ARKANSAS

DIVISION OF CHILDREN

AND FAMILY SERVICES

ANNUAL PROGRESS AND SERVICES REPORT (APSR)

JULY 1, 2021-JUNE 30, 2022

OVERVIEW:

The Division of Children and Family Services is responsible for safety of children and

youth in Arkansas. DCFS is responsible for child abuse and neglect prevention,

protective, foster care, and adoptive programs.

DCFS MISSION STATEMENT:

Our mission is to keep children safe and help families. DCFS will respectfully engage

families and youth and use community-based services and supports to assist parents in

successfully caring for their children. We will focus on the safety, permanency and well-

being for all children and youth.

THE DIVISION’S PRACTICE MODEL GOALS INCLUDE:

▪ Safely keep children with their families.

▪ Enhance well-being in all of our practice with families.

▪ Ensure foster care and other placements support goals of permanency.

▪ Use permanent placement with relatives or other adults, when reunification is not

possible, who have a close relationship to the child or children (preferred

permanency option).

▪ Ensure adoptions, when that is the best permanency option, are timely, well-

supported and lifelong.

▪ Ensure youth have access to an array of resources to help achieve successful

transition to adulthood.

3 
 
Table of Contents 
 
Arkansas at a Glance…………………………………………………….….................................................................4 
 
The Division of Children and Family Services…………………………...…..............................................................4 
 
Collaboration………………………………………………………..………...................................................................9 
 
Child Welfare Programs Supporting Services in the Field……………...................................................................33 
 
Update to the Assessment of Current Performance…………….……....................................................................43 
 
Systemic Factor Updates……………………………………………………...............................................................71 
 
Updates to the Plan for Enacting the State's Vision and Progress Made to  
Improve Outcomes…………………………………………………………………………………………………………117 
 
Training and Technical Assistance Narrative Plan……………………………………………………………………...196 
 
Evaluation Reports and Projects………………………………………………………………………………………….197 
 
Update on Service Description…………………………………………….................................................................198 
•    Services for Children Adopted from Other Countries………………….......................................198 
•    Services for Children Under the Age of Five………………………….........................................198   
•    Efforts to Track and Prevent Child Maltreatment Deaths……………………………………..…..205 
•    Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act………………….......................................208 
•    Supplemental Funding to prevent, prepare, or respond to COVID-19………………………......208 
•    MaryLee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families Programs…………………………………..209 
•    Service Decision Making Process for Family Support Services………………………………….209 
•    Populations at Greatest Risk of Maltreatment……………………………………………………...210 
•    Emergency Funding for Mary Lee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Family Programs…… .. 223 
•    Kinship Navigator Funding…………………………………………………………………………...223 
•    Monthly Caseworker Visit Formula Grant…………………………………………………………..225 
•    Adoption and Legal Guardianship Incentive payments…………………………………………...229 
•    Adoption Savings……………………………………………………………………………………...230 
•    Family First Prevention Services Act Transition Grants…………………………………………..231 
•    Family First Prevention Services Transition Act Funding Certainty Grant……………………...232 
•                John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood………………...232 
 
Consultation and Coordination Between States and Tribes…………………………………………………………...247 
 
CAPTA State Plan Requirements and Updates…………………………………………………………………………251 
 
Statistical and Supporting Information……………………………………………………………………………………255

ARKANSAS AT A GLANCE

The overall population in Arkansas was estimated at 3,025,891, an increase of 0.5

percent from 2020. Children under five years of age comprised 6.2 percent, whereas 23.2

percent of the population was under the age of 18. In 2019 the median household income

was $ 49,475 annually.

Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is a division within the Arkansas

Department of Human Services (DHS). DHS is the largest state agency with more than

7,000 employees working in all 75 counties. Every county has at least one local county

office where citizens can apply for any of the services offered by the Department. Some

counties, depending on their size, have more than one office. DHS employees work in

nine divisions and seven support offices headquartered in Little Rock to provide services

to citizens of the state.

THE DIVISION OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES

DCFS is the designated state agency to administer and supervise all child welfare

services (Titles IV-B and IV-E of the Social Security Act), including child abuse and

neglect prevention, protective, foster care, and adoptive programs. The State’s child

welfare system investigated 30,935 reports of child maltreatment. DCFS provided In-

home services (Protective and supportive) to 2,657 families which involves 6,296 children

an increase compared to a year ago. At the end of SFY 2021 there were 4,854 children

in foster care. This an increase from the end of SFY 2020. The Division is in compliance

with Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act and operates, manages, and delivers services

without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, mental or physical

disability, veteran status, political affiliation or belief.

DCFS Operational Structure:

The DCFS Director manages and has administrative responsibilities for the Division. The

Director is also an active member of the Child Welfare Agency Review Board and the

Child Placement Advisory Committee. The DCFS Director directly supervises the DCFS

Deputy Director and the Assistant Director of Administrative Services.

The Assistant Director of Administrative Services directly supervises the Division’s

Eligibility Unit and is lead on the development and implementation of the Division’s

Comprehensive Child Welfare Information Management System (CCWIS), to include

applicable contract administration and oversight of CCWIS development. The Assistant

Director of Administrative Services also serves as the Division’s liaison for the state’s

current Statewide Automated Child Welfare System SACWIS) and all other information

technology needs.

The DCFS Deputy Director reports to the DCFS Director and oversees each Assistant

Director who is responsible for oversight of each of these operational subdivisions within

the Division:

• Community Services

Community Services provides administrative leadership and guidance to DCFS

field staff throughout all 75 counties within the state. The counties are divided

into 10 geographic service areas, each with an Area Director. The Assistant

Director of Community Services directly supervises the ten Area Directors.

• Mental Health and Treatment Services

Mental Health and Treatment Services provides technical assistance to field staff

in this area, particularly working with staff to divert children and youth from

residential placement and acute psychiatric hospitalizations also has mental health

utilization oversight of contracts for psychological testing and counseling. Mental

Health and Treatment Services has also played an integral role in the larger

behavioral transformation efforts in the state and the progression toward the

Provider-led Arkansas Shared Savings Entity (PASSE) Program. During this

reporting period, the oversight of all Qualified Residential Treatment Program

(QTRPs) contracts also transitioned to the Mental Health and Treatment Services

Unit.

• Infrastructure and Specialized Programs

Infrastructure and Specialized Programs oversees and provides support to the

following units:

o Policy

o Professional Development

o Planning and Practice

o Transitional Youth Services

o Education

• Placement Supports and Community Outreach

Placement Supports and Outreach Programs oversees:

o Adoptions/Guardianship

o Centralized Inquiry Unit

o Child Maltreatment Central Registry and Notifications

o Foster Care

o Kinship

o Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children

o Release of Information

o Specialized Placements

o Specialized Services

• Prevention and Reunification

Prevention and Reunification focuses on support to families in their homes in an

effort to prevent initial entry into foster care as well as to re-entry through focus on

reunification services and supports. It provides reviews, coaching, and technical

assistance to field staff in the following areas.

o Children’s Trust Fund (Prevention/Support)

o Differential Response

o Child Protective Services (Investigations)

o Team Decision Making

o In-Home Services

o Reunification

o Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS)/Family Advocacy and

Support Tool (FAST) Assessments

o Safety Organized Practice

Many functions are provided to the Division through the shared-services model at the

DHS Executive Staff level. There are now DHS Chiefs for each of the following areas:

• Finance

• Information (IT)

• Human Resources

• Legal Counsel (OCC)

• Security and Compliance

• Legislative & Intergovernmental Affairs

• Communications & Community Engagement

The Placement Residential and Placement Licensing Unit (PRLU) within the Division of

Child Care and Early Childhood Education serves as Arkansas’s child welfare licensing

body. The Unit implements and monitors the licensing standards for child welfare

agencies as prescribed by the Child Welfare Agency Review Board.

The Children's Reporting and Information System (CHRIS), Arkansas’s State

Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS), is administered by the Office

of Systems and Technology (OST) within DHS. CHRIS provides Arkansas with a single,

integrated system to help staff and management in providing more effective and

efficient operations within the functions of the child welfare system. CHRIS is accessible

(desktop and 24-hour remote access) and supports the full scope of services provided

by the Division. It serves as a centralized source to store information (e.g., client, legal

and service information) and manage workloads (e.g., its tickler system for reminding

workers/supervisors of time sensitive tasks). The information system also meets DCFS’

needs surrounding federal reporting federal financial participation requirements,

including those required for the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting

System (AFCARS). During this reporting period Arkansas continued working on the

development of a new Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System (CCWIS) –

named AR Focus. A contract with RedMane began on March 1, 2022. Meetings began

in March and work roles and responsibilities were established. DCFS reviewed the pre-

work with RedMane that has taken place over the course of the last 2-3 years (process

maps, stakeholder register, etc.). The agency has conducted “boot camps” with

RedMane so that Arkansas specific policy and procedures, terminology, and CHRIS

workflows could be discussed. RedMane has provided the necessary design deliverable

documents according to the contract guidelines and we are just beginning the

system/software development life cycle (SDLC) process. The Independent Verification

& Validation (IV&V) vendor, Maximus Health, is also continuing to offer oversight and

guidance. Release 1 of the project, Hotline Intake, is scheduled to go live in January

2023 with a full system Release 2 scheduled for early 2024.

A comprehensive array of strategies is used to assess the effectiveness of staff, services,

and programs in achieving improved, positive outcomes for children and families. These

include management reports, qualitative case reviews, evaluations, and forums to discuss

the findings from these various reports and reviews. For example, Public Consulting

Group (PCG) continued to conduct the Quality Services Peer Reviews (QSPRs) during

SFY 2022. The QSPR process mirrors the federal Child and Family Services Review.

PCG conducts QSPR reviews in all ten DCFS geographic service areas. After the

completion of each QSPR, the Division’s Program Administrator for Planning and Practice

and PCG’s Manager meet with each area that includes the Area Director and his or her

supervisors. During these discussions, the area’s strengths and areas needing

improvement noted in the QSPR are reviewed and analyzed. The Area Director and

supervisors also begin discussing local program improvement plans based on the QSPR

results. Updates on the progress of the local program improvement plans are provided in

supervisor monthly reports to the Area Director, which is then passed on to the Assistant

Director of Community Services through the Area Directors’ monthly reports. All of the

States CQI standards focus on family-centered practices and community-based services

designed to meet the individualized needs of children and their families.

In addition, in SFY 2022, Evident Change managed the Division’s data management and

analysis needs, to include the production of a wide array of data reports and technical

assistance with the analysis of those reports. Evident Change also continued to oversee

SafeMeasures. SafeMeasures is a dashboard data tool designed to help frontline and

supervisory child welfare staff monitor daily practice trends as well as long-term outcomes

to improve accountability at all levels. FSWs can use SafeMeasures to prioritize work and

meet deadlines. Supervisors are able to utilize SafeMeasures to coach their staff

regarding best practices as well as how to identify and correct issues before

concerning practices negatively impact long-term outcomes. There is an online

SafeMeasures Training available to staff through the MidSOUTH DCFS portal that is

available for use at any time. MidSOUTH Training Academy also provides SafeMeasures

orientations on a quarterly basis for newly staff hired within the preceding quarter that is

an option for those who prefer instructor-led trainings or simply want a refresher.

Together, these program areas and their units are responsible for the provision of

administrative and programmatic support for the state’s network of child welfare services

as well as short- and long-term planning and policy development.

MAJOR FEDERAL LAWS GOVERNING SERVICE DELIVERY, AS AMENDED ARE:

• Civil Rights Act: Titles 6, 7, and 9.

• Rehabilitation Act: Sections 503, 504

• Americans with Disabilities Act: Title II

• Social Security Act Titles:

IV-A Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)

IV-B Child Welfare Services

IV-E Foster Care and Adoption Assistance

XIX Medical Services

XX Social Services Block Grant

PUBLIC LAWS:

• 111-320 CAPTA Reauthorization Act of 2010

Abandoned Infants Assistance Act

• 94-142 Handicapped Children Act

• 96-272 Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980

• Adoption Opportunities program

• 96-273 105-89 Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997

• 110-351 Fostering Connections Act of 2008

• 113-183 Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act of 2014

• 115-123 Family First Prevention Services Act of 2017

COLLABORATION

The Division continues to engage in ongoing consultation that share the common goal of

helping and supporting families. The Division strives to develop new partnerships with

groups as it becomes more creative in assessing the needs of families and identifying

supports that will best meet their needs in their own communities.

The Division establishes key committees with varied stakeholders involved to assess and

assist with the development and implementation of goals and objectives of the CFSP and

other initiatives. These committees often break out in subcommittees to focus on

particular areas. Two examples of this over this reporting period is the Safety Organized

Practice (SOP) Implementation Team as well as the National Child Welfare Workforce

Institute Implementation team and Action teams. The SOP Implementation Team has

most recently worked on the SOP Practice Model for the state with a roll-out planned for

late summer 2022.

During this reporting period the Parent Advisory Council (PAC) continued to meet and

has 6 members involved in the council. The PAC is seeking out additional members to

join the council. The PAC is re-establishing membership duties/expectations and is

revising the Mission Statement. Two members of the PAC have volunteered to be

interviewed by the office Communications & Community Engagement for media

opportunities. An invitation has been extended to the members of the PAC to participate

in the joint effort with the Court Improvement Project to create a new parent orientation

film, which would replace “The Clock is Ticking” video. The new video will feature those

with lived experience. Some members of the PAC participated in an envisioning session

with Public Knowledge in response to the Pulaski County crisis. The PAC plans to focus

on fatherhood involvement and co-parenting initiatives throughout the summer 2022. The

Parent Advisory Council has also contracted with the National Alliance of Children’s Trust

Funds to do support work, to assist in recruitment and planning.

The Foster Care Manager decided to put the Foster Parent Advisory Council meetings

on hold due to the pandemic and due to the Foster Care Unit being understaffed.

Participation on the council has been steady leading up to the pandemic, but the Foster

Care Manager and other members feel the council thrives on in-person meetings.

However, there have also been conversations about formally disbanding the statewide

Foster Parent Advisory Council meetings and working through local Foster Parent

Associations.

During this reporting period, the Youth Advisory Board (YAB) conducted their monthly

meetings via Zoom and in-person, depending on the COVID-19 case numbers. The YAB

members assisted with policy revisions around extended/after care, wrote a letter of

support endorsing an application for private funding for the implementation of LifeSet, an

intensive transitional services program through Youth Villages, in Arkansas, and are now

working on preparing for the 2022 Youth Educational Achievement Ceremony. The YAB

is also planning the upcoming Youth leadership Conference, which will take place at the

end of summer 2022.

Some other key collaborative partnerships include:

• Acute and Sub-Acute Psychiatric Facilities: A residential childcare facility in a

non – hospital (sub-acute) and a hospital setting (acute) that provides a structured,

systematic, therapeutic program of treatment under the supervision of a physician

licensed by the Arkansas State Medical Board who has experience in the practice

of psychiatry. A sub – acute and acute setting are for children who are emotionally

disturbed and in need of daily nursing services, physician’s supervision and

residential care. This service is typically covered by Medicaid.

The Mental Health and Treatment Services Unit provides technical assistance to

psychiatric hospitals and facilities where children in foster care receive acute care

and residential services. Discharge planning is critical for youth in these types of

settings. The Mental Health and Treatment Services Unit has hired three clinicians

to be assigned to all acute and sub-acute facilities. They are responsible for

facilitating discharge planning meetings on the youth who are admitting into the

facilities. Any trends or DCFS practice issues noted with a specific facility are

addressed with the assigned field staff and supervisors.

The clinical facilitator assigned to the Arkansas State Hospital (ASH) continues to

attend utilization reviews at the ASH to gather information to improve DCFS’

Family Service Workers’ (FSWs) case management practice and ensure DCFS is

highly involved in the treatment process. If problems are noted, FSWs are given

support and coaching.

• Administrative Office of the Courts:

DCFS continues its partnership with the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC),

which includes the Attorney Ad Litem, CASA, and Court Improvement Project

programs. The CIP Coordinator and DCFS Assistant Director for Infrastructure and

Specialized Programs meet quarterly to share information about each agency’s

current initiatives and other updates. The current project at hand between DCFS

and CIP with support from other legal stakeholders is the previously referenced

parent orientation video. The existing parent orientation video, “The Clock is

Ticking” is dated and needs improvement in terms of tone and other technical

updates. The goal is also to include those with lived experience in the planning of

the new video as well as the video itself. The goal is to finish initial filming by

December 2022 so that film editing can begin in spring 2023.

DCFS also served on CIP’s Planning Committee for the annual Children in the

Courts Conference (CITC). This conference returned to an in-person event in May

2022 for legal professionals and other stakeholders involved in dependency-

neglect and domestic relations cases across the state. The DCFS Director

provided one of these sessions to juvenile judges and other legal stakeholders

from across the state entitled, “Arkansas Juvenile and Child Maltreatment Laws,

DCFS Policy, and Our Values.” Other sessions at the 2022 CITC included Charting

Insights to the Journey Ahead: Data and Trends presented by the AOC data team,

the Indian Child Welfare Act presented by the Casey Foundation, Navigating the

Maze of Special Education and Foster Kids presented by the Arkansas Disability

Rights, and Public Knowledge’s Family Integrity and Justice Works also provided

a session regarding their work in Pulaski with specific focus on housing issues,

poverty, and the cross-over with child welfare issues.

• Arkansas Baptist Children’s Homes and Family Ministries (ABC Homes):

ABCH is a non-profit agency of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. ABCH

currently holds the Private Licensed Placement Agency (PLPA) contract and the

Specialized Private Licensed Placement Agency (SPLPA) contract with DCFS.

The SPLPA contract requirements are that the agency must recruit, train, support

and manage resource parents willing and able to accept placement of children 12

and older, youth transitioning out of QRTP, and sibling groups of 3 or more. As of

March 1, 2022, ABCH has 115 children placed in their PLPA homes and 33

children in their SPLPA homes. ABCH now recruits in areas 1,2, 4, 6, 8 and 9.

ABCH has come along side DCFS in values of children and youth being in a family

home as ABCH resource parents are taking children and youth of all ages. They

also value sibling connections and have partnered with DCFS in ensuring

placements of siblings staying together in a foster family home. ABCH also is

supporting reunification through facilitating sibling and parent visits in their office

location. As of 2021, ABCH is piloting in Area 6 (Pulaski) their agency assisting

with supervising visitations, transporting children and youth to and from visitations,

and facilitating staffings.

• Arkansas Behavioral Health Planning Advisory Councils (ABHPAC):

ABHPAC is a defined entity through the Federal Department of Health and Human

Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (HHS

SAMHSA) and is comprised of consumers of behavior health services, family

members, behavioral health professions and stakeholders within the state that

receives SAMHSA Block Grant funding. The DHS Division of Aging, Adult, and

Behavioral Health Services is the lead agency for the ABHPAC. DCFS is a

required partner with this group. Meetings occur every other month. This council

allows a mechanism for service recipients and family to be involved with the

decision-making process for planning of services that the block grant funding

supports.

• Arkansas Children’s Care Network (ACCN): ACCN is the nation’s first statewide

pediatric Clinically Integrated Network to help measurably elevate the quality, cost

effectiveness, and coordination of health care for children in Arkansas.

Approximately twenty-five (25) pediatric physician groups, over 160 general

pediatricians, over 350 pediatric specialists, Arkansas Children’s Hospital (Little

Rock and Northwest Arkansas campuses) participate in this network. ACCN

provides Care Managers for children served by these clinics, physicians, and

hospitals who have special and/or chronic health care needs as well as those

children identified as otherwise having high cost/high utilization of health care

services (e.g., hospital discharges, emergency room visits, etc.). The ACCN Care

Managers connect families with services to meet both clinical and social needs

and enhance the sharing of patient data for decision-making across the care

continuum. DCFS has collaborated with ACCN over this last reporting period to

determine how to improve communication and data-sharing between the two

agencies when a child being served by ACCN also becomes involved with the child

welfare system. During this reporting period, this partnership resulted in a new data

sharing report that now allows medical staff across several hospitals and ACCN to

know when a patient they have been treating comes into foster care, which is

helpful in terms of patient notifications and continued medical services even when

a child is removed from the home.

• Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ACADV):

The Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ACADV) is a nonprofit

organization that serves both rural and urban areas of Arkansas. The membership

consists of domestic violence service providers and others who demonstrate

support for the philosophy, goals and objectives of the ACADV. DCFS has

collaborated extensively with ACADV during this reporting period through

consultations regarding the Division’s Safety Organized Practice implementation

and Team Decision Making as well as on several trainings for DCFS staff. More

information on these trainings is provided in the Populations at Greatest Risk of

Maltreatment section of this report.

• Arkansas Commission on Child Abuse, Rape, and Domestic Violence:

The Commission on Child Abuse, Rape, and Domestic Violence is comprised of

agencies and groups representing law enforcement, multidisciplinary teams,

education, mental health, judicial and other professional groups. The Director of

the Division of Children and Family Services is appointed to the Commission on

Child Abuse, Rape, and Domestic Violence. The Commission meets on a quarterly

basis and, these meetings provide a forum to share information related to issues,

initiatives, and concerns of the child welfare system and, in turn, allows the Division

to hear the concerns and perspectives of other disciplines along with the

community. Most importantly, it serves as an avenue for making connections and

bolstering relationships with individuals who have a similar mission of protecting

children and providing families with the necessary services and supports. The

Commission is an integral partner in regard to the development of proposed

legislation. The Commission continues to license the web-based mandated

reporter training through a partnership with the Center for the Application of

Information Technologies and Western Illinois University.

The Commission has continued a partnership with the Arkansas Public

Broadcasting System (PBS) to comprehensively revise curriculum to create a web-

based mandated reporter training. The new training includes video, interview

segments, scenarios with actors and animation for the online professional

development portal utilized by licensed educators. The updated program was

released in time for fall in-service for the 2021-2022 school year. Numbers related

to these trainings will be run in July 2022 and provided to DCFS at that time.

• Arkansas Department of Health (WIC): DCFS has been working closely with the

Health Department to implement a parenting education program in 18 individual

WIC (Women, Infants and Children) clinics across the state through CBCAP

funding. This collaborative effort, called Baby and Me, provides parenting

education, resources and support to parents of newborns 0 – 6 months of age who

are receiving benefits at the WIC clinics.

• Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care & Arkansas Dept. of Health Statewide

ACEs/Resilience Workgroup: The group was created to achieve synergies

across child health, community-based agencies and state-based agencies to

address the root causes of toxic stress and childhood adversity and build

community resilience. Membership represents almost 50 organizations and state

agencies. DCFS is represented on the steering committee for the Workgroup and

co-sponsored a two-day Summit on ACEs with AFMC.

• Arkansas Infant and Child Death Review Program: The Arkansas Infant and

Child Death Review Program is administered by the Department of Pediatrics of

the University of Arkansas for Medical Services and Arkansas Children’s Hospital

and supported by a contract with the Arkansas Department of Health, Family

Health Branch. The mission of the Infant and Child Death Review Program is to

review all unexpected infant and child deaths in the state of Arkansas. These

reviews result in the development of interventions and recommendations through

multidisciplinary team collaboration, community education and policy. The

Program has trained multidisciplinary, local level teams across the state to conduct

legislatively required reviews of all unexpected infant and child deaths in the

state. To date, there are eleven active local level review teams that review infant

and child deaths covering all 75 counties in Arkansas. All child fatalities meeting

the review criteria are entered into the National Child Fatality Reporting data

system. The data and implemented recommendations from the local child death

review teams are disclosed in the annual ICDR report. The Panel meets once a

year to review the implementation of the local team’s recommendations, discuss

needs or gaps identified by local teams, and review the annual ICDR report. Each

team has a designated DCFS staff to serve as core team members of the review

teams in their areas.

• Arkansas Rehabilitation Services (ARS): mission is to prepare Arkansans with

disabilities to work and lead productive and independent lives. ARS has 19 field

offices across the state serving all 75 counties. ARS also operates the Arkansas

Career Training Institute, which is a comprehensive, state-owned rehabilitation

facility--one of only nine in the country and the only one in the country west of the

Mississippi River. To achieve its mission Arkansas Rehabilitation Services (ARS)

provides a variety of training and career preparation programs including:

o Diagnosis and evaluation of capacities and limitations

o Guidance and counseling

o Career and technical education

o Job placement

o Physical and cognitive restorative services

o Assistive technology

o Residential career training facility and hospital Transition services

for high school students (youth 14 and older) with disabilities who

are moving from high school to further education or work

o Scholarships and leadership programs for students with disabilities

o Financial assistance to kidney transplant recipients

o Community rehabilitation programs

o Supported employment services

o Supported housing

• Arkansas Safe Babies Court Team (SBCT) Project: The Safe Babies Court

Team (SBCT) Project is a collaboration between the DHS Division of Child

Care/Early Childhood Education (DCC/ECE), the DHS Division of Children and

Family Services (DCFS), and Zero to Three. Judge Johnson took on SBCT in

Pulaski County when Judge Joyce Warren retired so those families who were

involved in the Pulaski County SBCT were able to continue.

SBCT had also been in Judge Smith’s court room in Benton County. DCFS is

working with Judge Smith (Benton County), Judge Blatt (Sebastian County), and

Judge Brown (Jefferson County) to bring SBCT to their court rooms. DCFS

partnered with Zero to Three to have the new Statewide Coordinator and the three

new Community Coordinators be Zero to Three employees so that it would be the

same structure as Pulaski County.

The Safe Babies Court Team is a system-change initiative focused on improving

how the courts, DCFS, and related child-serving organizations work together to

expedite services for young children. The two main goals of SBCT are 1) Changing

local systems to improve outcomes and prevent future court involvement in the

lives of very young children in the child welfare system; and 2) Increasing

knowledge about the negative impact of abuse and neglect on very young children.

SBCT takes both a micro and macro level approach to address these goals. At the

direct service level, families that meet criteria are enrolled in SBCT and create a

family team. The family teams are made up of the parent, family members, DCFS

caseworker, OCC, parent attorneys, attorneys ad litem, service providers, and

others who meet regularly to identify and address needs of the children in care and

their parents. The meetings are facilitated with the purpose of creating a

collaborative environment to address barriers to reunification with a “no-blame”

attitude, surrounding the parent with support and services, and recognizing that

everyone there plays a role in the success of the family.

On a macro level, SBCT brings community partners together as a stakeholder

team focused on broader systems improvement to address prevention and

treatment service gaps and disparities. Each participating jurisdiction has a

Community Coordinator who helps to coordinate local services/resources. As part

of the grant each new site has a Leadership team. This team replaces the

stakeholder group and consists of the Judge, the community coordinator, a DCFS

supervisor, and decision makers from local community partners.

Each site also has a learning collaborative that is made up of “boots on the ground”

workers. This team also includes the community coordinator but then has the

family service workers, the infant mental health therapist, the substance abuse

counselor, etc. Each team has a unique makeup of members that works best for

their community. These teams receive training and support from Zero to Three and

collaborative calls with other sites across the nation who are doing this work. The

Arkansas Safe Babies Court Team Project receives support from the national level

technical assistance specialist and the project coordinator.

• Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA): BACA mission is to create a safer

environment for abused children. BACA exists as a body of Bikers to empower

children to not feel afraid of the world in which they live. BACA sends a message

to parties involved with an abused child that the child is a part of BACA and that

the organization members are prepared to lend their physical and emotional

support to a child by affiliation and their physical presence. BACA has a working

relationship with DCFS statewide through a Memorandum of Understanding.

• CarePortal: The Arkansas Family Alliance partnered with DCFS to bring the

CarePortal to Sebastian County and the Arkansas Dream Center in North Little

Rock, Arkansas partnered with DCFS to bring CarePortal to Pulaski County

greater Little Rock / North Little Rock area in DCFS Area 6. CarePortal is an

interdenominational network of churches that through technology, can wrap

around children and families in crisis. The DCFS County Supervisor serves as the

main liaison between DCFS and CarePortal. DCFS workers in Sebastian County

and Pulaski County identify needs of local children and families, and then submit

the request for help online through the CarePortal. Local churches receive the

request and meet the needs as able. By providing an outlet for the church

community to wrap around families, CarePortal will result in stronger partnerships

accelerated through the use of technology and ultimately, better outcomes for

children and families. There continues to be ongoing collaboration between the

churches that have signed up and joined CarePortal. However, COVID-19 has

impacted the growth of this collaboration and current churches that are already

involved. This year, there was a soft relaunch in Pulaski County due to Arkansas

Dream Center no longer overseeing the program in Pulaski.

