Archive: August 2014

In 2013, the Data Center collaborated on a project examining patterns of healthcare needs and Medicaid expenditures for children in foster care in New York State. Read more about the findings and their implications for the state's transition from a fee-for-service health care system to managed care. ... Read more >

Applications are now being accepted for the Data Center's next Advanced Analytics course, to be held in Chicago from November 17-21, 2014. Learn more about the program and download application materials.... Read more >

Today, public child welfare agencies are taking stock of their capacity for Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) and considering the investments they will make in order to build that capacity. How these CQI systems develop will vary from agency to agency depending on administrative structure, staffing patterns, available resources, and a host of other factors. They will all, however, be responsible for facilitating the same basic CQI process—a cycle of problem solving activities that requires the deliberate use of evidence. Given that shared responsibility, the child welfare field will benefit from a common vocabulary for describing what CQI is, the core principles on which CQI rests, and the critical role that evidence plays throughout the CQI process. In keeping with a century-long tradition of CQI that has guided improvement efforts in other fields, we put forth a common language for child welfare CQI in a new publication, Principles, Language, and Shared… Read more >

Integrating data across human service agencies involves two main types of activities—capacity building and evidence use. This webinar will highlight perspectives from a variety of stakeholders on data integration practices in and across human service agencies.... Read more >

Back in May, Data Center Director Fred Wulczyn presented a webinar that detailed ACF’s proposed measures and methods for Round 3 of the Child and Family Services Review (CFSR). On July 1st, Lily Alpert continued that conversation with CFSR 3 Measures as a Springboard for Continuous Quality Improvement, a session focused on how states might apply the proposed CFSR 3 measures and methods to local CQI efforts. A recap of the webinar is provided below. To watch a recording of the webinar click here. To view the slides, click here. For a primer on the CQI process, click here. MAIN TAKEAWAYS The proposed measures and methods for CFSR 3 have broad applicability to Continuous Quality Improvement efforts at the state and local levels. These techniques are not limited to measures proposed for CFSR 3. States will and should have other outcomes that they will want to monitor over time and… Read more >

Infants are placed in foster care at a higher rate than children of all other ages. Nationally, infants make up approximately 22% of children entering foster care and, once in care, stay in care longer than older children. Given infants’ sizeable representation in the system, they warrant particular attention as child welfare agencies develop and implement policies and practices. This post summarizes a presentation recently delivered by Fred Wulczyn and Zach Martinez at Harvard University’s Center for the Developing Child. The presentation describes from a risk perspective how infants represent a unique sub-population of children involved in the child welfare system. By bringing infants’ particular characteristics and experiences to the fore—e.g., the circumstances under which they come into contact with the child welfare system, their specific risk factors, and their trajectories toward permanency—the findings provide valuable information that can guide state efforts to improve infant well-being. To view the presentation… Read more >

The proposed measures and methods for CFSR 3 suggest that child welfare systems are entering a phase wherein the processes of accountability and continuous quality improvement are more closely aligned. Join us for a webinar on how states can apply these measures and methods to local CQI efforts.... Read more >

In this session, Data Center Director Fred Wulczyn provided a high-level overview of the proposed CFSR 3 measures, discussed the methods for setting national standards, baselines, and targets, and highlighted issues for states to consider as they prepare comments to the Children’s Bureau. Read a recap, view the webinar, and download the slides.... Read more >

In this session, Data Center Director Fred Wulczyn will discuss the proposed CFSR 3 measures, national standards, and methods for establishing baseline and target performance, as well as issues for states to bear in mind as they prepare to submit comments to ACF.... Read more >

Care days is a strategic quantity that lies at the core of planning for, implementing, and monitoring foster care interventions, especially in the context of a Title IV-E waiver. This post summarizes Fred Wulczyn’s January 24, 2014 webinar “Care Days, Waivers, CQI, and Intervention Design.” ... Read more >