methods.

  2. Narrative Assessment of Child and Family Outcomes

    1. Safety
      • Outcome S1: Children are, first and foremost, protected from abuse and neglect.
      • Outcome S2: Children are safely maintained in their homes whenever possible and appropriate.

      Based on examination of the safety data elements on the safety data profile in section III, and the State Child and Family Services Plan (State IV-B plan), please respond to the following questions.

      1. Trends in Safety Data. Have there been notable changes in the individual data elements in the safety profile in Section III over the past 3 years in the State? Identify and discuss factors that have affected the changes noted and the effects on the safety of children in the State.
      2. Child Maltreatment (Safety Data Elements I & II). Examine the data on reports of child maltreatment disposed during the year by disposition of the reports. Identify and discuss issues affecting the rate of substantiated vs. unsubstantiated reports and factors that influence decision-making regarding the disposition of incoming reports.
      3. Cases Opened for Services (Safety Data Element III). Compare the cases opened for services following a report of maltreatment to the rates of substantiated reports received. Discuss the issues affecting opening cases following reports of maltreatment and reasons cases are or are not opened.
      4. Children Entering Foster Care Based on Child Abuse and/or Neglect (CA/N) Report (Safety Data Element IV). Identify and discuss issues affecting the provision of home-based services to protect children from maltreatment and whether or not there is a relationship between this data element and other issues in the State, such as availability of services to protect children, repeat maltreatment, or changes in the foster care population.
      5. Child Fatalities (Safety Data Element V). Identify and discuss child protection issues affecting child deaths due to maltreatment in the State and how the State is addressing the issues.
      6. Recurrence of Maltreatment (Safety Data Element VI). Discuss whether or not the State's recurrence of maltreatment conforms to the national standard for this indicator, the extent to which the State's rate of recurrence of child maltreatment is due to the same general circumstances or same perpetrator, and how the State is addressing repeat maltreatment.
      7. Incidence of Child Abuse and/or Neglect in Foster Care (Safety Data Element VI). Discuss whether or not the State's incidence of child maltreatment by the foster care provider conforms to the national standard for this indicator. Discuss the ways in which the State is addressing this issue and whether or not there is a need for additional measures to ensure the safety of children who are in foster care or preadoptive placements.
      8. Other Safety Issues. Discuss any other issues of concern, not covered above or in the data profiles, that affect the safety outcomes for children and families served by the agency.

    2. Permanency
      • Outcome P1: Children have permanency and stability in their living situations.
      • Outcome P2: The continuity of family relationships and connections is preserved for children.

      Based on examination of the foster care data in the two foster care profiles in section III, and the State Child and Family Services Plan (State IV-B plan), please respond to the following questions.