• Children’s Advocacy Centers of Arkansas and Local Children’s Advocacy

Centers: The purpose of the not-for-profit Children’s Advocacy Centers of

Arkansas (CACA) is to promote, assist, and support the development, growth, and

continuation of CACs (also known as Child Safety Centers) in the State of

Arkansas so that every child victim has access to the services of a CAC. A Child

Advocacy Center, CAC, is a community-based facility which uses a

multidisciplinary approach to reduce trauma to child victims of physical abuse,

sexual abuse, or neglect. Collaboration exists between medical, mental health,

prosecutorial, child protective service, and law enforcement in an effort to serve

the best interests of young victims. CACs conduct forensic interviews of alleged

victims in a safe, child-friendly environment and offer a host of other services such

as medical exams, family advocacy, and mental health services though certain

services may vary from CAC to CAC. Per DCFS Policy II-D, DCFS staff are

encouraged to bring child victims of Priority I reports involving sexual abuse,

physical abuse, neglect, and witness to violence to the nearest Child Safety Center

for the interview whenever available and appropriate. In some cases, it may also

be appropriate to bring child victims of certain Priority II maltreatment reports to

the nearest Child Safety Center for the interview. As a result of Act 975 of the 93

General Assembly, Regular Session, the administration of Multidisciplinary Teams

is now by overseen by CACs as well rather than the Commission on Child Abuse,

Rape, and Domestic Violence. There are currently approximately 28 CACs across

the state that includes satellite offices. Local DCFS offices frequently support the

work of CACs during fundraisers such as the Dragon Boat Races held each

summer for the Children’s Protection Center in Little Rock in which a DHS team

from Central Office participates in against other agencies and businesses to raise

funds for this CAC’s work.

• Children of Arkansas Loved for a Lifetime (CALL): The CALL is a 501 (c) 3

organization which recruits, trains, and supports foster and adoptive homes for

DCFS. There is a defined process for the establishment of CALL in each county.

The DCFS and CALL partnership is guided by an MOU that is reviewed on a

biannual basis. The first CALL County was established in 2007. The CALL became

a statewide organization in 2010. Since the conception of the CALL they have

recruited over 1,600 families and supported over 900 adoptions.

DCFS continues to work with the CALL in regard to specifically recruiting homes

for 6 and older and large sibling groups.

The CALL has created a county-based/statewide oversight model that has been

replicated in 46 counties.

DCFS meets on monthly basis with the CALL to ensure that the partnership is

supported. The CALL also hosts a summit each year to build relationships between

DCFS and the CALL.

The CALL supports foster families by offering monthly support group meetings and

the CALL Malls, which offers resources such as clothing or baby supplies to all

approved foster parents.

• Citizen Review Panels: The Citizen Review Panels (CRP) operates in Pope,

Logan, and Ouachita Counties. The panels review child maltreatment cases and

the State Plan. The panels make recommendations and suggestions in areas they

have identified where DCFS could improve practice or protocols. The panels work

with the local County Offices to ensure DCFS is represented at the meetings. The

Arkansas Citizen Review Panels meet and collaborate on projects they believe will

have an impact on their community specifically focusing on enhancing the lives of

children and families. During COVID19, the panels have continued to meet virtually

via Zoom. These meetings have occurred monthly.

• Compact: Compact, also known as Hillcrest Children’s Home, has a contract with

DCFS as a Private License Agency to launch a foster care recruitment program to

recruit, train, and support families in Arkansas utilizing the Compacare model.

COMPACT has 44 children and youth placed under the PLPA contract with this

provider. Compact also holds the Specialized Private Licensed Placement Agency

contract with DCFS requiring their recruited foster families to accept placement of

children and youth ages 12 and older, youth transitioning out of QRTP and sibling

groups of 3 or more. Currently, Compact has 20 children placed under this

contract. DCFS meets with Compact quarterly. Data shows that children placed in

a private agency foster home have better placement stability and overall better

outcomes. Based on this data, DCFS has partnered with Compact (as a pilot in

Area 3) to allow Compact to train and support our Kinship families through the

opening process and opening them under their PLPA contract. DCFS and

Compact are working hand in hand on this pilot project. In addition, Compact also

partners with DCFS through a QRTP contract and a Supervised Independent

Living contract for Levels 1 and 2.

• DCFS Advocacy Council: The Division formed an Advocacy Council to help

further our message and the direction of the child welfare agency. The professions

represented on the council in the past have included judges, juvenile justice,

CASA, prosecuting attorney’s office, faith-based communities including the CALL,

medical, behavioral /mental health, clinical, women and children’s health, law

enforcement, higher education, K-12 education, Commission on Child Abuse,

Rape and Domestic Violence, Advocates for Children and Family, foster care

alumni, foster parent, biological parent, current youth in care and community at

large. The Council typically met three to four times each year, with the DCFS

Director leading each meeting and sharing the agency’s vision and updates.

During this past reporting period, it was decided to disband this group. The group

had stalled during the public health emergency and given numerous other groups

with similar stakeholders that had shared goals around decreasing child abuse and

improving the child welfare system, the DCFS Director decided this group was

duplicative of many others. These other committees include the Blue Ribbon

Taskforce, established by Act 920 of the 93

General Assembly, Regular Session

2021, the goal of which is to end child abuse and is chaired by the DCFS Director;

the Supreme Court’s Commission on Children, Youth, and Families which is

looking at several issues related to families’ experience within the child welfare and

juvenile justice systems, and the Arkansas Commission on Child Abuse, Rape,

and Domestic Violence, to name a few.

• Division of Aging, Adult, and Behavioral Health Services (DAABHS):

DCFS collaborates with DAABHS to advocate for children involved in the

behavioral health and welfare systems. DCFS also collaborates with DAABHS

regarding substance abuse services and funding for those services. Regular

meetings and communication regarding mental health services are held to insure

consistency in services for foster children. DCFS provided input on the contract

that DAABHS has with community mental health centers to require crisis services

for children in foster care. When issues arise related to crises services and mental

health services, the Assistant Director for Mental Health and Treatment Services

consults with DAABHS to resolve the issue.

• Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDS): DCFS has partnered and

continues to strengthen the collaboration for referral, consultation, and

communication with the Developmental Disabilities Division (DDS). The DCFS

Centralized DDS Coordinator positions continue to play a critical role in assuring

timely processing and approval of children eligible for DDS Waiver services as well

as assisting field staff in coordinating services after eligibility and completing

annual reviews on all approved cases, which takes this time intensive process off

of Family Service Workers in the field. The DDS Coordinators also assist DCFS

field staff with applications to the state’s Human Development Centers (HDCs) and

the Office of Public Guardian. Feedback from the field was that both the DDS

waiver and HDS applications were a tedious and time-limited administrative

process and was very difficult for the field to complete and monitor along with all

the other responsibilities. DCFS recognized that it could impact placements of

children with challenging behaviors due to developmental disabilities if the waiver

services and/or HDC placement were in place for a child, as well as assure the

“right services were being provided at the right time” which could impact the ability

to establish more timely permanence for children in foster care. With the

collaboration of DDS and DCFS to give children in foster care priority on the DDS

Waiver wait list, the addition of these two centralized Developmental Disabilities

Coordinator positions makes it more possible for children in foster care to gain

eligibility for DDS Waiver services while in care and to be able to carry those

services over when reunification, APPLA, or adoption occurs.

The Division has continued its partnership with DDS to procure for providers who

recruit and train specialized DDS foster homes. There are a total of seven DDS

foster home providers in the state. The foster homes recruited are trained on how

to parent children with developmental disabilities. DDS provides the DDS waiver

services in the community. The goal is to serve more children with disabilities in

the community in the least restrictive setting as possible.

• Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDS)-First Connections Part C:

Regarding children who are at risk for developmental delay, appropriate early

intervention services are required. DCFS has partnered with DDS to strengthen

policy and practice related to the CAPTA requirement to refer all children under

the age of three when an investigation is initiated and is required for children under

age 3 in substantiated cases of child maltreatment for an early intervention

screening as DDS is the lead Part C agency in Arkansas. The Assistant Director

of Prevention and Reunification serves on the Interagency Coordinating Council

for Infants and Toddlers.

• Division of Youth Services (DYS): The division’s partnership with DYS continues

to be strong. During this reporting period DCFS and DYS worked through several

different process maps to improve communication and consistency of services.

The DCFS liaison continues to coordinate with DYS on several issues affecting

dual-custody youth and other shared issues between the two divisions.

• Drug Endangered Children (DEC): DEC is a collaborative partnership with the

Criminal Justice Institute (CJI), the Arkansas Alliance for Drug Endangered

Children (DEC), Law Enforcement Officers, DCFS, Child Advocates, and School

Personnel to ensure a unified approach to child maltreatment investigations. The

collaboration helps identify and protect drug endangered children in local

communities. Drug endangered children are at an increased risk of injury, death,

physical abuse, sexual abuse and/or neglect. DEC program has identified eleven

triggers when present it should initiate collaboration process between agencies.

By sharing resources and information, these partnering agencies are attempting

to reduce any duplication in efforts, ensure the efficient use of limited resources,

and ultimately sustain this important initiative. The Criminal Justice Institute holds

quarterly meetings for the DEC Leadership team. The larger quarterly meetings

have been held virtually. Monthly meetings are held in the local counties to

continue to build awareness around children that live in the homes were drugs are

being used or sold. The local meetings have continued to occur in person during

COVID-19.

• Emergency Shelters: Emergency shelters are available on a twenty-four-hour

basis for up to fourteen days for youth whose circumstances or behavior require

immediate removal from their home. The extent and depth of the services provided

to a youth in an emergency shelter program will depend upon the particular shelter

as well as the individual needs of the youth and referral source.

DCFS protocol requires that any child age 12 or under placed in an emergency

shelter be moved after ten days. For emergency shelter stays longer than ten days,

a justification (to include detailed information about what has been done to locate

a relative or fictive kin placement and/or a foster home placement, any special

behavioral issues the child has, if the child is part of a sibling group and, if so,

where the siblings are placed) must be sent to central office for review. Also, if an

FSW wants to place a child age 12 and under in an emergency shelter, he or she

must request approval from the Assistant Director of Community Services.

• External Child Near Fatality and Fatality Review Team: The External Child Near

Fatality and Fatality Review Team continues to meet quarterly to review near

fatalities and fatalities associated with child maltreatment and determine what

changes may be needed to policy/practice/procedures to prevent future child near

fatalities and fatalities. The meetings have occurred virtually via during the COVID-

19 pandemic.

• Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Workforce: Now called the FASD

Workgroup, this group meets monthly and includes representatives from the

following agencies: Pulaski County Juvenile Courts, Partners for Inclusive

Communities, UAMS Departments of Family and Preventive Medicine,

DHS/DCFS, Administrative Office of the Courts, Division of Child Care & Early

Childhood Education, UAMS PACE team, Division of Aging, Adult, and Behavioral

Health Services, Arkansas Department of Education, Special Education, Division

of Developmental Disabilities Part C, Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care,

Arkansas Zero to Three Safe Babies Court Team, Arkansas Department of Health,

March of Dimes, Arkansas Association of Infant Mental Health, and Adoptive

Parent Representatives. The group has served as an advisory board in meeting

the needs of families affected by FASD and has set goals of promoting FASD

awareness in Arkansas such as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Awareness Day,

facilitating the request for the Governor’s proclamation every September, and

supporting and promoting the FASD yearly conference. The Differential Response

(DR) Program manager, who is the lead on FASD for the agency, does not hold

any office within the FASD workgroup but meets monthly with the workgroup to

collaborate on the above-mentioned tasks. The FASD workgroup continues to

advocate for children in the state of Arkansas and has been instrumental in

providing insight on services needed for children 0-18 years of age who have

prenatal alcohol exposure and in paving the way for the states’ first Specialty

Diagnostic Resource Center for FASD.

• Foster Love: Foster Love is a new recruitment partner as of 2022. Foster Love is

a 501(c)3 organization that recruits, trains, and supports foster and adoptive

homes for DCFS statewide. The DCFS and Foster Love partnership is guided by

an MOU. Foster Love is all-inclusive and embraces the LGBTQIA+ community and

are fierce advocates for children in foster care within that community. They are

especially focused on creating accepting homes for LGBTQIA+ children and youth.

This is a new and growing partnership.

• Foster Parent Advisory Council: This council is made up of resource parents

from across the state and is guided by a charter developed by the group and the

Foster Care Manager. The resource parents from across the state come together

with “hot topics” that they feel need the agency’s attention. The Division also

provides general updates on the Division’s goals, objectives and interventions and

gives the council members the opportunity to ask questions and share their ideas

and recommendations regarding various Division plans and initiatives.

In 2020, the Resource Parent Advisory Council was put on halt due to the

Pandemic, difficulty in participation, and struggle in finding a facilitator. The Council

has not yet started back-up. The Division is currently assessing whether this

council needs to be reconvened or if the same kind of information can be shared

with and feedback obtained from local Foster Parent Associations instead of

having a separate, statewide group.

• Immerse Arkansas/Families: Immerse Arkansas is transitional living program

that provides a variety of services for at-risk and homeless youth. During this

reporting period, Immerse finished renovations on its Overcomer Center (the OC),

which is a drop-in center that offers meals, to-go meal packs, free laundry facilities,

showers, access to computers/internet, job coaching, and on-site counseling and

other programming. This program is designed to assist youth in learning necessary

skills for adulthood. Immerse Families is part of Immerse Arkansas; a program is

designed to support resource parents. Immerse Families completes different

events and actively engages the families through a variety of activities. Immerse

also continues to be one of the Supervised Independent Living programs providing

Levels 1 and 2. Immerse also offers the LifeBase Program, supported by

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds via the Department of

Workforce Services. The LifeBase model provides in-home and center-based tools

and supports to foster and adoptive youth ages 14-18 and their families in the key

domains of well-being, supportive relationships, placement stability, and job

preparation for the youth.

• Judicial Leadership Team: There are certain jurisdictions that have a Judicial

Leadership Team or Court Team. These teams are designed to be collaborative

efforts to facilitate communication and learning opportunities among various

stakeholders involved in dependency/neglect cases.

• Local Community Mental Health Centers: DCFS has an Interagency Agreement

with the Community Mental Health Centers CMHCs throughout the state to

strengthen communication and ensure mental health services are provided to the

children in foster care. The DCFS Assistant Director for Mental Health and

Treatment Services regularly attends meetings with community mental health

centers and the Division of Aging, Adult, and Behavioral Health Services to

facilitate communication and improve services throughout the state for foster

children. Whenever barriers or issues arise that impacts clients in the child welfare

system, the DCFS Assistant Director for Mental Health and Treatment Services

coordinates an intervention and response to either client-specific or systemic

issues. Throughout this last reporting period there has been a focus on developing

a relationship between the PASSE entities in Arkansas and the Local Community

Mental Health Centers.

• MidSOUTH-Center for Prevention and Training: DCFS worked with MidSOUTH

to implement the Stewards of Children program, a child sexual abuse prevention

program for adults. Their Project Coordinator coordinates the Steward of Children

facilitator trainings and then assists those trained facilitators in setting up courses

in their own local communities. This will end June 30

, 2022. MidSOUTH will be

teaming with DCFS through CBACP ARP funding on Parenting for Prevention in

July 2022.

• Multi-Disciplinary Teams (MDT): The Children’s Advocacy Centers, the

Department of Human Services and the Arkansas State Police have an agreement

in cooperation with law enforcement agencies, prosecuting attorneys, and other

appropriate agencies and individuals to implement a coordinated multidisciplinary

team (MDT) approach to intervention in reports involving severe maltreatment. Act

975 of the 93

General Assembly, Regular Session resulted in the Children’s

Advocacy Centers of Arkansas overseeing MDT’s (effective July 28, 2021).

• Paragould Children’s Home and Children’s Home Inc: Paragould Children’s

Home has a campus in Paragould, Arkansas that is a family-like setting.

Paragould Children’s Home also operates Children’s Home Inc. that is located in

Searcy, Arkansas. Children’s Home Inc. is a Private Licensed Placement Agency

that recruits, trains and supports foster families. Children’s’ Home Inc. monitors

these homes for compliance with licensing standards. DCFS supported Children’s

Home Inc. in PRIDE training and SAFE home study training. Children’s Home Inc.

DCFS meets with Children’s Home Inc. at least quarterly.

• Parent Advisory Committee (PAC): The purpose of the council is to advise the

Prevention/Reunification Unit. The Council is designed to ensure there are strong

parent voices in shaping programs, services, and strategies that result in better

outcomes for children and families. All council members are parents who have had

previous involvement with Arkansas’s child welfare system. There are currently six

parents from different parts of the state on the council. The group is kept abreast

of the Division’s initiatives and plans such as the implementation of Structured

Decision Making and Safety Organized Practice and is encouraged to share their

ideas regarding the implementation and monitoring of these

The PAC has struggled to stay active and make progress on their own goals this

past year due to several personal hardships exacerbated by the pandemic. The

PAC and DCFS decided that it would be beneficial to shift focus for the time being

and focus energies on supporting each other and participating in trainings.

• Project PLAY (Positive Learning for Arkansas’ Youngest): Project PLAY is an

Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECHMC) program funded by the AR

DHS Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education (DCCECE) in

collaboration with the UAMS Department of Family and Preventive

Medicine. Project PLAY connects childcare programs with free early childhood

mental health consultation throughout Arkansas, and it has a program area that

addresses children in foster care. Collaboration occurs on the local and state

level. At the local level, when a child in foster care is identified in a childcare center

as needing concerted attention to address his/her behavior, staff in the center, the

child’s DCFS caseworker and foster parent(s) come together to discuss the options

specific to the child. If a change in foster parents or caseworker occurs or other

DCFS administrative actions occur, DCFS central office staff is included to help

expedite coordination of services.

• Project Zero: Project Zero is a non-profit that supports DCFS in finding forever

families for waiting children. Project Zero hosts several matching events

throughout the year. Children and youth from across the state (as well as families)

come, interact, and meet families; examples of events typically include: Disney

Extravaganza, Back to School Bash, and Dream Big. During the height of COVID-

19, Project Zero and DCFS came together to develop “Zooming for Zero” – weekly

virtual recruitment events – to keep momentum going during the pandemic. Project

Zero and DCFS are now in planning stages to bring back in-person events,

beginning with Disney Extravaganza in June. Project Zero is funded by donations

and volunteer service. In 2021, 151 children were matched with their forever

families! Below is a recap of numbers from past years matches with Project Zero.

o 2015 – 76

o 2016 – 124

o 2017 – 126

o 2018 – 167

o 2019 – 196

o 2020—107

Project Zero also continues to be responsible for the Arkansas Heart Gallery.

Project Zero maintains all Heart Gallery photographs which are taken by

professional volunteer photographers. Project Zero also does short video features

of the children waiting to be adopted. As part of their partnership with DCFS,

Project Zero has made a commitment to have a short film for every waiting child.

This supports the Division through the “Every Day Counts” initiative. This gives the

children a voice in what they wish for in an adoptive family and a chance to show

their personality. DCFS has implemented an MOU to ensure that appropriate

guidelines are followed.

• Psychiatric Research Institute (PRI)-University of Arkansas for Medical

Sciences: DCFS and PRI collaborate often to identify and address problematic

systemic issue in the behavioral health services for the child welfare population

such as the Complex Trauma Assessment. This is a comprehensive evaluation

that assists in determining accurate diagnoses and provides recommendations for

evidence-based treatment approaches. This assessment is being utilized with

positive results in providing reasons for ruling out previous diagnoses and

determining the primary diagnoses that should be the focus of evidence-based

services and other case plan goals.

• Public Guardian for Adults (PG) and Adult Protective Services (APS):

Arkansas law was updated in the 2021 legislative session to clarify that youth who

do not have the capacity to transition to adulthood independently should be

referred to the Office of Public Guardian, rather than Adult Protective Services.

This was clean-up but should help eliminate confusion regarding the appropriate

agency. For youth who fall into this category, the Office of Public should be invited

to the youth’s staffing at least six (6) months prior to a child’s 18

birthday or upon

entering foster care if the youth is already 17.5 years upon entering care. The DDS

Coordinator in DCFS Central Office continues to aid in the referral process to the

Office of Public Guardian and providing general education around the purpose of

a Public Guardian. This DDS Coordinator also screens all Public Guardian

referrals for quality and accuracy before forwarding to the Public Guardian office.

There were four DCFS referrals submitted to date in SFY 2021-2022. None were

accepted by the Office of Public Guardian.

• Qualified Residential Treatment Program QRTP: Qualified Residential

Treatment Programs are a result of the Family First Prevention in Services Act that

went into effect on October 1, 2019. A QRTP is a specific category of a non-foster

family home setting, for which title IV-E agencies must meet detailed assessment,

case planning, documentation, judicial determinations and ongoing review and

permanency hearing requirements for a child to be placed in and continue to

receive title IV-E foster care maintenance payments for the placement. The facility

must meet the definitions of a childcare institution (CCI).

o Has a trauma informed treatment model that is designed to address the

needs, including clinical needs as appropriate, of children with serious

emotional and or behavior disorders or disturbances. Must be able to

implement the treatment identified in the required 30-day assessment for

said child/youth.

o Facilitates participation of family members in the youth’s treatment program

when appropriate.

o Facilitates outreach of the youth’s family members including siblings and

fictive kin. Maintains contact information of these individuals and documents

how they are integrated into the treatment process.

o Provides discharge planning and family – based aftercare support for at

least six (6) months post – discharge.

o Is licensed in accordance with the title IV-E requirements for childcare

institutions (CCI).

o Is accredited by any of the following Independent Not-for-Profit

Organizations: The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities

(CARF), The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare

Organizations (JCAHO), The Council on Accreditation (COA, or any other

Independent Not-for-Profit Accrediting Organization approved by HHS.

o Has registered or licensed nursing staff and other licensed clinical staff who

provide care within the scope of their practice as defined by state/tribal law,

are on-site according to the treatment model, and are available twenty-four

(24) hours a day and seven (7) days a week. 30-day Independent

Assessment

▪ Family and Permanency team requirements

▪ Case Plan Requirements

▪ 60-day Court Approval

▪ Ongoing Review and Permanency Hearing Requirements

Arkansas currently has 13 Qualified Residential Treatment Programs across the

state. Each Qualified Residential Treatment Program also now has a clinical

facilitator assigned to them from the Mental Health and Treatment Services unit to

assist with discharge planning, clinical barriers and needs, and support to the

programs.

• Restore Hope: Aims to harness the passion of individuals, public-sector agencies,

companies, and social and religious organizations to claim accountability for their

communities. Restore Hope believes that no one agency or organization can solve

the problem: Collaboration is the solution. Through the 100 Families Initiative,

Restore Hope focuses on moving families from a place of crisis to an environment

where they are thriving. This includes areas like housing, transportation,

employment, education, addiction/recovery, and food stability. Restore Hope is

currently active in Fort Smith, Arkansas (Sebastian County), Searcy, Arkansas

(White County), Hot Springs, Arkansas (Garland County), and Little Rock (Pulaski

County).

• Sparrow’s Promise (formerly known as Searcy Children’s Home):

Searcy Children’s Home has been a Private Licensed Placement Agency in

Arkansas for many years. Searcy Children’s Home recruits, trains, and supports

resource homes that accept placement of DCFS children. Searcy Children’s Home

monitors these homes for compliance with licensing standards. Sparrow’s Promise

also provides a visitation center for family time between parents and their children

in foster care. Andrew Baker, Executive Director also won a Children’s Bureau

award for his work with Sparrow’s Promise, Restore Hope, and Red Door Tables.

DCFS meets with SCH at least quarterly.

• Southern Christian Children’s Home (SCCH): Southern Christian Children’s

Home currently operates a family like setting campus in Morrilton, Arkansas.

Southern Christian Children’s Home has received their licensure as a Private

Licensed Placement Agency. Southern Christian Children’s Home is working on

recruitment of resource homes in Area 5 and will train and support each home they

recruit. They will also monitor all their homes for compliance with licensing

standards.

• Supervised Independent Living: These programs are designed for youth ages

18-21 who are participating in the Extended Foster Care Program. These

settings offer either a shared housing or independent apartment setting for youth

along with case management services focused on helping youth successfully

transition to adulthood. Level 1 SIL is designed for youth who may have mild to

moderate emotional or behavioral health issues but are largely capable of living

independently with support. Level 2 SIL is a setting for youth who cannot yet live

independently and require more supervision and support due to more severe

mental health diagnoses, past history with the juvenile justice system, or a lower

IQ. However, youth who are diagnosed as developmentally disabled or with an

intellectual disability are not eligible for a referral to SIL. There are officially eight

SIL providers throughout the state though only six are currently providing

placement services/taking referrals due to their own staffing challenges.

• Therapeutic Foster Care: Therapeutic foster care providers are those that deliver

therapeutic foster care (TFC) services in family homes for children who have

emotional, behavioral or physical problems which cannot be remedied in their own

home, in a routine foster parenting situation, or in a residential treatment program

for clients or youth statewide in the custody of DHS.

Community Mental Health Centers and licensed private agencies maintain

contracts with DCFS to provide this service statewide. DCFS meets once a month

with providers to strengthen communication of referral and other issues. This

group is known as the Foster Family Based Treatment Association (FFTA). The

agenda varies, but topics mostly cover updates from Specialized Services Unit

(SSU), proposed TFC standards, child specific recruiting, double occupancy

request, FBI results, and age waivers. There is also discussion in regard to their

annual institute conference and other national issues. DCFS also brings issues

related to TFC providers having more consistent practice related to admission

criteria.

Mental health services must be provided by clinicians licensed in the State of

Arkansas and must be direct employees of the Therapeutic Foster Care program.

The Therapeutic Foster Care provider must have the ability to provide crisis

intervention, individual, group and family therapy at the frequency and intensity

necessary to meet the needs of the client to maintain stable placement in the

community. Provision of more intensive services such as day treatment is optimal

but not a required component of the array of services that must be provided directly

by the Therapeutic Foster Care provider. Although a majority of the TFC providers

already employed their own therapist, this requirement is designed to increase the

consistency and quality of behavioral health services that youth are provided while

in TFC. The Therapeutic Foster Care provider must be able to submit a report of

clinical services provided for each client as requested by DCFS.

• University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS): DCFS has partnered

with UAMS for the collaboration of referrals, consultation, and communication with

the Adolescent Sexual Adjustment Program (ASAP) and the Family Treatment

Program (FTP). DCFS has a liaison in the Specialized Services Unit to provide

assistance to field workers in the preparation of application packets for the above-

named programs. DCFS recognized that it could impact placements of children

with challenging behaviors due to sexually acting out or post-traumatic stress from

sexual abuse for offenders, victims and family members. This involves providing

children as well as adults experiencing post-traumatic stress from sexual abuse

with the appropriate assessments, therapies, and treatment. The DCFS

Specialized Services unit also works to educate staff statewide regarding DCFS

policies & procedures for ASAP and FTP referrals and services.

• University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Family and Preventive

Medicine: DCFS has partnered with UAMS for an evaluation of its IV-E prevention

services, specifically included in the state’s Family First Five-Year Prevention

Program Plan. UAMS will initially be completing an outcome evaluation of Family

Centered Treatment and SafeCare as well as a process evaluation of SafeCare.

UAMS will also be completing an outcome evaluation of MidSOUTH’s Triple P

Program (established July 2020). This evaluation aims to answer whether these

programs reduce subsequent child abuse and placement in foster care while

improving child well-being. UAMS has completed their second process evaluation

of SafeCare. They receive CHRIS data from Deloitte and are currently working on

how to identify families for comparison groups that meet baseline equivalence.

UAMS will do their first outcome evaluation on SafeCare, to test their modeling, as

they have the largest sample size and data that is already cleaned. The evaluation

on SafeCare AR produced promising results. The evaluation occurred over a four-

year span. Participants increased knowledge of child health and observed parent-

child interaction behaviors, and child safety hazards fell sharply after completion

of SafeCare. The FCT review process has been started with the collection of

data. Triple P will be the next evaluation to give time for a larger number of families

to have gone through the program.

