CWS/CMS County Probation FAQ’s
Program/Policy# / IV-E Eligibility
1. / Q: What is the definition of a IV-E probation eligible child(ren)/youth?
A: There is no definition in federal law for IV-E probation youth however, any child (dependent or ward) for whom Title IV-E foster care maintenance payments are claimed must meet the eligibility criteria described in Section 472(a) of the Social Security Act (SSA).
2. / Q. Does the definition of IV-E probation eligible child(ren) or youth also include probation children who are in their own homes but also, probation supervised as they have been and considered a “reasonable candidate” for foster care?
A: There is no IV-E definition for probation children however, for any dependent or ward who meets the foster care candidacy requirements spelled out in Section 471(a)(15)(B)(i) of the SSA [and other requirements listed in a California Department of Social Services (CDSS) All County Letter (ACL)] could claim federal financial participation (FFP) for the administrative costs associated with foster care candidates. It is strongly recommended Welfare and Probation Departments read and adhere to CDSS policy by referring to ACL 04-32 and 07-48. These ACLs in conjunction with federal policy guidance in the (Child Welfare Policy Manual Q&A 8.1D) provide that foster care candidates meet very specific requirements prior to claiming FFP.
3. / Q: Do probation supervised and/or placed child(ren)/youth require that probation conduct and complete an investigation referral on their placement and or in home probation supervised child(ren)/youth?
A: There are three ACL’s which discuss Probation Officers being required to investigate their kids in out-of-care.
** ACL 06-15 – August 4, 2006 - This ACL specifically discusses the out-of-home investigation conducted by Probation officers and what their supervisors are required to do. This ACL provides the authority as to why Probation Departments are required to conduct their own investigations of referrals while the ward is in care. Furthermore, the ACL refers to MMP Division 31-110 - 120. This is investigation of a referral call into an emergency response unit – they will notify the Social Worker/Probation Officer (SW/PO) to the situation if there is already an open case and it is in CWS/CMS. If the case is active and open the SW/PO will investigate even if they are placed in the home. Depending on the County – that information may not be in the CWS/CMS System yet for County Welfare Services (CWS) to be able to obtain. Now – due to many wards not being IV-E kids, emergency response may not know if this kid has PO, and therefore would conduct the investigation.
ACL 05-09 – April 26, 2005
ACL 05-09E – June 3, 2005
4. / Q: Are all probation IV-E eligible child(ren)/youth to be reported in SACWIS same as CWD child(ren)/youth?
A: Yes, The Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS) called in California the Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) functions as a "case management" system that serves as the electronic case file for children and families served by California’s IV-E agencies. In order to qualify for and continue to receive SACWIS funding, California is only able to utilize CWS/CMS to record the case management data for IV-E children.
45 CFR 1355.40 - 1355.57, and 474(a)(3)(C) and (D) of Title IV-E of the Social Security Act.
5. / Q: Are all probation IV-E child(ren)/youth to be reported for the Children and Family Service Review (CFSR) and Performance Improvement Plan (PIP)? Will this include visit information and other PIP data the same as CWD children and youth?
A: Probation child(ren)/youth that are IV-E eligible are currently included in the Adoptions and Foster Care Analysis Reporting System (AFCARS) data that is used for the CFSR PIP. For measures in our PIP that are State-only (i.e., Quality of Social Worker visits, SDM measures, etc.), probation tends to be excluded.
6. / Q: Are probation IV-E child(ren)/youth to be reported for the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD) the same as Child Welfare Department (CWD) children and youth?
A: Yes, as they are included in California’s served population. ACL 1-07-10; P.L. 106-169; Federal Register Vol. 73. No. 38, pg.10340. Also, see response to question #12 below.
7. / Q: Are probation IV-E child(ren)/youth to be reported for Adoptions and Foster Care Analysis Reporting System (AFCARS) the same as CWD children and youth?
