The Child and Family Services Review: An Agenda for Change

Kathy Yurchisin

Krista Hudson

Kentucky CFSR Stakeholders Advisory Group

The 1994 Amendment to the Social Security Act authorized the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHS) to review State child and family service programs in order to assure compliance with the State plan requirements in titles IV-B and IV-E of the Social Security Act.

The Child and Family Services Reviews cover: Child Protection

Services Foster Care Adoption Family Preservation Family Support Independent Living

The CSFR is designed to help states improve child welfare services and the outcomes for families and children who receive services by identifying strengths and needs within State programs, as well as areas where technical assistance can lead to practice and program improvements.

Conceptual FrameworkThe reviews:

Emphasize Accountability Are conducted in

collaboration between the federal and state governments

Rely on information from multiple sources

Utilize two perspectives: outcomes and systemic factors

Identify strengths and needs

The reviews promote practice principles that support improved outcomes for children and families such as:

Family-centered best practice

Community-based services

Strategies to strengthen parental capacity to protect and nurture their children

Individualizing services that respond to the unique needs of children and families

Structure of the Child and Family Service Reviews Statewide Assessment Onsite Review Outcomes: safety, permanency and family and child well-

being Systemic Factors: statewide information system, service

array, case review system, staff training, quality assurance system, agency responsiveness to community. foster and adoptive parent licensing, recruitment and retention

Substantial Conformity Program Improvement Plans (PIPs) Penalties

What roles do Community Stakeholders play?

•Community Stakeholder involvement through the use of existing networks

•On-going community consultation during the entire CFSR process mandatory

•Open and inclusive process

•Gather and analyze stakeholder information

•Creates infrastructure to support stakeholder involvement in child welfare

•Family support principles and practices

•Broaden and share accountability for successful child welfare outcomes

•Parent engagement and leadership strategies

•Build public will for improved child welfare system through effective communication strategies

•Provide family support services to multi-stressed families

When They Were Children

Virginia Stroud