• Youth Advisory Board: Youth served by the foster care system provide

representation on the Arkansas Youth Advisory Board (YAB). The YAB provides

peer-to-peer support for other youth in care; develops training / workshops /

conferences for transition aged youth; and provides guidance to DCFS staff on

behalf of transition aged youth as it relates to policy, programs, and normalcy. This

includes informing the YAB about the Division’s progress as it relates to its

numerous federal plans such as the Child and Family Services Review (CFSR)

Program Improvement Plan (PIP), the National Youth in Transition Database

(NYTD) PIP, and the Child and Family Services Plan (CFSP) goals, objectives,

and interventions and allowing the youth to ask questions and make

recommendations about these plans.

The Youth Advisory Board is the voice of the rest of the youth in foster care

throughout the state of Arkansas. A monthly meeting is held to discuss issues that

may happen in their areas. Throughout this reporting, YAB has primarily met in

person though the January and February meetings were held virtually due to the

high number of COVID cases at the time.

Life skills classes are held each month in each area to give the youth that are not

a part of the Youth Advisory Board a chance to express what is happening in their

area/placement at the time. Typically, each area holds a night that is specifically

for the YAB member of that area to speak to the youth and the youth speaks back

to them about different issues. From there, the YAB member should bring that

issue to the state YAB meeting held in Little Rock and discuss ways to help/or

come up with a solution to the problem. That said, this process is not always

seamless depending on the the YAB member’s attendance, or lack thereof, at the

local Life Skills classes.

The YAB is incorporated in planning, policy initiatives, and other program

development efforts such as the roll out of Safety Organized Practice. Most

recently, the YAB has helped to update the Division’s policy regarding its Driving

Program for youth in foster care.

DCFS plans to continue to build upon its community partnerships and strengthen the

service array necessary to meet the needs of its population for individualized and

community-based services and supports focused on safety, permanency, and well-being.

As in the past, DCFS recognizes that in order to have a true child and family services

continuum, one entity cannot be responsible for meeting the needs of children and

families. Rather, it is through true collaboration and partnerships that the Division

coordinates and integrates into other services to prevent child abuse and neglect and

achieve positive outcomes for children and families who are within the child welfare

system.

Arkansas has also continued to work toward substantial, meaningful and ongoing

collaboration with state courts and members of the legal and judicial community, including

the Court Improvement Program in the development and implementation of the

CFSP/APSR. Most recently, collaborative initiatives with legal stakeholders and

community partners have included efforts related to Public Knowledge’s Family Integrity

and Justice Works efforts in Pulaski County such as Family Integrity Meetings, an

envisioning session, and other one-on-one meetings.

As referenced in the bullet point above associated with CIP, the Assistant Director of

Infrastructure and Specialized Programs and CIP Coordinator met on a quarterly basis

during this reporting period to provide updates on each agencies’ initiatives, discuss

common PIP activities and strategies, and how more coordination could occur.

Other examples of collaboration and communication include:

• Continued sharing of monthly DCFS data charts with leadership of the different

programs under the Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts is a “oneshare”

message that allows the DCFS Director to send these charts and any other

information directly to juvenile judges in the state.

• Regular communication via email, phone calls, and meetings with the leadership

teams of DCFS, ACPC, the Attorney Ad Litem Program, CASA, the DHS Office

of Chief Counsel, and juvenile judges regarding the agencies’ initiatives as well

as addressing case specific issues.

• Mutual participation in the respective annual conferences and/or meetings of

each group listed above to discuss hot topics, share best practice guides

developed as part of the agency’s PIP, and provide general question/answer

sessions to gain a better understanding of each group’s initiatives, processes,

and values.

Arkansas believes that parent, family, and youth voice is critical to understanding how

well the child welfare system is achieving its goals. Ways in which families, children,

youth, courts and other partners were involved in or otherwise made aware of DCFS

initiatives and progress included presentations to or other forms of communication

sharing with the Parent Advisory Council, Youth Advisory Board, and a variety of regular

stakeholder meetings on applicable topics. This ranges from the various components of

Safety Organized Practice to the Division’s Every Day Counts campaign which is

described later in this report.

CHILD WELFARE PROGRAMS SUPPORTING SERVICES IN THE FIELD

While collaboration with families, youth, the court system, and other outside stakeholders

is critical to advancing the work of the child welfare system, the internal operations of

DCFS of course play a key role in implementing, assessing, and enhancing programs

and other activities designed to move the child welfare system forward. Below is a

summary of the DCFS child welfare programs supporting services in the field, including

updates, where applicable, from the summary included in the 2020-2024 CFSP:

• Differential Response: Differential Response (DR) is a family engagement

approach that allows the Division to respond to reports of specific, low risk

allegations of child maltreatment with a Family Assessment (FA) rather than the

traditional investigative response. The goals of Differential Response are to

prevent removal from the home and strengthen the families involved. As with

investigations, Differential Response is initiated through accepted Child Abuse

Hotline reports and focuses on the safety and well-being of the child and promotes

permanency. Having two different response options in the child welfare system

recognizes that there are variations in the severity of the reported maltreatment

and allows for a Differential Response or an investigation, whichever is most

appropriate, to respond to reports of child neglect.

• Child Protective Services: The goal of this unit is to oversee child maltreatment

investigations as a program and improve risk and safety assessments as well as

ensure that services are provided as needed to families throughout the course of

an investigation. Removal Consultations continued throughout this reporting

period. Removal Consultations are conducted by the Area Program Administrator

within twenty-four hours of the removal. A standardized review tool to help ensure

consistency in the reviews and ultimately consistency in decision making that

prioritizes safety when engaging with families. In addition, the review process is

designed to help the worker to write the affidavit and to prepare for testimony in

court regarding the immediate danger and reason for removal. These reviews are

based upon the value that removal decisions are never driven by anything except

answering “yes” to the following question, “Is this action necessary to protect the

health or physical well-being of the child from immediate danger?”

• In-Home Services: When an investigation is determined to be true, DCFS opens

an in-home (a.k.a. protective services) case and works with the child(ren) and

family in the home in an effort to prevent child(ren) from entering foster care. The

In-Home Services Unit currently consists of two staff members, an In-Home

Manager and a Family Service Worker Specialist. The FSW Specialist is

responsible for reviewing in-home cases as well as shadowing and coaching in-

home services field staff throughout the state in an effort to improve the quality of

services offered through these cases and, in turn, ensure that children can safely

remain in their homes. The In-Home Services Unit is also responsible for creating

a sense of urgency around safely reunifying families and, when families do achieve

reunification, ensuring that adequate supports are in place to help the family with

the initial transition and prevent maltreatment from reoccurring.

The In-Home Services Unit also maintains primary responsibility for the agency’s

IV-E Prevention Program and monitoring the various services under its IV-E

Prevention Program such as Intensive In-Home Services, SafeCare, and Triple P.

Permanency Safety Consultations continue to be held at three, six, and nine

months of a child’s placement in foster care provided reunification remains the

case plan goal with a person working as extra help wit the In-Home Services Unit

providing some technical assistance and monitoring of PSCs. During this reporting

period, Public Knowledge, a national consulting firm that includes child welfare

specialists, provided its findings following their work with Program Administrators

across the state in identifying key behaviors linked to successful PSCs.

• Central Registry and Notifications Unit: The Central Registry Unit processes all

Child Maltreatment Central Registry Checks for the State of Arkansas. The

Notifications Unit serves as the point of contact to run all Arkansas Crime

Information Center (state background checks) and National Crime Information

Center (non-state/FBI background checks) for Division staff and provider

applicants/renewals. During this reporting period, the Child Maltreatment Central

Registry Checks shifted to an online platform. In July 2021, DCFS ceased

accepting paper requests for the checks, which has decreased the turn-around

time for receiving Child Maltreatment Central Registry check results – checks are

on average now returned on the same business day.

The Notification Unit ensures all appropriate notices are provided to clients

regarding investigative findings and appeal decisions.

DCFS has implemented the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act that

outlines procedures for conducting criminal background checks of prospective

foster care and adoptive parents. DCFS policy outlines procedures for child abuse

neglect registry for prospective foster and adoptive parents as well as adult

members of their household.

DCFS continues to comply with FBI standards as it relates to securing, storing,

and disseminating FBI checks. This includes a required online training for anyone

who handles background checks before that staff member completes any job

duties associated with background check processing.

• Mental Health and Treatment Services: This office provides technical assistance

to the local field staff in ensuring quality behavioral health and substance abuse

treatment services to clients, diverting acute psychiatric placements when

appropriate, and collaborating with other community partners to prevent

inappropriate diagnoses for children served by the Division of Children and Family

Services. This office also oversees the Qualified Residential Treatment Programs

in the state and has a team of clinicians who collaborate with QRTP providers and

acute and sub-acute psychiatric providers as well as local DCFS staff to ensure a

well-planned and seamless discharge process for youth from these settings to a

lower-level of care.

• Arkansas’s Recruitment of Foster and Adoptive Homes): Arkansas Division of

Children and Family Services has continued to implement targeted recruitment

strategies statewide. Each of the ten (10) geographical areas in DCFS has

developed a recruitment and retention plan specific for the needs of that area.

These plans are currently being monitored by the Centralized Inquiry Unit’s

Program Manager. The plans are updated bi-annually (every six months). The

recruitment and retention plans utilizes data from the Adhoc report which identifies

the following:

o The number of foster children in each area by age

o The number of foster children in each area by gender

o The number of foster children in each area by race

o The number of approved foster homes in each area by race

o The number of approved pre-adoptive families in each area by race

o The bed-to-child ratio by area

This data helps to identify the need for specific foster home based on the

demographics of the foster children in that particular area. Specific tasks are

developed to recruit the desired type of foster homes needed. These plans also

identify common barriers/issues reported by approved foster families. Tasks are

developed to, hopefully, remedy the reported issues in effort to retain foster

parents. The Community Engagement Specialist and Resource Supervisors takes

leads on ensuring these tasks are completed by the identified target date.

• Transitional Youth Services: Each child in DHS/DCFS custody, age fourteen or

older, in care for 30 days or more is provided with opportunities for instruction for

development of basic life skills. Each child, beginning at 14 is assessed every six

(6) months to determine the progress in acquiring basic life skills as well as

planning for transition to adulthood until age 18 or as competency is achieved in

the assessment score (90% or above). Services identified in the assessment to

help the child achieve independence are provided directly by staff, resource

parents or placement staff, through contract or through arrangement by staff. The

Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood provides

services to youth in foster care that are often unavailable or unfunded through

other program funds such as Title IV-E-Foster Care. Services provided are those

supports and services that will enhance the likely of a transition to a successful

adulthood. Chafee also serves those youth adopted after age 16 and youth who

are eligible for the Subsidized Guardianship. Chafee also provides services to

youth leaving care after age 18 through after care support.

• Planning: The Planning Unit is responsible for broad base programmatic planning

for the Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) of the child welfare system.

Activities may include the assessment of effectiveness of any program, procedure,

or process related to ensuring the safety, permanency, and well-being of children

in the child welfare system. There is a focus on strategic planning and utilization

of implementation science for sustaining best practices. This unit is responsible for

the data collection and reporting on the Child and Family Services Plan, CAPTA,

and IV-E state plans. It is also responsible for implementation oversight and

reporting of any Program Improvement Plan development as a result of a Child

and Family Services Review or other federal review, such as the Onsite Federal

National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD) Review.

• Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI): The Service Quality and Practice

Improvement Unit (SQPI) is responsible for DCFS’ case review process, Quality

Services Peer Reviews. QSPRs are monitoring tools used to evaluate the quality

of the child welfare system in Arkansas. The QSPR process utilizes the federal

Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) onsite review instrument and, as such,

also focuses on safety, permanency, and well-being outcomes for children and

families. The SQPI Unit employs an annual two-pronged process for conducting

QSPRs in each service area. The first part of the review process involves formal

case reviews; including evaluations of the Children’s Reporting Information

System (CHRIS) records and physical case files as well as interviews with

individuals pertinent to the cases. Following each review, a report is generated to

convey the results and identify successes as well as areas needing improvement.

Each Area is encouraged to develop a practice improvement plan relating to the

two issues on which the Area scored lowest, unless the Area passed all issues. .

Each year two counties are selected in each area to participate in the QSPR

process, with different counties selected in subsequent years until every county

has a chance to participate. Ten additional cases are reviewed in each service

area, five in each of the additional counties. CQI/QA staff finds it helpful and

attends legislative update trainings when they are offered by the Division. They

also have trained another representative (who does the CQI supplemental

reviews) so she can step in and help with the QSPR reviews if needed.

• Policy: The DCFS Policy Unit has responsibility for developing, revising,

promulgating, and distributing DCFS policies, procedures, publications and forms.

Various federal and state laws govern DCFS which requires the monitoring,

updating, and developing rules and regulations to maintain compliance with these

laws. The Policy Unit also ensures that all field staff receive training on new and

revised laws that go into effect as a result of legislative sessions.

During this reporting period, the Policy Unit continued to work on policies and other

guidance related to the Division’s continued implementation of Safety Organized

Practice as well as promulgating rules related to Acts passed during the 93

General Assembly, Regular Session 2021. The Policy Unit also finalized updates

to the Resource Parent Handbook during this reporting period.

• Professional Development: The Professional Development Unit (PDU) develops

and monitors the contracts with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock

MidSOUTH Academy and Academic Partnership in Public Child Welfare to ensure

DCFS staff members receive training necessary to perform their job

responsibilities. PDU also monitors a variety of continuing education training

opportunities offered through the IV-E Partnership and other entities that are

designed to enhance staff skill sets and improve practice with children and families.

The PDU Manager also maintains and updates the training plan required as a part

of IV-E and IV-B. This unit also processes all training-related travel statewide and

oversees the DCFS Internship Program, including IV-E stipend students.

During this reporting period, PDU was closely involved with the National Child

Welfare Workforce Institute’s (NCWWI) Workforce Excellence site in Arkansas.

This is a five-year grant project funded by the federal NCWWI to support DCFS

and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in efforts to transform the child welfare

workforce. PDU is lead on the University Partnership sub-committee which

provides substantial stipends students earning their degree in social work in

exchange for committing to continuing to work for the agency for at least a year for

each educational stipend received.

• Specialized Placement: The Specialized Placement Unit monitors contracts for

therapeutic foster care, developmental disabilities placement providers, and

emergency shelters. This unit assists staff in finding placements for hard-to-place

youth and also offers coaching and technical assistance in this regard.

• Specialized Services: The Specialized Services Unit assists field staff with DDS

Waiver, Human Development Center, and Office of Public Guardian application

packets and other supports to clients affected with developmental disabilities. The

Specialized Services Unit is also responsible for assisting field staff with referrals

to the Adolescent Sexual Adjustment Program (ASAP). The Arkansas Sexual

Adjustment Project (ASAP) is a specialty treatment program within the Family

Treatment Program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences for treatment of

children and adolescents with sexual behavior disorders. It is unique in Arkansas in its

specialization in abuse-focused treatment and management of within-family child

sexual abuse. During this reporting period the Specialized Services Unit also started

Oversight of Private Licensed Placement Agencies/Specialized Private Licensed

Placement Agencies and monitoring their compliance with licensing – there are at

minimum quarterly meetings with each provider. They also started hosting quarterly

meetings with community partnerships that are working directly with recruitment and

resource parent support. These two roles were previously within the Foster Care Unit.

• Foster Care Services: The Division cares for children who cannot remain in

their biological/legal parents’ homes by locating temporary placements in least

restrictive environments, usually approved resource homes. These children, who

are usually removed from their families due to alleged abuse or neglect, are

cared for while biological families complete the steps put into place by the courts

to bring their children home. Plans are immediately put in place for the children,

including reunification with biological parents, placement with relatives or

significant people in their lives, adoption, and/or other permanent living

arrangements. Permanency is paramount to these plans. The Division works with

the families to offer all services in conjunction with court orders in order to reunify

the family and place the child back in their home.

The Foster Care Unit is also responsible for supporting resource parents. This

includes processing resource parent travel reimbursements and ensuring regular

communication with resource parents regarding various Division initiatives.

The Foster Care Unit is overseen by the Foster Care Manager. In addition to the

efforts and activities above the Foster Care Unit is also responsible for:

o Board payments

o Foster and Adoptive Parent Portal – handle all registrations and log in

issues

o Response to resource parent requests and complaints and processing

resource parent and volunteer travel

o Consistent communication and connection to the resource parents

including least bi-weekly emails to resource parents about various topics.

o Oversight of the Resource Parent Training Contract – annual meetings with

each provider.

o Continued monitoring of relative placements and ensuring that children and

youth are being placed with relatives at removal (monitored by the Kinship

Connect Program Manager).

o Processing, approving, and monitoring of the Volunteer Program (as whole)

o Collaboration with Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education

(DCCECE) to continue to promote the message of children being in Head

Start or ABC programs.

o Oversight of the PACE evaluation contract and home study contract.

o Supporting the Health Service Workers located in the field offices.

The Resource Parent Support Specialist position is a part of the foster care unit

and assist to determine continued ways that Central Office can both support

resource parents and build continued relationships at the local level. The

Resource Parent Support Specialist’s primary role is to support and assist

resource parents across the state in areas such as foster care board payments,

travel reimbursement, questions about policy, continuing education opportunities

for foster parents, resource home approval inquiries, and foster and adoptive

provider portal questions.

During this reporting period DCFS collaborated with stakeholders to assist in

supporting our resource parents and bring awareness and promote foster care

initiatives including:

HOPE Conference: The HOPE Conference is a two-day conference that provides

continuing education and learning to resource parents. It is a collaboration of three

organizations, Immerse Families, the CALL, and Project Zero. The HOPE

Conference was held in person on March 4

and virtually on March 5th, 2022.

DCFS hosted a breakout session called ‘Navigating DCFS’ – this was a 1-hour in-

person training session conducted by Foster Care Manager and Assistant Director

of Placement Support and Community Outreach.

Walk for the Waiting: Is an annual walk that is held to raise funds for three Central

Arkansas Organizations; Immerse Arkansas, the CALL, and Project Zero. Each

organization plays a different role in the child welfare system. This year’s Walk for

the Waiting was held in-person on May 1, 2022.

• Adoptions: All children have a right to a safe, permanent family. The Division of

Children and Family Services develops and implements permanency plans for

children. One option is to terminate parental rights to a child for adoptive

placement, when it has been determined that reunification with the family is not a

viable option. The court may consider a petition to terminate parental rights

(TPR) if the court finds that there is an appropriate permanency placement plan

for the child. It is not required that a permanency planning hearing be held as a

prerequisite to the filing of a petition to terminate parental rights, or as a

prerequisite to the court considering a petition to terminate parental rights.

Recruitment

As of June 2022, there are approximately 289 children in Arkansas who have no

permanent family to give them the stability, safety, and commitment they

deserve. That is why Arkansas created the Arkansas Heart Gallery, partnered

with Project Zero, our local ABC affiliate, KATV, and other community partners to

recruit homes for specific waiting children. The emphasis is on placing children in

foster care in the most appropriate and loving adoptive homes that best meet the

needs of the child/children.

Project Zero also puts on matching events with two of their biggest being Disney

Extravaganza and Candyland Christmas. In previous years, these events have

taken place in person; however, due to COVID-19, these events have been

reimagined to become virtual matching events and a time to give hope to waiting

children. On June 4, 2022, the first in-person matching event since the beginning

of COVID-19 pandemic occurred in Little Rock—Disney Extravaganza. Each of

these recruitment activities are encouraging to waiting families and children.

Project Zero and DCFS have partnered together with Zooming for Zero early

during the pandemic; however, it was determined that it is time to move back

toward in person events. In 2021, 151 children were matched with their forever

family because of the partnership with Project Zero!

Although DCFS Adoptions partners with faith-based partners such as The CALL

and others for recruitment of foster and adoptive parents for our waiting children

and Project Zero for raising awareness about adoption, there are protocols in

place to refer individuals to DCFS to learn about the Division’s recruitment,

application, and approval process for foster and/or adoptive homes when the

family does not meet the requirements of the faith-based partners.

Arkansas Mutual Voluntary Adoption Registry

The Arkansas Mutual Voluntary Adoption Registry is also operated by the

Adoption Unit Each licensed adoption agency in Arkansas is allowed by law to

establish an adoption registry. Qualified persons may register to be identified to

each other or to receive non-identifying information about the genetic, health, and

social history of adoptees placed by their agency.

Post-Adoption Services

Adoption is a major life event for families and affects them in many ways. Most

adoptions are successful and endure. However, DCFS is aware that adoptive

families may experience challenges after an adoption is final and may need

support.

Support is key to achieving the goal of finding permanent, safe, stable, committed,

and loving families for children. Parents need information that will strengthen their

families and enable them to handle the challenges of adoptive parenting. These

post-adoptive services are also available to support the families of children

adopted from other countries.

DCFS provides assistance for adoptive families facing challenges, including:

o Adoption Subsidies & Medicaid, if eligible

o Information & Referrals to Services

o Adoption Education & Training

o Respite Care

o Therapeutic Counseling

o Mental health services (in-home and out-of-home)

o Crisis Intervention Services

o Case Management

o Arkansas Mutual Consent Voluntary Adoption Registry

In addition, the Adoption Manager participates in team meetings involving families

at risk of having a disrupted or dissolved adoption.

Arkansas Adoption Program will continue to invest resources in the following

activities:

o Partnership with KARK to begin “Wednesday’s Child.” This segment

features a waiting child or sibling group that are in need of a forever family.

o Seek other partnerships and opportunities to recruit families for children

within the target population.

o Provide respite and expand for post adoption services.

o Continue to work closely with Project Zero and expand the partnership with

new ideas.

o Explore ways to continue to strengthen post-adoption services.

o Assist with other services either not covered by Medicaid or for children who

do not receive Medicaid and are permitted under Titles IV-E and IV-B.

As of June 2022, 895 adoptions were finalized for children during SFY 2021. The

Adoption Unit also manages the Subsidized Guardianship Program. It is for

children for whom a permanency goal of guardianship with a relative or fictive kin

has been established that the Division offers a federal (title IV-E) Subsidized

Guardianship Program to further promote permanency for those children (provided

subsidized guardianship eligibility criteria are met). Any non-IV-E eligible child may

enter into a subsidized guardianship supported by Arkansas State General

Revenue if the Department determines that adequate funding is available, and all

other Subsidized Guardianship Program criteria are met. The monthly subsidized

guardianship payment is used to help relative or Fictive Kin guardian(s) defray

some costs of caring for the child’s needs.

During permanency planning staffings guardianship should be explored as a

potential permanency option. If it is determined at the permanency planning

hearing that a guardianship arrangement with relatives or Fictive Kin is in the

child’s best interest and the child’s permanency goal is changed to legal

guardianship, the Division shall then determine if a specific guardianship

arrangement may be supported by a subsidy through the Division’s Subsidized

Guardianship Program. Only relative or fictive kin guardians may apply for a

guardianship subsidy. Relative is defined as a person within the fifth degree of

kinship by virtue of blood or adoption (A.C.A. § 9-28-108). The fifth degree is

calculated according to the child.

Arkansas has approved one hundred and twenty (120) children receiving a

subsidy of Subsidized Guardianships during SFY 2021. In total, Arkansas

currently has two hundred seven (207) open Subsidized Guardianship cases that

include three hundred sixty-one (361) children. The Permanency Specialist

reviews each referral closely for the documentation, conducts a case review, and

a consultation with the worker/supervisor. The challenge in regard to these

referrals is assuring that the documentation that clearly reflects the ruling out of

reunification and adoption is clear.

UPDATE TO ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT PERFORMANCE

The Arkansas Department of Human Services, Division of Children and Family Services

(DCFS) utilizes the Quality Services Peer Review (QSPR) process as a principal

component of its Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) system. Arkansas currently

utilizes the Quality Services Peer Reviews (QSPR) as a central component of its CQI

processes. QSPRs are monitoring tools used to evaluate Arkansas’ child welfare system.

that mirror the onsite Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) methods. The Service

Quality and Practice Improvement (SQPI) Unit employs an ongoing, two-pronged annual

process for conducting QSPRs in each of the Division’s ten geographical service areas.

A random sample of twenty cases is drawn from each Area prior to the beginning of the

reviews. An additional ten cases are reviewed as a part of the CQI portion to provide a

larger sample size. The manager then assigns a relatively equal proportion of cases to

each of the reviewers. The review process begins with an evaluation of the records

contained in the Children’s Reporting and Information System (CHRIS), Arkansas’s

SACWIS. The reviewers travel to the county offices for an onsite review. During the onsite

review, the physical case files are reviewed and individuals pertinent to the cases are

interviewed, e.g., children, parents, foster parents, ad litems, etc. The quality assurance

reviewer’s write-up their findings which is reviewed, and two levels of QA are conducted.

When scores are not sufficiently well documented, staff are required to produce additional

justifications for their scores. The intent is to ensure inter-rater reliability and fidelity to the

process/protocol.

The findings are compiled, and a report is generated to convey the results. The manager

of the SQPI Unit and the Program Administrator for Planning and Practice present the

findings of the Area’s QSPR results to the corresponding Area Director and Supervisors.

The purpose of the presentation is to discuss the findings and particular strengths, needs

and areas needing improvement. Arkansas is currently conducting its fifth annual case

review since the Round 3 CFSR utilizing an approved methodology change; this SFY

2022 QSPR review began in September 2021 and will conclude in September 2022.

Therefore, the SFY 2022 QSPR data as reported herein represents the straight averages

of the combined scores from all ten services areas. This data reflects 200 total case

reviews (120foster care cases and 80 in-home cases) conducted between September

2021 and September 2022.

It is critical that the assessment below also be read with the recognition that over the last

year – which will include at least portions of the periods under review for the QSPRs to

date – while the number of children in foster care has decreased by approximately 230

children with just over 4,500 children in care statewide, the state continues to struggle

with staff turnover and a placement crisis as the pandemic has impacted resource home

recruitment and many other placement providers are struggling to hire and retain staff.

Please see APSR Attachment A: State Profile May 2022, page 2 for more information

regarding number of children in foster care. Please see APSR Attachment A: DCFS Staff

Turnover Charts for more information regarding recent turnover rates.

A. SAFETY

SAFETY OUTCOME 1

SFY

2022

QSPR

SFY

2021

QSPR

SFY

2020

QSPR

SFY

2019

QSPR

Round

3 CFSR

Safety 1: Children are first and foremost

protected from abuse and neglect (N = SFY

2022)

87%

74%

88%

87%

69%

ITEM 1: Timeliness of investigations (N=78)

87%

74%

88%

87%

69%

Timeliness of Initiating Investigations (Item 1)

Reports of abuse and/or neglect were received during the twelve-month period under

review in 109 of the cases reviewed during the SFY 2022 QSPR. Caseworkers initiated

the investigations within the State mandated timeframes in 87 percent of these cases, a

13 percentage point increase from the SFY 2021 QSPR, and an 18 percentage point

increase from the Round 3 CFSR. Of the ten service areas reviewed for the SFY 2022

QSPR, only Area 2 has achieved substantial conformity with the initiation measure,

although Areas 3, 4, 5, 8, 9 and 10 initiated investigations timely in all but one of the

applicable cases reviewed in the area. Area 6 had the most difficulty, initiating

investigations timely in 77% of the applicable cases reviewed for the SFY 2022 QSPR.

During this review period Arkansas also continued to monitor timely initiations of

investigations through SafeMeasures dashboard. There was a slight decrease in timely

initiation from the previous year of 3%, which can be attributed to the turnover in field

staff. Area’s 2 and 9 had the highest rate of timely initiations with 88%. Not surprisingly,

Area 6 had the lowest rate of timely initiations with 58%.

*Data pulled from SafeMeasures

In addition to the timeliness of referral initiation, DCFS also closely monitors the extent to

which child maltreatment investigations are closed within mandated timeframes (within

45 days of receipt of the report). The following chart (Timely vs. Untimely Investigation

Closures) demonstrates the number of overdue investigations in Arkansas, by month, for

the period of May 2021 to May 2022.

*Data pulled from SafeMeasures

Initiated Timely

71%

Initiated Untimely,

29%

INVESTIGATIONS INITIATED TIMELY VS. UNTIMELY

MAY 2021 TO MAY 2022

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

Timely Closure Untimely Closure

Timely vs. Untimely Investigation Closures

2021 May 2021 June 2021 July 2021 August 2021 September

2021 October 2021 November 2021 December 2022 January 2022 February

2022 March 2022 April 2022 May

The number of overdue investigations varied throughout the year, however the highest

number of untimely closures occurred in July 2021. Due to the high number of overdue

investigations and lack of staff in Area 6, Central Office staff were assigned overdue

investigations to complete. As with the untimely initiations, the overdue closures can also

be attributed to the staff turnover rates.