A: Yes. One of the reports that is produced from the CWS/CMS System is the AFCARS data sent to our Federal partners, the Administration of Children and Families (ACF). In order to qualify for SACWIS funding, CWS/CMS must, among other things, meet the AFCARS requirements in 45 CFR 1355.40. CWS/CMS is California’s SACWIS system and thus is prohibited from collecting the AFCARS data from a separate information system.
45 CFR 1355.40 - 1355.57, and 474(a)(3)(C) and (D) of Title IV-E of the Social Security Act.
8. / Q: Are probation IV-E child(ren)/youth to be reported for the National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) the same as CWD children and youth?
A: Yes. If reports come in for abuse and neglect on a youth in probation, this must be reported in NCANDS, as it is for a CWD child/youth. If a youth in probation is in a foster care placement setting, he or she is required to be included in the AFCARS report.
9. / Q: Are probation IV-E child(ren)/youth to be included in IV-E audits as the same CWD children and youth?
A: Yes. Federal Title IV-E Audits contain a review of probation cases for youth in foster care who are in receipt of Title IV-E maintenance payments.
10. / Q: Are probation IV-E child(ren)/youth to be included in state legislatively mandated reports the same as CWD children and youth?
A: Yes, per WIC 215; WIC 272 requirements.
11. / Q: Are Probation IV-E children/youth to be included in the Independent Living Program (ILP) under the same eligibility and service offering criteria as CWD children and youth?
A: Yes. Probation youth are eligible for and provided ILP services the same as CWD youth. Division 31-525.3 - .5
12. / Q: Are probation IV-E child(ren)/youth to be included in National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD) under the same eligibility and included in survey reporting efforts the same as CWD children and youth?
A: Yes, because they’re included in California’s served population. ACL 1-07-10; P.L. 106-169; Federal Register Vol. 73. No. 38, pg.10340. See #6 above.
13. / Q: Does an IV-E probation case require an assessment and case plan?
A: Yes, per ACIN 1-63-00. WIC 16010(a); for ILP: Div 31-236
14. / Q: Does a IV-E probation youth have to have a TILP? Regardless if they are or are not in an ILP?
A: Yes, Division 31-236; 31-525.63
15. / Q: Are probation youth eligible for aftercare services? And do those aftercare services need to be recorded in SACWIS?
A: Yes, Div 31-525.3 -.5
16. / Q: Which agency, CWD or Probation, will the state hold accountable for compliance on probation cases?
A: The State holds the County’s Board of Supervisors responsible for compliance.
17. / Q: What is the minimum data that needs to be entered for probation cases to be in compliance with all regulations and mandates and audits?
A: 58 Data Elements for NYTD (both for youth in foster care and aftercare). It is necessary that all counties provide completed, accurate and timely data entry and updates to meet the critical Title IV-E Child Welfare Services Program documentation, data reporting and program performance measures. The information required to be reporting is derived from the Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS) known in Callifornia as the Child Welfare Services Case Management System (CWS/CMS). CWS/CMS must meet the data reporting mandates of several Federal data reporting program directives including Adoptions and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD), National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) and the Child and Family Services Review (CFSR). In order to enter the necessary information, training will be provided that will instruct what and where the information should be entered.
18. / Q: How much could the Federal penalty be for NYTD noncompliance?
A: NYTD: One to five percent of the State’s share of Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (CFCIP) funding annually.
Range of the state penalty could be 1 % = $323,768.35 to 5% = $1,618,841.75
(Fed Register – Tuesday February 26, 2008, Vol. 73 No. 38, p 10339)
19. / Q: How long are probation cases served for ILP?
A: For ILP, they are served from age 16 through and up to but not including age 21. It is voluntary.
20. / Q: What is the last date that data can be entered on a NYTD case and have it counted for the first reporting period?
A: 03/31/11 is the cut off for data entry reporting on NYTD for the first six-month report period.
