Frequency Report (n = 1373) Value: 1998 = 9; 1999 = 15; 2000 = 37

The State indicated that court reviews are conducted every three months. For DFS children, the program code only extracts a judicial review. The State identified that there are several applicable court/administrative reviews that are not included in the program code. This may be contributing to the under-reporting of information for this element. (See the case file findings.)

The program code does not include a parameter to prevent dates of reviews from prior removal episode from being extracted.

Case file review findings: 6 out of the 53 (11%) or the cases analyzed did not match information reported in AFCARS. These were all DFS records (16%). In four cases, the date reported to AFCARS was more than one year before the end of the report period, or if applicable, the child's discharge date. In another record, the date reported to AFCARS was from a prior removal period.

There were 6 cases (5 DFS and 1 YRS) where the date reported to AFCARS was between 7 and 9 months prior to the end of the report period end date, or if applicable, the child's discharge date. While this meets the AFCARS standard, programmatically there should have been a review held at least within seven months of the last review, or the child having entered care.

There is not an option of "unable to determine" for the worker to select.

The State collection of race does not allow multi-racial selection.

Program code includes "(OT) other," which is mapped to "unable to determine." "Other" is no longer an active code that workers can select. It is included in the program code to capture older entries.

Frequency Report (n = 1373): Yes = 181 (13.18%); No = 1171 (85.29%); Not yet determined = 0 (0%)

The State has a policy that every child entering foster care must have a physical exam within two weeks of entry. Workers must update the information if requesting an increase in the level of care. The level of care must match the need.

The State staff indicated the data for this element are under-reported.

Program code maps null to "no." This is creating a false "no."

This element is derived from foster care elements #11-15.

The State advised there is a training/internal policy for the medical professional diagnosis to be used to determine diagnosis within a specified timeframe.

Federal review team provided the disability resource table available on the AFCARS web site. The State should review this table and include any additional medical or psychological conditions that are appropriate.

Case file review findings: 24 out of the 54 (44%) cases analyzed did not match information reported in AFCARS. Reviewers found children that had been diagnosed with a disability that were not reported to AFCARS. In 18 of the records reviewers recorded a child had been diagnosed with an emotional disability (foster care element #14).

Of the 16 YRS cases analyzed, 12 (75%) AFCARS records did not match what was found in the case file. Of the 38 DFS cases analyzed, 12 (32%) AFCARS records did not match what was found in the case file.

Refer to AFCARS disability resource table.

Case file review finding: 22 out of the 54 (41%) cases did not match information reported in AFCARS. Of the DFS records reviewed, 10 of 38 (26%) did not match. Of the YRS records reviewed, 12 out of 16 (75%) did not match. In several of the YRS paper files, "disruptive behavior disorder" was identified as a diagnosis. This should be mapped to AFCARS "emotionally disturbed."

Frequency Report (n = 1373): Yes = 27 (1.97%); No = 1315 (95.78%); Unable to determine = 16 (1.17%); not reported = 15 (1.09%)

This is a required field for workers to complete.

There is not an option for "unable to determine." If a child is abandoned, the worker selects "no." This is not the correct use of this value.

If the program code does not find a "1," "2," or blank, then it defaults to "unable to determine."

Frequency Report (n = 1373): Unable to determine = 4(.29%); Not reported = 1347 (98.11%)

Program code calculates the appropriate age group based on the child's age at the time of adoption.

The program code maps "unknown" to blanks.

Refer to General Requirements findings for the AFCARS population regarding the CMH children. The State must ensure that this information is collected and reported for this population.

For children previously adopted from the State agency, the State is reporting only those removals that occur after the child's adoption.

Case file review findings: 7 out of the 57 (12%) cases did not match information reported in AFCARS. Six of these were DFS cases (16%). Reviewers found earlier dates of removal than what was reported in AFCARS.

Frequency Report: There were 5 records indicating zero removals.

See General Requirements for findings on children who are the responsibility of the State agency that have been returned home for specified and non-specified periods of time and children placed through the Division of Mental Health in foster care settings. The State must ensure that information is collected on this population.

Based on the case file findings, and the information pertaining to the foster care population, including the YRS youth, the program code needs to be assessed to ensure that it is counting all appropriate removals.

Case file review findings: 12 out of the 51 (24%) cases analyzed did not match information reported in AFCARS. Of the YRS cases, 3 of 15 (20%) did not match. Of the DFS cases, 9 of 36 (25%) did not match. Overall, there were more removals found than what was reported in AFCARS.

See General Requirements for findings on children in the responsibility of the State agency that have been returned home for specified and non-specified periods of time and children placed through the Division of Mental Health in foster care settings. The State must ensure that information is collected on this population.

Based on the case file findings, and the information pertaining to the foster care population, including the YRS youth, the program code needs to be assessed to ensure that it is counting all appropriate removals.

