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Volume 3, Issue 2, April 2007
In This Issue:
CFSR Schedule for FY 2008
Promising Approaches
Consultant Reviewer Update
New Resources on Collaborating With State Legislators
Onsite Child and Family Services Review Update
The fiscal year (FY) 2007 onsite Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSRs) are underway. The Delaware, North Carolina, and Vermont reviews have been completed and the New Mexico and Georgia reviews will be conducted in May. As they become available, review documents, such as the Statewide Assessments, Preliminary Assessments, and Final Reports, are posted on the Children's Bureau Web site at http://basis.caliber.com/cwig/ws/cwmd/docs/cb_web/SearchForm.
The Children's Bureau also has finalized the schedule for the second round of Child and Family Services Reviews for FY 2008. The following 19 States will be reviewed in 2008:
Florida: January 7-11
Arkansas: January 28-February 1
California: February 4-8
Texas: March 24-28
Idaho: April 7-11
North Dakota: April 21-25
New York: May 5-9
South Dakota: May 19-23
Wyoming: June 9-13
Kentucky: June 16-20
Colorado: June 23-27
Nebraska: July 14-18
Pennsylvania: July 28-August 1
Montana: August 11-15
Ohio: August 18-22
Tennessee: August 25-29
Alaska: September 8-12
West Virginia: September 15-19
Connecticut: September 22-26
The schedule also is available on the Children's Bureau Web site at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/cwmonitoring/general_info/fy2008.htm.
Children's Bureau Identifies Promising Approaches
The Children's Bureau conducts the Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSRs) of State child welfare agencies with the overarching goal of building the capacity of these agencies to promote improved safety, permanency, and well-being outcomes for children.
To this end, the Children's Bureau actively identifies promising approaches in child welfare during the CFSRs. To qualify as a "promising approach," the approach must meet the following criteria:
The Promising Approaches page on the Children's Bureau Web site currently highlights over 40 approaches, representing the efforts of 23 States (see http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/cwmonitoring/promise/index.htm).
The promising approaches are listed by State and by category, allowing individuals to search for ideas and programs related to specific issues. The categories correspond with the items reviewed during the CFSRs. Approaches that address more than one item are included under each relevant category.
The Child Welfare Review Projects, managed by JBS International, Inc., supports the CB in highlighting these approaches.
Consultant Reviewer Update
Consultants who completed a FY 2007 Child and Family Services Reviews Consultant Reviewer Training are eligible to participate in onsite reviews. The Child Welfare Review Projects identify available consultant reviewers for Children's Bureau staff, who then form review teams. Occasionally, review team members need to drop out at the last minute due to emergencies. In this case, it is necessary to identify consultant reviewers available to participate on short notice. Consultant reviewers who have been trained and may be available to participate in a review on short notice are invited to notify the Child Welfare Review Projects by e-mail at cw@jbsinternational.com of their availability.
Consultants who were not trained this year will have another opportunity during FY 2008. The Child Welfare Review Projects also continue to accept applications from eligible individuals. Information regarding consultant recruitment and the application process is available on the Children's Bureau Web site at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/cwmonitoring/recruit/con-recruit.htm.
New Resources on Collaboration Between State Child Welfare Agencies and State Legislators
The Child Welfare Review Projects, on behalf of the Children's Bureau, have produced two new reports through their technical assistance to State legislators on the Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSRs) component:
Engaging State Legislators in the Federal CFSRs: An Information-Sharing Tool for Child Welfare Agency Administrators is a tool for keeping legislators informed about the State's performance on the latest CFSR, Program Improvement Plan (PIP) goals and achievements, PIP partners, and areas requiring legislative support. It is designed to be adapted for use by each State and is available on the Children's Bureau Web site at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/cwmonitoring/index.htm#cfsr
Assessing Promising Approaches in Child Welfare: Strategies for State Legislators is designed to encourage State legislators and legislative staff to work collaboratively with State child welfare administrators when considering best practices during child welfare reform efforts, especially those associated with the CFSRs. It offers information on how State legislators and legislative staff can effectively consider the appropriateness of promising child welfare approaches in relation to the program improvements being made through the CFSRs. To ensure broad availability, this brief has been placed on the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Web site at http://www.ncsl.org/print/cyf/Support_cwsystems07Feb28.pdf. A link also is available from the Children's Bureau Web site at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/cwmonitoring/index.htm#cfsr
The Child and Family Services Reviews Update is designed for professionals interested in the Children's Bureau Child and Family Services Reviews. It is supported by the Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and published by the Child Welfare Review Project, which is managed by JBS International, Inc. For more information, contact the Child Welfare Review Project by e-mail at cw@jbsinternational.com or by telephone at (301) 565-3260.