AFCARS Assessment Review Findings - Foster Care
Elements
State: Arkansas
| AFCARS Element |
Rating Factor |
Comments/Notes |
| #1 State |
4 |
blank cell |
| #2 Report Period Ending
Date |
4 |
blank cell |
| #3 Local FIPS
Code |
4 |
Some counties are grouped administratively. |
| #4 Record Number |
4 |
State reports encrypted case numbers. Case
numbers are unique to the person and remain with the person. |
| #5 Most Recent Periodic
Review Date |
2 |
Frequency Report: 111 of 2703 records reported
have a date in 2000 or earlier.
Program code does contain a flag to prevent reporting dates on
children who have been in care less than 7 months per AFCARS
requirements. Program code used to select review dates has a check
to prevent selection of dates greater than report end date.
There is no program code that prevents dates from prior removals
from being extracted. The program code must be modified to look
only in the current removal episode.
The State's attorneys verify the information that is on the legal
screens and, if appropriate, will update the information or correct
it.
Test Case Finding: This information was correct in the test
file extract. The State reported this element as blank because the
child had been in care for less then seven months. In the scenario
there were reviews that were conducted. The State may want to
consider modifying the code to capture review dates even if they
occur prior to a child being in foster care for more than seven
months. |
| #6 Child Birth Date |
4 |
Frequency Report: No ages reported beyond 18.
State does serve 18 to 19 year olds under title IV-E, including
Chafee eligible youth over 18. Also, there is an even distribution
across all years. State will re-evaluate.
If date of birth is unknown State policy is to use 15th
of month per AFCARS requirements. If the birthdate is not filled in
at intake, workers are trained to complete. There is an edit that
requires a date of birth when a placement is opened. (The State
shared that the number of children abandoned are less then 5 per
year in New Mexico.)
On the "maintain participant" screen, worker can select whether
the child has been abandoned.
The mapping document includes language to estimate DOB for age at
adoption. State staff shared this will be removed.
Post-site visit review: Completed |
#7 Child Sex
1 = Male
2 = Female |
4 |
Online system now requires that a gender be
indicated when creating an out of home placement - newly added edit
check. |
#8 Child Race
a. American Indian or Alaska Native
b. Asian
c. Black or African American
d. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
e. White
f. Unable to Determine |
2 |
State policy is if child or adult refuses,
workers are to select "unable to determine" per AFCARS
requirements.
System contains a drop-down box to capture all possible race
combinations, but it may not be fully utilized by all workers.
System design/training issue possible.
The State maps missing data to default of "unable to determine."
The State must map missing data to blank.
State requested examples of other States methods of capturing race
information. |
#9 Child Hispanic
Origin
1 = Yes
2 = No
3 = Unable to Determine |
4 |
There are "yes," "no," "unable to determine"
options on screen. Workers trained on use per AFCARS
requirements.
There is an "ethnicity" drop-down box plus another drop-down box
to check if person is of "Hispanic Origin".
Test Case Finding: The State did not select "unable to
determine" for this case when it was entered (the child was
abandoned therefore this would have been the appropriate response).
The extract showed a blank for this element. |
#10 Has Child Been Diagnosed
with a Disability?
1=Yes
2=No
3=Not yet Determined |
2 |
Frequency Report: 138 records are coded as "not
yet determined."
State policy does require medical/psychological evaluations within
a certain timeframe.
This is a question for the worker to answer on the "Removal From
Home Reasons" screen. If the worker selects the question this means
the child has been clinically diagnosed with a disability. The
worker then must select all the medical categories that apply. The
program code only maps to "yes" or "no" based on the selection
flag. State believes the cases that are "not yet determined" in the
frequency report are records in which the worker did not indicate
that a removal had occurred. See the notes regarding missing data
in foster care element #19.
There is a separate "certification of special needs" screen where
workers again have to record the disability information. The screen
contains two radio buttons, one for adoption and one for foster
care, which identify the information accordingly. The State may
want to eliminate the foster care selection from this screen since
it does not reflect the information needed for foster care elements
#10 through #15. The information actually is the information needed
for adoption element #10.