Recurrence of Maltreatment

Arkansas’s Round 3 CFSR Data Profile from February 2022 provides that the state’s

performance surrounding repeat maltreatment – utilizing the risk standardized

performance (RSP) interval – continues to be no different statistically than national

performance, though it did increase slightly from 9.0% in FY18-19 to 9.4% of children who

were victims of another substantiated or indicated maltreatment report within twelve

months in FY 19-20.

The Division’s Quarterly Performance Reports and Annual Report Cards also consistently

track Arkansas’s performance with regard to preventing repeat maltreatment, specifically

abuse/neglect which occurs within six and twelve months of a founded maltreatment

referral. In SFY 2021, four percent of the victim children involved in true investigations

experienced a recurrence of maltreatment within six months as compared to five percent

of children in SFY 2020 who experienced a recurrence of maltreatment withing six

months. Meanwhile, in SFY 2021 seven percent of children experienced a recurrence of

maltreatment within twelve months as compared to eight percent of children in SFY 2020

who experienced a recurrence of maltreatment within twelve months. The more recent

data from the Division that shows decreases in the rate of recurrence of maltreatment

indicates overall progress regarding this indicator.

DCFS believes that one of the primary purposes of its interventions with children and

families is to prevent future harm for children who have already experienced

maltreatment. The Division recognizes the negative consequences associated with

multiple episodes of abuse and neglect and continues to work to prevent the recurrence

of maltreatment by adequately engaging children and families in assessing risk and safety

and implementing services and supports to mitigate identified threats and strengthen

parental capacity. One of the strategies the Division has implemented in the recent past

is using alternate funding streams (i.e., non-IV-E) to support Intensive In Home Services

for families who have recently reunified.

Safety Outcome 2

SFY

2022

QSPR

SFY

2021

QSPR

SFY

2020

QSPR

SFY

2019

QSPR

Round

3 CFSR

Safety 2: Children are safely maintained in their

homes whenever possible and appropriate (N =

SFY 2022)

61%

75%

82%

83%

60%

Item 2: Services to Prevent Removal (N=88)

83%

82%

91%

94%

55%

Item 3: Risk and Safety Assessment and

Management (N=200)

61%

79%

83%

61%

Services to Prevent Removal (Item 2)

DCFS provided the necessary services to prevent children from entering foster care in 83

percent of the applicable cases reviewed to date during the SFY 2022 QSPR. Although

performance on this measure during the SFY 2022 QSPR has only increased by a single

percentage point from the SFY21 QSPR, it remains significantly improved from the Round

3 CFSR with an increase of 28 percentage points. Areas 2, 4, and 8 where wholly

successful on this safety-related measure during the SFY 2022 QSPR.

Assessing and Addressing Risk and Safety Concerns (Item 3)

During SFY 2022, sufficient efforts were not made to assess and address risk and safety

concerns for children receiving services in 39 percent of the reviewed cases. The deficient

ratings once again largely stemmed from problems with conducting ongoing assessments

of risk and safety and with safety management due to sparse caseworker visitation with

families, largely due to ongoing staff turnover, as previously identified through root cause

analysis of case review data from the SFY 2019, SFY 2020 and SFY 2021 QSPRs.

Arkansas stresses the importance of caseworker visits; it is required by policy, and it is

discussed periodically on the DCFS All Zoom meetings. If an FSW or FSW Supervisor is

not available to complete a home visit, Program Assistants have been utilized to ensure

the safety of the children in the home. It would also be possible for staff to conduct a

FaceTime visit as well if staff were not available to go out to the home on a given month,

but this option is only used in extreme circumstances such as one the child actively sick

with COVID or quarantined as a precaution related to COVID exposure or the office with

staff that would typically visit the children is all quarantined due to COVID. As noted in the

monthly caseworker visit section update, the Areas develop plans to increase monthly

caseworker visits and the plans are monitored by the Assistant Director of Community

Services. The Annual Report Card for SFY 2021 notes that caseworker visits with the

child rate was 82% whereas it was 90% when calculated based on a a visit occurring

with any DCFS staff (e.g., also counting Program Assistants).

DCFS has implemented several strategies to reduce staff turnover rates during this

reporting period. Some strategies include but are not limited to: Program Assistant base

pay increase, on call pay differential implemented for both FSWs and supervisors,

elimination of the compensation time accrual bank so that staff are paid overtime within

a pay period, establishment of an FSW Career Ladder, and FSW on-call schedule

reduced from 7-day on call rotation to a 2-day on-call schedule. Arkansas tracks the

turnover rates and is hopeful that the new strategies will reduce the turnover rate across

the state.

Regardless of whether children remain in the family home or enter foster care, DCFS is

required to assess and address risk and safety concerns for children receiving services,

and the SFY 2022 QSPR noted Arkansas failed to maintain previous performance gains

in foster care and in-home services cases reviewed. The identified root cause from

analysis of case review data is also lack of consistent caseworker visitation with families

due to ongoing staffing issues. The State’s performance on this item decreased by 18

percentage points from the SFY 2021 QSPR and 22 percentage points from both the SFY

2020 and 2019 QSPRs. Performance was, however, maintained from the Round 3 CFSR,

and ongoing efforts toward staff retention and performance improvement continue to be

made at both the state and area level. It was noted anecdotally during the SFY 2022

QSPR that smaller counties within a service area often assisted with conducting monthly

placement and home visits for understaffed counties, or even transferred the in-home

cases to a county with fewer vacant positions to ensure children’s safety was assessed

monthly. No area has achieved a strength rating on the safety-related measure, during

the SFY 2022 QSPR, and only Area 4 has made successful efforts to assess and address

risk and safety concerns for children in more than three-quarters of the cases reviewed.

Area 6 struggled the most, making successful efforts to manage risk and safety in just

one-quarter of the reviewed cases, which is not surprising given the significant staffing

issues in the area.

PERMANENCY OUTCOME 1

SFY

2022

QSPR

SFY

2021

QSPR

SFY

2020

QSPR

SFY

2019

QSPR

Round

CFSR

Permanency 1: Children have permanency and stability in

their living situations

(N= SFY 2022)

48%

43%

53%

48%

36%

Item 4: Stability of Foster Care Placement (N=120)

89%

73%

70%

Item 5: Permanency Goal for Child (N=120)

81%

76%

84%

79%

64%

Item 6: Achieving Reunification, Guardianship, Adoption

or APPLA (N=120)

67%

69%

79%

77%

58%

Placement Stability (Item 4)

Children are considered to experience stability if their current placement (or last

placement before exiting care) is stable and any moves they have made during the

twelve-month period under review have been planned and designed either to achieve

case goals or better meet their needs. The SFY 2022 QSPR saw the State increase

performance in placement stability from the SFY 2021, SFY 2020 and 2019 QSPRs by

five percentage points. This represents an eight-percentage point increase from the

Round 3 CFSR, reflecting the state’s ongoing efforts to recruit and retain foster parents.

Slightly less than one-quarter of the reviewed cases to date (22 percent) were rated as

deficient on this measure during the SFY 2022 QSPR. While a few (7 percent) of the

deficient cases were deficient only because the children’s current placement was not

stable (e.g., the use of temporary shelters), most of the deficiencies again resulted from

placement changes that were not planned by the agency. In these cases, children were

placed in accommodations not equipped to meet their needs or deal with their challenging

behaviors, or, as noted in one deficient case, because the placement provider was

discovered to be out of compliance with resource unit rules. Many requests for a

placement change came from the placement providers, and often workers did not make

efforts to stabilize the placement (offer respite or other suggestions to manage needs) for

fear of losing a resource family altogether; however, a continued increase in documented

efforts by caseworkers to stabilize placements has again been noted during the SFY 2022

QSPR and is reflected in improved performance.

No service area to date has attained substantial conformity for placement stability where

all twelve applicable cases were rated as a strength; however, Area 10 has come closest

with just one deficient case (92 percent). It should be noted, however, that the ongoing

COVID-19 public health emergency continues to impact performance on this measure as

unplanned placement changes in a few of the reviewed cases were due to foster parents’

health or concerns related to the pandemic, particularly in the late fall when Arkansas

experienced a surge of new cases due to the omicron variant. The SFY 2022 QSPR to

date saw Area 9 have the most difficulty with placement stability, making efforts to provide

placement stability in slightly more than half of the cases reviewed (58 percent).

February 2022 Round 3 CFSR Data Indicator: Placement Stability

Indicator

Performance

Status

Placement stability

6.15

4.44

Not Met

Arkansas’s issues with placement stability also bore out in the State’s updated February

2022 Round 3 CFSR Data Profile. The permanency indicator related to placement

stability showed a rate of 6.15 placement moves as of September 30, 2021, compared to

the national standard (NS) of 4.44 placement moves. It should be noted that the State’s

performance on this data indicator has improved from the February 2021 Data Profile.

Timely and Appropriate Permanency Goals (Item 5)

The permanency goals in 81 percent of the foster care cases reviewed during the SFY

2022 QSPR were appropriate and established on time. The State’s performance on this

measure demonstrated a five percentage point increase from the SFY 2021 QSPR and

a three percentage point decrease from the SFY 2020 QSPR, as well as a four-

percentage point increase from the SFY 2019 QSPR and a substantial 17 percentage

point performance increase from the Round 3 CFSR. Areas 3 and 5 have achieved

substantial conformity on this item during the SFY 2022 QSPR, successfully establishing

timely, appropriate permanency goals and/or timely filing a petition for termination of

parental rights or documenting an exception in all twelve cases reviewed (100 percent),

in each area. Both Areas 3 and 5 utilized permanency safety consults to discuss case

progression and concurrent planning in order to recommend goal changes during court

hearings. Areas 7 and 10 have had the most difficulty, both making successful efforts in

slightly more than two-thirds of cases reviewed (67 percent) with the majority of the

deficiencies due to leaving permanency goals in place that were no longer appropriate

for a child’s needs and/or failing to timely file a petition for termination of parental rights

when no exception existed.

Efforts to Achieve Permanency Goals (Item 6)

Appropriate legal and relational permanence should be achieved as timely as possible

once a child enters foster care. Insufficient efforts were made to achieve permanency

goals in one-third of the cases reviewed to date during SFY 2022 (33-percent). Although

the agency had difficulty making sufficient efforts to provide a living arrangement that

could be considered permanent for children with a goal of APPLA in two cases, the

biggest challenge during the SFY 2022 QSPR was achieving adoption in a timely manner,

whether the sole or concurrent permanency goal. Many of the deficiencies involved failure

to timely file a petition for termination of parental rights when there was no documented

exception and systemic issues such as multiple continuations of termination hearings

and/or a lengthy appeal process. In one specific instance, a new agency attorney

discovered after a year in care that the children had not been properly adjudicated,

requiring another 72-hour hold be taken and a second adjudication hearing be held. At

least two termination hearings were continued due to incarcerated parents not being

transported after requesting to be present for the hearing. While the use of permanency

safety consults and trainings for caseworkers on legal proceedings and testimony have

helped concurrent planning efforts as noted in the SFY 2022 QSPR, turnover among

agency attorneys and a lack of court preparation for caseworkers by attorneys to

advocate for goal changes may also be a factor.

Of the cases reviewed during the SFY 2022 QSPR to date, only Area 3 has achieved a

strength rating on this item, achieving timely permanency in 92 percent of reviewed cases.

Area 10 had the most difficulty on this item by failing to achieve timely permanency in

slightly more than two-thirds of its reviewed cases (67 percent); these deficiencies

primarily involved insufficient efforts to achieve timely adoption. Two cases were found

deficient due to a lack of Agency efforts to timely file petitions for termination of parental

rights. There were also systemic issues with delayed DNA testing for an incarcerated

father noted in Area 10.

This is also reflected in statewide data regarding discharges from foster care when

comparing discharges between SFY 2020 and SFY 2021as illustrated in the chart below.

Every Day Counts was launched in March 2021 because DCFS leadership recognized

the need for heightened attention to the safety and permanency of children in the foster

173

247

220

283

220

260

223

203

188

230

257

248

252

231

210

213

197

268

204

223

216

235

228

174

100

150

200

250

300

Discharges from Foster Care Statewide, by Month

March-February 2020 vs. 2021

2020 2021

care system, particularly given the challenge with discharges described above. Keeping

children safe is the core of everything that DCFS does but finding permanent homes for

children as quickly as possible is an equally important part of the Division’s work.

To that end, the Every Day Counts campaign focused on these two elements and part of

the messaging to staff and stakeholders was that every day at DCFS provides an

opportunity to be someone’s hero and provide needed assistance to families.

Every Day Counts concentrates on two forms of permanency: reunification and adoption.

On the reunification front, DCFS identified a group of cases to research and determine if

there are ways to move kids toward permanency more quickly. DCFS also reviewed

cases with the following characteristics:

• Child has been in care for at least ten (10) months with the goal of reunification.

• Child has had at least three (3) documented visits with their parents.

In addition, DCFS has been working with staff to provide several reminders and best

practices in order to achieve successful reunification.

Unfortunately, the Every Day Counts campaign has not seen the results on reunification

front that it would like to see. As illustrated on the graph below, the number of children in

foster between 15 to 24 months and in care longer than 24 months continues to have a

slow overall increase. That said, it is worth noting that both the Delta and Omicron variant

peaks impacted this work given how many staff were either unable to work due to a

COVID diagnosis or being quarantined as a result of exposure or lack of childcare related

to the pandemic. At its greatest impact, between staff vacancies, active COVID

diagnoses, or staff being quarantined at home due to exposures, DCFS staff statewide

was at approximately 50% capacity for a significant portion of January 2022.

On the adoption front, the Division set new goals around relative and foster parent

adoption as a part of Every Day Counts, as well as the selection of adoptive families.

DCFS also dug into certain adoption cases to identify ways to work together more

efficiently and finalize adoptions in a more timely manner. Key goals for both Relative

Adoption and Foster Parent Adoption are:

• Adoption will be finalized within three (3) months after Termination of Parental

Rights (TPR).

• If appeal is filed, adoption will be finalized within one (1) month after TPR appeal

mandate is issued.

As illustrated on the chart below, while the month of April did see an increase in the

amount of time for relative adoptions to finalize, overall progress has been made in

reaching the Division’s goal to shorten the length of time from TPR to adoption finalization

for relative and foster parent adoptions. Not only that, but Arkansas’s continued focus on

timely adoptions throughout 2022 has decreased the total time from TPR to finalization

by three months.

Children with a Goal of Reunification, Statewide

417

406

411

398

386

387

376

371

351

356

339

144

136

137

126

132

119

117

105

108

In Care 15 to 24 Months

In Care Longer than 24 Months

*The chart above represents the number of children with a goal of reunification at the end of each

month.

399

Key goals have also been established regarding selection of adoptive families. These

goals are:

• Adoption packets will be given to Adoption staff within three (3) days of

Permanency Planning Hearing (PPH).

• Adoptive family will be selected and a disclosure scheduled within thirty (30) days

after TPR.

As with reunification, DCFS is providing coaching regarding adoption best practices and

tips in order to help achieve the goals related to adoptions.

One of the Division’s adoption partners, Project Zero, joined DCFS in the Every Day

Counts campaign. After DCFS launched Every Day Counts, Project Zero took on the

challenge to give every waiting child a short film by the end of 2021. These short films

have been a critical piece to finding adoptive families for children in foster care.

November, National Adoption Month, closed out this campaign with the result of 149

adoptions finalized in November and December 2021 alone. Thirty-one of these

adoptions were “other adoptions,” meaning that Project Zero’s recruitment efforts were

paramount in finding and identifying those forever families. DCFS and its partners will

continue to work with urgency every day to ensure that every child has their safe, stable,

forever family, as quickly as possible.

9.9

14.9

11.2

14.8

5.7

10.4

8.6

11.8

9.6

10.9

8.8

9.9

7.1

8.5

20.3

6.7

8.7

11.4

6.9

6.8

12.9

7.2

6.6

8.6

8.7

9.5

6.4

5.9

7.3

8.2

8.3

5.6

4.5

25.6

23.5

18.6

6.3

21.3

12.1

15.4

13.4

20.9

8.4

9.2

LENGTH OF TIME FROM TPR TO ADOPTION

FINALIZATION (MONTHS), STATEWIDE

Total Adoptions Foster Parent Adoptions Relative Adoptions Other Adoptions

The February 2022 Round 3 CFSR Data Profile underscored Arkansas’s successful

efforts to move children to permanency. The State again met or exceeded the national

standard for discharging children in foster care to permanency within all three of the

twelve-month periods being examined for length of stay. While Arkansas’s efforts to move

children to permanency after 24 months or longer in care is one-tenth of a percentage

point shy of meeting the national standard, it is considered statistically no different than

national performance for the permanency indicator, but, as referenced above, the state

remains concerned about this population of “long-stayers” in foster care. This decrease

in efforts to achieve permanency for children in care for 24 months or longer is reflective

of the State’s renewed challenge in achieving timely adoptions noted in the SFY 2022

QSPR.

Below is the permanency goal breakdown of all children who were residing in foster care

as of 5/31/2022 and had been in care for at least two years.

February 2022 Round 3 CFSR Data Indicators: Permanency in 12 Months

Indicator

Performance

Status

Permanency in 12 months (entries)

45.2%

42.7%

Met

Permanency in 12 months (12-23 mos.)

52.1%

45.9%

Met

Permanency in 12 months (24+ mos.)

31.7%

31.8%

Met*

Permanency Goal

Adoption

683

63.653

APPLA

192

17.894

Reunify with parent or primary

Caretaker

134

12.488

Guardianship

3.355

Placement with relatives or fictive Kin

2.516

Not established

0.093

1,073

100.000

*Information pulled from CHRIS

With this in mind, the Division reinvigorated its Every Day Counts efforts beginning in April

2022. Specifically, the DCFS Director acknowledged that children should not grow up in

foster care, so that it is unfortunate, that there continues to be an increase in children in

care 24 months are longer and kids with a goal of reunification for more than 15

months. The fact that at the time there were over 300 kids on trial home placements and

100s of children waiting to finalize adoptions including kids placed with relatives was also

noted by the DCFS Director in her relaunch message to staff and stakeholders.

As a result, the DCFS Director announced that May-August 2022 would be the prime time

to diligently work to assess cases with supervisors and work collaboratively with parents,

OCC, parent counsel, AALs, judges, and community partners to move children home or

to permanency. The DCFS Director also informed staff and stakeholders that DCFS

leadership would share detailed data around the kids who are lingering in care and ask

them to dig in, take a close look, ask tough questions, go above and beyond, make a

plan, and work with a sense of urgency to move kids safely to permanency. Examples of

data shared included highlighting the standing Every Day Counts chart regarding children

in care for 24 months or longer that can be pulled for the area and county levels, and then

asking local leadership to take a closer look at those cases. Messaging also included

providing step-by-step instructions for how to access county-level data on CHRIS Net

such as children with the goal of reunification 15-24 months, children who entered care’s

first placement with relatives, and placement with relatives. It was noted that with school

out for the summer, transitions are typically easier and smoother. The DCFS Director

encouraged staff and stakeholders to look at the data, review cases closely, use the

Safety Organized Practice (SOP) tools to engage and thoroughly gather information, and

determine which cases could be focused on to safely discharge children from foster care.

DCFS then began sharing discharge numbers/percentages weekly and by area so that

staff and stakeholders can see who is focusing in and working to safely and

appropriately discharge children and youth from foster care. Weekly, the DCFS Director

celebrates successes, tracks progress, shares data, and provides best practices.

She has also given specific assignments at certain points to staff during this Every Day

Counts relaunch to help keep this effort at the top of everyone’s mind. For instance, on

April 29, 2022 every Family Service Worker who was assigned foster care or adoption

cases (caseworkers and adoption specialist) were asked to identify three to five of their

assigned cases with children who, with some additional effort, teamwork, and focus, could

achieve permanency and safely and successfully discharge from foster care in May, June,

July, or August. Staff were instructed to consult with their supervisor on this task and

Program Assistants were asked to support the work with information and input regarding

the families.

To complete this task, each FSW has to complete the Safety Organized Practice (SOP)

Three Column Map for each case. Under “What Are You Worried About?,” staff were to

include all barriers to permanency. Under “What Needs to Happen Next?,” staff had to

identify the specific tasks that they or others needed to complete to help move the children

or youth to permanency. Examples of such tasks were asking OCC for a sooner court

hearing, asking for clarification on Medicaid eligibility long term, finalizing adoption packet

(with specifics of what is needed and who is working on it), or calling a staffing to discuss

next steps. All County Supervisors were asked to collect and review the SOP Three

Column Maps and scan them into one document to send to their Area Director. Each Area

Director then reviewed and sent documents to Central Office for review.

Here is an excerpt from a DCFS All email highlighting the results of one areas efforts to

identify the three to five cases per foster care working and adoption specialists and the

subsequent actions and monitoring (full case numbers redacted by asterisks):

“I want to give a huge shout out to Area 9, they have continued to track and monitor

their chosen cases. Area Director Cyndi Rowlett provided an update, and I wanted to

brag and share the tracking that they have done on their cases. It is so exciting to see

the area focused and moving kids to permanency. Great work and leadership!

• 2*******Closed – with subsidized guardianship 6/13-maternal grandmother

• 2*******Father received custody on 6/1/22

• 2*******Closed- parents reunification 6/6/22

• 2*******Closed- Mother reunification 6/10/22

• 2*******Closed- Mother reunification 5/25

• 2*******Finalized adoption 5/16/22

• 2*******weekend visits started 6/26

• 2******* Subsidy packet submitted on 6/21/22

• 2*******THV started 6/21

• 2*******legal packet submitted 6/27/22

• 2*******subsidy packet submitted 6/14/22

• 2*******Court 7/13- will recommend custody to mom

• 2******* THV started 6/1/22

• 2*******Weekend visits starting 7/1

• 2*******Unsupervised visits started 6/24/22

• 2*******THV started 6/22/22

• 2*******submitted legal packet 6/27/22

• 2*******THV started 5/23/22

• 2*******adoption packet given to adoption unit on 6/10/22

• 2*******Subsidy requested on 6/8/22

• 2*******Legal packet submitted 6/15/22”

As another piece to the relaunch of Every Day Counts, the Division also wanted to be

sure to highlight the good work that is occurring around the state. To that end, each week

the DCFS Director features an “Every Day Hero” from a different area in the state on the

weekly DCFS All Zoom and a subsequent email and social media postings. Staff are

selected as an “Every Day Hero” based on FSW applications to request consideration for

an FSW Specialist position (after having been with the agency for three years) that must

include a letter from a community stakeholder such as a juvenile judge, parent counsel,

service provider, resource parent, or biological parent. Other staff have been selected

based off of annual performance evaluations in which they received a rating of a 4 or 5

meaning they were nominated as an exceptional employee. This feature has been a

positive addition to the Every Day Counts relaunch and helps staff hear first-hand how

their colleagues are going above and beyond to ensure that every day counts for the

children and families served by the Division.

Permanency Outcome 2

SFY

2022

QSPR

SFY

2021

QSPR

SFY

2020

QSPR

SFY

2019

QSPR

Round

CFSR

Permanency 2: The continuity of family relationships

and connections is preserved for children (N= SFY 2022)

74%

71%

79%

81%

43%

Item 7: Placement with Siblings (N=89)

82%

75%

76%

74%

47%

Item 8: Visiting with Parents and Siblings in Foster

Care (N=102)

79%

83%

89%

85%

64%

Item 9: Preserving Connections (N=119)

82%

65%

76%

75%

49%

Item 10: Relative Placement (N=119)

82%

92%

94%

95%

70%

Item 11: Relationship of Child in Care with Parents

(N=96)

61%

46%

51%

55%

48%

Placement with Siblings (Item 7)

Eighty-nine of the foster care cases reviewed to date during the SFY 2022 QSPR included

sibling groups. Sufficient efforts were not made to ensure that the siblings were placed

together in almost one-sixth of the cases reviewed similar to performance in previous

reviews. The SFY 2021 Annual Report Card noted at least one or more siblings are placed

together in 76% of the cases. Caseworkers either did not attempt or were unable to locate

placement resources capable of accommodating all sibling groups in the deficient cases.

Due to the shortage of resource families in Arkansas, the children in many of the deficient

cases were placed where beds were available as opposed to placements which were

best suited to meet their individual needs. Additionally, there was once again not enough

effort put into reuniting siblings once they were initially separated, and one sibling’s

stability and positive adjustment to their placement was often cited as the reason. A few

instances of a lack of placement options for sibling groups spanning a wide range of ages

and mix of genders was again noted during the SFY 2022 QSPR. To date, Areas 10 and

5 have been wholly successful in placing all siblings together when appropriate in all

applicable cases reviewed (100 percent), largely through the use of relative or fictive kin

placements. One sibling group of seven in Area 5 was split between three paternal

relatives who live in close proximity to each other and eat dinner together weekly. There

is also a private placement agency in Area 5 that assists in keeping siblings together in

their placements. Areas 2, 9 and 4 achieved a strength rating for this item, successfully

placing all siblings together when appropriate in 90 percent of the reviewed cases. Area

6 had the most difficulty, making successful efforts to place all siblings together when

appropriate in a little more than one-half of the reviewed cases (56 percent).

Visitation between Foster Children and Their Parents and Siblings (Item 8)

Arkansas strives to ensure that children are able to visit with their parents and siblings,

making sufficient efforts in 79 percent of the cases reviewed to date during the SFY 2022

QSPR. Although this is a four to ten percentage point decrease in performance from the

three previous reviews, it remains a significant 17 percentage point gain from the Round

3 CFSR. Efforts continue to be made across the State, especially with regard to ensuring

babies have sufficient visitation to encourage bonding and attachment (i.e., more than

weekly). As in previous reviews, while most of the deficient ratings stemmed from a lack

of frequent, quality visitation between the target children and their parents, issues were

again identified with insufficient visitation between siblings who were not placed together

(often in separate counties). In three cases, the target child did not have sufficiently

frequent visits with applicable parents and siblings placed separately. Three additional

cases where the target child only had visits with siblings placed separately were also

deficient. The primary barrier to frequent family visitation is children placed in counties

outside of their county of origin, particularly if siblings are placed in different counties not

in close proximity to each other or their home county. Arkansas believes that face-to-face

visitation is indispensable in promoting the continuity of the children’s relationships with

family members, so caseworkers must continue work to ensure that children’s lack of

proximity to their parents and/or siblings does not impede efforts to facilitate frequent,

quality visitation. This will increase the chances of family reunification and subsequently

decrease the need for continued placement outside of the home. To date, only Area 8

has been wholly successful on this item measure, achieving substantial conformity in 100

percent of applicable cases during the SFY 2022 QSPR, while Area 5 achieved a strength

rating of 91 percent. Area 6 again struggled most with this item; one-half of the children

in the applicable cases reviewed in the area (50 percent) did not receive adequate

visitation with their parents and/or siblings.

In August 2022 the Division will implement SOP Deep Dive Module 8 which focuses

specifically on best practices around family time (i.e., visitation) to include how to ensure

the family’s network is involved in the transportation to and supervision of family time. The

state hopes this will be one strategy to improve ratings for this item and, more importantly,

also improve longer-term outcomes for children and families.

Preserving Important Connections (Item 9)

Children form important bonds outside of their immediate families. They may have

significant connections to their extended family, community, neighborhood, faith, school

and/or friends. Sufficient efforts were not made to maintain these important connections

in 18 percent of the reviewed cases to date. This is a 17-percentage point increase from

the SFY 2021 QSPR, a six and seven percentage point increase from the SFY 2020

QSPR and SFY 2019 QSPRs respectively, and a substantial 33-percentage point

increase from the Round 3 CFSR. Arkansas has put forth concerted efforts to improve

performance on this permanency-related measure and preserve children’s important

connections. Increased efforts to ensure children maintain contact with extended family

or siblings not in care was noted during the SFY 2022 QSPR. Deficiencies largely resulted

from children not being placed in their homes counties and having to change schools and

little subsequent effort to preserve friendships and community ties. While this measure is

typically a struggle for most service areas, Area 4 has been wholly successful in

preserving connections for children in all 12 of the reviewed cases, and Areas 2 and 5

has achieved strength ratings (92 and 91 percent, respectively).