Case file review findings: 13 out of the 50 (26%) cases analyzed did not match information reported in AFCARS. Of the YRS cases, 2 of 15 (13%) did not match. Of the DFS cases, 11 of 35 (31%) did not match.

See General Requirements for findings on children in the responsibility of the State agency that have been returned home for specified and non-specified periods of time and children placed through the Division of Mental Health in foster care settings. The State must ensure that information is collected on this population.

Case file review findings: 5 out of 49 (10%) of the cases analyzed did not match. These were all DFS cases (15%).

The program code does not pick up all the placements. The State needs to check the code to assess if it is missing the initial or current placement. The program code appears not to be checking for the initial placement.

The State should refer to the new guidance in the Children's Bureau Child Welfare Policy manual regarding what should be counted or not counted for this element (see (Section 1, AFCARS, subsection 2B.7).

Case file review findings: 14 out of the 56 (25%) cases analyzed did not match information reported in AFCARS. The majority of errors were found in the DFS cases. Of the 37 cases analyzed, 13 (35%) did not match.

The State does not do "voluntary agreements." The State must obtain a court order to place a child in out-of-home care.

The State had a value "CP = consent to place" that has been removed. It is a legitimate, active value but only for historical purposes.

The State code "YA (YRS Administration)" is mapped to "voluntary." It should be mapped to "court ordered."

The program defaults missing data to "not yet determined."

Frequency Report (n = 1373): Not reported = 10; Pre-adopt home = 108; Foster family home (relative) = 139; Foster home (non-relative) = 664; Group home = 147; Institution = 302; Supervised independent living = 3; Runaway = 0; Trial home visit = 0

The State does not operate "supervised independent living" settings for DFS youth. All youth in independent living services live in a 24-hour supervised group home or a family foster home.

YRS has supervised independent living settings.

The State staff indicated the number for "not reported" are probably the YRS youth that have run away.

The State's program code and entry screen does not include the AFCARS options "runaway" and "trial home visit."

For the extraction of data for the YRS youth, the program code is not extracting the information from the correct screen. The program code maps "leave" and not "AWOL" status for the YRS youth. It should be mapping "AWOL" to "runaway." The State must include in the AFCARS report children that have run away. The State staff shared that workers may submit a request to the court to discharge the State from care, placement, or supervision. The State can enter this date for foster care element #56.

Frequency Report (n = 1373): Reunify with parent(s) = 443; Live with relative = 57; Adoption = 320; Long term foster care = 31 Emancipation = 187; Guardianship = 21; Case plan goal not yet established = 18; Not reported = 296

The State's policy is to establish a case plan goal within 30 days of a child's removal.DFS uses the following options: reunification, live with relatives, adoption, other planned permanency living arrangement, and guardianship, as selections for caseworkers. "Other planned permanency living arrangement" includes youth that are receiving independent living and self-sufficiency services to prepare them for emancipation.

For YRS purposes the only applicable goals are reunification, independent living, placement with relative, and planned permanent foster care. Those youth reported with an AFCARS goal of "long term foster care" will likely be the YRS youth.

The program code checks for a case plan goal for the current placement setting and not the current episode.

"Other" is mapped to "not yet established."

The State acknowledges data on this element may not be current and up-to-date.

Case file review findings: 12 out of the 56 (21%) cases did not match information reported in AFCARS. Of the YRS cases, 4 of 19 (21%) did not match. Of the DFS cases, 8 of 37 (22%) did not match. In three YRS cases the case plan goal was blank in AFCARS. In two cases the youth had been in care for a year, in the other case the child had been in care since October 2001.

Frequency Report (n = 1373): Married couple = 239; Unmarried couple = 80; Single female = 796; Single male = 88; Unable to determine = 130; Not reported = 40

Mother is considered the primary caretaker.

The State reports individuals that are "separated" as single males or females. The State must map "separated" to "married."

The entry screen contains an option of "unknown" that is mapped to "unable to determine." There is not an "unable to determine" option for the workers to select. If the State's definition of "unknown" is not the same as the AFCARS definition for "unable to determine," then the State should remove this option from the selection list and map missing data to blank. "Unable to determine" should be used only if a child was abandoned and there is no one available to provide the information on the child's caretakers.

Case file review findings: 10 out of the 56 (18%) cases reviewed did not match information reported in AFCARS. These were all DFS cases (27%).

Frequency Report (n = 1373; Foster home settings = 907; non-foster home settings = 462) Not applicable = 496; Married couple = 471; Unmarried couple = 25; Single female = 351; Single male = 30

Program code defaults to "not applicable." Remove default.

The State incorrectly reports individuals that are "separated" as single males or females.

The program code only extracts information on DFS agency foster parents and not foster parents with contract agencies.