Current programming pulls from the flag set on the removal screen.
The State incorrectly maps blanks as "no." Missing data must be
mapped to blank.
The State should include the options for workers to select "yes,"
"no," and "not yet determined."
The method used by the State is providing false "no's" in AFCARS.
The AFCARS definitions for "no" and "not yet determined" are:
No - Indicates that a qualified professional
has conducted a clinical assessment of the child and has determined
that the child has no disabilities.
Not Yet Determined - Indicates that a clinical assessment
of the child by a qualified professional has not been
conducted.
Release 3.1 will have new disabilities screens. Information will be
entered only on medical information screens using more ICDM
diagnosis codes and verification. The State plans the "roll-out" to
occur in September. State should consult conversion table on AFCARS
web site.
Case File Findings: Of the 37 cases reviewed, fourteen
(38%) were found to be reported as "no" in AFCARS but should have
been "yes." |
| #11 Mental Retardation |
3
2 |
The State staff shared that the frequencies
appear low and that there may be an under-reporting of the
disability information.
Elements #11 - #15 are extracted from the "circumstances
associated with removal" screen. The worker selects all that apply.
There is an edit if diagnosis is checked. Then at least one of the
conditions must be checked.
The State has a new medical screen that will be implemented in
September that will have a more extensive list of conditions.
Because the State has two locations where workers can enter this
information it may be contributing to the low numbers being
reported. Workers may not be updating both screens and the program
code only looks at the "circumstances associated with removal"
screen. The State may need to provide additional training.
Post-site visit note: It appears in the program code that
the edit that ensures that this element is correct will overwrite a
workers' response to whether a child has been clinically diagnosed
from a "yes" to a "no" if none of the disability categories are
selected. The edit is good, however, if there is a discrepancy the
program code should mark this as an "exception" for follow-up.
State should contact ACF to further discuss. |
#12 Visually/Hearing
Impaired
0 = Does not Apply
1 = Applies |
3
2 |
See notes in element #11. |
#13 Physically Disabled
0 = Does not Apply
1 = Applies |
3
2 |
See notes in element #11. |
#14 Emotionally
Disturbed
0 = Does not Apply
1 = Applies |
3
2 |
See notes in element #11. |
#15 Other Diagnosed
Condition
0 = Does not Apply
1 = Applies |
3
2 |
See notes in element #11.
Test Case Finding: The State entered "applies" for this
condition and it should have been "does not apply." |
#16 Has Child Ever Been
Adopted?
1 = Yes
2 = No
3 = Unable to Determine |
4
2 |
This is a question on the "maintain participant"
screen for the worker to answer. The question is worded so that the
worker only selects it if the response is "yes." The worker does
not have the option to select "unable to determine" in the event
the child had been abandoned.
The program code sets a blank response to "no." The mapping
documentation and the program code do not include "unable to
determine." The program code includes language to run the error
routine when "other" is selected.
The State needs to modify the screen to allow the worker to select
"yes," "no," and "unable to determine." The approach used by the
State results in a false "no" as a response to this question. |
#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 |
2 |
If the worker selects that the child was
previously adopted, then they enter the age of the adoption,
otherwise it is left blank.
Missing information defaults to "5, unable to determine" instead
of being mapped to blank. Correct default and address worker
training. |
| #18 Date of First Removal
from Home |
3 |
The program code finds the earliest row with a
removal flag.
See notes in "General Requirements" regarding conversion.
Case File Finding: Of the 37 cases reviewed, there were 17
records (46%) in which the AFCARS date did not match what was in
case file. Of those, 11 of the records (65%) indicated in AFCARS
the conversion date of 7/28/1997. The actual date of removal ranged
from 1988 to 1997. Of the remaining six, the reviewers found dates
of first removal that preceded the date in the AFCARS file. |
| #19 Total Number of Removals
from Home |
3 |
Frequency report indicates 138 records as having
zero removals.
The program code counts all rows with a removal flag set.
