Case File Findings

Foster Care Case File Findings
State: Arkansas

AFCARS Element	Data in AFCARS Matches Case File	Data in AFCARS Does Not Match Paper File	Questionable	Comments
#5 Most Recent Periodic Review Date	26	6	1	Information Not Found = 1 In one record the child is still in care and the date of the review was 2/28/99. The reviewer did not find a later review date. The questionable record indicated the child was discharged June 27, 2000 due to adoption, but the date of latest review was October 7, 1999. In three cases the date of the review reported to AFCARS was later then what was found in the paper case file. It may be assumed that the court report was not yet filed in the paper file. In one case, the information reported to AFCARS showed that the youth was still in care. However, according to the information the reviewer found, the child was discharged on July 7, 1998 due to reunification, and there was no indication that the child had returned to foster care. The record indicated a date of a periodic review on September 13, 2000.
#6 Child Birth Date	31	3	blank cell	All three that were wrong had the wrong day of birth, the month and year were correct.
#7 Child Sex 1 = Male 2 = Female	34	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
#8 Child Race	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
a. American Indian or Alaskan Native	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
b. Asian	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
c. Black or African American	23	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
d. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
e. White	10	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
f. Unable to Determine	1	blank cell	blank cell	Child was reported as "Hispanic Origin"
#9 Child Hispanic Origin 1 = Yes 2 = No 3 = Unable to Determine	33	1	blank cell	Record reported to AFCARS indicated "unable to determine", reviewer found the child is Hispanic.
#10 Has Child Been Diagnosed with Disability?	22	11	blank cell	Information Not Found = 1
#11 Mental Retardation	blank cell	3	blank cell	blank cell
#12 Visually/Hearing Impaired	blank cell	1	blank cell	blank cell
#13 Physically Disabled	blank cell	2	blank cell	blank cell
#14 Emotionally Disturbed	blank cell	9	blank cell	blank cell
#15 Other Diagnosed Condition	blank cell	3	blank cell	blank cell
#16 Has Child Ever Been Adopted? 1 = Yes 2 = No 3 = Unable to Determine	33	1	blank cell	blank cell
#17 Age at Previous Adoption 0 = Not Applicable 1 = less than 2 years old 2 = 2-5 years old 3 = 6-12 years old 4 = 13 years or older 5 = Unable to Determine	33	1	blank cell	blank cell
#18 Date of First Removal from Home	24	8	blank cell	Information Not Found = 2 For elements #18 and #21, three records were off by one day.
#19 Total Number of Removals from Home	24	8	blank cell	Information Not Found = 2 There were six records that the AFCARS information showed there was only one removal, but four of the records had at least 2 removals and two had 3 removals.
#20 Date of Discharge from Previous Episode	24	8	blank cell	Information Not Found = 2
#21 Date of Latest Removal	25	7	blank cell	Information Not Found = 2 In two cases the date of latest removal was actually later then what was reported to AFCARS.
#23 Date of Placement in Current Setting	23	3	2	Information Not Found = 6
#24 Number of Previous Placement Settings in This Episode	17	10	3	Information Not Found = 4 Of the 10 incorrect records, five had fewer placements then what was reported to AFCARS and the other five had more placements.
#25 Manner of Removal From Home for This Episode 1 = Voluntary 2 = Court Ordered 3 = Not Yet Determined	30	blank cell	blank cell	Information Not Found = 4
#26 Physical Abuse	30	2	blank cell	Information Not Found = 2
#27 Sexual Abuse	30	2	blank cell	Information Not Found = 2
#28 Neglect	28	4	blank cell	Information Not Found = 2
#29 Parent Alcohol Abuse	32	blank cell	blank cell	Information Not Found = 2
#30 Parent Drug Abuse	32	blank cell	blank cell	Information Not Found = 2
#31 Child Alcohol Abuse	32	blank cell	blank cell	Information Not Found = 2
#32 Child Drug Abuse	32	blank cell	blank cell	Information Not Found = 2
#33 Child Disability	32	blank cell	blank cell	Information Not Found = 2
