1) CWS/CMS does not have the capability to collect and report this data nor is there an interface with a Child Support System.

1) The State must develop a method to collect and report this data to ACF regardless of the status of the interface with the State's child support system.

1a) Provide ACF with screen prints depicting where this information will be collected.

1b) Provide ACF with the program code that extracts this data from the system.

1) Modify the program code to extract the county that has primary jurisdiction and responsibility for the child and the case. It should not be based on the county in which the child resides during his/her placement or the county that may be providing “courtesy supervision.”

1a) Submit revised program code to ACF with corrections.

1) The State must further analyze this element to determine the cause of the change in information. Provide ACF with the findings of this investigation.

1a) Make corrections based on this investigation as appropriate.

Screen: Hearing Notebook (ID Tab)
Program code: Paragraphs 2150 and 2155.

1) The program code does not have a parameter limiting the extraction of a recent periodic review to the current removal episode.

2) Case workers can enter the hearing date in advance of the hearing. If the hearing does not occur, the system allows them to document that the hearing was continued to a subsequent day. The program code will extract the “planned” hearing date and not the actual date of the hearing.

1) Add a parameter to the program code to extract the most recent periodic review for the current removal episode.

1a) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

Training/Supervision
2) Instruct workers to not enter a hearing date until it is actually held.

3) Ensure that the date being reported is the actual hearing date.

Screen: Client Services (Client Notebook, ID tab)
Program code: FC: Paragraphs 2075, 3000, and 8000 and SCAFCETH
AD: Program code: SCAFCAX - Paragraphs 1100 (Line Number (LN) 004835) and 1150; SCAFCAD - LN:000734; and SCAFCETH

1) “Unable to determine” is not a screen option for the case workers to select.

2) The program code is initialized to “no” and then changes values based on the evaluation of stored data.

3) Missing data is mapped to “unable to determine.”

4) The worker can select “Hispanic” as a primary “ethnicity” (race) and not select a secondary “ethnicity” (race).

5) The State has additional races on the selection list that are not mapped to AFCARS.

6) The case file review findings indicate that for the foster parents the race information was missing in AFCARS even though the children were in family foster home settings.

1) Add “unable to determine” as an option in order to allow workers to select it in the event a child is abandoned or refuses, or a parent refuses, to provide race information.

1a) Provide ACF with modified screen prints reflecting corrected race fields.

1b) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

2) A program edit or pop-up box on the entry screen should be added to alert workers/staff to the inconsistent data entry. The worker should be prompted to correct the error at the time of data entry.

2b) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

3) Modify program code to map missing data to blanks.

3a) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

4) Modify program code to map this element to blank if “Hispanic” is selected in primary “ethnicity” (race) box, and no secondary “ethnicity” (race) is selected.

4a) Provide ACF with modified screen prints reflecting corrected race fields.

4b) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

5) Modify program code to include all races and map accordingly.

5a) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

Supervision/Training
6) The State/county needs to ensure that case workers enter this information in a timely manner.

7) The State needs to make it clear that “Hispanic” is not a race. It should also provide enhanced worker training.

8) Workers must ask individuals that identify themselves as “Hispanic” or other Latino origin, to identify a race(s). If the individual refuses to identify a race, the worker should enter “unable to determine.”

Suggestions

• Consider modifying the labels on the screens and forms.
• The State may want to add a “refused” option in order to track responses of refused to provide race information.

Screen: Client Services (Client Notebook, ID tab)
Program code: Paragraph 3000; SCAFCFD, paragraph 4060; and SCAFCETH
AD: Program code: SCAFCAX - Paragraph 1100, LN 00487; and SCAFCETH

1) This is listed on the primary and secondary ethnicity lists and as a question. The question field pre-fills to “unable to determine.”

2) The program code checks both the list box and the radio buttons for this element. If there is a contradiction between the two, the program code maps to “Yes.”

3) The State does not distinguish races from ethnicities and includes Hispanic as a race.

4) The case file review findings indicate that for the foster parents the Hispanic information was missing in AFCARS even though the children were in family foster home settings.

1) Remove the “unable to determine” default on the screen and let the field pre-fill to blank.

1a) Provide ACF with modified screen prints reflecting corrected ethnicity fields.

1b) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

2) A program edit or pop-up box on the entry screen should be added to alert workers/staff to the inconsistent data entry. The worker should be prompted to correct the error at the time of data entry.