Possible worker training issue may account for the records with no
removals. It may indicate that the placement is an emergency
placement and not a removal (the worker should choose both
emergency and removal on the screen). Law enforcement is allowed to
remove children for 48 hours without consulting the child welfare
agency.
See notes in "General Requirements" regarding conversion. |
| #20 Date of Discharge from
Previous Episode |
3 |
The program code looks for an "end date of
placement" and a discharge flag of "yes."
See notes in "General Requirements" regarding conversion. |
| #21 Date of Latest
Removal |
3 |
See notes in "General Requirements" regarding
conversion.
Case File Finding: Of the 36 cases included in the analysis
of this element, 16 cases (44%) did not match. Eleven of the cases
had the date of conversion (7/28/1997) as the date of latest
removal. Ten of the cases should have had the date of latest
removal the same as that for the first removal. The remaining case
had a date of removal of 11/11/1996. |
| #22 Date of Latest Removal
Transaction Date |
4 |
Non-modifiable. System generated. |
| #23 Date of Placement in
Current Setting |
2 |
Program code looks for a placement begin date
(placement dates not associated with a removal will not have the
"removal flag" associated with them)
Test Case Finding: The extract had the date that the foster
home was determined to be a "pre-adopt" home. The date should not
have changed. The program code must be modified to not select a
date that reflects a change in status if the foster family does not
change. |
| #24 Number of Previous
Placement Settings in This Episode |
3
2 |
State counts unique providers.
See notes for "current placement setting," element #41. State will
need to modify how the program code counts placements once "trial
home visit" and "runaway" are added as options for worker to
select.
See notes in "General Requirements" regarding conversion.
The following situations are not to be counted for this element:
- Trial home visits, runaway, or respite placements.
- Do not count when a placement setting changes its status (a
foster home becoming a pre-adoptive home-the caretaker is staying
the same)
- If the payment changes because the level of care changes, then
the number of placements does not change.
- Do not count if a child returns to the same placement setting
from a trial home visit or runaway.
- Do not count short-term hospital stays.
If an agency is an umbrella agency (and has foster homes, group
homes, etc.) the placement is the actual physical setting.
The reference to "CD_IVE_12" does not pertain to eligibility. All
children regardless of payment are being included.
State asked if placement history for children continuously in care
since 1997 has to be retrieved from legacy system. The State should
have information on the number of placements in the current episode
including those prior to 1997.
For children in therapeutic foster care, there may be an
under-reporting of the number of placements. The State does not
record placement changes if the therapeutic provider agency remains
the same. The State must collect and report on all placement
information related to their contracts with private agencies
providing therapeutic foster care. This requires the worker to
enter the information on the placement so that the code can count
all appropriate placements.
Case File Finding: Of the 36 cases analyzed, 18 cases (50%)
did not match. Of the cases that did not contain the correct number
of placement settings in AFCARS, one decreased in the count and 17
increased.
Of the 11 records with the conversion date for the date of
removal, all increased substantially in the number of placement
settings. |
#25 Manner of Removal From
Home for This Episode
1 = Voluntary
2 = Court Ordered
3 = Not Yet Determined |
2
4 |
Missing data is defaulted to "not yet
determined." Missing data should be mapped to blank. Same 138
children with no removal flags.
Law enforcement is allowed to remove children for 48 hours without
consulting the child welfare agency.
Post-site visit review: Default has been corrected, data in
the 2001B file reflects change. State should re-submit 2002A
data. |
| #26 Physical Abuse |
4 |
blank cell |
| #27 Sexual Abuse |
4 |
blank cell |
| #28 Neglect |
4 |
blank cell |
| #29 Parent Alcohol Abuse |
4 |
blank cell |
| #30 Parent Drug Abuse |
4 |
blank cell |
| #31 Child Alcohol Abuse |
4 |
blank cell |
| #32 Child Drug Abuse |
4 |
blank cell |
| #33 Child Disability |
4 |
blank cell |
| #34 Child's Behavior
Problem |
4 |
blank cell |
| #35 Death of Parent |
4 |
blank cell |
| #36 Incarceration of
Parent |
4 |
blank cell |
| #37 Caretaker Inability to
Cope |
4 |
blank cell |
| #38 Abandonment |
4 |
blank cell |
| #39 Relinquishment |
4 |
blank cell |
| #40 Inadequate Housing |
4 |
blank cell |
#41 Current Placement Setting
(core)
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 |
2 |
Frequency Report: The AFCARS frequencies
indicate no children in "trial home visit" and "runaway" status. 13
records were blank.