      1. Trends in Permanency Data. Have there been notable changes in the individual data elements in the two permanency data profiles in section III over the past 3 years in the State? Identify and discuss any factors affecting the changes noted and the effects on permanency for children in foster care in the State.
      2. Foster Care Population Flow (Point-in-Time Data Element I & Cohort Data Element I). Identify and discuss any issues raised by the data regarding the composition of the State's foster care population, rates of admissions and discharges, and changes in this area. Discuss the State's ability to ensure that the children who enter foster care in the State are only those children whose needs for protection and care cannot be met in their own homes.
      3. Placement Types for Children in Foster Care (Point-in-Time Data Element II & Cohort Data Element II). How well is the State able to ensure that children are placed in the types of placements that are the most family-like and most appropriate for their individual needs, both at the time of initial entry into foster care and throughout their stay in foster care?
      4. Permanency Goals for Children in Foster Care (Point-in-Time Data Elements III & VIII and Cohort Data Elements III & V.) Discuss the extent to which children in care are moving safely into permanent living arrangements on a timely basis and issues affecting the safe, timely achievement of permanency for children in the State.
      5. Achievement of Reunification (Point-in-Time Data Element IX). Discuss whether the State's data regarding achievement of reunification within 12 months from the time of the latest removal from home conform with the national standards for this indicator. Identify and discuss issues affecting conformity and how the State is addressing the issues.
      6. Achievement of Adoption (Point-in-Time Data Element X). Discuss whether the State's data on children exiting foster care to a finalized adoption within less than 24 months from the latest removal from home conform to the national standard for this indicator. Identify and discuss issues affecting the number of children placed for adoption in the State and how the State is addressing the issues.
      7. Termination of Parental Rights (TPR) (Point-in-Time Data Element VI). Discuss the extent to which the State complies with the requirement at section 475(5)(E) of the act regarding termination of parental rights for children who have been in foster care 15 of the most recent 22 months, for abandoned infants, and for children whose parents have been convicted of the listed felonies. Identify and discuss the issues that affect timely termination of parental rights, where appropriate, including the use of the exceptions to the TPR provisions.
      8. Stability of Foster Care Placements (Point-in-Time Data Elements IV & XI and Cohort Data Element IV). Using data element XI on the point-in-time permanency profile, discuss whether the percentage of children in the State who have been in foster care less than 12 months and have had more than two placement settings conforms to the national standard for this indicator. Using all three data elements noted above, identify and discuss the reasons for the movement of children in foster care in the State. If there are differences in placement stability for children newly entering the system (cohort data) compared with the total population of children in care (permanency data), identify and discuss those issues.
      9. Foster Care Re-Entries (Point-in-Time Data Elements V & XII). Using data element XII, discuss whether the percentage of children who entered foster care during the period under review who had a prior entry into foster care within 12 months of a prior foster care episode conforms to the national standard for this indicator. Using both data elements, discuss the extent of foster care re-entries for all children in the State's placement and care responsibility, the issues affecting re-entries, and how the State is addressing the issues.
      10. Length of Stay in Foster Care (Point-in-Time Data Element VII & Cohort Data Element VI). Using data element VI in the cohort data profile, discuss how length of stay in foster care for first-time foster care entries in the State compares with the national standard for this indicator (although this indicator is not used to determine substantial conformity). Examining the data on length of stay in both profiles, identify and discuss factors affecting length of stay in foster care and how the State is addressing the issues. If there are differences in the length of stay between children newly entering foster care in the State (cohort data) and the total population of children in care (permanency data), identify and discuss the reasons.
      11. Other Permanency Issues. Discuss any other issues of concern, not covered above or in the data, that affect the permanency outcomes for children and families served by the agency.

    3. Child and Family Well-Being
      • Outcome WB1: Families have enhanced capacity to provide for their children's needs.
      • Outcome WB2: Children receive appropriate services to meet their educational needs.
      • Outcome WB3: Children receive adequate services to meet their physical and mental health needs.

      Based on any data the agency has available, please respond to the following questions.

      1. Frequency of Contact Between Caseworkers and Children and their Families. Examine any data the State has available about the frequency of contacts between caseworkers and the children and families in their caseloads. Identify and discuss issues that affect the frequency of contacts and how the frequency of contacts affects the outcomes for children and families served by the State.
      2. Educational Status of Children. Examine any data the State has available regarding the educational status of children in its care and placement responsibility. How does the State ensure that the educational needs of children are identified in assessments and case planning and that those needs are addressed through services?
      3. Health Care for Children. Examine any data the State has available regarding the provision of health care, including Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT), to children in its care and placement responsibility. How does the State ensure that the physical health and medical needs of children are identified in assessments and case planning activities and that those needs are addressed through services?
      4. Mental Health Care for Children. Examine any data the State has available regarding the mental health needs and status of children in its care and custody. How does the State ensure that the mental health needs of children are identified in assessments and case planning activities and that those needs are addressed through services?
      5. Other Well-Being Issues. Discuss any other issues of concern, not covered above or in the data, that impact on the well-being outcomes for children and families served by the agency.

  3. State Assessment Of Strengths And Needs

    Based on examination of the data in section III and the narrative responses in sections II & IV, the State review team should respond to the following questions.

    1. What specific strengths of the agency's programs has the team identified?
    2. What specific needs has the team identified that warrant further examination in the onsite review? Note which of these needs are the most critical to the outcomes under safety, permanency, and well-being for children and families in the State.
    3. Which three locations, e.g., counties or regions, in the State are most appropriate for examining the strengths and concerns noted above in the onsite review?
    4. Comment on the statewide assessment process in terms of its usefulness to the State, involvement of the entire review team membership, and recommendations for revision.
    5. List the names and affiliations of the individuals who participated in the development of the statewide assessment (please specify their role).
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Last Updated 09/06/2001