2a) Provide ACF with screen print reflecting changes.

b) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

Supervision/Training
3) The State needs to make it clear that “Hispanic” is not a race. The State should consider modifying the labels on the screens and on its forms and providing enhanced worker training.

4) The State/county needs to ensure that case workers enter this information in a timely manner.

Suggestions
1) Since the State has a field for answering whether an individual is Hispanic/Latino or not, it should consider removing “Hispanic” from the option lists.

Screen: Client Services - Referral, Health Notebook, Diagnosed Condition tab
Program Code: Paragraphs 2050, 2300, 3100, 3110, 3120, 3130, and 3140

1) This question is not included on the screen.

2) If the child has been in care for more than 30 days, and no disabilities are found, the program code defaults element #10 to “no.”

1) Modify the screen field to include the question and the three responses.

1a) Provide ACF with modified screen prints reflecting corrections.

2) Modify the program code and map missing data to blanks.

2a) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

Supervision/Training
3) Supervisors need to ensure this data is entered correctly and in a timely manner and updated as appropriate.

4) Train workers on the correct meaning of the responses for this element and to update this information as needed.

1) [State's] Requirements Document: #73 - 77, 80:
The State is adding “yes” or “no” indicators to the “diagnosed condition” tab on the “health notebook” screen. If the case worker enters information on the “medications,” “medical tests,” “referral,” or “hospitalization” tabs, the associated indicator for the diagnosed condition shall automatically indicate “yes.” The caseworker will also be able to note the absence of medications, hospitalizations, medical test and medical referrals without having to document the absence of the specific pages. The “Well Child Exam” field is being modified to allow the user to identify the absence of a diagnosed condition via option buttons for “yes” or “no” for the added text of “does the client have any health conditions diagnosed by a certified medical professional?” The worker must enter certain service types first. If the worker selects “yes,” a message appears to remind the worker to enter the child's health information in the “health notebook.”

Program Code: SCAFCFC: paragraph 3100, 3110, 3120, 3130, and 3140
AD: Program Code: SCAFCAD - LN 000795 and SCAFCAX - Paragraphs 1100 and 3100, 3110, 3120, 3130, and 3140

1) The program code is initialized to “does not apply.” If a condition is not found, the response remains “does not apply.”

2) There are medical health conditions mapped to AFCARS that should not be included for these elements. The State should only map those conditions that are chronic and debilitating.

1) Modify the program code to initialize this field to blanks and if no conditions are found to remain as blanks.

1a) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

2) Review the AFCARS Special Needs/Disability List for mapping of medical and psychological conditions.

2a) Modify program code based on the AFCARS Special Needs/Disability List and items listed in California Mapping of Foster Care and Adoption Elements 11-15: Diagnosed Conditions.

2b) Provide ACF with modified screen prints reflecting corrected fields.

2c) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

Supervision/Training
3) State/county staff must enter this data correctly and in a timely manner.
4) Train caseworkers on the appropriate categories for various types of medical/psychological conditions.

5) Ensure that supervisors provide oversight to the accuracy of data entered.

Screen: Client Services (Client Notebook, Demographics tab) Program code: SCAFCFC, paragraph 2200

1) The screen defaults to “unable to determine.”

2) The program code maps missing data to “unable to determine.”

3) The State needs to ensure that workers answer this question for all types of adoptions, whether they are private or public, or within State or not.

1) Modify the screen by changing the default from “unable to determine” to a blank field.

1a) Provide ACF with modified screen prints reflecting corrected race fields.

2) Map missing data to blank.

a) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

Supervision/Training
3) State/county staff must enter this data correctly and in a timely manner.

4) Train caseworkers to enter information regardless of where and with what agency the adoption occurred.

5) Ensure that supervisors provide oversight to the accuracy of data entered.

Suggestions
The State may want to make this a required field.

Screen: Client Services (Client Notebook, Demographics tab) field for age at adoption.
Program Code: SCAFCFC, Paragraph 2200

1) If element #16 is “no,” “unable to determine” or blank, then element #17 is set to “not applicable.”

2) The program code maps missing data in the age field to blank.

1) Modify the program code to map responses of “no” in element #16 to “not applicable” in element #17.

1a) Modify the program code to map responses of “unable to determine” in element #16 to “unable to determine in element #17.