The system provides for "trial home visit" and "runaway" as
placement setting options, but they are not currently used. Current
practice is that workers select "trial home visit," or "runaway,"
as the prior placement end reason but not as current placement
setting.
State proposes to modify program code to pick up "trial home
visit" or runaway reasons for placement end. Ensure that reporting
will count "trial home visit" for unspecified period as discharge
at 6 months.
The mapping document includes the codes "17 - Guardianship
(relative)" and "18 - Guardianship (non-relative)." These codes are
not included in the program code. The State shared that these need
to be added to the program code.
The State contracts with providers for therapeutic foster care
placement. The placement setting reported in AFCARS on the children
placed in these settings may not accurately reflect the true
placement setting. The contract agency does not have access to
FACTS. The contract agency also does not provide the State
information on the foster parents. State needs to implement a
method to obtain information on the actual placement setting and
the providers from the contract agency and to enter it into
FACTS.
Post-site visit question: The mapping document includes
codes "12 - 16" regarding JJD placement. These codes are not
included in the program code and if they were used they would get
mapped to blank. Are these settings actual selections the worker
can choose? If so, and if they also would reflect placement of
those child welfare children in a juvenile justice placement, they
need to be included in the program code mapping. Please explain
these codes and whether the State is including in the AFCARS
population those foster children that are adjudicated delinquent,
placed in a locked facility, but the expectation is that they will
return to child welfare foster care placement. Or are these
children discharged from the child welfare agency's care and
placement responsibility? |
#42 Out of State
Placement
1=Yes
2=No |
3 |
System checks for whether the provider State
code is anything but NM, then sets a flag. Frequency only shows
four records that are out-of-State placements. The staff think
these numbers are probably low. State needs to follow up on for
possible data quality issue. |
#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 |
2 |
Frequency: 178 records with zero as value. Zero
is not an acceptable AFCARS value.
The State suggested that there are three possible reasons for
occurrence of the zeroes:
1) Planned permanent living arrangement maps to "emancipation" or
"long-term foster care," depending on the child's age, however,
some go to zero. The program code is not working correctly for the
"planned permanent living arrangement." (This was supported by
the case file findings.)
2) Code 14 - "Placement with a Fit and Willing Relative" should be
"Live with Other Relatives." However, the program code is mapping
to zero because this value is not included in the program
code.
3) Some reunifications are mapping to zero.
Case plan goals of "remain in home," "maintain at home," and
"relative placement" are inactive. These codes are currently in the
program code and are mapped to "reunification." Since new code
structures are in place as of 1/8/01 the State should remove
invalid codes from new version of AFCARS program.
The program code defaults to "7 - not yet established." The title
IV-E regulations state that there must be a goal established within
60 days, the program code should set "not yet established" to
missing at the end of 60-day window.
Post-site visit notes: The system should have the capacity
for workers to actually record "emancipation" for those children
who are in foster care that are over age 16. The system should not
determine that just because the youth is over 16 the case plan goal
is "emancipation" and that independent living services are being
provided. |
#44 Caretaker Family
Structure
1 = Married Couple
2 = Unmarried Couple
3 = Single Female
4 = Single Male
5 = Unable to Determine |
2 |
The program code maps "other" and missing
information to "unable to determine." They should be mapped to
blank.
Situations such as same-sex couples should be mapped to "2 -
Unmarried Couple."
For siblings - map to AFCARS values of "3" or "4."
Post-site visit note: Can workers select "unable to
determine?"
