CQIdeas Blog

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 >

In this the second installment of a multipart series on care days and Title IV-E waivers, Fred Wulczyn will demonstrate how Chapin Hall's predictive analytics software, OSPEDALE, provides information that can help states plan for, manage, and monitor the use of waiver funds.... Read more >

In this series of CQIdeas we introduced the concept of variation and its role in the CQI process. In particular we looked at how group care as a first placement type varies by county within a given state. This FCDA web tool Recipe will show you how to conduct that analysis for your own state.... Read more >

When we know why an outcome varies, we can use that knowledge to deploy targeted interventions where they have the most potential to create the change we want to see. No scenario highlights the importance of targeting interventions more than the Title IV-E waiver. This post describes how observing and interpreting variation early on in the waiver proposal process can help a state build a strong proposal.... Read more >