1b) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

2) Modify the program code to map missing data to blank.

2a) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

Screen: Client Services - Placement Notebook, End Placement/Episode Tab.
Program Code: paragraph 2350 SCAFCFD paragraph 4035

1) This date is recalculated if it is the same or greater than the date in element #21 so that there is not an overlap in episodes. A discharge and a removal may occur on the same day and should be reported as such.

1) Modify the program code to not recalculate dates.

1a) Remove paragraph 4035 in SCAFCFD.

2) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

Supervision/Training
3) The State/county must have caseworkers enter this data correctly and in a timely manner.

4) The State needs to ensure that children that remain in the agency's responsibility for care, placement, or supervision and placed in their own home are not entered into the system as being “discharged.” In these instances, this field must be blank.

1) This element may be changing if the worker updates or corrects a date previously entered in #21.

1) Check and verify whether the system date is modifiable and provide the information to ACF.

1a) Modify the program code and the system to create a non-modifiable system-generated transaction date.

1b) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

Screen, page 11: Client Services - Placement Notebook, End Placement/Episode Tab.
Program Code: Paragraph 2400

1) The State counts each placement record except for when a home's status changes. The State does not exclude any placement move (such as trial home visits and respite care).

1) Modify the program code to exclude in the placement count the temporary placements noted in CWPM: Section 1.2B.7 AFCARS, Data Elements and Definitions, Foster Care Specific Elements, Placements, Questions #1, 8 - 11, 17 - 19, and 21 - 24.) These include “trial home visits,” “respites,” “acute psychiatric hospitalizations,” etc.

2) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

Screen: Client Services, Placement Notebook, Identification and Approval tab. Field: Legal Authority for placements.
Program Code: Paragraph 2450

1) The drop down list contains the option “out-of-State ICPC” and it is mapped to “court ordered.”

2) CWS/CMS does not maintain a history of “manner of removals.” The program code extracts the most recent “legal authorization for placement type” code. If a child initially enters under a “voluntary placement agreement” and then the State obtains a “court order” to continue responsibility for care, placement, or supervision, this element is reported as “court ordered.”

1) Modify the program code by mapping “out-of-State ICPC” to blank.

1a) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

2) Modify CWS/CMS to maintain a history of the “manner of removals.”

2a) Modify the program code to extract the “original” manner of removal in those instances the State/county obtains a court order to continue a removal due to a voluntary agreement.

2b) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

1) In the foster care detail program code (SCAFCFD) if “yes” is found on the SOC158 screen for element #29, elements #29 -32 are mapped to “not applicable.”

2) The State does not include “safely surrendered baby” in its mapping. The State indicated the reference in statute for children in this category are subject to WIC 300(g), “Care Taker Absence/Incapacity.”

1) Modify program code to map a “yes” for “parent alcohol abuse” on the SOC158 to “applies” in AFCARS.

1a) Modify the program code by removing the “move 0 to ...” statement.

2) Modify the program code to include mapping of “safely surrendered baby” to “abandonment” for AFCARS purposes.

2a) Do not include “caretaker inability to cope due to illness or other reasons” as a circumstance associated with removal for the State's value “safely surrendered baby.”

3) Provide ACF with modified screen prints reflecting corrected race fields.

4) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

Screen: Resource Management, Placement Home Notebook, Identification tab.
Program code: Paragraphs 2600 and 2610.

1) The State incorrectly reports “fictive kin” as “relative foster care.”

2) The State reports facilities based on how they are licensed, not on the size of the facility

3) The State has “supervised independent living” placements and indicated the frequency for this value was in error.

4) The State wants to reassess what they are reporting to ACF for “pre-adopt home.”

5) “Tribe specified home” is mapped to “relative home.” A “tribe specified placement” means that the tribe can specify the placement, which they consider a “relative.”

6) The State maps “5632, incarcerated” to “transfer to another agency.” “Currently, California does not have dual jurisdiction regarding children receiving Child Welfare Services and those incarcerated due to juvenile criminal offenses. Such a juvenile is not considered changing placements when going from foster care to a locked facility.”

7) ACF needs to verify with the State if the screen selection list has the option for “trial home visit” as a “placement setting.”

1) Map “fictive kin” to “foster family home - non-relative.”

1a) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

2) Modify the program code to extract “group home” and “institution” placement facilities based on the size of the facility in accordance with AFCARS definitions.

