This is for research and reference purposes only.
After a state's SACWIS was operational, the Division of State Systems (DSS) conducted a review to assess the system's compliance to Federal regulations. The formal SACWIS Assessment Review Process is described on this page.
A SACWIS/TACWIS assessment review helped a state or tribe:
- Recognize its system’s conformity to federal requirements
- Identify system deficiencies
- Determine improvement or corrective action plans
- Obtain technical assistance
DSS assessed the SACWIS/TACWIS for the following:
- Functionality requirements
- Support of child welfare business practices throughout the state or tribe
- Usage by front-line workers, supervisors, managers, and other functional positions that the state or tribe identifies as system users
Before the Onsite Review
The state or tribe was required to provide DSS with background information about its SACWIS/TACWIS application using the SACWIS Review Instrument (SRI) to record information about system functionality. The SRI also included organizational, operational and technical documentation that was required to be submitted. The state or tribe may have also submitted additional background materials as desired. All submissions including the SRI document were required to be made electronically rather than in paper form.
The SRI became effective in July 2014, and replaced all previous versions of the SACWIS Assessment Review Guide (SARGe). The SRI was used by fewer than 10 respondents per year. The data collection process was no longer subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act and the Office of Management and Budget’s clearance process. A description of the SRI and guidance in its completion is available in Program Instruction 14-05.
States or tribes were required to complete the SRI at least six weeks prior to the review. States or tribes were required to contact their DSS analyst to obtain a SRI template for their use.
Closing the SRI
Initial findings were presented to the state or tribe at the review’s exit conference. The exit conference was typically held within two or three weeks after the review visit. Next, federal reviewers used the SRI and the onsite review findings to assess compliance, identify technical assistance and compliance issues. The review was final and the SRI was closed when the state or tribe completed requested system modifications or developed acceptable action plans. For more information about the creation of acceptable action plans, states and tribes should review Action Plan Technical Bulletin #1.