Relative Placement (Item 10)

Best practice dictates that relatives are the preferred placement option for children who

cannot safely remain with their parents. Placing children with family members helps to

mitigate some of the trauma they experience when entering foster care, and relatives

provide emotional supports for children and help promote the reunification process as

well as other important connections, including their critical ethnic, cultural and community

ties. DCFS effectively worked to identify, locate and evaluate potential relative

placements and place foster children in those homes when appropriate in 82 percent of

the cases reviewed to date. This is a 10-percentage point decrease in performance from

the SFY 2021 QSPR, a 12-percentage point decrease from the SFY 2020 QSPR and a

15 percentage point decrease from the SFY 2019 QSPR; it remains, however, a ten

percentage point increase from the Round 3 CFSR. Most deficiencies resulted from a

lack of efforts to locate fathers to identify paternal relatives. To address this issue, during

this reporting period and also mentioned in Arkansas’ Program Improvement Plan, DCFS

developed a tip sheet that gives guidance around working with putative and non-custodial

parents. This is an effort we hope will assist in father engagement. The Agency is also

hopeful that the upcoming implementation of the Structured Decision Making (SDM)

Safety and Risk Assessment tools, which will introduce a new way of thinking regarding

the identification of primary and secondary households and subsequent service provision

may help somewhat with the engagement of fathers.

For the time being, only Area 2 has achieved a strength rating on this item during the SFY

2021 making successful efforts in all 12 cases reviewed. QSPR, Areas 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8

have had the most success, with all five making sufficient efforts in more than three-

quarters of the cases reviewed (83 percent). While permanency safety consults are being

used to document efforts to locate putative fathers in order to identify paternal relatives,

often these efforts are not being made consistently throughout the case review period.

However, statewide data regarding placement with relatives has remained consistently

strong. For example, in May 2022,

Relationship of Children in Care with Their Parents (Item 11)

DCFS must work to provide efforts beyond visits to promote and support positive

relationships between children in foster care and their parents. Parents should be allowed

to participate in their child’s life events such as school conferences and programs, sports

events or medical appointments or family therapy whenever appropriate and possible.

During the SFY 2022 QSPR the Agency made sufficient efforts to promote and support

positive relationships between children in care and their parents in more than half of the

reviewed cases (61 percent). This represents a 15-percentage point increase from the

SFY 2021 QSPR review, a ten-percentage point increase from the SFY 2020 QSPR, a

six percentage point increase from the SFY 2019 and a thirteen-percentage point

increase from the Round 3 CFSR. While this continues to be an area of challenge for the

State with only Area 2 achieving substantial conformity, making successful efforts in in all

nine applicable cases reviewed, several Areas also demonstrated some improvement in

practice from the SFY 2021 QSPR. As in past reviews, the majority of deficiencies

resulted from the Agency’s lack of contact with and engagement of parents. While family

visits were provided between the children and their parents in most of the deficient cases,

efforts to promote additional connections were not found, let alone extra efforts made to

support bonding. This lack of additional efforts was further hindered when children were

placed outside of their home county and transportation to appointments or activities could

not be offered to parents due to ongoing staffing issues.

C. WELL-BEING

Well-Being Outcome 1

SFY

2022

QSPR

SFY

2021

QSPR

SFY

2020

QSPR

SFY

2019

QSPR

Round

CFSR

Well-Being 1: Families have enhanced capacity to provide

for their children’s needs (N= SFY 2022)

43%

56%

71%

61%

39%

Item 12: Needs and Services of Child, Parents and Foster

Parents (N=200)

43%

64%

75%

64%

43%

Item 13: Child and Family Involvement in Case Planning

(N=195)

61%

69%

78%

76%

51%

Item 14: Caseworker Visits with Child (N=200)

63%

80%

86%

84%

64%

Item 15: Caseworker Visits with Parents (N=184)

46%

63%

71%

59%

48%

Effectively Assessing and Attending to the Service Needs of Families (Item 12)

To successfully mitigate the challenges that bring families into contact with the Division,

their strengths, needs and resources must be competently assessed. That assessment

must then guide the development of the case plan and inform the specific interventions

that will be utilized to assist families. DCFS did not accurately assess the needs of and/or

provide appropriate services to children and families in more than half of the cases

reviewed to date during SFY 2022 (57 percent). This is a 21-percentage point decrease

in performance from the SFY 2021 and SFY 2019 QSPRs, a 32-percentage point

decrease from the SFY 2020QSPR and maintained performance from the Round 3

CFSR. The same ongoing systemic factor was again noted as the underlying causes of

deficiencies, as DCFS continues to experience significant staff turnover across the state.

Delays in service provision due to staffing issues among service providers was also a

factor during the SFY 2022 QSPR. Efforts to address such systemic issues must continue

to be made in all service areas.

As in previous reviews, the State did a better job of assessing and addressing the needs

of children than their parents, significantly more so in the cases reviewed to date during

the SFY 2022 QSPR (69 percent versus 46 percent). However, the current review again

indicated a discrepancy between case types, with more efforts being made to address

the needs of children in foster care cases as opposed to in-home cases. This may be a

continued consequence of the ongoing staff turnover experienced by the Agency as

caseworkers prioritize cases due to increasing caseloads. The ongoing COVID-19

pandemic may have been a factor as well, as many service providers also struggled with

staffing issues.

Contrary to the previous review, during the SFY 2022 QSPR, accurate ongoing

assessments of mothers needs were made at a slightly lower rate (five percent or less)

than services were provided to address those identified needs in both case types.

However, accurate ongoing assessments of fathers’ needs were made at approximately

the same rate as services provided to address those identified needs in both case types.

Additionally, more overall efforts to assess and address the needs of mothers as opposed

to fathers were again made in both case types during the SFY 2022 QSPR, although

there was less discrepancy between addressing the needs of mothers and fathers found

in in-home cases than there was in foster care cases. The primary reason for deficiencies

remains two-fold: lack of ongoing contact by caseworkers or caseworker continuity to

conduct comprehensive, accurate assessments and monitor parental engagement in

services, and insufficient efforts to locate and/or engage fathers, particularly for putative

fathers in foster care cases. While Arkansas has increased efforts to assess and address

the needs of fathers in in-home cases, concerted ongoing efforts to engage fathers and

offer services were not always made, with the onus in some cases being placed on the

father to contact the Agency and appear in court after mailed notification. The SFY 2022

review has also indicated issues with timely provision of services to parents due to service

providers experiencing staffing issues. The SFY 2022 QSPR again noted a lack of

discussion about case and referral/service status during caseworker transitions (i.e.,

caseworker turnover) and lack of monitoring of engagement in services due to lack of

consistent staff contact with parents and service providers as possible influences on the

performance during the current review.

In many service areas, it was again noted that appropriate services had not been timely

provided due to a lack of communication about referral and service status among the

multiple caseworkers assigned as County of Origin caseworkers (primary) during the

review period. This lack of service provision to address identified needs was noted in both

foster care and in-home services cases for both mothers and fathers. There were many

cases with months-long gaps in caseworker contact with parents, and in several instances

a caseworker did finally contact a parent only to learn they had been discharged from

services months earlier due to lack of attendance and new referrals for services were

needed. Frequent caseworker transition in several service areas prevented service

providers from knowing who to contact to request updated contact information for a parent

or notify about a parent’s lack of participation and imminent discharge from a service. To

date, no Area has achieved a strength rating, and only Areas 2, 5, 7 and 8 have assessed

need and provided fitting services to parents in more than half of the cases reviewed (67

percent, 58 percent 53 percent and 53 percent, respectively). Area 6 struggled the most,

making successful efforts in a little less than one-quarter of the applicable cases reviewed

(22 percent).

Engaging Children and Families in Case Planning

Children and/or their parents were excluded from the case planning process in 39 percent

of the cases reviewed during SFY 2022. While this is a nine percentage point increase

over the Round 3 CFSR, it is an eight-percentage point decrease from the SFY 2021

QSPR, an 18-percentage point decrease from the SFY 2020 QSPR and a 15-percentage

point decrease from the SFY 2019 QSPR. There is an ongoing effort in all service areas

to reverse the downward trend in performance as the State continues to implement

strategies to improve meaningful family engagement such as through efforts related to

Safety Organized Practice implementation. July 2022 will feature the roll-out of SOP Deep

Dive Module 7 which is entitled, “Behavior-based, Collaborative Family Case Plans. ”The

SFY 2022 QSPR to date has noted increased efforts to close the performance gap

between case types when engaging all applicable family members in case planning

activities, although there was more effort to engage mothers than fathers found in both

case types during the current review which correlates with the decreased efforts to locate

and engage fathers noted in the previous measure. Many deficiencies again appear to

stem from poor communication regarding the status of referrals and services during the

transition between assigned caseworkers; inconsistent documentation in CHRIS may

have also been a factor. Formal CANS/FAST assessments that were not timely or

accurately updated to reflect progress were also found, as well as formal assessments

with scant information or “cookie-cutter” comments.

It was noted in several cases that newly assigned caseworkers were unable to articulate

the reason for case opening when asked by parents or were unable to rationalize why

certain services must be completed or what was required for case closure. In a few

instances, the documented reason for Agency involvement in CHRIS contacts differed

from the substantiated maltreatment findings, and occasionally even varied from contact

to contact depending upon who in a string of assigned workers created the contact; thus,

seemingly unrelated services were listed in case plans presented to families. There was

inconsistent casework practice across service areas with regard to parental use of

marijuana, especially for in-home cases opened for prenatal exposure to marijuana

(Garrett’s Law cases) when there were no other concerns in the home. Caseworkers were

unable to clearly explain to parents why a drug screen positive for marijuana was a

concern despite the parent not appearing to be impaired or how parenting classes would

address the issue. In some service areas, once a parent in a Garrett’s Law case opened

for marijuana obtained a medical marijuana card, the case was closed regardless of

whether the parent had completed services (typically Safe Care parenting program).

However, in other service areas a parent who obtained a medical marijuana card was

required to complete the Safe Care program before the case could be closed, despite

there being no other risk or safety concerns in the home. These cases remained open

and on the caseloads of overburdened caseworkers who were already struggling to

maintain consistent contact with families.

No service area to date achieved substantial conformity for this measure during the

current review, with the same service areas that had the most difficulty with assessment

and service provision to parents also struggling to engage them in case planning.

Caseworker Visitation with Children and Their Parents (Item 14 &15)

Frequent, quality caseworker visitation is the cornerstone of effective practice in child

welfare from which all other practice builds. It is through such contact that caseworkers

may engage families to successfully assess risk, safety, strengths, needs and resources

and work with them to strengthen parental capacity. When these important interactions

do not occur, the Agency cannot ensure children’s safety, permanency and well-being or

work with families on the achievement of their case goals. During the SFY 2022 QSPR,

children did not receive frequent, substantive caseworker visits in 37 percent of the

reviewed cases, a 17-percentage point decrease from the SFY 2021 QSPR, a 23-

percentage point decrease from the SFY 2020 QSPR, and a 21-percentage point

decrease from the SFY 2019 QSPR. This is also a one-percentage point decrease from

the Round 3 CFSR. Although there was slightly less disparity between case types in the

quality of caseworker visits with children, the current review noted caseworker visits with

children were 13 percent less frequent in in-home cases as opposed to foster care cases.

Additionally, caseworkers failed to provide parents with sufficient visits in more than one-

half of the reviewed cases (54 percent). During the SFY 2022 QSPR to date, performance

regarding caseworker visits to parents decreased by 17 percentage points from the SFY

2021 QSPR, 25 percentage points from the SFY 2020 QSPR, 13 percentage points from

the SFY 2019 QSPR and two percentage points from the Round 3 CFSR. Similar to the

previous review, the SFY 2022 QSPR noted little disparity between the frequencies of

caseworker visits with parents in the two case types, although mothers were visited a little

more frequently than fathers in both case types. There was again a little more disparity

between case types in the quality of caseworker visits with parents, more so for mothers.

The quality of visits with mothers and fathers in in-home cases was less sufficient than

visits in foster care cases, although there was only one percentage point difference for

fathers as opposed to a nine-percentage point difference for mothers. Concerted efforts

to improve performance are warranted as it appears staff turnover will remain a significant

challenge in multiple service areas in the coming year.

The problems with visitation with parents in almost every service area were two-fold,

infrequent contact as well as poor-quality communication, often due to the lack of

sufficient contact to establish a relationship between caseworker and parents. As noted

previously, caseworker contact with clients was too inconsistent or sporadic in most of

the cases rated as being deficient; many of the contacts that did occur were not sufficiently

focused on all pertinent issues as newly assigned caseworkers were not always familiar

with case circumstances. Caseworkers specifically failed to focus on issues pertinent to

case planning, service delivery and goal achievement beyond mere “compliance” during

contacts with families in some of the deficient cases. The lack of ongoing, substantive

contact with families often resulted in in-home cases being left open far longer than

needed (i.e., no lingering risk/safety issues or service needs) or permanency being

delayed or no reasonable efforts findings by the courts in foster care cases.

Caseworker visits with parents remains an issue, with just four of the service areas

reviewed to date having adequate contact with parents in at least half of the applicable

cases reviewed; only Areas 2, 5 and 8 made sufficient efforts in at least half of the

reviewed cases to both address the needs of parents (Item 12B) and provide them with

adequate caseworker contact (Item 15). Area 6 again had the most difficulty, making

sufficient contact in slightly more than one-quarter of the reviewed cases (28 percent);

this area also continues to experience significant caseworker turnover. To date, no

service area has achieved a strength rating on this item measure, although Areas 5, 8,

and 9 have each made successful efforts in 53 percent of the reviewed cases, while Area

2 has made successful efforts in 67 percent of the reviewed. DCFS must find a way to

ensure that caseworkers maintain regular contact with both children and their parents.

Such visits should occur in the family home when possible and must involve discussions

of issues pertinent to safety, permanency and well-being as well as the achievement of

case goals. “Drive-by” visits for compliance made by constantly changing caseworkers

do not lend themselves to sufficient risk, safety and needs assessments, active family

engagement or timely case progression. Additionally, collaborative communication

between County of Origin caseworkers responsible for case management and County of

Residence caseworkers conducting visits with children and/or parents is paramount to

timely and successful achievement. Arkansas will continue to utilize in-depth analysis of

case review data and staffing strategies to ensure both children and their parents are

provided frequent, quality visits while involved with the Agency.

WELL-BEING OUTCOME 2

SFY

2022

QSPR

SFY

2021

QSPR

SFY

2020

QSPR

SFY

2019

QSPR

Round

CFSR

Well-Being 2: Children receive appropriate services to

meet their educational needs (N=SFY 2022)

89%

91%

92%

93%

85%

Item 16: Educational Needs of the Child (N=133)

89%

91%

92%

93%

85%

Educational Needs of Children (Item 16)

Staff made concerted efforts during the SFY 2022 QSPR to assess and address the

educational needs of children involved with the Division, successfully ensuring the

provision of appropriate services in 89 percent of the reviewed cases. While this score is

six percentage points shy of substantial conformity (95 percent) with Well-Being Outcome

2, it is a four-percentage point increase in performance from the Round 3 CFSR.

WELL-BEING OUTCOME 3

SFY

2022

QSPR

SFY

2021

QSPR

SFY

2020

QSPR

SFY

2019

QSPR

Round

CFSR

Well-Being 3: Children receive adequate services to

meet their physical and mental health needs (N= SFY

2022)

73%

74%

80%

76%

66%

Item 17: Physical Health of the Child (N=169)

80%

83%

82%

81%

Item 18: Mental/Behavioral Health of the Child

(N=105)

72%

75%

92%

85%

68%

Physical and Dental Health Needs of Children (Item 17)

DCFS put forth sufficient effort to assess and address the physical and dental health

needs of children involved with the Division in 80 percent of the applicable cases, a three-

percentage point decrease from the SFY 2021 QSPR, a two-percentage point decrease

from the SFY 2020 QSPR and a one-percentage point decrease from the SFY 2019

QSPR and Round 3 CFSR. As in previous reviews, most deficiencies involved a failure

to assess and address the dental health needs of children in care in applicable cases,

including those of infants and toddlers as recommended by the Academy of Pediatric

Dentists. The Academy recommendation that children have their first dental visit after

their first tooth appears but no later than their first birthday has been messaged to field

staff for several years; however, it is only recently that the PACE recommendation has

been changed to align with the Academy recommendation Given the change in the PACE

recommendation as well as a slight adjustment to this item in the Round 4 OSRI, it is

likely that the State’s performance on this measure may improve in future reviews.

A few deficiencies in the current review were due to the Agency’s failure to provide timely,

appropriate services to address identified physical health needs for children in foster care,

often the result of a change in placement county and the need to establish a local PCP to

address routine care and make new service referrals. Only Area 2 achieved a strength

rating on this item, making successful efforts 94 percent of the applicable cases reviewed.

Area 5 and 9 have also been largely successful with each making sufficient efforts in 88

percent of the reviewed cases. It should be noted that Area 9 has made significant

improvement on this item measure during the SFY 2022 QSPR after having significant

difficulty in the last three reviews, with regard to attending to the dental health needs of

children in both case types. During the SFY 2022 QSPR, Area 6 struggled the most with

this item measure, making sufficient efforts in little more than two-thirds of the applicable

cases reviewed (68 percent).

Mental and Behavioral Health Needs of Children (Item 18)

DCFS put forth sufficient efforts to assess and address the mental and behavioral health

needs of children involved with the Division in 72 percent of the applicable cases reviewed

to date, a three-percentage point decrease from the SFY 2021 QSPR, a 20-percentage

point decrease from the SFY 2020 QSPR, a 13-percentage point decrease from the SFY

2019 QSPR, but a four-percentage point increase from the Round 3 CFSR. Issues with

the assessment of mental and behavioral health needs due to inconsistent caseworker

contact and timely provision of appropriate services to address identified needs were

noted in both case types. There was more discrepancy between sufficient assessment

and timely provision of services found in foster care cases while insufficient efforts to both

comprehensively assess and provide timely services to address identified

mental/behavioral health needs were found in in-home cases. As with the previous item

measure, multiple deficiencies were the result of a change in placement county and the

need to establish a local PCP to make new service referrals, as well as delays in

counseling services due to provider staffing issues. Although the Division made efforts to

implement guidelines for timely obtaining a new PCP for children in care after a change

in placement county, turnover among health services caseworkers and counseling

providers in some areas may have impacted performance during the SFY 2022 QSPR.

Areas 2 and 7 achieved strength ratings of 90 percent, making successful efforts in all but

one of the applicable cases reviewed. Although Areas 4 and 10 also made sufficient

efforts in all but one of the applicable cases reviewed, the smaller number of applicable

cases meant their success rate of 88 percent did not quite meet the requirements for a

strength rating and does not seem to accurately reflect their performance. The remaining

service areas reviewed to date successfully tended to children’s mental and behavioral

health needs in more than half of the cases reviewed.

SFY 2022 QSPR PERFORMANCE SYNOPSIS

DCFS is charged with protecting victims of child maltreatment from further abuse and

neglect. The Division must address initial safety concerns at the onset of the Agency’s

involvement with families and then assess and address risk and safety concerns

throughout the life of their case. The SFY 2022 QSPR has noted increased or maintained

performance on three overall outcomes related to safety and permanency, as well as

increased performance on one of three overall outcomes related to well-being. DCFS

continues to experience significant staff turnover across the state which is again the

primary reason for underperformance on measures requiring consistent caseworker

contact with families. All service areas have experienced turnover of various positions,

including caseworkers, supervisors, program assistants and health services workers.

Anecdotal information learned during the SFY 2022 QSPR indicated limited applicant

pools for positions in many service areas and positions turning over more than once

during a 12-month period. Supervisors were carrying caseloads in almost every service

area reviewed during the SFY 2022 QSPR, in addition to hiring and training new staff.

Caseworkers struggled to manage cases and assist other offices experiencing staff

shortages, which often resulted in multiple caseworkers conducting visits with families

over the life of a case. Many service providers also experienced staffing issues during the

review period, including intensive in-home service providers and counseling providers,

which further delayed services to families. Additionally, the COVID-19 public health

emergency continued to be an issue with a brief resurgence of cases early in the review

period; several service areas experienced multiple periods of quarantine for staff after

possible exposure to or contracting the virus.

During the SFY 2022 QSPR, efforts to initiate investigations timely increased by eight

percentage points from the SFY 2021 QSPR, a substantial increase in performance on

Safety Outcome 1. Efforts to prevent removal and protect children in their homes increase

by three percentage points; however, efforts to effectively assess and address risk and

safety concerns on an ongoing basis decreased by 15-percentage points due to a lack of

consistent caseworker contact to conduct ongoing risk and safety assessments. For those

children who cannot safely remain with their families, DCFS must provide them with safe

and stable living arrangements, while also working to sustain their important connections

and help them attain permanency in the shortest amount of time possible. Regarding

such permanency efforts, the State increased or demonstrated approximately similar

performance on most of the permanency-related items during the SFY 2022 QSPR,

including increased performance from past reviews on efforts to provide children with

placement stability and to timely establish appropriate permanency goals. Additionally,

the State exceeded the national standard for discharging children in foster care to

permanency within two of the three of the twelve-month periods being examined for length

of stay, missing the third period by just one-tenth of a point. Arkansas increased efforts

to place children with all siblings when appropriate by eight percentage points, and

increased efforts to preserve children’s important connections and support the

relationship between children and their parents through efforts beyond visitation by 19

and 17 percentage points respectively. Despite these efforts, the State struggled

somewhat in making efforts to place children with relatives, when possible, with efforts

decreasing by 9 percentage points from the previous review. Although Arkansas did not

achieve substantial conformity with either combined Permanency Outcome during the

SFY 2022 QSPR, overall performance on Permanency Outcome 1 increased by 4

percentage points and performance as maintained performance on Permanency

Outcome 2 from the previous review.

In addition to ensuring children’s safety and fostering permanent connections for children

placed in care, DCFS must tend to their physical, mental health and educational needs

as well as any others. On the subject of well-being, the Division succeeded in ensuring

that the educational needs of children receiving services were met in most cases

reviewed, failing to achieve substantial conformity with Well-Being Outcome 2 by just five

percentage points. On the other hand, infrequent contact from caseworkers often

prevented DCFS from accurately assessing and addressing the needs of children and

families, and the State’s performance has decreased from the SFY 2021 QSPR, further

eroding gains in performance found in the SFY 2020 QSPR. In fact, insufficient

caseworker visitation and a frequent change in assigned workers was once again the

source of many of the Agency’s problems with casework practice in SFY 2022.

Caseworkers are not in clients’ homes often enough and therefore cannot sufficiently

carry out many of their assigned responsibilities. Since they are not frequently visiting

with families, the caseworkers cannot accurately assess strengths, needs, risk or safety,

nor can they develop meaningful case plans or arrange for needed services to guide case

progression. Participation in services and case progression was slowed by frequently

changing County of Origin caseworkers in many instances, although ongoing systemic

and staffing issues with service providers also had an impact.

Although Arkansas has continued efforts to emphasize strategies to make casework more

family centered during SFY 2022, increased efforts and improvement is warranted. Some

families are still not adequately engaged in ongoing decision-making concerning their

cases, in both in-home and foster care cases. Caseworkers and supervisors tend to

make unilateral decisions about the cases regardless of family strengths or

circumstances, often guided by compliance and past practice rather than the

appropriateness of services, subsequently failing to recognize that families are essential

to service planning. Family-centered practice begins with the assessment process, which

forms the foundation of effective practice with children and families; staff in Arkansas

continue to have difficultly establishing relationships with families necessary to utilize

formal assessment tools effectively. Both formal and informal assessments should focus

on the whole family, and family participation is critical to the process; engagement efforts

should also include parents who may not live in the home but are involved in their

children’s lives. Assessments should help families identify their strengths and needs and

aid in the development of a case plan that assists them in caring for their own children

without government intervention. Services should be tailored to best address the specific

strengths and needs of individual families. Frequent, substantive communication

between caseworkers and families will assist the families in achieving the goals and

objectives outlined in their case plan and move them towards positive outcomes. The

State is transitioning to a more family-centered prevention practice model in an effort to

improve performance.

The SFY 2022 round of reviews underscored similar areas of challenge identified in

previous reviews, but also noted maintained or at least some improvement in

performance on the majority of item measures from the Round 3 CFSR. Many of the

issues again stemmed from infrequent, inconsequential contact between caseworkers

and clients as most service areas continue to face fallout from caseworker turnover which

often results in onerous caseloads for supervisors and remaining staff. The SFY 2022

QSPR has again noted the impact of systemic issues such as turnover of Agency

attorneys and service provider staff, as well as challenges arising from the continued

COVID-19 public health crisis as the long-term impact becomes more apparent. In

addition to a renewed focus on consistent, state-wide family-centered practice, efforts

should be made to ensure the Court and other State Systems, as well as all service

providers, join and support Agency efforts to improve outcomes for all families in all

service areas. The service areas differ in size, client population and service array, but the

way the Division and other relevant systems serve clients should be as consistent as

possible statewide.

The following recommendations are provided to help guide change based on the findings

from the SFY 2022 QSPR. These recommendations remain similar to those made in

recent years as many of the same underlying causes and systemic factors were found in

the current review.

▪ Recommendation 1: DCFS should continue working to ensure that caseworkers

and supervisors are prioritizing workloads based on risk and safety standards to

protect children involved with the Division, with emphasis toward consistent

ongoing assessments and increased understanding of risk and safety factors

stemming from substance use and mental health issues.

During this SFY 2022 review, the Agency’s efforts in regard to assessing and managing

risk and safety decreased from past reviews. Therefore, DCFS must continue to focus

on prioritizing its workload based on risk and safety to protect children in order to make

performance gains. This is especially significant as substance use and mental health

issues continue to affect families across the state, exacerbated by the ongoing fallout

from COVID-19 public health emergency, lack of affordable housing and other economic

concerns.

Supervisors and managers must help family service workers with important decisions and

hold them accountable for their work, including maintaining contact with children and

families and assessing and addressing risk and safety concerns utilizing Safe Measures

and other available tools such as removal consultations. The recently implemented Safe

Measures dashboard as well as case review data should be used to monitor performance.

These tools will help to ensure that those children most at risk are contacted frequently

and that the Agency adequately addresses any safety concerns. In addition, relevant

trainings and consistent guidance on assessing risk and safety concerns due to parental

substance use, particularly with regard to changing laws for marijuana use, should be

developed for use across the state. Any new trainings, guidance and/or policy should be

customized to accommodate changing risk and safety concerns and location-specific

systemic issues (judicial customs, service array, etc.).

▪ Recommendation 2: DCFS should work to increase both the frequency and

quality of caseworker contact with families.

Even though caseloads must be prioritized based on safety with the most vulnerable

children receiving priority, all children and caretakers involved in Arkansas’s child welfare

system should receive frequent communication and engagement from their assigned

caseworkers. Frequent changes in assigned caseworkers, while often unavoidable,

impacted caseworkers and supervisors’ ability to comprehensively assess family

strengths and needs, monitor participation in services and promote case progression.

DCFS continues to struggle with maintaining consistent contact with and providing timely

services to children and families in both case types, failing to achieve substantial

conformity with Well-Being Outcome 1.

As noted previously in the report, frequent, quality caseworker visitation is the cornerstone

of effective practice in child welfare from which all other practice builds. If children and

families are not seen regularly then risk, safety, strengths and needs cannot be assessed;

families cannot be actively involved in case planning; safety, permanency and well-being

cannot be ensured; case goals are not likely to be achieved; and cases are likely to be

left open longer than needed.

Supervisors must not only ensure that caseworkers are regularly visiting children, parents

and foster parents; they must also ensure such visits are substantive. A supervisor’s

ability to assist the caseworker in efforts to conduct quality visits is often influenced by the

quality of the communication between the supervisor and caseworker themselves,

especially when the supervisor is the only consistent staff person with knowledge of the

case. During the SFY 2022 QSPR, reviewers found that caseworkers were often not

assigned to a case long enough to build a rapport with a parent in order to conduct quality

visits; in some instances, caseworkers were reassigned or left the Agency without ever

having contact with the family. When possible, a consistent caseworker must visit parents

in their homes, or other private, comfortable locations with the intent of building a

relationship and spending time discussing relevant case issues. If workers are not having

private, quality, in-person interactions with parents in their homes, it is unlikely they can

make adequate decisions about when it is safe for children to be reunified, make ongoing

assessments for changing service needs or monitor and encourage parents’ participation

in services. Similarly, workers need to be visiting children in their foster homes or family

homes in-person as much as possible and talking to them privately to ensure their safety

and well-being.