Case File Finding: Of the 37 cases reviewed, there were 11
(30%) that did not match. Eight of the cases were reported as
"unable to determine" in AFCARS, but the reviewer found a marital
status on all of the cases. |
| #45 1st Primary Caretaker's
Birth Year |
4 |
blank cell |
| #46 2nd Primary Caretaker's
Birth Year |
4 |
blank cell |
| #47 Mother's Date of TPR |
2 |
The State's codes "13, request for termination
of parental rights," "14 and 15, motion for termination of parental
rights" are no longer used on legal action screens. These codes are
included in the program code. Also, the program code should not
look for legal status of "22, post TPR/Freed for adoption" since
only one of two parent's rights may be terminated at a time. State
is aware of issues and is working on changing program code.
Case File Finding: Of the 37 cases reviewed, 19 (51%) did
not match. All of the incorrect cases did not have a date of TPR in
AFCARS, but the reviewer found a date either in the case file or on
the system.
Test Case Finding: The TPR date was entered into the system
but the extract produced a blank. |
| #48 Father's Date of TPR |
2 |
The State's codes "13, request for termination
of parental rights," "14 and 15, motion for termination of parental
rights" are no longer used on legal action screens. These codes are
included in the program code. Also, the program code should not
look for legal status of "22, post TPR/Freed for adoption" since
only one of two parent's rights may be terminated at a time. State
is aware of issues and is working on changing program code.
Case File Finding: Of the 37 cases reviewed, 17 did not
match. All of the incorrect cases did not have a date of TPR in
AFCARS, but the reviewer found a date either in the case file or on
the system. In one record the reviewer indicated the father was
deceased.
Test Case Finding: The TPR date was entered into the system
but the extract produced a blank. |
#49 Foster Family
Structure
0 = Not Applicable
1 = Married Couple
2 = Unmarried Couple
3 = Single Female
4 = Single Male |
2 |
Frequency: All records indicate "not
applicable." The State identified that the program code is not
accurately extracting the data. The State will provide updated
program code.
The program code includes "49, unable to determine" and "other."
Both are mapped to AFCARS "not applicable.'
The State contracts with placing agencies for therapeutic foster
care placements. The contract agency does not have access to FACTS.
The contract agency also does not give the State information on the
foster parents. State needs to implement a method to obtain this
information from the contract agency and to enter it into
FACTS.
Case File Finding: Of the 37 cases reviewed, 31 (84%) did
not match. All of the records were marked as "not applicable" and
there were only six cases where the child was either in a group
home or an institution.
In one case the foster parent was with an agency that the State
contracts with for placement.
Test Case Finding: "Married couple" was selected for the
marital status of the foster family, but the extract produced a
blank. |
| #50 1st Foster Caretaker's
Birth Year |
3 |
Information is entered on the "provider" window
and is also re-entered in the "person maintenance" screen. The
State may wish to consider whether the data can be entered once and
automatically populated to subsequent screens.
Issues related to lack of data on therapeutic foster parents apply
here.
Case File Finding: Of the 37 cases reviewed, 31 (84%) did
not match. Of those marked as "not applicable" in element #49, 24
had a date of birth in the AFCARS file for this element; seven were
blank. In two cases the reviewer noted "ARCA home." |
| #51 2nd Foster Caretaker's
Birth Year |
3 |
Information is entered on the "provider" window
and is also re-entered in the "person maintenance" screen. The
State may wish to consider whether the data can be entered once and
automatically populated to subsequent screens.
Issues related to lack of data on therapeutic foster parents apply
here.
Case File Finding: Of those marked as "not applicable" in
element #49, 19 had a date of birth in the AFCARS file for this
element; five were blank. In two cases the reviewer noted "ARCA
home." |
#52 1st Foster Caretaker's
Race
a. American Indian or Alaska Native
b. Asian
c. Black or African American
d. Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander
e. White
f. Unable to Determine |
2 |
State policy is if an adult refuses, workers are
to select "unable to determine" per AFCARS requirements.
System contains a drop-down box to capture all possible race
combinations, but it may not be fully utilized by all workers.
System design/training issue possible.
The State maps missing data to default of "unable to determine."
The State must map missing data to blank.