First report date due to ACF is May 15, 2011 based on data entered from 10/01/10-03/31/11; data for 04/01/11 to 09/30/11 report due to ACF by Nov 15, 2011.
(Federal Register – Tuesday, Feb 26, 2008, Vol. 73 No. 38, p10345)
21. / Q: What is the last date that data can be entered for AFCARS, and other reports and has it counted for federal reporting?
A: January 1, 2011
Application/Training:
# / Application/Training Issue
1. / Q: What, initially, is probation going to be recording prior to CWS/CMS System Release 6.5? And then, after?
A: Probation staff will receive a modified version of the standard New User Curriculum. The training will include: Introduction to CWS/CMS, Client Services, Creating a Non-CWD (probation) Case, Contacts, HEP, and Placement. In addition, some people in each county will need to be trained on Resource Management.
2. / Q: How and where currently does the probation SOC 158 data get into CMS?
A: Currently, probation completes a hard copy SOC 158 form which, for all but Los Angeles County, is sent to CDSS who enters the information intoCWS/CMS SOC 158 application. Once CWS/CMS Release 6.4 is operational statewide those open cases currently in the SOC 158 application will be able to be migrated into the CWS/CMS application.
3. / Q: How will the SOC 158 cases be opened, closed and maintained prior to and then after CWS/CMS System Release 6.5?
A: As part of the pilot (prior to Release 6.4), we are asking probation to enter new clients (clients currently not in the SOC 158 application) into CWS/CMS.
After Release 6.4, existing clients will be migrated into CWS/CMS. At that time, probation will input into Client Services, Contacts, HEP, and Placement. Additionally, probation will be trained on entering data that will meet the Federal reporting requirements.
4. / Q: How will Probation open a case without a referral?
A: There is existing functionality to enter a case without a referral which will be covered in training.
5. / Q: What is the workflow for entering delivered services?
A: Each county Child Protective Services (CPS) currently has a work flow for entering delivered services. As part of each county’s rollout plan, Probation and CPS are encouraged to discuss the feasibility of using similar existing workflows in Probation. Otherwise, Probation will have to develop workflows that meet their particular business needs.
6. / Q: After SOC 158 entry, will the State transfer the CWS/CMS case to probation for service entry?
A: Release 6.4 will allow probation to migrate cases from the SOC 158 into CWS/CMS on a case by case basis.
7. / Q: How will aftercare services be entered on closed probation cases?
A: New functionality with Release 6.4 allows for data entry into closed cases for these services.
8. / Q: Is the State training focused on training super users or for the Probation officers?
A: The training is for users of the CWS/CMS. Each county will have to determine who should receive training based on their business processes and work flows. Training will be focused on the preceding mentioned areas of the application. The level of proficiency in the use of CWS/CMS will be determined by each user. No specific training is being offered for “super users.”
9. / Q: How much State training will be offered?
A: The State currently has a training contract that will be used to provide training statewide.
10. / Q: When training will be provided? Prior to the October 1, 2010 deadline?
A: Pilot counties can receive training as soon as they are ready, well before the October 1 deadline. The State would like all counties to be trained no later than October 1, 2010.
11. / Q: Who pays for training?
A: The State will provide the training within the existing contracts.
12. / Q: How much will the training cost?
A: Counties will not have to identify funding for the training. The training is already established within the current budget.
13. / Q: Will the need for the training for the 158 continue?
A: If this refers to training on the SOC 158 application, the answer is “No”.
14. / Q: Will Advance Planning Document (APD) training for probation be available?
A: Will be provided upon request.
15. / Q: What is the final date that probation will need to migrate all cases in order to count appropriately for Federal and state reports?
A: January 1, 2011
16. / Q: How will help desk support be made available to Probation users?
A: Help Desk Support (Technical)
There will be more than one model for providing help desk support. In the 35 (dedicated model) counties where IBM (the CWS/CMS System Integrator) supports the application down to the desktop, the county should contact the IBM help desk at (800) 428-8268.