In addition to a focus on quality, a shift toward determining the appropriate frequency of

caseworker visits based on case circumstance rather than minimum compliance with

policy remains a need. More than monthly visits with children and caregivers may be

appropriate at critical junctures in a case, not only to ensure safety but to guide case

progression and timely permanency; the age and vulnerabilities of participants may call

for more frequent caseworker contact as well. This is still understandably a challenge

given the lack of consistent caseworker contact with families seen in the current and

previous reviews but should continue to be a goal of best practice in the development of

Arkansas’s casework staff.

Supervisors must regularly model and support caseworker visits and other casework

activities in addition to monitoring dashboards and reports to ensure that staff are visiting

clients sufficiently often and engaging them in collaborative decision-making. Reports

alone will not provide sufficient insight into whether the caseworker is having sufficient

conversations with families to support case progression and timely goal achievement, and

supervisors may wish to utilize the CANS/FAST approval process, Safety Organized

Practice (SOP) tools and frequent case consults to ensure accurate needs assessment,

engagement and service provision. Insufficiently updated CANS, FASTs and case plans

continue to be an issue across the state. It should be noted, however, that an increase in

the use of the family-centered SOP tools such as three-column mapping was found in

several services areas during the SFY2022 QSPR.

Finally, while the ratings for systemic factors are not determined directly by ongoing

QSPR case reviews, the Service Quality and Practice Improvement (SQPI) Unit will

continue to collect anecdotal information during case participant interviews that may be

used to enhance qualitative information gained from focus groups and surveys. The SQPI

Unit will also consider any applicable practice improvement strategies and activities when

conducting QSPR case reviews.

Statewide QSPR/CFSR Comparisons (Round 3 CFSR – SFY 2022 QSPR)

N= SFY 2022- 10 Service Areas

SFY

2022

QSPR

SFY

2021

QSPR

SFY

2020

QSPR

SFY

2019

QSPR

Round

CFSR

Safety 1: Children are, first and foremost, protected from

abuse and neglect

87%

74%

88%

87%

69%

Item 1: Timeliness of Initiating Investigations (N=109)

87%

74%

88%

87%

69%

Safety 2: Children are safely maintained in their homes

whenever possible and appropriate

61%

75%

82%

83%

60%

Item 2: Services to Prevent Removal (N=88)

83%

82%

91%

94%

55%

Item 3: Risk and Safety Assessment and Management

(N=200)

62%

79%

83%

61%

Permanency 1: Children have permanency and stability in

their living situations

48%

43%

53%

48%

36%

Item 4: Stability of Foster Care Placement (N=120)

89%

73%

70%

Item 5: Permanency Goal for Child (N=120)

81%

76%

84%

79%

64%

Item 6: Achieving Reunification, Guardianship, Adoption or

APPLA (N=120)

67%

69%

79%

77%

58%

Permanency 2: The continuity of family relationships and

connections is preserved for children

741%

71%

80%

81%

43%

Item 7: Placement with Siblings (N=89)

82%

75%

76%

74%

47%

Item 8: Visiting with Parents and Siblings in Foster Care

(N=102)

79%

83%

89%

85%

64%

Item 9: Preserving Connections (N=119)

82%

65%

76%

75%

49%

Item 10: Relative Placement (N=119)

82%

92%

94%

95%

70%

Item 11: Relationship of Child in Care with Parents (N=96)

61%

46%

51%

55%

48%

Well-Being 1: Families have enhanced capacity to provide

for their children’s needs

43%

56%

71%

61%

39%

Item 12: Needs and Services of Child, Parents and Foster

Parents (N=200)

43%

64%

75%

64%

43%

Item 13: Child and Family Involvement in Case Planning

(N=195)

61%

69%

78%

76%

51%

Item 14: Caseworker Visits with Child (N=200)

63%

80%

86%

84%

64%

Item 15: Caseworker Visits with Parents (N=184)

64%

63%

71%

59%

48%

Well-Being 2: Children receive appropriate services to meet

their educational needs

89%

91%

92%

93%

85%

Item 16: Educational Needs of the Child (N=133)

89%

91%

92%

93%

85%

Well-Being 3: Children receive adequate services to meet

their physical and mental health needs

73%

74%

80%

76%

66%

Item 17: Physical Health of the Child (N=169)

80%

83%

82%

81%

Item 18: Mental/Behavioral Health of the Child (N=105)

72%

75%

92%

85%

68%

SYSTEMIC FACTOR UPDATES

The section below provides updates, where applicable, to the assessment of how the

systemic factors operate, to include strengths and concerns. The description below of

each of the systemic factors is not as comprehensive as the one provided in Arkansas’s

2020-2024 CFSP. This is because, in several instances, there have not been changes to

certain elements associated with the systemic factors or related data has already been

provided in the section above.

Statewide Information System (Item 19)

DCFS continues to operate the CHildren’s Reporting and Information System (CHRIS),

CHRIS is a fully longitudinal database that permits tracking of children from the time they

enter the child welfare system through the time they leave the system. DCFS Policy I-D,

Official Record Keeping and Access to Official Records, provides that CHRIS maintains

“the official record of child welfare information for DCFS” (DCFS Policy and Procedures

Manual, pg.17).

The statewide information system is functioning statewide to ensure that, at a minimum,

the state can readily identify the status, demographic characteristics, location, and goals

for the placement of every child who is (or, within the immediately preceding 12 months,

has been) in foster care. There are several elements that also have corresponding

SafeMeasures reports showing if a particular item has an upcoming due date or is

overdue, which increases the agency’s capacity to collect and track timely entry of some

of the required data elements.

During this reporting period enhancements to CHRIS included:

• Fictive Kin Foster Family Home and Relative Foster Family Home will be approved

when 12 hours instead of 30 hours of training.

• New automatic notification emails were implemented and are triggered when a

Client is entered or exited from a Provider placement with a Qualified Residential

Treatment Program (QRTP) Service or SRP-Qualified Residential Treatment

Program (SRP-QRTP) Service.

• A filter was added to the Injury Characteristics/Other Details. The values are now

filtered and displayed for the Abuse/Neglect Category

• Modifications to the Client General Information Screen were made based on the

Federal NYTD (National Youth Transitional Database) Program Improvement Plan

(PIP)-Tribe Grouping screen will no longer mark the ‘Primary’ Tribe field Mandatory

when the Race ‘American Indian or Alaskan Native’ is selected. The staff member

can enter Primary/Secondary Tribe information in the Tribe grouping as deemed

appropriate.

• The Redetermination screen is now marked as ‘Read-Only’ for all CHRIS users

(including Eligibility Unit) when the client is ‘Not Eligible’. The users will still be able

to click on and view different lines as they currently can, as well as ‘past details’

(including App Status) while still being ‘Read-Only’.

• The Contacts Report (CFS-6006) has been updated with enhancements of

additional filter criteria and a Print Preview with Export feature to enable the Report

to be previewed and saved in PDF format. The Contacts can now be filtered by

Contact Type/Location, Purpose, or Participant by selecting the corresponding

radio button and entering the criteria. The filtered Contact information will be

displayed on the Print Preview Screen and in the exported and printed Report.

• CHRIS can now open EDOCTUS to view uploaded files for applicable clients that

have PACE documents scanned.

• A new interface has been created between DCFS, Arkansas Children’s Hospital

(ACCN), SHARE (State Health Alliance for Records Exchange) and UAMS for the

purposes of ensuring that children who enter DCFS custody continue to receive

routine medical care without having a disruption in services due to a change in

their legal custodian.

• A daily report will be sent to ACCN that will include all children who entered foster

care and/or left care on the previous day. This report will be shared with the child’s

medical team, so the medical providers can advise the current legal custodian of

any upcoming appointments and medical records.

• The Provider Household Members Required Checks Tab have been enabled to

allow for multiple 'Child Maltreatment Central Registry' Checks with the same

Requested and/or Received Dates.

• A correction was made to ensure that OCSE Referrals (including ‘DNA Test

Required’) for ‘Not Eligible’ Clients with open ARIES Medicaid record will be sent

to OCSE as required. The OCSE logic has been enhanced to look at either an

open ‘ANSWER Medicaid Category’ OR an open ‘ARIES Medicaid Category’ on

the Medical Coverage/Insurance screen. If there is at least one of those open, then

OCSE records will be referred.

• To prevent a Family First record from being created for children of the minor parent,

a check box was added-“Child of Minor Parent.” The clients that have the ‘Minor

Parent’ checkbox checked on the Client General Information screen now display

as a participant in the ‘Parent and/or Caregiver (FFPSA Eligible)-Participants’

Select box on the Family First Eligibility Information screen. This corrected the

issue of a minor parent not showing previously when they should have.

• The Prevention Plan screen has been modified to allow a service to be entered for

children that have the ‘FC Youth is pregnant or Parenting a FC Youth’ checkbox

checked on the FF Eligibility screen. On the Prevention Plan the Client Name

dropdown will display the list of clients that have the new "Child of Minor Parent"

checkbox checked, so a service can be entered for them.

The Division also continued its contract with Evident Change (formerly National Council

on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) for reporting of the information entered in the CHRIS

system to include a series of dashboards called SafeMeasures. The dashboards refresh

daily so the information being presented is real time data. SafeMeasures is a web-based

reporting service that transforms case management data into actionable information.

Agency staff use SafeMeasures reports and dashboards to monitor performance, plan

upcoming work, and review completed work. The SafeMeasures Core Team has worked

throughout this reporting period alongside NCCD to add new reports to the SafeMeasures

dashboards.

During this reporting period, the following reports were added to SafeMeasures:

• Resource Member Checks

• Resource Member Checks-age 14-18

• Time in Foster Care after TDM

• Untimely Initial Health Screening

• DR Missing Data

• Resource Annual Re-Evaluation

• Worker/Parent Contact-Weekly and Monthly

• Report Usage

• In-Home Client Contact; End in Month Bug

• Case and Client History Expansion

• Worker County Update

• Missing Documents

• Subset Error on Welfare Dashboards

• Data Import

• Provisional Homes added to Quarterly Report

• Area 7 Label

• Resource Type Cross-set

• PSC timeliness

• Children in Foster Care with Siblings Placed Together

• Placement Conflation

• Childcare Renewal Update

• Gender and Race/Ethnicity Subset

• Placement Setting LOS

• Childcare Renewal Update

• Case Plan Due Date Change

• Daily Version of Child Welfare Report

• Case Time Opening Report

The following reports are in development:

• Provisional Applicant Initiation Timeliness

• County Issue

SafeMeasures is used to assist supervisors as a mechanism to monitor all areas of staff

work with families in all areas of work (DR, Investigations, Protective Services, Foster

Care Cases, and Adoption Cases.) Supervisors are able to utilize the data from

SafeMeasures to assist in coaching of their staff’s work with families.

As previously reported, DCFS made several changes to the RFP and the revised

documents were submitted to ACF for approval in April 2021.The second approved RFP

was posted online in May 2021. On September 24, 2021, the Anticipation to Award

announcement was made that RedMane Technology had been selected as the vendor

for the Arkansas CCWIS system. The state received two protests from the other vendors,

however, neither were upheld. Contract negotiations began in October 2021 and the

negotiated terms and RedMane response were submitted to ACF on December 28, 2021,

and an acknowledgement of receipt was received on December 29, 2021.

Feedback/Suggestions were received back from ACF on January 31, 2022. DCFS and

Office of Procurement worked together to determine the best solution for addressing

those suggestions. The contract was submitted to Arkansas Legislative Counsel (ALC)

during the February 23, 2022, meeting with final approval coming from Bureau of

Legislative Research on March 1, 2022.

The RedMane contract begin date was March 1, 2022. Initial meetings were held

throughout the month of March to go over initial work roles and responsibilities and walk

through some of the pre-work that DCFS had completed over the last two to three

(process maps, stakeholder register, etc.). DCFS held a naming competition for the new

system and sought input and ideas from agency staff, CACD, resource parents, and other

community stakeholders. The name of the new system, ARfocus, was unveiled at a kick-

off rally on April 13, 2022, in the new RedMane offices located at 400 W. Capital St. in

downtown Little Rock. With the help of the Program Management Office contractor, NTT

Data, DCFS staff were able to complete 101 “as-is” and “to-be” business process maps

that have been used in helping to set the groundwork for the knowledge transfer to

RedMane. The agency has conducted bootcamps with RedMane so that Arkansas

specific policy and procedures, terminology, and CHRIS workflows could be

discussed. RedMane has provided the necessary design deliverable documents

according to the contract guidelines and the system/software development life cycle

(SDLC) process has begun. The Independent Verification & Validation (IV&V) vendor,

Maximus Health, is also continuing to offer oversight and guidance. The first monthly

IV&V report is due by June 2022. These monthly reports will be provided to ACF per

federal guidelines. Release 1 of the project, Hotline Intake, is scheduled to go live in

January 2023 with a full system Release 2 scheduled for early 2024.

Since the state is still in the early stages of CCWIS development, programming within

AR Focus to support CQI/QA is still to be determined. The Division is mindful that it will

need to ensure coordination of the CCWIS Data Quality Plan and Biennial Review

strategies with ongoing CQI/QA activities.

Case Review System

Written Case Plan (Item 20)

While Arkansas did demonstrate improvement from previous QSPR reviews on several

permanency-related measures, efforts to place children with relatives when possible

decreased by 12 percentage points from the SFY 2021 QSPR. The primary reason was

insufficient efforts to locate fathers to identify paternal relatives. Due to ongoing staff

turnover, caseworkers struggled to find time to conduct legal searches and track down

leads. Efforts to achieve timely permanency (Item 6) were down one percentage point

from the SFY 2021 QSPR. Case reviews indicate the continued use of Permanency

Safety Consultations have been helpful in promoting case progression. There were again

issues with achieving timely adoption found in several deficient cases. Systemic issues

such as turnover of Agency attorneys and delays in service provision due to provider

staffing issues were noted in the current review.

Efforts to engage families in ongoing case planning decreased by 16 percentage points

from the SFY 2021 QSPR (Item 13), and caseworker visits with parents /decreased by

14 percentage points during the SFY 2022 QSPR (1tem 15). The primary reason for

deficiencies was a lack of consistent caseworker contact with families. There were slightly

more efforts to engage parents in case planning in foster care cases over in-home cases,

and more overall efforts to engage children and mother than fathers, even fathers who

lived in the home and/or were involved in the lives of their children. While there is no way

to determine if the parents had input in the case planning, the case plan has needs and

services per individual. There is also a check box within the case plan to note whether

the parents were involved in the creation of the case plan. DCFS Policy IV-B: Services

Case Plan also requires family involvement in the development of the case plan. Ongoing

staff turnover meant a lack of sufficient caseworker contact with parents to establish a

relationship, promote engagement in services and discuss case progression. Multiple

caseworkers were assigned the same case during the review period and multiple parents

reported not knowing who was assigned as their County of Origin caseworker at various

times during the review period. Staff turnover continues to be a significant challenge

across the state.

Arkansas recently developed a SOP Practice Model has been developed around the 6

key values of DCFS. Each value has guiding principles, agency practice, and breaks

down action steps for the worker, supervisor, area leadership, and state leadership. The

values are as follows: value is relationships with children, youth, and families are the

foundation, collaborative partnerships, with resource families, helping children and

youth achieve their full potential and develop lifelong relationships, shared responsibility

with community partners, a strong working relationship with the legal system, and a

workplace culture characterized by reflection, appreciation, and ongoing learning.

In addition, CANS/FAST reviews conducted by DCFS staff have shown an improvement

in using the tool to fidelity. Each month ten CANS/FAST and the associated case plans

are reviewed and are randomly selected. Some trends identified in the CANS/FAST

reviews include assessments being completed within 30 days of case opening,

supervisors appear to be conferencing with the staff about the quality of their CANS/FAST

assessments, and the FSW’s appear to be doing a better job of listing tasks DCFS and

the client are responsible for. The FSW’s are also documenting more client specific

information, which makes it easier to determine if the case plan service needs are

warranted. Despite some improvement with the use of the CANS/FAST assessment, the

staff are still struggling with rating an item and assessing the item on subsequent plans,

as item ratings can and should change throughout the life of the case. The FSW’s are

often making generalized statements as to why the case was opened and do not seem

to be reading through the investigation, which caused the case to be opened. The FSW’s

should also document all service needs, including the health and dental health needs of

the family in the assessment. It remains unclear if the lack of documentation in the

CANS/FAST is due to insufficient time or lack of knowledge as to how much detail to

include in the assessment.

Similarly, the Transitional Youth Services (TYS) case reviews that were implemented as

part of the Division’s National Youth in Transition Database Program Improvement Plan

have provided additional evidence that there is an ongoing lack of engagement with older

youth in terms of the completion of the CANS assessment as well as overall case

planning. This has been corroborated in recent conversations with the Arkansas Youth

Advisory Board (YAB) members, most of whom reported they had not seen nor were they

aware of their CANS, case plan, or transition plan within their case plan. During this YAB

meeting, these tools were explained to the YAB members and instructions were provided

to them about how to access these tools and the importance of them being familiar with

them. In some cases, the lack of regular communication between the youth and the

primary worker continues to be an issue. However, as in past years, (the amount of

engagement and other efforts by the TYS Coordinator or other staff is notable). Once

again, this trend of TYS Coordinators being more consistent, responsive, and accessible

has also been noted among YAB members during their monthly meetings. Please

reference Attachment E: TYS NYTD Case Review Template.

Additional data points also point to ongoing challenges with case staffing, case planning,

and assessments. For example, SafeMeasures data shows that the statewide average

over the last year for case staffings is approximately 45%, while each area data is as

follows: Area 1 20%, Area 2 24%, Area 3 40%, Area 4 61%, Area 5 35%, Area 6 22%,

Area 7 72%, Area 8 53%, Area 9 59%, and Area 10 68%. Area 7 had the highest average

with 72% and Area 1 was the lowest with only 20%. The statewide average regarding

cases with current case plans is 69%, each area is as follows: Area 1 56%, Area 2 62%,

Area 3 67%, Area 4 68%, Area 5 70%, Area 6 32%, Area 7 77%, Area 8 85%, Area 9

79%, and Area 10 93%. Area 10 has an average of 93% of cases with current case plans

while Area 6 has the lowest current case plan with only 32%. Children in care with current

a CANS has a statewide average of 62% and each area data is as follows: Area 1 68%,

Area 2 68%, Area 3 75%, Area 4 75%, Area 5 74%, Area 6 45%, Area 7 79%, Area 8

84%, Area 9 80%, and Area 10 94%.

In summary, the state recognizes that there is much room for improvement as it relates

to timeliness of assessments and case planning as well as overall engagement with

families in case planning and the strengths and needs assessments that should inform

the case planning process. There were strategies in the CFSR PIP aimed at addressing

these concerns, but the COVID-19 pandemic and unprecedented staff turnover over the

last two years has undoubtedly impacted this system factor. Arkansas continues to

implement strategies to help address these issues. For example, the Division’s Safety

Organized Practice (SOP) implementation focuses heavily on engaging with families and

their networks in the assessment and case planning processes. Arkansas will roll out

SOP Deep Dive Module 7 in July 2022 which will provide staff with a full-day training on

behavior-based, collaborative family case plans. Staff are encouraged to come to each

Deep Dive with a specific case in mind to be able to apply concepts taught in each Deep

Dive to that class throughout the training day.

Review Hearings

Data regarding periodic reviews can be pulled to a certain extent from the Contexte Case

Management System (CMS). Contexte is a web-based system that was chosen and

adopted by the Arkansas Supreme Court and has been implemented in certain circuit and

district courts in Arkansas. That said, hearing information is not required by courts to enter

into Contexte. As such, the hearing data that is available is mostly from courts that choose

to track this information on their own. To find the information the review hearing dates

were pulled from the Contexte hearing table. If no hearing record was found, the date the

review hearing order was filed was pulled, if available.

Contexte is being used statewide for recording at minimum the statistical data which is

the information on the coversheet and disposition sheets that are filed with the circuit

clerks. There are some courts that use Contexte for all of their case management, and

then others use it just for the statistical requirement and use another system for their

case management. CIP has an ongoing project with pilot jurisdictions to enter more

detail elements of DN cases, with the goal of eventually having all hearing data required

and added to the disposition sheets.

Regarding the sample below:

A. Some courts do not track hearing information at all in Contexte.

B. A court may not track the hearing info in the hearing table, but they are recording

the hearing order. When the order is not being recorded using the standard

codes, the query will not be able to identify the info.

C. The TPR data is pulled from the TPR coversheet and TPR disposition sheet. If

either the coversheet or disposition sheet is not filed, or there is a delay in the

filing the file date will affect the time periods.

D. For the TPR petitions that DID NOT have a disposition sheet entered but a TPR

Order was filed, a disposition of GRANTED was substituted for this specific data

pull.

Periodic Review (Item 21)

• There were 1471 cases filed between 07/01/2021 - 6/30/2022, which is an overall

decrease of slightly over 20% in the number of cases filed as reported in the

2022 APSR. However, it should be noted the date range provided for the 2022

APSR covered the period of 06/01/2020 - 06/01/2021 whereas data requested

and provided for the 2023 APSR is for the date range of 07/01/2021 -

06/07/2022. This was done in an effort to better align this data with most other

data points in the APSR that follow generally follow the state fiscal year.

Regardless, of the 1471 cases filed between 07/01/2021 - 6/7/2022, 176 of the

cases closed within the time frame, leaving 1,295 cases to be analyzed for the

results below:

o Of the 1,295 cases opened during this time period, 523 cases, or 41%,

had review hearing info available from this data set covering 07/01/2021 -

06/07/022 as compared to the 48% of cases from the 2022 APSR data set

that had review information available. for the period of 07/01/2021-

06/07/2022, 772 cases had no review hearing info available.

o Of the 523 cases, 83% had review hearings within 6 months for the date

range of 07/01/2021 - 06/07/2022 as compared to the 88% of cases that

had review hearings within 6 months from the previous reporting period of

06/01/2020 - 06/01/2021. 17% of the same set from 07/01/2021-

06/07/2022 had a review hearing within 12 months as compared to the

12% of cases that had a review hearing within 12 months for the data set

from 06/01/2020 - 06/01/2021.

o Of the 772 cases where no review hearing information was found, 606 of

the cases, or 81%, opened after 1/01/2022, so their review hearing may

not have occurred or waiting to be entered.

This data was gathered/pulled from Contexte. At present, OCC’s Rocket Matter is

unable to supplement or verify data available through Contexte, but OCC plans to

continue to work to enhance the utility of Rocket Matter. Arkansas concludes that

overall periodic reviews occur regularly as the attorneys have an ethical responsibility to

ensure petitions are filed timely. In addition, OCC supervisors conduct random file

reviews which also helps to ensure timeliness, among other issues.

Anecdotally there continues to be consensus amongst the stakeholders that periodic

reviews occur regularly and include the required provisions. For the most part, cases are

reviewed every three months, and if things are going well, then every six months. In some

areas, the judge schedules reviews for five months to give leeway in ensuring they occur

every six months.

Permanency Hearings (Item 22)

• Out of 1471 cases filed between 07/01/2021 - 6/07/2022, 176 of the cases closed

within the time frame, leaving 1,295 cases to be analyzed for the results below:

o Of the 1,295 open cases, 28 cases had PPH hearing info available, and

1,267 cases had no PPH hearing info available. The new date range of

07/01/2021 - 06/07/2022 should be noted again here as it resulted in a

smaller data set since many cases have not yet reached the 12-month mark,

hence a significant contributing factor to the low PPH numbers.

▪ Of the 28 cases, 100% had PPH hearings within 12 months just as

100% of the applicable cases from the previous reporting period

covering 06/01/2020 - 06/01-2021 had 100% of the PPH hearings

within 12 months.

▪ Of the 1,267 cases from the period of 07/01/2021 - 06/07/2022 where

no PPH hearing info was found, all of the cases have been open for

12 months or less. This is similar to the previous reporting period of

06/01/2020 - 06/01-2021 when all of the applicable cases where no

PPH hearing info was found also resulted from all of those cases

having been open for less than 12 months with the exception of 20

of those cases being exactly 12 months old at the time of the data

pull, so their PPH hearing may not have occurred or was waiting to

be entered.

There were 1,742 children who had entered foster care during SFY 2021 and

subsequently stayed in care for at least eight months. Of those 1,742 children, 1,205

received a permanency planning hearing within twelve months of entering care.

Permanency Planning Hearing data that is available is mostly from courts that are already

tracking this information on their own without any involvement from CIP. The PPH hearing

date information is from either the hearing record, or from the date the hearing order was

filed. At present, there is not another data source to supplement or verify data available

through Contexte, but OCC plans to continue to work to enhance the utility of Rocket

Matter to help in this regard.

Generally, the consensus among stakeholders continues to be that the effectiveness of

the case review system ensures that each child has a permanency hearing within twelve

months of entry into foster care, and no less frequently than every twelve months

thereafter. Communication and diligent monitoring of timeframes between DCFS staff,

attorneys and judges result in the majority of permanency hearings being scheduled and

held timely, especially initial permanency hearings.

Office of Chief Counsel (OCC)’s requests for custom modifications to Rocket Matter

were deployed in May 2021. OCC is working on training and implementation on the use

of more refined granular permissions and capabilities which will increase the quality of

data entry. This will allow OCC to fully utilize reporting features to track efficiencies and

productivity, including permanency hearings. Another custom modification update was

implemented in December of 2021 which added DCFS CHRIS numbers to the legal

cases in Rocket Matter. This move allowed OCC to cross reference cases by the court’s

docket numbers and the DCFS case numbers. Tying those numbers helps to pull the

appropriate information and generate better reporting

Termination of Parental Rights Hearings (Item 23)

On the whole, the case review system continues to work effectively to ensure the timely

TPR proceedings in accordance with federal and state statutes. Untimely termination of

parental rights are generally associated with the timeliness in which TPR hearings were

held (e.g., because of continuances) and not on the filing of the petitions. Please

reference Efforts to Achieve Permanency Goals (Item 6).

TPR Data

• Out of 630 TPR petitions filed between 07/01/2021 - 06/07/2022, 401 petitions, or

64%, had a disposition sheet or TPR Order recorded. This is an increase from

the data set pulled for the 2022 APSR when, out of 444 TPR petitions filed

between 06/01/2020 - 06/1/2021, 269 petitions, or 60.6%, had a disposition

recorded.

• Of the 630 TPR petitions filed:

o 49% were filed within 12 months of case opening as compared to the 51%

filed within 12 months of case opening as reported in the 2022 APSR

o 21% within 15 months as compared to the 24% filed within 15 months of

case opening as reported in the 2022 APSR

o 30% within 24 months as compared to the 21% filed within 24 months as

reported in the 2022 ASPR.

• Of the 401 petitions that had a disposition, 9 were dismissed during the date

range of 07/01/2021 - 06/07/2022 (whereas 14 were dismissed from the period of

06/01/2020 - 06/01/2021), 392 were granted (whereas 181 were granted from the

period of 06/01/2020 - 06/01/2021)

• Of the 392 that were granted:

o 15% were finalized within 30 days of the original TPR petition compared to

the 12% that were finalized within 30 days from the previous reporting

period

o 25% were finalized within 60 days of the original TPR petition compared to

the 15% that were finalized within 60 days of the original TPR from the

previous reporting period

o 31% were finalized within 90 days of the original TPR petition as

compared to the 34% finalized within 90 days of the original TPR from the

previous reporting period

o 29% were over 90 days of the original TPR petition as compared to the

39% that were over 90 days of the original TPR petition from the previous

reporting period

• Of the 229 petitions with no disposition or TPR order filed, the disposition

sheet/order may not have been filed or the disposition has not been entered yet.

The Arkansas Commission for Parent Counsel (ACPC) continues to claim IV-E Foster

Care administrative funds to improve legal preparation and representation for parents

involved in dependency-neglect cases.