2a) If applicable, modify the selection list on the screen to accommodate the selection of a facility based on its size.

2b) Provide ACF with modified screen prints reflecting corrected race fields.

2c) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

3) The State must determine if the problem is due to programming in the code or is a data entry error. Notify ACF of the finding.

4) Provide ACF with the results of this assessment.

4a) Provide ACF with an explanation for why the State would use a “denied date” for a pre-adoptive setting.

5) The State needs to ensure that if the child is placed in a group home or some other non-foster home setting that the placement accurately reflects the child's current living arrangement.

6) The State/county must report on children that are in its care and placement responsibility regardless of the child's living arrangement. In these instances, the response to element #56 should be “not applicable” and the placement setting should be “institution.”

7) Submit a screen print of the options list to ACF.

7a) Modify program, as applicable, to extract children “placed” in their own home while under the agency's responsibility for care, placement, or supervision.

Supervision/Training
8) Implement training and oversight to ensure that workers enter the “own home” setting for children returned home while still in the agency's care, placement, or supervision.

Screen: Case Plan Notebook (Case Plan Participants Tab)
Program code: Paragraphs 2560 and 2550. Paragraphs 4000 and 4100 checks for independent living services.

1) The program code is initialized to “case plan goal not yet determined.”

2) The State has a goal of “long-term foster care with relative” and it is mapped to “live with relative.” There is no other goal for “live with relative.”

3a) The State's AFCARS report did not include any records with the goal of “emancipation.” The State indicated they generally do not stress an emancipation plan, even for older children.

4) The findings of the case file review indicate that the case plan goals may not be updated in a timely manner.

1) Modify the program code to map “not yet established” to blank after 30 days. If State policy changes to 60 days, then change the program code accordingly.

1a) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

2) Map this value to “long- term foster care.”

2a) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

3a) ACF and the State need to discuss the mapping of “emancipation.”

Supervision/Training
4) State/county must ensure that this information is correct and up-to-date.

Screen: Client Services, Placement Notebook, Removal Information Tab Program code: Program code: Paragraphs 2050, 2650, 3000

1a) This information is not displayed on the AFCARS Navigation Tool.

1b) [State] Interim Release 5.2.7 Document: This document indicates that on June 24, 2004 “unable to determine” will be displayed if the “caretaker removed from” field is blank on the “placement notebook” screen.

2) The detail program code maps spaces to “Unable to determine.”

3) The detail program code maps a count of zero caretakers to “unable to determine.”

4) The Frequency Report indicates a large number of “unable to determine.” The State indicated that case workers should have this information because it is very unlikely that the case would be considered by the court without this information.

5) In the majority of the error cases of the case file review, the response in AFCARS was “unable to determine.” In many instances, the reviewers were able to determine the family structure of the individuals from which the child was removed.

1a) Add a field to the AFCARS Navigation Tool for the caretaker family structure.

1b) Modify the Navigation Tool caretaker field to blank if the “caretaker removed from” field is blank on the “placement notebook.”

1c) Provide ACF with modified screen prints reflecting corrected fields.

1d) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

2) Modify the program code to map missing data to blanks.

2a) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

3) Modify the program code to map missing data to blanks.

3a) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

Supervision/Training
4/5) The State/county needs to ensure that case workers enter or update this information.

4/5) Ensure that supervisors provide oversight to the accuracy of data entered.

Screen: Resource Management; Placement Home Notebook, Substitute Care Provider tab.
Program code: Paragraphs 2050 and 3400 and SCAFCFD

1) This information is not included on the “AFCARS Navigation Tool” screen.

2) The program code references element #44 and not #49.

2a) The program code maps information for an “unmarried couple” to element #44

2b) If the program code does not find a marital status for either foster parent the program code maps “5” (unable to determine) to #44.

3) The case file review indicated that the AFCARS field was blank and the reviewer found the information.

1) The State was to implement a correction on June 24, 2004 that will add this field to the AFCARS tool.

1a) Provide ACF with modified screen prints reflecting corrected fields.

2a/b) Re-write the program code to extract the marital status of the foster parents and not the “caretakers.”

2c) Map missing data to spaces.

2d) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

Supervision/Training
3) State/county staff must enter this data correctly and in a timely manner.

4) Ensure that supervisors provide oversight to the accuracy of data entered.