State requested examples of other States' ways of handling capture
of race information.
Issues related to lack of data on therapeutic foster parents also
apply here. |
#53 1st Foster Caretaker's
Hispanic Origin
0 = Not Applicable
1 = Yes
2 = No
3 = Unable to Determine |
3 |
Issues related to lack of data on therapeutic
foster parents also apply here. |
#54 2nd Foster Caretaker's
Race
a. American Indian or Alaska Native
b. Asian
c. Black or African American
d. Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander
e. White
f. Unable to Determine |
2 |
State policy is if an adult refuses, workers are
to select "unable to determine" per AFCARS requirements.
System contains a drop-down box to capture all possible race
combinations, but it may not be fully utilized by all workers.
System design/training issue possible.
The State maps missing data to default of "unable to determine."
The State must map missing data to blank.
State requested examples of other States' ways of handling capture
of race information.
Issues related to lack of data on therapeutic foster parents also
apply here. |
#55 2nd Foster Caretaker's
Hispanic Origin
0 = Not Applicable
1 = Yes
2 = No
3 = Unable to Determine |
3 |
Issues related to lack of data on therapeutic
foster parents apply here. |
| #56 Date of Discharge |
3 |
Frequencies: There are 59 records with dates of
discharge but no reason for discharge.
Need to address training to ensure that the workers select the
option that closes all placements for discharged cases. |
| #57 Date of Discharge
Transaction Date (core) |
4 |
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 |
3 |
Need to address training to ensure that the
workers select the option that closes all placements for discharged
cases, and selects a discharge reason. |
| #59 Title IVE Foster
Care |
4 |
blank cell |
| #60 Title IVE Adoption |
4 |
blank cell |
| #61 Title IV-A |
4 |
blank cell |
| #62 Title IVD Child
Support |
2 |
The SACWIS plan addresses lack of title IV-D
interface. Frequency shows all records as "does not apply."
The worker can enter this information on the child's assets
screen. It would require receiving information from the Child
Support Office that a payment had been received. Recommend the
State develop process to receive this information until the
interface is completed. The AFCARS information is required
regardless of the status of the interface. |
| #63 Title XIX Medicaid |
2
4 |
Numbers look under-reported to the State staff.
State aware of problem in the program code, correcting it to use
the "date effective to."
Post-site visit note: The program code has been corrected
to read the "date effective to." The data in the 2001B file
reflects change. State should re-submit 2002A data. |
| #64 SSI |
3 |
Numbers reported look under-reported to the
State staff. May be a training issue, gets entered on the
eligibility screen, but not on the assets screen. Code pulls only
from assets. |
| #65 None of the Above |
4 |
blank cell |
| #66 Monthly Amount |
2 |
If partial, calculates full monthly payment.
Should only report most recent full monthly (calendar month)
payment on behalf of child. If partial, should be a 0. If setting
changes, and no full monthly payment for it, report as 0. |
AFCARS Assessment Review Findings - Adoption
State: New Mexico
| AFCARS Element |
Rating Factor |
Comments/Notes |
| #1 State FIPS Code |
4 |
blank cell |
| #2 Report
Period End Date |
4 |
blank cell |
| #3 Record Number |
4 |
blank cell |
#4 State Agency
Involvement
1 = Yes
2 = No |
4 |
State does not report those adoptions in which
they have no involvement. The response to this element will always
be "yes." |
| #5 Child Date of Birth |
4 |
blank cell |
#6 Child Sex
1 = Male
2 = Female |
4 |
blank cell |
#7 Child Race
a = American Indian or Alaskan Native
b = Asian
c = Black or African American
d = Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander
e = White
f = Unable to Determine |
2 |
State policy is if child or adult refuses,
workers are to select "unable to determine" per AFCARS
requirements.
System contains a drop-down box to capture all possible race
combinations, but it may not be fully utilized by all workers.
System design/training issue possible.
The State maps missing data to default of "unable to determine."
The State must map missing data to blank.
