Appendix C: Guide - New Initiatives Section

The New Initiatives Section describes how the SACWIS system supports the following Federal Child Welfare related initiatives: the Adoption and Safe Families Act, the Adoption Incentive Program, the Annual Report on State Performance, Child Welfare Demonstration Projects, the Child and Family Services Reviews, the Title IV-E Eligibility Reviews, and the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 - Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (CFCIP). Describe how the SACWIS system supports any State Child Welfare initiatives in Question 19. See Chapter III of the SACWIS Assessment Review Guide for instructions on how to complete this section of the Guide.

Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA)

Please describe how the system supports the following components of ASFA.

1. How does the system record and track the "reasonable efforts" requirement to finalize a child's permanent plan?

2. Unless the State has opted out of this provision (programmatically or functionally), how does the system track whether a criminal record check has been completed prior to the placement of a child in a foster or adoptive home?

3. For States that opt out of the criminal record check provision, how does the system track and document that safety considerations with respect to prospective foster and adoptive families have been addressed prior to the placement of a child in the home?

4. How does the system record and track whether any court determined aggravated circumstances (as defined by State law) exists?

5. If it is determined that reasonable efforts to reunify the family are not required, due to the existence of aggravated circumstances, how does the system track and report if the permanency hearing is held for the child within thirty days after the determination?

6. How does the system support the notification requirement to the foster parent, pre-adoptive parent, or relative providing care for a child, of the right to be heard in permanency hearings and six-month periodic reviews held with respect to the child?

7. How does the system track if a child has been in foster care fifteen of the last twenty-two months?

8. How does the system document in the case plan that compelling reasons exist for not filing a termination of parental rights petition?

9. How does the system track if the services necessary for the safe return of the child have been provided to the child's family within the time period defined in the case plan?

10. In the case of a child for whom the permanency plan is adoption or placement in another permanent home, how does the system track and record the steps the agency is taking to find an adoptive home or other permanent living arrangement?

Adoption Incentive Program

11. Please describe how the system supports the data collection efforts for the Adoption Incentive Program.

Annual Report on State Performance

12. Please describe how the system supports the data collection needs for the outcome measures used to assess State performance in operating child protection and child welfare programs under title IV-B and title IV-E.

Child Welfare Demonstration Projects

13. Please briefly describe any child welfare demonstration project operating in the State and how the SACWIS supports the effort.

Child and Family Services Reviews

14. Please describe how the system will be used to support the CFS Reviews.

Title IV-E Eligibility Reviews

15. Please describe how the system will be used to support the title IV-E Eligibility Reviews.

16. If applicable, how has the system been modified to support and track program improvement plans that result from a State's nonconformance with a CFS review or a title IV-E review?

Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 - Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (CFCIP)

17. Please describe how the system supports the data collection requirements in the CFCIP.

18. How does the system track services being provided to youth between the ages of 18-21 under the CFCIP?

Other State Initiatives

19. Please describe how the system supports other State Child Welfare Initiatives.