Screen: Client Services, Placement Notebook, End Placement/Episode Tab.

1) The State extracts the values “5428/5507, child abducted” as a discharge reason.

2) There is an inconsistency in the reported numbers for elements #56 through 58.

3) There are several very old dates reported for this element. The number of dates reported for this element does not match the number of records reported for element #57.

4) The case file review findings indicate there were several errors in data entry and extraction of this information.

1) Modify the program code to not extract a date of discharge for the State codes “5428/5507, child abducted.”

1b) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

2) The State needs to reassess the program code for these elements to determine what is the cause of the inconsistency. Provide ACF with the results of the analysis.

3) The State needs to reassess the program to verify why older dates of discharge are occurring. Provide ACF with the results of the analysis.

Supervision/Training
4) The State/county must have caseworkers enter this data correctly and in a timely manner.

5) The State needs to ensure that children that remain in the agency's responsibility for care, placement, or supervision and placed in their own home are not entered into the system as being “discharged.” In these instances this field must be blank.

Screen: Client Services, Placement Notebook, End Placement/Episode Tab.
Program code: SCAFCFD - LN 001670; SCAFCFX - Paragraph 2050

1) The State codes “5428/5507, child abducted” is mapped to “runaway.”

2) The State maps “5431/5512, child refused services” and “5437/5518, parent rejects voluntary (FR) services” to “reunification.

3) The State maps “5611, CWS agency has jurisdiction” to “transfer to another agency.” If the child welfare agency still has care and placement this would not be a discharge reason. ACF asked the State to explain and the response is: “We understand that if the child welfare agency still has care and placement this would not be a discharge reason. However, in rare situations, a voluntary agreement with a private child welfare agency in the state who may take responsibility for providing appropriate services to a family which might include a short term voluntary placement.” The value name and the State's explanation seem to be contradictory.

4) The State maps “5438/5519, private adoption agency (non-CWS) to “adoption.” The code represents those children that were previously being provided services through a County Welfare Department, e.g. a voluntary placement, and are relinquished to a private adoption agency.

5) The State maps “5632, incarcerated” to “transfer to another agency.” “Currently, California does not have dual jurisdiction regarding children receiving Child Welfare Services and those incarcerated due to juvenile criminal offenses. Such a juvenile is not considered changing placements when going from foster care to a locked facility.”

1) Modify the program code to map “Child abducted” to “not applicable.”

1a) Remove “child abducted” as an outcome reason for exit from foster care.

1c) Provide ACF with modified screen prints reflecting corrected fields.

1d) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

2) Modify the program code to map “5431/5512, child refused services” to blank.

2a) Remove “5431/5512, child refused services” as a discharge option on the screen.

2c) Provide ACF with modified screen prints reflecting corrected fields.

2d) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

2e) ACF needs to further discuss with the State.

3) State and ACF need to discuss further.

4) Modify the program code to map “5438/5519, private adoption agency (non-CWS) to “transfer to another agency.”

4a) ACF to discuss further with the State.

5a) The State/county must report on children that are in its care and placement responsibility regardless of the child's living arrangement. In these instances, the response to element #56 should be “not applicable” and the placement setting should be “institution.”

5b) If the agency's care and placement responsibility was terminated by the courts and legal custody was given to the Juvenile Justice agency, then the child may be reported as discharged and the reason is “transfer to another agency.” If the child then leaves the locked facility and is again placed in foster care under the agency's responsibility for care and placement, this would begin a new foster care episode.

5c) ACF to discuss further with the State.

Supervision/Training
6) State/county staff must enter this data correctly and in a timely manner.

7) Conduct training for any new items added to the selection list.

8) Ensure that supervisors provide oversight to the accuracy of data entered.

Suggestions
ACF recommends that some internal audits be performed to correct data inconsistencies (such as a “not applicable” being assigned to a record with a discharge date.)

Screen: Client services, Client Notebook, Identification NumbersProgram code: Paragraphs 2050, 2750, 2800

1) Elements #59 - 61, and #64 are incorrectly being reported if the child is “eligible.”

2) Case workers and eligibility workers can enter data on this screen.

1) Modify the program code to extract whether a payment was made on behalf of the child.

1a) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

2) Limit data entry regarding eligibility and payments to eligibility and fiscal staff.