#34 Child's Behavior Problem	30	2	blank cell	Information Not Found = 2
#35 Death of Parent	32	blank cell	blank cell	Information Not Found = 2
#36 Incarceration of Parent	30	2	blank cell	Information Not Found = 2
#37 Caretaker Inability to Cope	32	blank cell	blank cell	Information Not Found = 2
#38 Abandonment	30	2	blank cell	Information Not Found = 2
#39 Relinquishment	32	blank cell	blank cell	Information Not Found = 2
#40 Inadequate Housing	29	3	blank cell	Information Not Found = 2
#41 Current Placement Setting 1 = Pre-Adoptive Home 2 = Foster Family Home (Relative) 3 = Foster Family Home (Non-Relative) 4 = Group Home 5 = Institution 6 = Supervised Independent Living 7 = Runaway 8 = Trial Home Visit	29	3	1	Information Not Found = 1
#42 Out of State Placement	31	blank cell	1	blank cell
#43 Most Recent Case Plan Goal 1 = Reunify with Parent(s) or Principal Caretaker(s) 2 = Live with Other Relative(s) 3 = Adoption 4 = Long Term Foster Care 5 = Emancipation 6 = Guardianship 7 = Case Plan Goal Not Yet Established	29	5	blank cell	blank cell
#44 Caretaker Family Structure 1 = Married Couple 2 = Unmarried Couple 3 = Single Female 4 = Single Male 5 = Unable to Determine	28	5	1	blank cell
#45 1st Primary Caretaker's Birth Year	22	8	1	Information Not Found = 3
#46 2nd Primary Caretaker's Birth Year	31	blank cell	2	Information Not Found = 1
#47 Mother's Date of TPR	24	8	1	Information Not Found = 1 In two records, the child was discharged with a reason of adoption and the TPR date was blank.
#48 Father's Date of TPR	26	6	1	Information Not Found = 1 In two records, the child was discharged with a reason of adoption and the TPR date was blank.
#49 Foster Family Structure 0 = Not Applicable 1 = Married Couple 2 = Unmarried Couple 3 = Single Female 4 = Single Male	21	10	1	Information Not Found = 2
#50 1st Foster Caretaker's Birth Year	13	9	blank cell	blank cell
#51 2nd Foster Caretaker's Birth Year	13	6	1	blank cell
#52 1st Foster Caretaker's Race	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
a. American Indian or Alaska Native	blank cell	2	blank cell	blank cell
b. Asian	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
c. Black or African American	blank cell	2	blank cell	blank cell
d. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
e. White	blank cell	1	blank cell	blank cell
f. Unable to Determine	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
#53 1st Foster Caretaker's Hispanic Origin 0 = Not Applicable 1 = Yes 2 = No 3 = Unable to Determine	14	3	3	blank cell
#54 2nd Foster Caretaker's Race	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
a. American Indian or Alaska Native	blank cell	blank cell	1	blank cell
b. Asian	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
c. Black or African American	blank cell	2	blank cell	blank cell
d. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
e. White	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
f. Unable to Determine	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
#55 2nd Foster Caretaker's Hispanic Origin 0 = Not Applicable 1 = Yes 2 = No 3 = Unable to Determine	blank cell	1	2	blank cell
#56 Date of Discharge	32	2	blank cell	blank cell
#58 Reason for Discharge 0 = Not Applicable 1 = Reunification with Parent(s) or Primary Caretaker(s) 2 = Living with Other Relative(s) 3 = Adoption 4 = Emancipation 5 = Guardianship 6 = Transfer to Another Agency 7 = Runaway 8 = Death of Child	32	2	blank cell	blank cell
#59 Title IVE Foster Care	blank cell	1	3	For elements #59, #61 - #62 and #64 - #65, all records had "does not apply" submitted for the AFCARS file. For elements #59-#66, information could not be validated for most records because the information was only in CHRIS.
#60 Title IVE Adoption	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
#61 Title IVA AFDC	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
#62 Title IVD Child Support	blank cell	1	blank cell	blank cell
#63 Title XIX Medicaid	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	All 34 records had "applies" reported to the AFCARS file.
#64 SSI	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
#65 None of the Above	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
#66 Monthly Amount	blank cell	1	blank cell	blank cell

