AFCARS Element

Data In AFCARS Matches Case File

Data In AFCARS Does Not Match Paper File

Questionable

Comments

#5 Most Recent Periodic

Review Date

30

8

14

2

Not found = 6

#6 Child Birth Date

50

10

0

0

#7 Child Sex

1 = Male

2 = Female

50

10

0

0

#8 Child Race

a. American Indian or Alaska Native

49

8

0

1

Not found = 1

Not found = 1

The DJJS case was reported as “unable to determine” but the reviewer found a race.

b. Asian

48

9

1

0

Not found = 1

Not found = 1

The error in the DCFS case was due to an additional race identified by the reviewer.

c. Black or African American

49

9

0

0

Not found = 1

Not found = 1

d. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

49

9

0

0

Not found = 1

Not found = 1

e. White

49

9

0

0

Not found = 1

Not found = 1

f. Unable to Determine

49

8

0

1

Not found = 1

Not found = 1

#9 Child Hispanic Origin

1 = Yes

2 = No

3 = Unable to Determine

49

9

0

0

Not found = 1

Not found = 1

#10 Has Child Been Diagnosed with Disability?

49

4

1

6

There were two DJJS cases in error because the AFCARS data indicated “not yet determined,” but the reviewer found diagnosed conditions.

In four DJJS cases, the AFCARS data indicated “no,” but the reviewer found a diagnosed disability.

#11 Mental Retardation

50

10

0

0

#12 Visually/Hearing Impaired

47

10

2

0

Not found = 1

The error cases in the DCFS cases were due to the AFCARS indicating that the condition applied, but it was a condition (myopia) that should not be mapped to AFCARS.

#13 Physically Disabled

49

10

1

0

#14 Emotionally Disturbed

47

4

3

6

There were two error cases in #14 and #15 that the condition was mapped incorrectly.

#15 Other Diagnosed Condition

44

9

6

1

There were two error cases reported as “applies,” but the reviewer found no information that should be mapped to this condition.

There were two error cases in #14 and #15 that the condition was mapped incorrectly.

#16 Has Child Ever Been Adopted?

1 = Yes

2 = No

3 = Unable to Determine

49

7

1

3

DJJS: The responses were “unable to determine,” but the reviewer was able to determine if the youth had been previously adopted.

#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

48

10

2

0

In one error case, the AFCARS data was missing, but the reviewer was able to determine an approximate age at the time of the adoption.

#18 Date of First Removal from Home

44

6

2

4

Not found = 4

Two of the error cases appear to have typographical errors - day of 01 instead of 10 and a year of 2004 instead of 2005. The other two error cases had later dates reported to AFCARS than the dates found by the reviewers.

#19 Total Number of Removals from Home

46

10

1

0

Not found = 3

#20 Date of Discharge from Previous Episode

42

10

3

0

Not found = 5

#21 Date of Latest Removal

46

7

2

3

Not found = 2

#23 Date of Placement in Current Setting

40

8

5

2

Not found = 5

The two DJJS error cases had a placement date reported to AFCARS that occurred after the end of the report period.

#24 Number of Previous Placement Settings in This Episode

36

5

7

5

Not found = 7

Two error cases were because the foster parents changed status (from DCFS families to being foster parents through a private agency). This was extracted as two placement settings instead of one.

#25 Manner of Removal From Home for This Episode

1 = Voluntary

2 = Court Ordered

3 = Not Yet Determined

48

10

0

0

Not found = 2

#26 Physical Abuse

46

10

3

0

Not found = 1

#27 Sexual Abuse

43

10

6

0

Not found = 1

#28 Neglect

48

10

1

0

Not found = 1

#29 Parent Alcohol Abuse

43

10

6

0

Not found = 1

#30 Parent Drug Abuse

47

10

2

0

Not found = 1

#31 Child Alcohol Abuse

43

10

6

0

Not found = 1

#32 Child Drug Abuse

47

10

2

0

Not found = 1

#33 Child Disability

0

10

20

0

29

Not found = 1

The 29 records marked as questionable were all reported as “applies.” Since the reviewer did not specifically note this was wrong, they were listed as questionable. It is likely the response is wrong based on the incorrect program code.

#34 Child's Behavior Problem

47

10

1

0

Not found = 2

#35 Death of Parent

49

10

0

0

Not found = 1

#36 Incarceration of Parent

47

10

1

0

Not found = 2

#37 Caretaker Inability to Cope

44

10

5

0

Not found = 1

#38 Abandonment

48

10

1

0

Not found = 1

#39 Relinquishment

49

10

0

0

Not found = 1

#40 Inadequate Housing

46

10

3

0

Not found = 1

#41 Current Placement Setting

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

40

9

7

1

Not found = 3

#42 Out of State Placement

48

10

0

0

Not found = 2

#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

47

3

1

7

1

Not found = 1

#44 Caretaker Family Structure

1 = Married Couple

2 = Unmarried Couple

3 = Single Female

4 = Single Male

5 = Unable to Determine

42

10

3

0

Not found = 5

#45 1 st Primary Caretaker's Birth Year

34

5

9

5

Not found = 7

#46 2 nd Primary Caretaker's Birth Year

29

9

15

1

Not found = 6

#47 Mother's Date of TPR

47

10

3

0

#48 Father's Date of TPR

47

10

3

0

#49 Foster Family Structure

0 = Not Applicable

1 = Married Couple

2 = Unmarried Couple

3 = Single Female

4 = Single Male

30

7

17

3

Not found = 3

There were 10 error cases in which the AFCARS data was missing and the child was in a foster home setting. In some instances, it was a relative placement.