Suggestions
CWS/CMS should interface with a State financial system or to individual county payment systems.

Screen: Client Services: Placement Notebook, Child removal Tab.Program Code: Paragraph 2350.

1) The case file review findings indicated errors in the date of first removal.

1) State/county staff must correct the date entered as the first date of removal.

2) Supervisors need to ensure this data is entered correctly and in a timely manner.

Screen: Client Services: Placement Notebook, Child removal Tab.Program Code: Paragraph 2350.

1) The case file review findings indicated errors in the date of first removal.

1) State should resubmit the 2003B data file after the corrections to element #20 are completed.

1a) ACF will evaluate the re-submitted data.

2) The State/county needs to ensure that workers enter the dates of removal correctly and in a timely manner.

3) The State/county needs to ensure that workers enter the dates the agency no longer has responsibility for care, placement or supervision (element #56) correctly and in a timely manner.

Screen: Client Services: Placement Notebook (Removal Info tab)
Program Code: paragraph 2400

1) The case file review findings indicate several of the errors were related to how many removals the child actually had experienced.

1) State should resubmit the 2003B data file after the corrections to element #20 are completed.

1a) ACF will evaluate the re-submitted data.

2) The State/county needs to ensure that workers enter the dates of removal correctly and in a timely manner.

3) The State/county needs to ensure that workers enter the dates the agency no longer has responsibility for care, placement or supervision (element #56) correctly and in a timely manner.

Screen: Client Services, Placement Notebook, Identification and Approval Tab and End Placement/Episode tab
Program Code: Paragraph 2400

1) There may be situations in which a child is in a temporary shelter and the case worker has not updated the electronic case file in a timely manner to indicate if the child has been placed or sent home.

2) For “trial home visit” and “runaway” the date and placement location changes, but the number of placements should not change. (See Child Welfare Policy Manual (CWPM) 1.2B.7 AFCARS, Data Elements and Definitions, Foster Care Specific Elements, Placements, Question #23.)

1) The State/county must ensure that workers enter the placement information into the system in a timely manner.

2) Implement training and supervisory oversight to ensure that case workers enter “trial home visit” and “runaway” as a placement change, and not as a reason for ending a placement.

Screen: Client Services: Placement Notebook, Removal Information Tab
Program code: Paragraphs 2500 (primary) and 2510 (secondary).

1) The case file review findings indicate that there were several cases in which the reviewers found more conditions than what were reported to AFCARS.

2) The State indicated the proper coding for the death of both parents would be "Care Taker Absence/Incapacity."

3) The State indicated the proper coding of the incarceration of a parent(s) would be "Care Taker Absence/Incapacity."

1) The staff should be trained to include all contributing reasons that lead to the child being “removed from home” and placed into foster care. This includes the probation staff and children entering foster care from the Juvenile Justice system.

2) The staff should be trained to not select “caretaker inability to cope due to illness or other reasons” as a circumstance for removal for children that enter care due to the death of his/her parents.

3) In instances where the only reason for the removal of the child from his/her home is the incarceration of a parent, staff should be trained to not enter “caretaker inability to cope due to illness or other reasons” as a circumstance for removal.

4) The reasons for removal must reflect the actions or conditions associated with the removal of the child at the time of the removal.

Screen: Client Services (Client Notebook, ID tab)
Program code: Paragraph 2650

1) The State is reporting dates that indicate the caretakers are very old and very young.

2) The case file review findings indicate that the majority of error cases were blank and the reviewers were able to determine the dates of birth of the individuals from whom the child was removed.

1) Provide training to case workers to ensure they enter the correct dates of birth for the caretakers.

2) Ensure that supervisors check the accuracy of the dates entered for the caretakers.

Screen: Client Services, Family Information Notebook, Parental Rights tab.
Program code: Paragraphs 3200 and 3300

1) The State indicated that there is variation among the counties in regard to what is considered the actual TPR date. It may be the date that the case was heard in court or when the court order is actually signed.

2) The foster care case file review findings indicate that in the error cases the AFCARS field was blank and the reviewer found TPR dates.

1) The State needs to ensure that they are reporting the date considered by State law and policy as the date the child is considered legally freed for adoption.

2) Train workers to use the same date consistently for this element.

3) The State/county needs to ensure that this information is entered for the foster care file as well as the adoption file.

