RD68 - Report on Implementation of the Child and Family Services Review Program Improvement Plan - January 2008


Executive Summary:
The Child and Family Services Review (CFSR), authorized by the 1994 amendments to the Social Security Act (SSA), provides an unique opportunity for the federal government and state child welfare agencies to work as a team in assessing the state’s capacity to promote positive outcomes for children and families involved in the child welfare system. The review covers child protective services, foster care, adoption, family preservation and family support, and independent living.

The review examines seven outcomes related to child safety, permanency, and wellbeing. In addition, there are seven systemic factors that determine the extent that states are functioning at a level that promotes achievement of the outcomes for children and families. Although Virginia met some of the federal standards during its July 2003 CFSR, 10 outcomes and systemic factors had to be addressed in the Program Improvement Plan (PIP).

The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) staff members, with input from the Child Welfare Advisory Committee (previously known as the Statewide Stakeholders Committee) and staff of local departments of social services (LDSS), developed the PIP. VDSS was committed to having a system-wide PIP that represented the viewpoints and priorities of VDSS and local service providers. The first version of the PIP was submitted to the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) on July 21, 2004. Comments from federal representatives were received and a revised PIP was submitted on November 17, 2004. ACF approved the PIP effective February 1, 2005.

VDSS was aware that additional resources at the local level would be needed to implement the provisions of the PIP. To determine the cost of implementing the PIP, a committee made up of representatives of the League of Social Services Executives’ Administrative Committee and Child and Family Committee, and VDSS was established in July 2004. Each strategy in the PIP was reviewed to determine if additional staff or money would be needed for implementation. VDSS submitted a budget proposal asking for new general fund dollars to help cover the cost of implementing the PIP. Effective July 1, 2005, VDSS was appropriated $3,604,908 from the general fund and $1,046,341 from nongeneral funds to enhance the provision of child welfare services pursuant to the PIP.

A group of representatives from the League of Social Services Executives and VDSS met to establish the funding formula for allocating the appropriated funds. The group decided that the appropriated funds would be allocated to LDSS to provide direct services or purchase services for children and families involved with the child welfare system. The allocation to each LDSS was to be determined by its percentage of the statewide ongoing Child Protective Services and Foster Care caseload. The least amount any LDSS could receive was $5,000. The LDSS were required to provide a 20% match. Prior to receiving the funds, a LDSS was required to submit a plan specifying how they would improve their baseline in one of the six outcomes established by the federal government. Each LDSS was asked to establish improvement targets for December 2005 and December 2006. If the December 2005 target was met, the LDSS received the same PIP allocation in state fiscal year (SFY) 2006 that it received in SFY 2005. If they met their December 2006 target, the amount of the PIP allocation would become part of their base allocation in SFY 2007. All LDSS met their December 2005 and December 2006 targets and received their PIP allocations as part of their base allocation for SFY 2007.

VDSS made a commitment to the directors of the LDSS that a revised PIP would be submitted to ACF if all of the funds needed to implement the original PIP were not appropriated. On May 19, 2005, a revised PIP was submitted. In that PIP modifications were made to the six items that required additional funds for implementation. On October 20, 2005, the revised PIP was approved.

VDSS was required to submit quarterly reports to ACF tracking the progress made implementing the strategies in the PIP. In March 2006, after implementation had been underway for a year, representatives from ACF met with VDSS staff members to determine the status of the goals and benchmarks that had been established. As a result of this meeting, some changes were made to the PIP and a revised version was submitted to ACF on April 6, 2006. ACF approved the revised PIP on May 25, 2006.

Virginia’s PIP ended on January 31, 2007. Virginia received a letter dated May 15, 2007, from Dr. Susan Orr, Associate Commissioner of the Children’s Bureau, notifying VDSS that all of the benchmarks in the PIP had been met. The only goal Virginia did not met was: “Increase the percentage of children who reunify with their family within 12 months of entering foster care from 70.7 percent to 73.12 percent by January 2007.” One reason Virginia has been having trouble meeting this goal is that to ensure the safety of a child a judge often requires a trial home visit of up to six months prior to returning legal custody to the family. During the first round of CFSR reviews, ACF did not consider the goal achieved until legal custody was returned to the family. Because the goal was not considered achieved until legal custody had been returned to the family, several other states had a similar problem in meeting this goal. In the second round of CFSR reviews that started in 2007, this goal will be considered achieved once a child is home on a trial visit for one month, even though legal custody has not been returned to the family. Virginia has until March 31, 2008, to meet the reunification goal. If Virginia is unable to successfully achieve this goal by March 31, 2008, the Commonwealth will have to pay a fiscal penalty for not meeting the goal.

The CFSR provides an opportunity for states to examine their outcomes and systems and to identify needed improvements. VDSS considers the program improvement phase of the review as the cornerstone of our continual progress toward providing quality services and positive outcomes for children and families. Working with our local partners, VDSS achieved the goals and benchmarks established in the PIP, which has led to improved services being offered to the children and families involved in the child welfare system.