Information Memoranda

Current as of:

These issuances are the Children’s Bureau’s primary means for communicating with grantees or potential grantees on a variety of matters, such as program activities and priorities, progress reports, research findings, funds available, related regulations, and proposed and pending federal legislation affecting human service programs. Information Memoranda may also provide program tools, models, and techniques that grantees may use for program development.
Disclaimer: Information Memoranda (IMs) provide information or recommendations to States, Tribes, grantees, and others on a variety of child welfare issues. IMs do not establish requirements or supersede existing laws or official guidance.

The purpose of this Information Memorandum (IM) is to inform title IV-E agencies that a NPRM was published proposing to amend the AFCARS regulations to require state title IV-E agencies to collect and report data elements related to the procedural protections of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA). This NPRM was published in the Federal Register on February 23, 2024 (89 FR 13652 ).

This Information Memorandum (IM) provides agencies with information on contracting and procurement practices that promote increased participation by small businesses owned by members of disadvantaged, underserved, and marginalized communities in solicitations to develop a CCWIS.

This Information Memorandum (IM) provides introductory information to title IV-E tribes that choose to develop and implement an automated Child Welfare Information System. This IM contains information about how an automated system can support a tribal title IV-E agency’s child welfare program, implementing and maintaining systems, title IV-E funding, and the Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System (CCWIS).

This Information Memorandum (IM) is to remind state and tribal title IV-E agencies of the school enrollment and educational stability requirements for students in foster care included in the title IV-E and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

This Information Memorandum (IM) informs title IV-E agencies that a notice of proposed rulemaking was published proposing to ensure the availability of safe and appropriate placements and services for children in foster care who identify as LGBTQI+.

This Information Memorandum (IM) informs title IV-E agencies that a final rule was published allowing title IV-E agencies to adopt foster family home licensing or approval standards for foster family homes of relatives or kin that differ from non-relative foster family homes standards; to require equal foster care maintenance payments (FCMP) in these homes, and to make a technical change.

This Information Memorandum (IM) informs title IV-E agencies that a notice of proposed rulemaking was published proposing to allow title IV-E agencies to claim federal financial participation for the administrative costs of providing legal representation.

This Information Memorandum (IM) informs title IV-B and IV-E agencies that the Stafford Act flexibilities offered by the Children’s Bureau in response to the COVID-19 pandemic disaster declarations will expire June 30, 2023.

This Information Memorandum (IM) provides child welfare agencies with information about changes in Medicaid eligibility for young adults who turn age 18 on or after January 1, 2023 who move to a new state after transitioning from foster care.

This Information Memorandum (IM) provides title IV-E agencies that choose to develop a CCWIS with information on SBOMs.  Agencies can use SBOMs to enhance CCWIS security by supporting source code integrity and software supply chain security.  This IM provides information and resources applicable to federal information technology (IT) procurements.  While the Children’s Bureau (CB) does not currently require a SBOM for state and tribal CCWIS procurements, we strongly encourage title IV-E agencies to require a SBOM with CCWIS procurements and contracts to increase IT security.