Number of Cases in the Sample = 50 Number of Cases Reviewed = 35 Number of Cases Analyzed = 34

Adoption Case File Findings
State: Arkansas
AFCARS Element	Data in AFCARS Matches Case File	Data in AFCARS Does Not Match Paper File	Questionable	Comments
#4 State Agency Involvement 1 = Yes 2 = No	18	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
#5 Child Date of Birth	18	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
#6 Child Sex 1 = Male 2 = Female	18	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
#7 Child Race	18	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
a. American Indian or Alaska Native	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
b. Asian	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
c. Black or African American	4	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
d. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
e. White	14	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
f. Unable to Determine	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
#8 Child Hispanic Origin 1 = Yes 2 = No 3 = Unable to Determine	18	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
#9 Has Agency Determined Special Needs	8*	4* 6*	blank cell	There were four records with errors identified by reviewers on-site. *During the post-site analysis, six additional records were found with conflicting information between this element and adoption element #35, "is the child receiving a monthly subsidy?" In the six records, #35 was marked as yes, but element #9 was marked as no.
#10 Primary Basis for Determining Special Needs 0 = Not Applicable 1 = Racial/Original Background 2 = Age 3 = Membership in a Sibling Group 4 = Medical Conditions or Mental, Physical or Emotional Disabilities 5 = Other	5	7* 6* (See comments in element #9)	blank cell	Four cases in element #9 were marked as "no", and reviewers found information for element #10 was marked as "not applicable". In four cases element #9 was marked as "yes", but information reported in element #10 is not what the reviewers found to be the primary basis for the child according to the paper file. In each, "other" was reported to AFCARS. In 2 cases the reviewer found "sibling group", in 2 cases reviewers found medical, mental, physical, or emotional conditions. This supports the finding that the system is programmed to take the first condition listed.
#11 Mental Retardation	blank cell	1	blank cell	blank cell
#12 Visually/Hearing Impaired	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
#13 Physically Disabled	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
#14 Emotionally Disturbed	blank cell	3	blank cell	blank cell
#15 Other Diagnosed Condition	blank cell	1	blank cell	blank cell
#16 Mother's Birth Year	blank cell	13	3	Information Not Found = 2
#17 Father's Birth Year	4	8	3	Information Not Found = 3
#18 Mother Married at Time of Birth 1 = Yes 2 = No 3 = Unable to Determine	1	8	4	Information Not Found = 4 In 16 of the records, the information reported to AFCARS was "unable to determine." The 8 cases that were marked as incorrect, all had "unable to determine" in the AFCARS report. 5 were actually "no", 2 were "yes" and the third the reviewer did not indicate what the correct response should be.
#19 Date of Mother's TPR	15	2	blank cell	Information Not Found = 1
#20 Date of Father's TPR	16	1	blank cell	Information Not Found = 1
#21 Date Adoption Legalized	15	1	blank cell	Information Not Found/Not Available = 2 In the record marked missing, the reviewer found the adoption legalization date as 9/16/1996.
#22 Adoptive Family Structure 1 = Married Couple 2 = Unmarried Couple 3 = Single Female 4 = Single Male	15	blank cell	blank cell	Information Not Available = 3
#23 Adoptive Mother's Year of Birth	15	blank cell	blank cell	Information Not Found/Not Available = 3
#24 Adoptive Father's Year of Birth	15	blank cell	blank cell	Information Not Found/Not Available = 3
#25 Adoptive Mother's Race	14	blank cell	blank cell	Information Not Found/Not Available = 4
a. American Indian or Alaska Native	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
b. Asian	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
c. Black or African American	3	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
d. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
e. White	11	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
f. Unable to Determine	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
#26 Adoptive Mother's Hispanic Origin 0 = Not Applicable 1 = Yes 2 = No 3 = Unable to Determine	13	blank cell	blank cell	Information Not Found = 5
#27 Adoptive Father's Race	14	blank cell	blank cell	Information Not Available = 4
a. American Indian or Alaska Native	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
b. Asian	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
c. Black or African American	2	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
d. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
e. White	11	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
f. Unable to Determine	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
#28 Adoptive Father's Hispanic Origin 0 = Not Applicable 1 = Yes 2 = No 3 = Unable to Determine	14	blank cell	blank cell	Information Not Found = 4
#29 Relationship of Adoptive Parent to Child - Stepparent	18	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
#30 Relationship of Adoptive Parent to Child - Other Relative	18	blank cell	blank cell	blank cell
#31 Relationship of Adoptive Parent to Child - Foster Parent	17	1	blank cell	blank cell
#32 Relationship of Adoptive Parent to Child - Other Non-Relative	17	1	blank cell	blank cell
#33 Child Was Placed from 1 = Within State 2 = Another State 3 = Another Country	16	1	blank cell	Information Not Available = 1
#34 Child Was Placed by 1 = Public Agency 2 = Private Agency 3 = Tribal Agency 4 = Independent Person 5 = Birth Parent	16	1	blank cell	Information Not Available = 1
#35 Receiving Monthly Subsidy	17	blank cell	blank cell	Information Not Available = 1
#36 Monthly Amount	12	2	1	Information Not Found = 3
#37 Adoption Assistance	17	blank cell	blank cell	Information Not Available = 1

Number of Case in Sample = 29 Number of Cases Reviewed = 19 Number of Cases Analyzed = 18

Foster Care Case File Findings State: Arkansas

Foster Care Case File Findings
State: Arkansas