Screen: Resource Management; Placement Home Notebook, Substitute Care Provider tab.
Program code: Paragraphs 2050 and 3400

1) The case file review findings indicated that several of the records were reported to AFCARS with missing information, but the children were in family foster home settings.

1a) The error records generally indicated that the child was in a family foster home and either the data reported in AFCARS or found by the reviewer indicated the foster family structure was either a “married” or “unmarried couple.”

1) The State/county needs to ensure that this information is entered for the foster parents.

2) Supervisors should ensure that this data is being entered correctly.

3) The State/county needs to obtain this data from private placing agencies.

Screen: Client Services, Placement Notebook, Ongoing Requests tab.
Program code: Paragraphs 2050, 2900, 2950

1) The data for this element is underreported. It is manually entered into CWS/CMS and is not obtained through an automated interface to payment systems.

1) The State/county must ensure that this data is entered correctly and timely.

Suggestions
1) CWS/CMS should interface with a State financial system or to individual county systems.

Program code: SCAFCAD, LN 001300

1) The program code is incorrectly hard coding this element to “1, public agency.”

1) Modify the program code and the system to correctly collect and extract this information to ACF.

1a) Provide ACF with revised program code and screen prints (if applicable).

Supervision/Training
2) Train caseworkers on the appropriate entry of this information once the changes are implemented.

See Findings in Foster Care Matrix

See Tasks in Foster Care Matrix

See Findings in Foster Care Matrix

See Tasks in Foster Care Matrix

See Findings in Foster Care Matrix

See Tasks in Foster Care Matrix

Screen: Client Notebook, AAP eligibility tab.
Program code: SCAFCAD, LN000769

1) This field on the screen defaults to “age.”

2) This information should reflect the greatest barrier to a child's adoption.

1) Remove the screen defaults and let them remain blank.

1a) Provide ACF with modified screen prints reflecting corrected fields.

Supervision/Training
2) Provide training to case workers to ensure they correctly identify the primary basis for determining special needs.

3) Ensure that supervisors check the accuracy of the information entered.

See Findings in Foster Care Matrix

See Tasks in Foster Care Matrix

1) Remove the screen defaults and let them remain blank.

1a) Provide ACF with modified screen prints reflecting corrected fields.

Supervision/Training
2) Provide training to case workers to ensure they correctly identify the primary basis for determining special needs.

3) Ensure that supervisors check the accuracy of the information entered.

Screen: Client Services: Family Information Notebook, Cohabitation tab and the AFCARS Navigation Tool.
Program Code: SCAFCAD - LN 000863

1) The field on the screen defaults to “no.”

2) This information should reflect the mother's marital status at the time of the child's birth and not the current marital status.

1a) Modify the screen by allowing the screen to pre-fill with blanks only.

1b) Provide ACF with modified screen prints reflecting corrected fields.

Supervision/Training
2) State/county staff must enter this data correctly and in a timely manner.

3) Train caseworkers that this should reflect the marital status of the mother at the time the child was born.

4) Ensure that supervisors provide oversight to the accuracy of data entered.

Screen: Client Services: Adoptive Placement, ID tab.
Program code: SCAFCAD - LN 001274

1) The State does not report all possible relationships between the child and the adoptive parents.

2) If data are missing the program code maps “applies” to element #32.

1a) Modify the screen to allow the recording of all possible relationships.

1b) Provide ACF with modified screen prints reflecting corrected fields.

1c) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

2) Modify the program code and map missing data to blank.

2a) Provide ACF with the corrected program code.

Supervision/Training
3) State/county staff must enter this data correctly and in a timely manner.

4) Train caseworkers to select all the relationships that apply.

5) Ensure that supervisors provide oversight to the accuracy of data entered.

Screen: Adoptive Placement Notebook, AAP Agreement tab.
Program code: SCAFCAX - Paragraphs 2200 and 2210; SCAFCAD - LN001305

1) The program code does not check for a Medicaid only subsidy.

Screen: AAP amounts are documented on the AAP Agreement page of the Adoptive Placement Notebook.
Program code: SCAFCAX - Paragraphs 2200 and 2220

1) The screen has a field “Total monthly AAP benefit.” If this is the exact amount written into the Adoption Agreement then it should be a direct extraction from this field and should not be adding any other amounts to it.

1a) All the records in the case file review were marked in error.

1b) Line number 005532 references summing the benefits.