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Volume 4, Issue 3, March 2008
In This Issue:
Cross-State Participants
CFSR Data Management System Revisions
CFSR Data Management Technology Tips
Cross-State Participants
The Children's Bureau is continuing to accept applications for cross-State participants (CSPs) for the fiscal year 2009 reviews. The CSP Program provides State child welfare agency representatives with the opportunity to participate in the onsite component of a Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) before their agency's review. CSPs must meet minimum reviewer qualifications and must be able to fulfill specified requirements. The State sending the CSP also must assume responsibility for the training and travel costs associated with staff participation in an onsite review (including air and ground travel, hotel, and meals).
Information regarding qualifications and the application process is available on the Children's Bureau Web site at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/cwmonitoring/crosstate.htm. Applications are submitted to the Children's Bureau Regional Offices and forwarded to the Child Welfare Reviews Project for review and approval. The project then submits qualified applicants to the Children's Bureau Central Office for final approval. The Child Welfare Reviews Project works with approved applicants to arrange for training and participation on an onsite review team.
CFSR Data Management System Revisions
For the spring 2008 reviews, the following changes have been made to the CFSR Data Management System:
Because the CFSR data repository is on eastern time, the tablets also must be on eastern time. This means that reviewers are now unable to view or change the time zones on the tablet PCs.
Occasionally, a case needs to be changed from foster care to in-home services (or vice versa). In these situations, the original case should be deleted and a new one created. Please review the case type carefully before creating a record, and see JBS technical support staff for help if a case needs to be changed.
A gender column has been added to the Face Sheet.
To ensure confidentiality, reviewers are no longer able to include names in the list of people being interviewed on the Face Sheet. Therefore, please ensure that the role of the person interviewed is accurately described.
For Item 9, the date of discharge no longer automatically fills as the date of adoption finalization.
Other suggested revisions to the system may be sent by e-mail to cw@jbsinternational.com.
CFSR Data Management System Technology Tips
The following are tips to ensure efficient and accurate use of the CFSR Data Automation System:
Reviewer Tips:
Passwords. While it might seem quick and efficient to send system passwords and lock combinations by e-mail, doing so represents a significant security risk. Passwords, combinations, and other sensitive information should never be sent via e-mail. Also, passwords, tablets, and USB keys should not be stored together in laptop bags.
Navigation Bars. The Navigation Bars (Unanswered Questions and Unresolved Comments) should be used only from within a specific case. Trying to use Navigator Bars from the Overview Screen may result in some questions or comments not being displayed, particularly if multiple cases are listed. Please also note that these functions are designed for use by review team pairs and do not function for QA purposes.
Back Up. Work should be backed up frequently-at least once every hour or two and whenever workflow changes. For example, work should be backed up before reviewers leave for interviews or before transferring a case.
Pasting Text. The application is not fully compatible with Microsoft Word, and may or may not be compatible with other programs. Reviewers should not attempt to work in other applications outside of the Data Management System and then paste the text into the application. Data pasted into the system from outside applications may not save.
Local Site Leader Tips
Summary of Findings Forms. Different Local Site Leaders can work on the Summary of Findings (SOF) form at the same time. However, since there can be only one SOF for each review site, it is important that Local Site Leaders track the sections on which each leader is working. Upon completion, the sections should be compiled into one SOF that is then uploaded to the central server. The SOFs should not be transferred from tablet to tablet, because they will duplicate themselves and make it difficult to identify the final version. Also, unlike Onsite Review Instruments and Stakeholder Interview Guides, the SOF remains active on everyone's tablets.
Editing Case Data. Typically, only review team pairs can make changes directly to their own case data. However, the system has always included an option allowing Local Site Leaders to make changes in special circumstances (such as a case needing to be edited Thursday evening or Friday morning, after review team pairs have left the review and their tablets have been shipped back). If a Local Site Leader wishes to unlock a case for editing, he or she first must change the status of the case to "State QA Review Complete." Once the case has been edited, it should be transferred only to other Local Site Leaders or to the central server. We recommend that if it is necessary to use this function, it is used with caution and with support from the onsite staff. The case can never be sent back to the review pair or information will be lost!