Program code looks at types and not at services. It is not looking at non-contracted type of services. AFCARS needs information on all children regardless of service. Modify program code to capture non-contracted service type.

Frequency Report (n = 1373; Foster home settings = 907; Married and unmarried couples = 496)) Not reported = 1023; Reported = 350

Case file review findings: 5 out of the 38 (13%) DFS cases analyzed did not match information reported in AFCARS. The foster family structure was married couple and the AFCARS response for this element was a blank.

See foster care element #8.

The frequency report indicates a higher number of non-reported information than there are children living in non-foster home settings.

See foster care element #9.

The frequency report indicates a higher number of non-reported information than there are children living in non-foster home settings.

See foster care element #8.

The frequency report indicates a higher number of non-reported information than there are children living in non-foster home settings.

Case file review findings: 6 out of the 54 (11%) cases analyzed did not match information reported in AFCARS. These were all DFS cases (16%).

See foster care element #9.

The frequency report indicates a higher number of non-reported information than there are of children living in non-foster home settings.

Case file review findings: 6 out of the 56 (11%) cases analyzed did not match information reported in AFCARS. These were all DFS cases (16%).

Frequencies: "NA" = 910 (66.28%); "reunification with parent(s)" = 321 (23.38%); "living with other relative(s)" = 32 (2.33%); "adoption" = 57 (4.15%); "emancipation" = 34 (2.48%); "guardianship" = 13 (.95%); "transfer to another agency" = 5 (.36%); "runaway" = 0 (0%); "death of child" = 1 (.07%)

See General Requirements findings regarding the reporting of children in the agency's care, placement or supervision that have been returned home. The State must continue reporting these as open cases until the State no longer has custody.

For DFS children "transfer to another agency" will not occur. It would be an option for the YRS youth.

"Exit from care" is not a valid AFCARS value. The State should indicate the actual outcome reason for the child exiting foster care.

ACF recommends footnoting the number of guardianships awarded to relatives.

Frequency Report (n= 1373): Does not apply = 1041; Applies = 332

The program code for this element checks IV-E eligibility and not payment/reimbursement. This element is to reflect if at any time during the report period a title IV-E payment was made on behalf of a child.

In April 2002 a module was created to show payment and eligibility. Rewrite program code to skip the loop for eligibility and look for payment transactions.

The State needs to make corrections in this element as soon as possible due to the upcoming title IV-E review in fiscal year 2003. The sample for the title IV-E review is based on this element.

Child is receiving support only from the State or from some other source (Federal or non-Federal), which is not indicated above.

The program code for this element is derived from foster care elements #59-65.

Program code will need to be reviewed and revised. Foster care element #65 should not be programmed to "apply" if foster care elements #59-64 are coded as "does not apply." The program code needs to check if there are State funds, or other Federal or non-Federal funds that are a source of support for the child. If there are, then this element should be coded as "applies," otherwise it would be marked as "does not apply."

Amount of the monthly foster care payment for the most recent full month (regardless of sources)-This element should not reflect one time payment. The total monthly payment should be reflected regardless of source. Program code does not pull from the appropriate tables to reflect the total computable amount.

The program code does not query the program tables for the rates to compute the total amount. Modify program code to get the amount from the CPA table.

The checklist does not include the option of "unable to determine"

The State collection of race does not allow multi-racial selection.

Program code includes "OT (other)," which is no longer an active code.

The State has a good method of collecting this element. If the worker selects "yes" for "has the agency determined special needs," then the worker must select a primary basis and may select multiple secondary special needs. If the primary basis medical conditions or mental, physical or emotional disabilities is selected, then at least one of the categories for adoption elements #11 - 15 must be selected.

Case file review findings: 3 out of the 28 (11%) cases analyzed did not match information reported in AFCARS. In two records the response to element #9 was "yes," but the response in #10 was "not applicable."

Frequencies: "does not apply"= 80 (72.73%); "applies" = 30 (27.27%)

The State needs to review the entry of information pertaining to medical conditions. Although it is possible that children adopted during the report period may have a medical/psychological condition as the primary basis of special need, "other diagnosed conditions" are indicated more frequently. The data suggest that the agency should evaluate and possibly provide additional training, in order to ensure the accuracy of the information in foster care elements #11-15.

Workers are instructed to use a generic date for unknown DOB (1111).

The State should instruct workers to leave the field blank if the date of birth is not known.

Case file review findings: 5 out of the 29 (17%) cases did not match information reported in AFCARS. In some instances, the data in the case file review supported the finding of caseworker use of a generic date for unknown DOB.

Workers are instructed to use a generic date for unknown DOB (1111).

The State should instruct workers to leave the field blank if the date of birth is not known.

Case file review findings: 3 out of the 13 (23%) cases analyzed did not match information reported in AFCARS. In some instances, the data in the case file review supported the finding of caseworker use of a generic date for unknown date of birth.