State requested examples of other States' ways of handling capture
of race information. |
#8 Child Hispanic
Origin
1 = Yes
2 = No
3 = Unable to Determine |
4 |
blank cell |
#9 Has Agency Determined
Special Needs?
1 = Yes
2 = No |
4 |
There is not an option on the screen for the
worker to select "yes" or "no." This is a derived field, it is
dependent on an entry being made on the "certification of special
needs" screen. If there is a response listed for "primary basis,"
then this is set to "yes." Otherwise, the response is set to "no"
in the program code. |
#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 |
4
2 |
The "certification of special needs" screen has
the capability to collect the basis of special needs (element #10)
specifying a primary, secondary, etc., basis. This information can
be used to populate the response to element #9. The existing
program code is going to this screen for the information.
Post-site visit finding: The mapping documentation and
program code includes the following: When CD-PRIM-BASIS = 7 set
element #10 to 4. The State's code "7" is "medically fragile." If
there is not a specific medical condition associated with this,
then "medically fragile" should be mapped to AFCARS value "5,
other."
The State's program code includes "9, other" and it is mapped to
medical conditions, etc. "Other" may need to be further broken down
on the selection screen into actual reasons, which are mapped to
the appropriate AFCARS value.
Post site-visit note: The program code appears to set
element #10 to medical, etc. if it finds any of 11-15 as "yes,"
regardless of what the worker selected as the primary basis, thus
over riding it. If this is true, then the State must remove the
code and not have a hierarchy set by the system to determine the
primary basis of special need. |
| #11 Mental Retardation |
3
2 |
State may be under-reporting data. See findings
for foster care elements #11-15.
Post-site visit finding: The State code "6, mental
disability and/or learning disability" is incorrectly mapped to
this element. "Mental disability" should be mapped to AFCARS
element #14, and "learning disability" should be mapped to element
#15. |
| #12 Visually/Hearing
Impaired |
3 |
State may be under-reporting data. See findings
for foster care elements #11-15. |
| #13 Physically Disabled |
3
2 |
State may be under-reporting data. See findings
for foster care elements #11-15.
Post-site visit finding: The program code maps "medically
fragile" to "physically disabled." |
| #14 Emotionally
Disturbed |
3
2 |
State may be under-reporting data. See findings
for foster care elements #11-15.
Post-site visit finding: "Mental disability" should be
mapped to AFCARS element #14 |
| #15 Other Diagnosed
Condition |
3
2 |
State may be under-reporting data. See findings
for foster care elements #11-15.
Post-site visit finding: The program code includes a
default that if medical conditions, etc. is selected, and
categories in elements #11 - 14 are zero, then "other diagnosed
condition" is set to "yes." This should be set to blank. |
| #16 Mother's Birth Year |
2 |
Frequencies show no mother's or father's year of
birth. Until recently system was unable to generate link to foster
care case to get data on biological mother's year of birth. Cannot
be seen in field, but available behind the scenes.
Mothers' date of birth comes from the "Special Needs" section of
the foster care case. Otherwise, the program code will go to case
participant table and get mother's demographic data.
ACF will look for data on subsequent submission (2002A).
Case File Finding: Of the nine cases reviewed, all of the
records submitted to AFCARS had a blank for the mother'' birth
year. In five records (56%) the reviewers found a date of
birth. |
| #17 Father's Birth Year |
2 |
See adoption element #16. |
#18 Mother Married at Time of
Birth
1 = Yes
2 = No
3 = Unable to Determine |
2 |
State's code of "unknown" represents abandoned
children and is properly mapped to AFCARS value "3."
"Undetermined" should be mapped to blank according to AFCARS
requirements.
This information can also be entered on the "Special Needs" screen
in the foster care record. When the State implements the case-link,
they may want to have any information entered in foster care
populate the adoption record. This will reduce duplicate data entry
and reduce chances for errors. |
| #19 Date of Mother's TPR |
4 |
Should be able to populate automatically using
new case link. |
| #20 Date of Father's TPR |
4 |
See note in adoption element #19. |
| #21 Date Adoption
Legalized |
4 |
Note: State should make sure a finalized
adoption closes out the foster care case with reason for adoption.