There were seven error cases because the data reported in element #41 was incorrect. In some instances, the reviewer noted the child was at Rise, but in a family home. The AFCARS data indicated the child was in an institution.

The three error DJJS cases had missing data and the child was in a family foster home.

#50 1 st Foster Caretaker's Birth Year

32

9

18

1

Not found = 7

#51 2 nd Foster Caretaker's Birth Year

32

9

18

1

Not found = 7

#52 1 st Foster Caretaker's Race

25

9

17

1

Not found = 8

#53 1 st Foster Caretaker's Hispanic Origin

25

7

17

3

Not found = 8

#54 2 nd Foster Caretaker's Race

25

8

17

2

Not found = 8

#55 2 nd Foster Caretaker's Hispanic Origin

25
7

17

3

Not found = 8

#56 Date of Discharge

50

7

0

3

One of the DJJS error cases had a date of discharge that was after the end of the report period.

#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 1gency

7 = Runaway

8 = Death of Child

50

8

0

2

#59 Title IVE Foster Care

18¹

10

2

0

Not found = 2

#60 Title IVE Adoption

19

10

0

0

Not found = 3

#61 Title IVA AFDC

18

10

0

0

Not found = 4

#62 Title IVD Child Support

18

10

0

0

Not found = 4

#63 Title XIX Medicaid

20

10

1

0

Not found = 1

#64 SSI

16

10

2

0

1

Not found = 3

#65 None of the Above

18

10

0

0

Not found = 4

#66 Monthly Amount

-

-

Not analyzed because there were not enough reviewers who could verify the data in the paper file.

AFCARS Element

Data In AFCARS Matches Case File

Data In AFCARS Does Not Match Paper File

Questionable

Comments

#4 State Agency Involvement

1 = Yes

2 = No

30

0

#5 Child Date of Birth

30

0

#6 Child Sex

1 = Male

2 = Female

30

0

#7 Child Race

a. American Indian or Alaska Native

26

0

Not found = 4

b. Asian

26

0

Not found = 4

c. Black or African American

26

0

Not found = 4

d. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

26

0

Not found = 4

e. White

25

1

Not found = 4

There was an additional race identified.

f. Unable to Determine

26

0

Not found = 4

#8 Child Hispanic Origin

1 = Yes

2 = No

3 = Unable to Determine

28

1

Not found = 1

#9 Has Agency Determined Special Needs

27

3

The error cases all indicated “no” and the response for element #35 indicated a subsidy is being paid.

#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

24

5

Not found = 1

In three of the error cases, the response was “not applicable,” but element #35 was “yes.”

There were two records in which the reviewer indicated a condition of “at-risk.” The AFCARS data indicated a diagnosed “medical conditions or mental, physical or emotional disabilities.”

#11 Mental Retardation

30

0

#12 Visually/Hearing Impaired

30

0

#13 Physically Disabled

30

0

#14 Emotionally Disturbed

30

0

#15 Other Diagnosed Condition

28

2

There were two records in which the reviewer indicated a condition of “at-risk.” The AFCARS data indicated a diagnosed “medical conditions or mental, physical or emotional disabilities.”

#16 Mother's Birth Year

25

1

Not found = 4

#17 Father's Birth Year

19

4

Not found = 7

One error was reported as blank, but the reviewer found a date of birth. The other errors were incorrect birth years.

#18 Mother Married at Time of Birth

1 = Yes

2 = No

3 = Unable to Determine

24

0

Not found = 6

#19 Date of Mother's TPR

20

7

Not found = 3

Note: The reviewers may have written down the date the order was signed.

#20 Date of Father's TPR

14

9

Not found = 7

Note: The reviewers may have written down the date the order was signed.

#21 Date Adoption Legalized

23

1

Not found = 6

#22 Adoptive Family Structure

1 = Married Couple

2 = Unmarried Couple

3 = Single Female

4 = Single Male

29

0

Not found = 1

#23 Adoptive Mother's Year of Birth

28

0

Not found = 2

#24 Adoptive Father's Year of Birth

27

2

Not found = 1

#25 Adoptive Mother's Race

11

0

Not found = 19

#26 Adoptive Mother's Hispanic Origin

11

0

Not found = 19

#27 Adoptive Father's Race

12

0

Not found = 18

#28 Adoptive Father's Hispanic Origin

12

0

Not found = 18

#29 Relationship of Adoptive Parent to Child - Stepparent

29

0

Not found = 1

#30 Relationship of Adoptive Parent to Child - Other Relative

28

1

Not found = 1

This was an additional relationship between the adoptive parents and the child.

#31 Relationship of Adoptive Parent to Child - Foster Parent

29

0

Not found = 1

#32 Relationship of Adoptive Parent to Child - Other Non-Relative

28

1

Not found = 1

This was an additional relationship between the adoptive parents and the child.

#33 Child Was Placed from

1 = Within State

2 = Another State

3 = Another Country

29

0

Not found = 1

#34 Child Was Placed by

1 = Public Agency

2 = Private Agency

3 = Tribal Agency

4 = Independent Person

5 = Birth Parent

29

0

Not found = 1

#35 Receiving Monthly Subsidy

28

1

Not found = 1

#36 Monthly Amount

25

3

Not found = 2

#37 Adoption Assistance

28

0

Not found = 2