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Technical Bulletins

The technical bulletins (TBs) have been prepared and issued by the Children's Bureau to supplement the official guidance and assist States in developing, implementing and maintaining their AFCAR system. The TBs have been revised since first being issued. Previously, there were fourteen technical bulletins, which have now been consolidated and reduced to ten. The content of the technical bulletins remains the same, and technical bulletins that addressed the same subject were combined into one technical bulletin. The changes reflect technical corrections or modifications to make the information more clear. A new technical bulletin has been added that addresses the process for receiving the AFCARS reports from the Federal system. Each TB contains a footnote reflecting dates of previous issuance and number.

Technical Bulletin #1 - Electronic Data Transmission - This TB describes the characteristics of Electronic Data Transmission methods used by the Administration for Children and Families. (Word - 54 KB) and (PDF - 85 KB).

Technical Bulletin #2 - AFCARS Data File Format - This newly revised TB provides guidance on formatting files for ACF transmission and includes information on the change in State File Name. (Word - 299 KB) and (PDF - 223 KB).

Technical Bulletin #3 - Guidance on Footnotes - This TB provides guidance on how to format footnotes to AFCARS submission and the type of information to be footnoted. (Word - 93 KB) and (PDF - 98 KB).

Technical Bulletin #4 - Encryption Guidelines and Algorithms for State Use - This TB provides guidance on encrypting case file identifiers. (Word - 130 KB) and (PDF - 139 KB).

Technical Bulletin #5 - Record Identifier Encryption/Decryption Utility - This TB provides guidance on installing and executing the ACF AFCARS encryption/decryption utility.Word - 81 KB) and (95 PDF - KB).

Technical Bulletin #6 - AFCARS Foster Care Data Element Standards - This TB provides a table of the foster care elements and the compliance standard for each element. (Word - 112 KB) and (PDF - 109 KB).

Technical Bulletin #7 - AFCARS Adoption Data Element Standards - This TB provides a table of the adoption elements and the compliance standard for each element. (Word - 81 KB) and (PDF - 113 KB).

Technical Bulletin #8 - AFCARS State Data Compliance Utility, version 3.0 - This TB provides guidance for installing and executing the Data Compliance Utility and how to interpret the reports generated from the utility. (Word - 561 KB) and (PDF - 133 KB).

Technical Bulletin #9A - AFCARS State Data Quality Utility - This TB provides guidance for installing and executing the Data Quality Utility and how to interpret the reports generated from the utility. (Word - 347 KB) and (PDF - 249 KB).

Technical Bulletin #9B - Data Quality Technical Documentation - This TB provides additional documentation for the AFCARS Data Quality Utility and is a companion to AFCARS Technical Bulletin #9A. This documentation is intended to give a more technical description of how the Data Quality Utility works. (Word - 1,798 KB) and (PDF - 823 KB).

Technical Bulletin #10 - State Receipt of AFCARS Summary and Detail Adoption and Foster Care Report Files - This TB provides information on the report files transmitted to a State by the Federal AFCAR system. (Word - 44 KB) and (PDF - 261 KB).

Technical Bulletin #11 - AFCARS Acceptance Test Guidance - This TB provides guidance to States developing a Statewide Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS) to check for conformance to AFCARS. (Word - 57 KB) and (PDF - 33 KB).

Technical Bulletin #12 - AFCARS State Frequency Report Utility - This technical bulletin provides guidance for installing and executing the AFCARS Frequency Report Utility, Version 1.0. It also provides information on how to properly use the utility and interpret the data reports generated by the utility.(PDF - 64 KB)

Technical Bulletin #13 - AFCARS File Extraction - This technical bulletin addresses the extraction of data for submission to the Federal Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS). (Word97 KB) (PDF - 48 KB)

Technical Bulletin #14 - Disability Information - The purpose of this technical bulletin is to provide States with information regarding the data elements related to a child’s diagnosed disability (foster care data elements #10 - 15, and adoption data elements #11 - 15) in AFCARS. (Word90 KB) (PDF - 57 KB)