State shared the response should be better matched in release
3.1 |
#22 Adoptive Family
Structure
1 = Married Couple
2 = Unmarried Couple
3 = Single Female
4 = Single Male |
4
2 |
Post-site visit finding: In the mapping
documentation and program code, the State is mapping the value "46,
other" to the AFCARS value "unmarried couple." The State staff
shared that "other" generally is always used for same-sex couples.
The State should remove "other" as an option and instead include
the marital status that most accurately reflects the family
structure. Otherwise, "other" should be mapped to blank. |
| #23 Adoptive Mother's Year of
Birth |
4 |
blank cell |
| #24 Adoptive Father's Year of
Birth |
4 |
blank cell |
#25 Adoptive Mother's
Race
a = American Indian or Alaskan Native
b = Asian
c = Black or African American
d = Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander
e = White
f = Unable to Determine |
2 |
State policy is if an adult refuses, workers are
to select "unable to determine" per AFCARS requirements.
System contains a drop-down box to capture all possible race
combinations, but it may not be fully utilized by all workers.
System design/training issue possible.
The State maps missing data to default of "unable to determine."
The State must map missing data to blank.
State requested examples of other States' ways of handling capture
of race information. |
#26 Adoptive Mother's
Hispanic Origin
0 = Not Applicable
1 = Yes
2 = No
3 = Unable to Determine |
4 |
blank cell |
#27 Adoptive Father's
Race
a = American Indian or Al. Native
b = Asian
c = Black or African American
d = Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
e = White
f = Unable to Determine |
2 |
State policy is if child or adult refuses,
workers are to select "unable to determine" per AFCARS
requirements.
System contains a drop-down box to capture all possible race
combinations, but it may not be fully utilized by all workers.
System design/training issue possible.
The State maps missing data to default of "unable to determine."
The State must map missing data to blank.
State requested examples of other States' ways of handling capture
of race information. |
#28 Adoptive Father's
Hispanic Origin
0 = Not Applicable
1 = Yes
2 = No
3 = Unable to Determine |
4 |
blank cell |
#29 Relationship of Adoptive
Parent to Child - Stepparent
0 = Does not Apply
1 = Applies |
4 |
blank cell |
#30 Relationship of Adoptive
Parent to Child - Other Relative
0 = Does not Apply
1 = Applies |
3 |
Need to train workers on the fact that more than
one selection may be made and on how to record the information
consistently. |
#31 Relationship of Adoptive
Parent to Child - Foster Parent
0 = Does not Apply
1 = Applies |
3 |
Only one foster parent reported in frequency -
training issue in that workers are only selecting one value. |
#32 Relationship of Adoptive
Parent to Child - Other Non-Relative
0 = Does not Apply
1 = Applies |
3 |
Need to train workers on the fact that more than
one selection may be made and on how to record the information
consistently. |
#33 Child Was Placed
from
1 = Within State
2 = Another State
3 = Another Country |
4 |
blank cell |
#34 Child Was Placed by
1 = Public Agency
2 = Private Agency
3 = Tribal Agency
4 = Independent Person
5 = Birth Parent |
4 |
Post-site visit finding: The State's
program code and mapping include "business," which is mapped to
"private agency." Please explain.
Also, the program code includes "other public agency," which is
mapped to "public agency." What are these other agencies? |
#35 Receiving Monthly
Subsidy
1=Yes
2=No |
2 |
State currently only looks at IV-E payments.
Program code should be modified to pick up Medicaid-only cases and
other sources of funding (e.g., State funds). |
| #36 Monthly Amount |
2 |
Should be agreed-upon monthly subsidy amount. No
calculation is required; program code should pull the agreed
monthly subsidy amount.
Case File Finding: Eight records had a response of "yes"
for element #35 and all were blank for the monthly amount in
AFCARS. There were four listed as questionable because "yes" was
the response for element #35 and zero amount for the monthly
amount. The reviewers did not note if there was a monthly
amount. |
#37 Adoption Assistance
1=Yes
2=No |
4 |
blank cell |
|
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