Notice of Hearings and Reviews to Caregivers (Item 24)

DCFS policy states that the Department shall provide the resource parent(s) of a child,

and any pre-adoptive parent(s) or relative caregiver(s) notice of any proceeding held with

respect to the child and the opportunity to be heard. The method of notification continues

to vary across DCFS county offices depending upon what has proven most effective for

a particular community and the practices of the local judge. Act 814 of the 93

General

Assembly, Regular session which is now effective also require foster parents, pre-

adoptive parents, and relative caregivers to be called as a witness when providing

evidence to be considered by the court in an effort to create consistency in what evidence

is admissible.

The value of ‘Notification of Court Hearing to Foster Parent(s)/Pre-Adoptive

Parent(s)/Relative caregiver(s)’ in the ‘Purpose’ pick list on the Case Contact screen in

CHRIS continues to be used inconsistently to document when notice is given to

caregivers. However, feedback from resource parents continues to be positive regarding

the enhancement to the Foster Parent Care Portal that allows them to review the most

current approved court report for the children residing in their homes, which has the court

date information on it. If the caseworker fails to notify the foster parent, they can see this

information through accessing the portal. Below is a breakdown of data of portal users:

Total no of providers who logged into the Portal since 01/01/2022: 2087

Total no of providers who created new profiles since 01/01/2022: 505

Total no of existing providers who logged into the Portal since 01/01/2022: 1642

No of Providers who uploaded a profile photo: 70

No of Providers who requested change of address from Portal: 681

No of providers who changed or added bank information from Portal since 01/01/2022:

473

Total providers eligible to enroll for Direct Deposit: 6295

Total providers Currently have an Active Portal account: 5064

Total providers currently enrolled for Direct Deposit :4307

Rave Texting stats:

Total no of Providers who have approved/open Foster Family Home service and active

portal profile : 817

Total no of Providers where at least one household member choose ‘Yes’ for Rave

Texting option : 709

Total no of Providers Not Enrolled for Portal/ Direct Deposit: 1191

Total no of Providers Enrolled for Portal but not For Direct Deposit : 635

Total no of Providers who have not signed up yet : 31

DCFS does not have quantitative data to track adherence for the notification requirement,

but anecdotally Family Service Workers in most counties provide notice by calling or

texting the foster parent(s), pre-adoptive parent(s) or caregiver(s), and also remind them

in person of upcoming court dates during home visits. In addition, it has been noted in

recent conversations with staff that notification of court hearings may be provided to

resource parents in different ways and/or documented on alternate screens (i.e., rather

than selecting the Notification of Court Hearing to Foster Parent(s)/Pre-Adoptive

Parent(s)/Relative caregiver(s)’ in the ‘Purpose’ pick list on the Case Contact screen)

such as providing the CFS-343: Notification of Court Appearance or documenting the

notice on the provider screens in CHRIS rather than the case screens themselves. The

use of the contact purpose type of “Notification of Court Hearing to Foster Parent(s)/Pre-

Adoptive Parent(s)” on the case side in CHRIS was only selected 26 times during SFY

2022. Staff may still document court notification in CHRIS on the case side, but just during

a home visit contact as opposed to making a separate contact related to court hearing

notification. In addition, feedback from staff has been that resource staff will sometimes

document within provider contacts, which is different from the case side. Unfortunately,

there is not a corresponding “Notification of Court Hearing to Foster Parent(s)/Pre-

Adoptive Parent(s)” contact purpose type on the provider side in CHRIS, so the Division

is unable to pull a standard report from the provider side as to when resource staff notify

resource parents of upcoming court dates. For staff who may use the paper CFS-343 to

provide notice, this will also be difficult to assess frequency since they may or may not

doc track when this form is actually sent.

Some resource parents continue to rely on the attorney ad litem (AAL) or CASA (Court

Appointed Special Advocates) volunteers to remind caregiver(s) of upcoming hearings.

In addition, the majority of judges announce upcoming hearing dates in court and include

the information in the court order and will inquire of the Department if/how a foster parent

or caregiver was given notice and their reason for not attending if none are present at a

hearing. In instances where a foster parent or relative caregiver cannot attend, the

attorney ad litem most often provides the court a status update and raises any issues or

concerns to be addressed on behalf of the caregivers.

Discussions regarding how Arkansas’s forthcoming CCWIS, AR Focus, can provide

notifications of court hearings to resource parents are also underway.

Overall, the case review system is functioning well regarding notice of hearings and

reviews and right to be heard for foster parents, pre-adoptive parents and relative

caregivers. DCFS will continue to message to staff the importance of documenting when

notice is given to caregivers and will continue to meet with foster parents, adoptive

parents and relative caregivers to ensure that they are notified of, and have a right to be

heard in, any hearing held with respect to the children placed with them.

Quality Assurance System (Item 25)

As described on pages 63 through 65 of Arkansas’s 2020-2024 Child and Family Services

Plan, the Division of Children and Family Services continues to utilize the Quality Services

Peer Review (QSPR) process as a central component of its Quality Assurance and

Continuous Quality Improvement system. The process is used as a monitoring tool to

evaluate Arkansas’s child welfare system; it constitutes DCFS’ qualitative case review

process. The reviews are designed to help individual service areas, and the Division as

a whole, improve child welfare services and subsequently outcomes for children and

families.

The standards outlined in the QSPR support the principles promoted in other review tools

employed by DCFS as well as the Arkansas Practice Model, including family-centered

practice, community-based services, individualizing services that address the unique

needs of families and strengthening the capacity of parents to protect and provide for their

children. The QSPR is administered by the Service Quality and Practice Improvement

(SQPI) Unit, a public-private partnership between the Division and Public Consulting

Group, Inc. (PCG), which is comprised of both State and contracted quality assurance

reviewers as well as a PCG manager.

Arkansas’s QSPR process employs the federal Child and Family Services Review’s

Onsite Review Instrument (OSRI) for its reviews. Each review utilizes information

gathered from the state’s SACWIS, physical case files, and interviews with various case

participants and providers, e.g., children, parents, foster parents, caseworkers, and other

professionals involved with the child(ren)/family. DCFS adopted the Round 3 OSRI for

use in the QSPR process in State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2016 and, since then (including for

the Round 3 CFSR), the statewide scores have been comprised of straight averages of

the combined scores from the ten service areas in accordance with the approved federal

sampling methodology. Quality assurance is an integral component of the QSPR process;

all reviewed cases undergo two levels of QA. The initial (first-level) QA ensures that

reviewers are accurately rating cases and properly applying the federal instructions within

the OSRI, while the secondary (second-level) QA ensures consistency among all cases

reviewed across reviewers and throughout all service areas within the state.

The SFY 2022 QSPR utilized the approved methodology in which 20 cases (12 foster

care and 8 in-home cases) are reviewed in each of DCFS’ ten service areas over the

course of the fiscal year, for a total of 200 cases (120 foster care and 80 in-home cases)

statewide. The reviewed cases were selected using the same stratified, random sampling

technique and from the same three counties per service area as were reviewed for the

Round 3 CFSR. Additionally, the QSPR process was expanded beginning in SFY 2020

to include case reviews in counties/offices not currently used for Performance

Improvement Plan (PIP) monitoring. Each year, two additional counties are selected in

each service area, with different counties selected in subsequent years until every county

has a chance to participate in the QSPR process. Ten additional cases are reviewed in

each service area during these supplemental reviews, divided between the two counties

selected for the year. The additional cases are randomly selected as they are for the

traditional QSPR process and focus on the same twelve-month review period, and the

same OSRI is used for rating the cases. However, instead of interviewing all case

participants and providers, only the caseworkers and/or supervisors are interviewed for

the additional case reviews. The results from the expanded reviews are aggregated and

reported separately from those from the traditional reviews to safeguard the integrity of

the QSPR process. The SFY 2022 QSPR began in September 2021 and the reviews in

all ten service areas were completed and finalized in August 2022.

Once all the cases in the sample have been reviewed, finalized, and gone through both

levels of QA, the findings are compiled and analyzed and a service area-specific report

(e.g., Area 1 QSPR Synopsis) is issued describing the performance, highlighting the

strengths and areas needing improvement. These reports are initially shared with

Executive Staff and the pertinent Area Director via email, which each Area Director then

shares with their supervisory staff via email. The Program Administrator for Planning and

Practice and the PCG Manager then schedule an in-person meeting with the Area

Director and the supervisors from the Area to go over the findings of the review and

brainstorm ideas for development of practice improvement plans to address the areas

identified as needing improvement in an effort to improve future performance and services

to families. Currently, these meetings are being held via Zoom due to the COVID-19

public-health emergency.

The SQPI Unit continue to issue an annual Statewide QSPR Performance Report

outlining Arkansas’s performance following the review of the entire state. These reports

combine the results of the individual service areas’ reviews to provide an overall summary

of the child welfare system’s performance pertaining to the goals of safety, permanency

and well-being for children receiving services. The Statewide QSPR Performance Report

is emailed to Executive Staff by the PCG Manager and then disseminated throughout the

Agency, including to the Area Directors via email. Examples of lessons learned from

QSPRs over the last reporting period that were then acted upon at the state level include

evidence of staff’s continued struggle with the assessment of substance use in parents,

particularly as it relates to THC given the use of legal medical marijuana use in Arkansas.

As a result, DCFS Central Office developed a two-part training and discussion series

regarding assessing substance use that was provided over the DCFS Director’s weekly

Zoom that is open to all DCFS staff. These discussions were recorded and sent out to all

staff and training partners so that those who were not able to watch live could still review

the information.

In February 2021 the Capacity Building Center for States began providing technical

assistance to the SQPI Unit and worked with the unit through August 2021. Since the

conclusion of the technical assistance, the SQPI Unit has developed a Standard

Operating Guide to assist new staff and guide existing staff through the review process.

DCFS reviewed the guide and provided feedback.

Following the conclusion of the technical assistance, DCFS requested that the Children’s

Bureau resume providing secondary reviews. The Children’s Bureau began providing

secondary review feedback to the SQPI Unit and have met to discuss the feedback on

numerous occasions.

In preparation for the upcoming Round 4 CFSR, DCFS and the SQPI Unit began

participating on the National Round 4 CFSR webinars. When the webinars concluded the

CQI Manager provided an overview of the changes to the OSRI tool to some of the

members of Infrastructure and Specialized Placement Unit. Arkansas still plans to move

to conduct a State-Led Review Process for CFSR Round 4. The State believes that since

the secondary reviews with the Children’s Bureau have resumed, this is one strategy to

help the state prepare for Round 4 in addition to the guidance provided by the national

CFSR webinars held earlier this year.

In addition to the QSPR process, multiple reviews continue to be conducted at the Central

Office level. Each of the Program Managers or staff in the Prevention and Reunification

Unit, Child Protective Services (CPS, also referred to as Investigations), Differential

Response (DR), CANS/FAST, In-Home, and Team Decision Making (TDM), review cases

for quality of practice using standardized review tools that are in survey monkey. The

Central Office Quality Assurance Coordinator completes ten TYS case reviews each

month. If concerns are noted in the case review, they are sent to the Area Director,

Supervisor, TYS Coordinator, and the assigned Family Service Worker. There are also

evaluations underway of SafeCare and Family-Centered Treatment through a contract

with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences as part of its IV-E Prevention

Program evaluation, and PCG also conduct CQI reviews of the agency’s Intensive In-

Home Services (IIHS) Programs. The PCG CQI reports regarding IIHS are also presented

to supervisors, as applicable, during the same meetings in which their QSPR sessions

are held.

Staff Training

Initial Staff Training (Item 26)

As has been the case in the past, SFY 2022 data to date shows that the vast majority of

staff successfully complete the required initial training hours. Initial training includes both

Foundations Training which is a total of 84 hours of in-person, classroom training

delivered over a period of five weeks, in addition to several online training modules that

the worker completes individually prior to each applicable in-person unit. Initial staff

training also include three, separate concentrations – Investigations, Protective Services,

and Foster Care -- with each concentration comprised of 30-hours of in-person,

classroom content delivered over a full week as well as associated online modules that

the worker completes prior to the in-person concentration. There is a required waiting

period of 30 days between each concentration in an effort to allow staff time to absorb

information from each concentration and apply it when they return to the office, give staff

time to work cases between concentrations, and allow staff time to complete the

associated, pre-requisite online modules for each concentration. FSWs are assigned

cases prior to completing the entirety of New Staff Training. The Graduated Caseload

protocol for case assignment while in New Staff Training is detailed in the agency’s

Training Plan.

Hiring and training completion details for various positions within DCFS are listed below.

Family Service Workers (FSWs)

293 Total FSWs in some capacity were hired with a position start date between 07/01/21

and 05/31/22, which is almost a 6.2% increase of FSWs hired within the same timeframe

in the previous year. Of those 293, 216 remain employed with the agency, which is a

73.7% retention rate as compared to a 79.3% retention rate in the preceding year for the

same timeframe. The detailed breakout for 07/01/21 through 05/31/22 is as follows and

gathered/pulled from UALR MidSOUTH’s AceWare Student Manager:

• 206 Active Regular FSWs

• 4 Active FSW Adoption Specialists

• 8 Active FSW Clinical Specialists

• 6 Active FSW Extra Helps

• 4 Active FSW Specialists

• 56 Inactive FSWs

• 7 Inactive FSW Extra Helps

• 2 Inactive FSW Specialists

171 Foundation Completions were completed between 07/01/21 and 05/31/22, as

compared to the 187 Foundations Completions for 07/01/20 through 05/31/21. Some

active FSWs may not have completed Foundations to date given that Foundations spans

several weeks so often crosses reporting periods or staff may currently be registered for

an upcoming Foundations Training that has not yet started while a limited number of staff

hired during this period either did not start or never finished Foundations Training before

leaving the agency. Regarding Foundations completion, details are as follows:

• 129 Active FSWs completed Foundations between 07/01/21 and 05/31/22

• 9 Active FSW Supervisors completed Foundations between 07/01/21 and

05/31/22

• 32 Inactive FSWs completed Foundations between 07/01/21 and 05/31/22

• 1 Inactive DHS Program Assistant completed Foundations between 07/01/21 and

05/31/22

• 35 Active FSWs are currently in Foundations training

• 2 Active FSW Supervisors are currently in Foundations training

• 1 MidSOUTH Technical Writer is currently in Foundations training

• 20 Active FSWs are currently on the waitlist to begin Foundations

• 1 Active FSW is currently on the waitlist for Foundations Make-Up training

• 3 Active FSW Extra Helps are currently on the Waitlist to attend training

• 23 Inactive FSWs hired between 07/01/21 and 05/31/22 either never started or

did not finish Foundations training

Given that 171 Foundation Completions were documented between 07/01/21 and

05/31/22, 161 FSWs (counting both active and inactive FSWs) completed during this

time. Further, recognizing that some of the FSWs hired between 07/01/21 and 05/31/22

were hired toward the end of the period so had either not yet had time to complete

Foundations or were still on the wait list, the Foundations completion rate was very

close to 100%.

Program Assistants (PAs)

146 PAs were hired with a position start date between 07/01/21 and 05/31/22, which is

about a 26.9% increase in the number of PAs hired for the same timeframe in the

previous year. Of the 146 who were hired between 07/01/21 and 05/31/22, 106 remain

employed with the agency. This is a 72.6% retention rate as compared to the 68.7% PA

retention rate for the period of 07/01/20 through 05/31/21. The detailed breakout for the

most recent timeframe is as follows:

• 106 Active PAs

• 4 Active Family Services Assistants

• 31 Inactive PAs

• 2 Inactive PA Extra Helps

• 3 Inactive Family Services Assistants

• 104 Program Assistant New Staff Training completions between 07/01/21 and

05/31/22

• 72 Active PAs completed PA Training between 07/01/21 and 05/31/22

• 1 Active DHS Program Specialist completed PA Training between 07/01/21 and

05/31/22

• 2 Active DHS/DCFS Program Administrators completed PA Training between

07/01/21 and 05/31/22

• 4 Active FSWs completed PA Training between 07/01/21 and 05/31/22

• 2 Active Family Service Assistants completed PA Training between 07/01/21 and

05/31/22

• 2 Active Program Eligibility Specialists completed PA Training between 07/01/21

and 05/31/22

• 20 Inactive PAs completed PA Training between 07/01/21 and 05/31/22

• 1 Inactive Family Service Assistant completed PA Training between 07/01/21

and 05/31/22

• 25 Inactive PAs (all types) hired between 07/01/21 and 05/31/22 either never

started or never completed PA Training

• 19 Active PAs are currently in PA Training

• 19 Active PAs are currently on the waitlist to begin or make-up PA training

Based on the details above, of the PAs or Family Services Assistants (a different

position name but a position that serves the same function as a PA), who are still with

the agency, the New PA Training rate is very close to 100% with 104 New PA Training

completions between 07/01/21 and 05/31/22. Those 104 completions would have been

completed by a mixture of the 74 active PAs or Family Services Assistants, the 21 now

inactive PAs or Family Services Assistants, the 19 PAs who were in training at the time

of this report, the 19 Active PAs who were on the waitlist which would come to a total of

133. Admittedly some of the 104 completions between 07/01/21 and 05/31/22 may have

been completed by PAs or Family Services Assistants hired in SFY 2021.

Supervisors

49 Supervisors were hired with a position start date between 07/01/21 and 05/31/22 as

compared to 38 Supervisors who were hired between 07/01/20 and 05/31/21. Of the 49

who were hired for this reporting period, 42 remain active with DCFS for a retention rate

of 85.7% as compared to the newly hired Supervisor retention rate of 89.5% for the

period of 07/01/19 through 05/31/20. The breakdown for 07/01/20 through 05/31/21 is

as follows:

• 4 Active County Supervisors

• 38 Active FSW Supervisors

• 1 Active FSW Supervisor Extra Help

• 1 Inactive County Supervisor

• 5 Inactive FSW Supervisors

• 10 Supervisor NST Completions between 07/01/21 and 05/31/22 (all still active)

• 24 Active Supervisors currently on the waitlist to attend Supervisor NST

• 14 Active Supervisors currently on the waitlist to Make-up Supervisor NST

• 0 Active Supervisors are currently in Supervisor Training

• 6 Inactive Supervisors hired between 07/01/21 and 05/31/22 either never started

or never completed Supervisor NST

Based on the data above, while the New Supervisor Training completion rate does take

longer to achieve based on the amount of supervisors needing make-up sessions and

the frequency with which New Supervisor Training is offered, the New Supervisor

Training completion rate and is not as close to 100%. While there were only 10 New

Supervisor Training completions for this reporting period of 07/01/21 and 05/31/22,

another large supervisor training ran from June 20, 2022-July 8, 2022 that had 14

supervisors in that class – some of whom were making up previously missed sessions

from the prior run of the training. There is also another New Supervisor Training

scheduled to begin running in September 2022.

There were 616 total DCFS employees (all positions) hired with a position start date

between 07/01/2021 and 05/31/22, which is an approximately 29.7% increase from the

total DCFS employees hired with a position start date of 07/01/20 and 05/31/21.

A survey conducted by the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) MidSOUTH

Training Academy in the spring of 2022 to evaluate how training did or did not prepare

FSWs for their initial period of employment with the agency and to determine what could

be done to improve NST. Of the 189 surveyed, 65 responded. This represents a 34%

return rate. This return rate reflects a decrease from 2021 when the return rate was 39%.

Fifty-nine percent (59%) of the FSWs who participated in the survey indicated the initial

training was either “excellent” or “good” when asked to rate the helpfulness of the

classroom training in learning the FSW job duties from the date of employment until the

time of the survey. This is an increase from the previous year’s rating of 58% of FSWs

who completed the survey and rated the initial training as “excellent” or “good.”

Based on the associated comments provided as part of this survey, the overwhelming

feedback was a request to end Zoom trainings. Initially the Division had planned to go

back to in-person training in August 2021. However, this decision was rescinded when

the Delta variant caused COVID cases to peak again during the summer 2021. Another

plan was made to return to in-person training in January 2022, but, once again, this

decision was reversed when the Omicron variant resulted in an extraordinary amount of

COVID cases during and immediately following the holidays. Finally, in-person training

for Concentrations resumed in April 2022 and in-person training for Foundations and all

other trainings such as Supervisor and Program Assistant Trainings returned to in-person

classes in June 2022.

Another common theme throughout the satisfaction survey was requests for more specific

training requests for resource and adoptions (despite having specific units designed for

these populations of staff). A workgroup has been formed to address this topic. The

workgroup’s first meeting is scheduled for July 5, 2022.

Ongoing Staff Training (Item 27)

All DCFS employees are required to have a minimum number of annual continuing

education training hours based on an employee’s specific job function. Any continuing

education provided by UALR MidSOUTH or the Academic Partnership in Public Child

Welfare (i.e., “the IV-E Partnership”) is reported directly to DCFS on a quarterly basis.

Each year direct service DCFS staff must complete the mandated Managing Difficult

Encounters with Families and A Comprehensive and Compassionate Approach to

Trauma Assessment trainings. The hours for both trainings, typically provided by the

Academic Partnership for Public Child Welfare, are applied to the annual ongoing training

requirement. The specific training objectives within those two mandated trainings are

adjusted annually based on feedback from the previous year’s training and input collected

during quarterly Regional Team Meetings between DCFS and the Academic Partnership

in Public Child Welfare as well as monthly meetings with DCFS Area Directors, the IV-E

University Coordinators, and the DCFS Professional Development Unit Manager. That

said, during this past reporting period, the Division collaborated with Zero To Three to

present this year’s annual trauma training entitled, “Navigating Transitions.” Please see

the State Training Plan for more information.

During this reporting period, the National Center for Substance Abuse and Child Welfare’s

Online Substance Abuse Training for Child Welfare Professionals continued to be part of

the ongoing staff training system. All FSWs are required to participate in this 4.5-hour

online curriculum approximately six months after they complete the entirety of New Staff

Training (Foundations and Concentrations). All Program Assistants are required to take

the online training approximately two months after their hire date. Both FSWs and PAs

participate in a facilitated wrap-up conversation after completing the online portion.

Please see the State Training Plan Update for more information.

Beyond these three standard mandated trainings, DCFS employees may satisfy their

remaining continuing education requirement in a multitude of different ways. For instance,

DCFS staff may elect to access continuing education opportunities offered through other

community organizations and collaborations, educational institutions, and in-state and

out-of-state conferences.

There are also typically trainings mandated by DCFS Central Office throughout the year

for DCFS staff related to new programs or initiatives, or areas identified as needing

additional training to improve practice. For example, the DCFS Adoptions Unit is currently

hosting a training refresher regarding adoption subsidies.

Throughout this reporting period most trainings have remained virtual due to the ongoing

COVID-19 pandemic. There is a general sense of Zoom fatigue though most staff will

acknowledge the convenience of not having to travel for trainings.

For additional updates and details regarding ongoing training for staff, please see the

attached SFY 2022 Training Plan Update.

Foster and Adoptive Parent Training (Item 28)

Through the agency’s contract with MidSOUTH Training Academy, there 512 individual

PRIDE completions between July 1, 2021-May 31, 2022, a decrease of 41.75% from the

previous year, largely due to kinship families being routed to their own pre-service

training, Kinship Connect, beginning in August 2021 though COVID may have impacted

a small decrease in the number of traditional resource applicants as well. Regarding the

Kinship Connect Training, 811 individuals completed this pre-service training designed

for relatives and fictive kin, which once again speaks to the Division’s efforts in seeking

out relative and fictive kin resource homes.

Service Array (Item 29)

The Family Advocacy and Support Tool (FAST) and Child and Adolescent Needs and

Strengths (CANS) continue to serve as the state’s family assessment tools used in in-

home and foster care cases, respectively. The purpose of the CANS/FAST tools are to

engage the family and other team members in the assessment process, to help staff

prioritize the highest area of need and identify strengths within the child/family, and to

provide a communication tool to help the family, DCFS, and other team members to

discuss the progress, or lack thereof, the family is making in terms of strengths and needs

and related behavior change. The Division works to ensure services that assess the

strengths and needs of children and families are available statewide at all stages of the

system.

Once the strengths and needs are identified through the CANS/FAST assessment, staff

are required to develop a comprehensive case plan with the services identified to address

the specific needs or build upon an individual’s strengths in conjunction with the family

and other team members. These services allow children to safely remain in the home,

work towards reunification, or achieve timely permanency. All case plans address the

safety, permanency, and well-being of the families of Arkansas. The case plan is

monitored by staff to help them determine if services provided are assisting the parents

or other caregivers achieve the desired behavior change needed to rectify the issues that

brought the family to the attention of the agency. The case plan is also revised as needed

in order for a child to safely remain in the home or achieve permanency on a timely basis.

Arkansas has a high number of cases where the court will order “standard services” for

every family even if that service is not identified as a need. DCFS complies with those

orders of the court and develops a specific area within the case plan to note if the services

were court ordered.

QSPR reviews suggest that truly individualizing or tailoring of services to meet the unique

needs of children and families is still a challenge for the state. However, progress is

evident in the continued expansion of successful services such as Intensive In-Home

Services and the SafeCare Home Visiting Program. The state is also looking forward to

the implementation of Youth Villages’ LifeSet Program in Areas 1 and 2 of the state which

will provide more intensive transitional services to older youth in foster care or who have

exited from foster care. Please see the John F. Chafee section of this report under the

Division X sub-heading for more information. The state’s specialized interventions

provided through the Differential Response and Team Decision Making continue to

individualize the investigation process and safety planning around the particular needs of

children and families.

DCFS delivers some of the services directly to clients while others are provided through

a contract with specific providers. Division-delivered services are available statewide

100

while some contracted services are only available in limited jurisdictions. Services gaps

are usually addressed through the development of a Purchase Order for needed services

not available by contract.

Programs and services of other Divisions within the Department are also available to

clients of DCFS. Delivery of such services is coordinated with other Divisions

administering TEA/TANF Medicaid, SNAP, Social Services Block Grant, and other federal

entitlement programs. The state Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention Program

(CBCAP) funded under Title II of CAPTA to develop child abuse prevention programs is

housed within DCFS. For information on how the agency has also initiated collaboration

with public housing authorities in certain areas through the Foster Youth to Independence

initiative, please see the Chafee section of this report.

While challenges remain, the Division’s Intensive In-Home Services (IIHS) programs

continue to produce positive outcomes for families. The IIHS Program is now available to

some degree in 52 of the 75 counties in Arkansas (most are fully implemented while a

handful of these counties can obtain IIHS on a case-by-case basis as needed and as

provider capacity allows). Further expansion to at least four more counties is planned for

SFY 23.

As reported in the state’s updated IV-E Prevention Program Plan updated in May 2022,

Arkansas-specific data regarding Intercept continues to show that counties utilizing this

program have had fewer entries into foster care since the implementation of Intercept,

specifically when comparing for the year preceding the implementation of the Intensive

In-Home Services programs (CY 2018) to the entries that occurred the year in which

Intercept was fully implemented and established in the original 37 counties (CY

2020). Comparing 2018 to 2020, the number of entries in each of these counties

decreased. Overall, the number of entries decreased by 36 percent for these counties

(see chart below for more detail – provided by Evident Change from data pulled from

DCFS SACWIS).

101

COUNTY

2018

Entries

2020 Entries

Cleburne

Crittenden

Cross

Independence

Jackson

Mississippi

Poinsett

White

110

Woodruff

570

367

In addition, the CQI reviews conducted via a contract with the Public Consulting Group

(PCG) have also demonstrated the positive effects of Intercept among Arkansas clients.

For example, in the most recent CQI report regarding Intercept (which included

interviews and file reviews conducted from October 2021-December 2021 regarding

services rendered from October 1, 2020 - March 31, 2021):

• 86% of respondents strongly agreed that Intercept interventions consistently

addressed their family’s needs.

• 78% strongly agreed that the specialist helped their family increase factors

important to their long-term success

• The majority of families, 62%, reported being more supported by community

partners after participating in Intercept.

• 0% of families discharged from Intercept had a new DCFS investigation during

treatment.

Program Managers continue to be responsible for service specific to their programs (e.g.,

the Foster Care Manager provides oversight on home study contracts and adoption

summary contracts, In-Home Program Manager provides oversight for Triple P Parenting,

Intensive In-Home, and Intensive Family Services (IFS) contracts, SafeCare, Counseling,

Psychological Evaluations, Substance Abuse, etc.)

The DCFS Intensive Family Services (IFS) Program – which exists in 20 counties (31%

of the state) that do not have Intensive In-Home Services Programs -- offers an array of

services including time-limited intensive counseling, skill building, support services, and

102

referrals to resources that target the needs of the family. The primary intent of IFS is to

prevent out-of-home placements of children; however, it is also used for reunification of

children with their families. The In-Home Program Manager also approves exceptions on

a case-by-case basis to provide this service to help keep a child in foster care stabilized

in a resource home to prevent multiple moves/disruption and to prevent a child from going

to a more restrictive placement if unnecessary. Services are available for 4 to 6 weeks

for 24 hours a day, 7 days per week and are provided in family homes or in alternative

natural environment settings. DCFS procures contract providers throughout the state to

offer IFS to appropriately referred families.

The current contract for IFS ends June 30, 2022. Arkansas plans to secure a six-month

renewal for IFS through December 31, 2022, as Intensive In-Home Services continue to

expand throughout the state. Counties in which IFS was the only DCFS contract-based,

in-home service will be prioritized as a location for implementation of Intensive In-Home

Services as that program expands. The state does not wish to continue offering IFS since

the current IFS models are not evidence-based and the state’s Intensive In-Home

Services Programs are not only evidence-based, but also producing positive outcomes

for children and families. Arkansas previously researched evidence-based models and

had selected Homebuilders® as the required evidence-based model that would have

been required if IFS continued, but with the expansion of Intensive In-Home Services, this

transition to Homebuilders® is no longer necessary. As the current IFS is not a specified

model, Arkansas does not claim reimbursement for it. However, IFS will continue to be

an option in the family’s prevention plan through December 31, 2022.

The Division also offers several intervention and treatment services to children and

families, including but not limited to: Anger Management, Parenting Education, Interpreter

Services, Psychological Evaluations, Respite Care, and Counseling to safely maintain

children in their own home. Additional information about service providers and statewide

coverage follow below.

SFY 2022 INTENSIVE FAMILY SERVICES PROVIDERS

• Housley Counseling – Area 1 (Benton, Carroll, Madison, & Washington)

• Counseling Associates, INC. –Area 3 (Perry), Area 5 (Conway, Faulkner)

• Life Strategies Counseling, INC. – Area 8 (Clay, Craighead, & Greene)

• Martin Counseling Services – Area 3 (Saline) Area 7 (Lonoke & Prairie)

• Western AR Counseling & Guidance – Area 2 (Crawford, Franklin, Logan, Scott,

Sebastian)

103

ARKANAS SERVICE AND PROVIDER MAPS FOR SFY 2022

IFS PROVIDER MAP, SFY 2022

IFS are time-limited intensive counseling, skill-building, support services and referrals to

resources that target the needs of the family. The service is primarily intended for

families whose children are in imminent risk of an out of home placement but may

include, under certain circumstance, families who have already experienced an out of

home placement and reunification is planned. Services are aimed at ensuring the safety

of all family members while helping the family learn how to stay together successfully.

The goal is safely keeping children, when possible, with their families by providing

services aimed at restoring families in crisis to an acceptable level of functioning

delivered within a System of Care framework. Services are intensive and individualized

specifically to the client’s needs.

104

KEY

Provider

DCFS Areas/Counties

Housley Counseling

Area 1 (Benton, Carroll, Madison, & Washington)

Counseling Associates

Area 3 (Perry); Area 5 (Conway, Faulkner)

Life Strategies

Area 8 (Clay, Craighead, and Greene)

Martin Counseling

Services

Area 3 (Saline); Area 7 (Lonoke and Prairie)

Western AR Counseling &

Guidance Center

Area 2 (Crawford, Franklin, Logan, Scott, & Sebastian)

105

Substance Abuse Treatment Services, SFY 2022

Substance Abuse- provides outpatient and/or residential substance abuse treatment

services. Services must be rendered by a facility licensed through the Division of

Provider Services and Quality Assurance (DPSQA) and whose staff is properly trained

and certified. Substance Abuse Treatment Services must assist DCFS clients with a

safe recovery from alcohol or other drug(s) of dependence, thus enabling the client to

provide a safe and healthy environment for their child(ren). Contractor shall complete

drug assessments for clients of the Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS).

The contractor shall recommend the least restrictive level of care that adequately meets

the need of the client.

YELL

BENTON

BOONE

MARION

LAFAYETTE

INDEPENDENCE

BAXTER

FULTON

RANDOLPH

CLAY

GREENE

CRAIGHEAD

MISSISSIPPI

POINSETT

CROSS

CRITTENDEN

ST. FRANCIS

LEE

PHILLIPS

DESHA

CHICOT

ASHLEY

DREW

LINCOLN

ARKANSAS

JEFFERSON

CLEVELAND

BRADLEY

CALHOUN

UNION

COLUMBIA

MILLER

LITTLE RIVER

SEVIER

HOWARD

HEMPSTEAD

NEVADA

PIKE

CLARK

DALLAS

HOT SPRING

GRANT

OUACHITA

POLK

MONTGOMERY

GARLAND

SALINE

SCOTT

PERRY

PULASKI

LONOKE

PRAIRIE

MONROE

WHITE

WOODRUFF

CLEBURNE

VAN BUREN

POPE

FAULKNER

CONWAY

LOGAN

JOHNSON

SEBASTIAN

CRAWFORD

WASHINGTON

FRANKLIN

MADISON

NEWTON

SEARCY

STONE

IZARD

SHARP

LAWRENCE

JACKSON

106

• Western Arkansas Counseling and Guidance has a contract for- Adult residential,

Adolescent Residential, Specialized Women’s Services, and Outpatient (all), and

RADD Observation Detox (Crawford, Franklin, Logan, Polk, Scott, Sebastian)

• 10

District – Adult Residential, Outpatient, RADD Observation Detox (no

adolescent services) (Area 4 all except Union, Area 7 and Area 10)

• Counseling Associates – Outpatient (Adult and Adolescent) (Johnson, Yell, Perry,

Conway, Faulkner, Pope, Searcy, Van Buren, Cleburne, Stone)

• Harbor House – Adult Residential, Adolescent Residential, Outpatient (all),

Specialized Women’s Services, RADD Observation Detox (All Area 2, 3, and 4)

• Northeast AR CMH – Adult Residential, Adolescent Residential, Outpatient all,

Specialized Women’s Services, RADD Observation Detox Area 8, Crittenden, Cross,

Independence, Jackson, Poinsett, White, Woodruff, Lee, Monroe, Phillips, St. Francis)

• Ozark Guidance Center – Adult Residential, Outpatient (all), Specialized Women’s

Services, RADD Observation Detox (Area 1, Baxter, Boone, Marion, Newton)

• Recovery Centers of AR with Subcontractors - Adult Residential, Adolescent

Residential, Outpatient (all), Specialized Women’s Services (Garland, Saline, 6,

Jefferson, Lincoln, Lonoke, Prairie)

• The PAT Center – Outpatient (all) (Cleveland, Pulaski, Jefferson)

1. Orange – Ozark Guidance Center

2. White – Western AR Counseling and Guidance Center

3. Gray – Recovery Centers for Arkansas

4. Blue – Tenth District Substance Abuse Program (New Beginnings)

5. Red- Counseling Associates

6. Purple – Northeast Arkansas Community Mental Health

7. Yellow – The PAT Center

8. Green – Harbor House

107

Counseling Services SFY 2022

Counseling services are based on a family-centered approach and are intended to

strengthen family functioning and are intended for families whose children are at risk of

an out-of-home placement or have experienced an out-of-home placement and

reunification is planned. Counseling should be directed toward improving the client’s

ability to function effectively within the family. Counseling Services are designed to be a

brief intervention model that encourages families to build upon their existing strengths,

to develop capacities to meet their needs, and to acquire new skills. Services may

include but are not limited to: problem identification and resolution; identification of

feasible goals; emotional support and guidance; provision of basic skills for functioning

in the community; exploration of possible alternative behavior patterns; and developing

and strengthening the capacity for personal and social functioning improve parenting

skills, anger management, conflict resolution, generational issues, domestic violence,

substance abuse, and other issues.

108

109

Psychological Evaluation Services by County, SFY 2022

Psychological services are provided to clients referred by DCFS or by the court. They

are to be conducted in accordance with APA Guidelines for Psychological Assessment

and Evaluation (PAE) The primary focus of recommendations made by the contractor

must be the child's health and welfare. The evaluation must address the psychological

and developmental needs of the child and/or parent(s). Relevant issues may include but

are not limited to abuse or neglect of the child, safety, parental capabilities,

reunification, or other permanency plans. In considering psychological factors affecting

the health and welfare of the child, contractor may focus on caregiver capacities in the

context of the psychological and developmental needs of the child.

110

Home Study Services By County - SFY 2022

PROVIDER

DCFS AREA/COUNTIES

Winn Counseling, PA

Area 1 (Benton, Carroll, Madison, and

Washington

Serenity Counseling, LLC

Area 2 (Crawford, Franklin, Logan, Scott,

and Sebastian

Libby Slatton LCSW, PA

Area 3 (Clark, Hot Springs, Montgomery,

Perry, Pike, and Polk

Southern Counseling Services

Area 4 (Columbia, Hempstead, Lafayette,

Little River, Miller, Nevada, Ouachita,

Sevier, and Union Area 7 (Bradley,

Calhoun, Cleveland, Dallas, Grant,

Jefferson, Lincoln, Lonoke and Prairie

Area 8 (Clay, Craighead, Fulton, Greene,

Izard, Lawrence, Mississippi, Randolph,

and Sharp Area 9 (Cleburne and Stone

Area 10 (Arkansas, Ashley, Chicot,

Desha, Drew, Lee, Monroe, Phillips, and

St. Francis

Ozark Behavioral Health

Area 5 (Conway, Faulkner, and Pope)

HLH Consultants, LLC

Area 6 (Pulaski)

SFY 2022 Foster and Adoption Related Providers and Contracts

Adoption and foster home approval activities include:

• Training for DCFS staff, prospective adoptive and foster parents, and

current/active adoptive and foster parents

• Pilot project for a kinship-specific home study and associated contracts with

LCSWs to conduct a kinship home study pilot

Additional Adoption Promotion and Support Services include:

• In-home consultation visits with prospective adoptive families

• Adoption home studies

• Adoption summaries on waiting children

Individualizing Services (Item 30)

Throughout DCFS policy and training materials, the importance of making individualized

decisions based on a child’s best interest and developing an individualized case plan with

111

services designed for a specific family are stressed as crucial to the work of DCFS.

However, there is admittedly often a gap between this policy and practice.

Many of the cases reviewed through the state’s QSPR process throughout this reporting

period noted deficiencies in parents and children being meaningfully involved in the

assessment and case planning processes. Family engagement and participation in the

assessment and case planning processes should be the first step to individualizing

services for families – without direct input from the family and their networks about the

families’ strengths and needs, it is difficult, at best, to determine what services and

supports may best meet their needs and build on existing strengths.

Anecdotally, stakeholders still reference “cookie cutter” case plans with similar services

for all families such as parenting classes and substance abuse assessment and treatment

services. However, the agency has made an effort over the last few years to bring

evidence-based services that are flexible to the needs of each family rather than a set

curriculum or standard service delivery. This has helped somewhat with being able to

individualize interactions and responses to families within these services. Examples

include Intensive In-Home Services (e.g., Intercept, Youth Advocacy Program) and the

forthcoming implementation of Youth Villages’ LifeSet Program for older youth that will

roll out in DCFS Areas 1 and 2 in September 2022. The Division recognizes the need to

ensure services such as these are available statewide.

While parenting classes may generally be over-utilized as a service within case plans, the

Division has intentionally worked toward implementing parenting curricula that are

designed to better meet the needs of the population it serves. Examples of these

evidence-based parenting curricula include Safe Care and Triple P.

Other barriers to individualizing services noted anecdotally from staff and stakeholders

also include lack of substance abuse treatment providers that will allow the parents and

children to be placed together and services for Spanish and Marshallese-speaking clients.

In theory, the Provider-led Arkansas Shared Savings Entities (PASSEs – Arkansas’s

managed care system) care coordination services (initially established in 2017) should

produce a client centered service plan for youth in the foster care system for those youth

with a high level of mental or behavioral health needs. However, there continues to be

room for improvement in this arena. See “Coordination of CFSP with Other Federal

Partners” section below for more information.

112

Agency Responsiveness to the Community (Item 31)

DCFS continues to use a number of forums to share and gather information from

stakeholders across the state as described in the Collaborations section for this report.

Ongoing monitoring of activities and progress related to the implementation of the CFSP

and various PIPs was provided by stakeholders participating on the state planning team

as well as the Parent Advisory Council and Youth Advisory Board. The Division has also

continued to encourage provider engagement throughout its ongoing implementation of

the Family First Prevention Services Act, building upon the initial discussions with

placement providers that began in July 2018. One example was the Building Bridges

Initiative (BBI) which provided training and technical assistance to the QRTP programs.

All five QRTP providers began the BBI training, which began in January 2021. Over the

course of the training sessions three of the five QRTP providers were unable to complete

the 4-part virtual training due to staffing issues. The Quality Improvement Collaborative

(QIC) Process concluded in December 2021 with two QRTP providers. DCFS staff and

stakeholders were also encouraged to register and attend. Sessions featured national

experts as well as Arkansas youth in care sharing their experiences with QRTP’s in an

effort to ensure providers and staff are listening to the youth served by these placement

providers. The following topics were also discussed:

• Best Practices in Residential Intervention

• Addressing Permanency within Residential, Intervention

• Strengthening Partnerships with Families

• Aftercare: Linkages to Community

• The QIC’s aim is to improve and strengthen residential interventions through the

implementation of practices that align with the research on improving long-term

positive outcomes for youth and families post-residential discharge. Arkansas’

QIC goals were the following: To provide an opportunity for residential leaders to

implement a new strategy aligned with best practice focused on family

engagement, youth guided care and natural supports and connections in a

supported way (i.e., group learning trainings and webinars, customized coaching

calls, tracking metrics, etc.)

• To provide feedback to oversight agency staff on progress toward

implementation and replication within Arkansas.

In addition, DCFS continues to work alongside its sister agency, the Division of Medical

Services and the new managed care companies that participate in the Provider-led

Arkansas Shared Savings Entity (PASSE).

113

Other forums or strategies used to gain input and support from the community include

presenting at conferences and workshops, conducting and sharing information from

surveys such as a recent survey developed and administered by Evident Change that

gathered information on knowledge and attitudes pertaining to Safety Organized Practice,

court preparation, and Safe Babies Court Teams DCFS also holds meetings with targeted

audiences as needed. As a few examples, there have been policy changes made, new

data reports developed, increased messaging efforts, etc. One specific example of a

change was info gathered from an education workgroup. As a result, DCFS worked with

OCC to change the language in the Emergency Custody Order form to give DCFS more

discretion regarding a parent’s access to school records and participation in school

activities in an effort to improve engagement between parents and their children as

appropriate. Regarding the survey administered by Evident Change, program managers

are still sorting through that data to determine possible next steps. DCFS will continue to

develop reports and data that are simple in presentation and can be understood in many

venues. In fact, new dashboards have been added to the DCFS SafeMeasures site within

the last year. Please see the Statewide Information System above for more details.

Information gathered from stakeholders is shared with DCFS’ Executive staff on an

ongoing basis which is then used to brainstorm and strategize on needed changes to

enhance the support and supervision provided to direct services staff, help them to

enhance their skills, and develop improved practices with families and relationships with

community partners. The Division also conducts monthly Program Manager meetings to

increase information sharing and collaboration across programs.

Continuous Quality Improvement meetings with Service Area staff are also conducted no

less than annually. Findings from the Quality Services Peer Review (QSPR) are used to

identify promising practices and areas where practice improvement is needed. The

presentation of the evaluation reports regarding the Intensive In-Home Services Program

conducted by PCG are also presented at these meetings, where applicable. After the

QSPR report is presented to the area, the Program Administrator for Planning and

Practice provides feedback to the Area Director, which assists them in developing

improvement plans. Area Directors are encouraged to develop and implement the goals

and objectives of DCFS’ CFSP through development of individualized Program

Improvement Plans.

The Assistant Director of Community Services holds monthly meetings with the Area

Director’s (ADs) and discusses state data. The ADs are expected to share the information

with the supervisors in the area at their monthly meetings. Each month Evident Change

114

provides statewide and areawide charts which include: number of children in foster care,

average caseload, placements in emergency shelters, foster children 12 and under

placed in congregate care, placements in family-like settings, recruitment of foster homes

for ages 10-17, number of foster homes, foster care monthly visits, monthly In-Home

visits, and overdue investigations. Director Martin frequently highlights different data sets

(e.g., statewide monthly data charts, Every Day Counts charts, human resources data)

during her weekly Zooms to which all DCFS staff are invited.

Coordination of CFSP with other Federal Partners (Item 32)

DCFS works closely with many other federal partners in its work to keep children safe

and strengthen families. These include the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDS),

Division of Aging, Adult, and Behavioral Health Services (DAABH), Division of Youth

Services (DYS), Division of County Operations (DCO), and the Office of Child Support

Enforcement (OCSE).

Programs and services of other federal or federally assisted programs within the

Department of Human Services (DHS) also continue to be available to clients of DCFS.

Delivery of services is coordinated with other Divisions administering TEA/TANF

Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and other federal

entitlement programs.

Because there are children in foster care who are or become adjudicated delinquent and

enter the juvenile justice system, DCFS works closely with its sister agency DYS. During

this reporting period DCFS and DYS took part in a business mapping process to improve

operations between the Divisions for dual custody children. The MOU between these two

divisions is currently under revision based upon that business mapping process. There

continues to be liaisons for both DCFS and DYS to ensure the smooth transfer of custody

as youth enter and discharge from the DYS system when they are also involved with

DCFS or may become involved with DCFS due to their parents or other family members

in effect abandoning them upon their discharge from DYS facilities.

DCFS has an Assistant Director of Mental Health and Treatment Services. She and her

team work closely with the Division of Adult, Aging, and Behavioral Services as well as

the Division of Medical Services (DMS, i.e., Arkansas Medicaid) to advocate for foster

children and youth in the planning process for behavioral health services. This includes

work with three of the four Provider-led Arkansas Shared Savings Entities (PASSEs)

(DCFS made the decision not to enroll child in care in the fourth PASSE due to concerns

about insufficient services provided to the foster care population). There continues to be

115

efforts made to ensure that the child welfare population’s needs are met. For example,

DCFS participates in a meeting every other week with the DMS foster care liaison and

the Care Coordination Directors for each of the PASSEs. This meeting addresses

systemic issues that have arisen with the PASSE entities. As case-specific issues in

service approvals and provision arise, collaboration with the Division of Medical Services

(DMS/Medicaid) Foster Care Liaison has resulted in some success, although education

and expectations are still needed to be constantly messaged to ensure that children in

foster care are seen as a special population with unique needs that must be met.

Issues that have continued to be addressed in the past year include the disconnect within

the PASSEs care coordination services that produces a client centered service plan and

the utilization management section that determines if services are approved or denied for

payment. DCFS has continued to message and provide education regarding the specific

needs of the child welfare population, such as trauma that needs to be taken into

consideration when making decisions about approving services. Education has also been

provided regarding specialized DCFS placements, TFC, and QRTPs, and the inherent

need for these children to have higher levels of outpatient services in order to be able to

remain in communities versus inpatient psychiatric facilities.

DCFS has also tried to improve services to clients served by the PASSEs and high-level

placement providers by hiring hired five clinicians in extra help positions to assist with

discharge planning in an effort to ensure a seamless transition process for children

discharging from acute, sub-acute, QRTP, and TFC settings. Each clinical facilitator

specializes in discharge planning from a particular placement type. The DCFS Clinical

Facilitators facilitate discharge planning meetings with the assigned Family Service

Worker (FSW) (county of origin FSW and resident county FSW, as applicable), FSW

Supervisor(s), the child’s parents (as applicable), attorney ad litem, the PASSE Care

Coordinator, and a representative from the current facility from which the youth is

receiving services to assess. During discharge planning meetings, the DCFS Clinical

Facilitator poses questions regarding the mental health treatment of the child, the

responsibilities of all parties involved, information about their medications, if applicable,

and level of care recommendation.

For almost ten years, DCFS has had two Centralized Developmental Disabilities

Coordinator positions that focus on DDS waiver packets for children, Human

Development Center (HDC) applications for clients, and Office of Public Guardian

applications for youth approaching the age of majority who will be unable to care for

116

themselves and do not have safe and appropriate family members or fictive kin to take

on a guardianship role. This support from Central Office with individuals who are highly

knowledgeable regarding these different services is critical to assuring assuring timely

processing and approval of children becoming eligible for these services. Prior to having

these designated positions, these various, complicated and time-consuming application

packets were difficult for field staff to complete and track along with all other

responsibilities. Putting this in place benefited the field and children needing such

services and their receiving them in a timely manner.

DCFS also has an Eligibility Unit within Central Office. This unit determines IV-E eligibility

for youth in foster care. Staff within the unit have a working relationship with Medicaid and

OCSE to secure benefits and services for eligible children. The Division has close ties to

OCSE to ensure children are eligible to receive appropriate entitlements.

Foster and Adoptive Parent Licensing, Recruitment, and Retention

Diligent Recruitment of Foster and Adoptive Homes (Item 35)

As of June 7, 2022, there were nearly 4,500 children in the State’s custody, which is a

decrease of almost 230 children in care. Over latter half of the SFY, there was a small but

steady decrease in the number of children in foster care.

There are currently approximately 3,300 beds in 1,695 homes licensed to accept children

in care. This is still almost 100 homes under the Division’s goal for available foster homes

statewide and, more tellingly, results in only roughly 0.73 foster home beds per child in

care across the state, which is up from the June 2021 rate of 0.70 foster home beds per

child in care.

With less than one licensed, approved foster home bed for each child in care, DCFS staff

are often forced to place children based on the availability of placements versus on the

individual needs of children. The goals and objectives of the recruitment and retention

plan are to identify, process, and maintain permanent homes for children placed in foster

care. These families will be able to meet all standards required for approval as an adoptive

resource in Arkansas as well. While DCFS still has not reached its goal in terms of number

of approved foster homes statewide, it is notably that as of May 2022, 87% of children in

foster care were in some sort of family-like setting, but still shy of its goal to have 90% of

children placed in family-like settings. Family-like settings include foster family homes,

relative placements, pre-adoptive homes, therapeutic foster homes, and family-like

117

residential facilities (i.e., home-like residential settings with live-in house parents). Please

see APSR Attachment A: State Profile May 2022, page 6 for more information.

The recruitment and retention plans utilize data from the ad hoc report which identifies

the following:

• The number of foster children in each area by age

• The number of foster children in each area by gender

• The number of foster children in each area by race

• The number of approved foster homes in each area by race

• The number of approved pre-adoptive families in each area by race

• The bed-to-child ratio by area

This data helps to identify the need for specific foster home based on the demographics

of the children in foster care in that particular area. Specific tasks are developed to recruit

the desired type of foster homes needed. These plans also identify common

barriers/issues reported by approved foster families. Tasks are developed to, hopefully,

remedy the reported issues in effort to retain foster parents. The Community Engagement

Specialist and Resource Supervisors takes leads on ensuring these tasks are completed

by the identified target date.

The ongoing contracts with the Division’s Specialized Private License Placement Agency

contracts has also helped to increase the number of licensed foster family homes in the

state. This particular type of placement prioritizes sibling groups and youth who are

discharging from QRTP programs. In addition, the state still has partners with the house

parent model who provide placements for sibling groups, but these providers do not

accept financial support from DCFS.

Arkansas Division of Children and Family Services continues to implement targeted

recruitment strategies statewide. Each of the ten (10) geographical areas in DCFS has

developed a recruitment and retention plan specific for the needs of that area. These

plans are currently being monitored by the Centralized Inquiry Unit’s Program Manager.

The plans are updated bi-annually (every six months).

Community Engagement Specialist’s (CES) are assigned to 9 of the 10 service areas.

The CES in Area 8 left the agency and the position was re-purposed as an FSW in

Mississippi County. Area 8 is still responsible for foster home recruitment and retention

118

even though they no longer have a CES position. The CES staff are responsible for

developing and implementing recruitment and retention strategies within their assigned

areas and report them bi-annually.

Targeted Recruitment Tools:

The tools CES and Central Inquiry Unit continue to utilize to guide recruitment include:

• Foster Children Demographics by County – Age, Race and Gender

• Foster Families and Adoptive Families by County – Race

• Active, Available and Approved Foster Family Home by Area and County with

Placement

• Foster Care Children in TFC Provider

• Foster Care Sibling Separation

• Annual and Quarterly Report Card

• Recruitment Planning Tool

• Resource Family Applicant Tracker Report

• Resource Family Home Inquiry Report

Over the course of the year, each Area has provided updates to their Recruitment and

Retention Plans and are as follows:

Area 1

• 120 less foster children in care since April 2021

• 17 additional foster homes (includes the following: Relative, Fictive Kin, Private

Agency Foster Homes, Specialized Private Agency Foster Homes and Regular

Foster Homes)

Needs: Foster Homes willing to accept school age children and Spanish Speaking

Foster Homes

Recruitment Strategy:

• Reach out to LGBTQIA+ advocate group to recruit homes

Retention Strategies:

• Provide donated door prizes at Foster Parent Association Meetings

• Hosted a Foster Parent Conference where attendees were provided breakfast,

lunch, dinner and goody bags, as well as door prizes.

• Partnered with a church which took teens shoe shopping

• Developed trainings based off of foster parent suggestions

119

Area 2

• 79 less children in foster care

• 9 additional foster homes (includes the following: Relative, Fictive Kin, Private

Agency Foster Homes, Specialized Private Agency Foster Homes and Regular

Foster Homes)

Needs: homes for older youth, medically fragile, large sibling groups, and culturally

diverse homes specifically for African Americans, Vietnamese and Hispanic

populations.

Recruitment Strategies:

• Host booths at Oklahoma State Fair, ArcBest at the Farmer’s Market, and Baptist

Health

• Walked in the MLK parade

Retention Strategies:

• Retain partnership with Jessi’s House-an LGBQIA+ organization and have them

speak at the Foster Parent Conference

• 30 suitcases and 340 backpacks were donated with school supplies were

donated by a church

• Taco Bell provided free tacos to the children placed at Foster Change, Children’s

Emergency Shelter, and the Young Homes

• Provided a $25 gift card to the foster parent of the month

• Improve communication between DCFS and foster parents

• Partnered with WIC to provide foster parents formula during the formula shortage

• Partnered with Department of Agriculture to provide free cooking classes and

CEU’s to foster parents

Area 3

• 57 more children in foster care than last year

• 26 additional foster homes (includes the following: Relative, Fictive Kin, Private

Agency Foster Homes, Specialized Private Agency Foster Homes and Regular

Foster Homes)

Needs: Area 3 had a spike in Caucasian males ages 2-5 coming in care, but also need

homes for teens, sibling groups and minority children.

Recruitment Strategies:

120

• Attended the Rotary Duck Derby and CASA golf tournament

• KLAZ Radio allowed the CES to have a guest spot to recruit foster parents

• Reach out to minority sorority and fraternities to recruit

• Reach out to school districts and colleges

• Requested that the current Hispanic foster parents recruit new foster parents, as

appropriate.

• Reached out to groups and businesses that provide care to individuals with

special needs to recruit

• Partnered with Foster Love, a group that helps with recruitment, training, and

support of LGBTQIA+ individuals

Retention Strategies:

• Continue to stress the importance of communication between DCFS and foster

parents

• Visit foster homes and provide good customer service

• Hosted a back-to-school drive and collected supplies for 200 children

• Supply closet that is supplied with clothes, birthday kits, activity boxes, back

packs, lice kits and non-perishable foods.

• Maintain an Amazon wish list

• Partnered with Together We Rise and they provided duffel bags and care

packages

• Fairytale Hair provided lice kits

• Comfort Cases provides bags as needed

• Implemented Adopt a Foster Family where businesses can adopt a foster family

and provide gift cards etc.

• Magic Springs provides discount admissions to foster parents

Area 4

• 11 additional children in foster care

• 26 additional foster homes (includes the following: Relative, Fictive Kin, Private

Agency Foster Homes, Specialized Private Agency Foster Homes and Regular

Foster Homes)

Needs: African American and Hispanic homes as well as homes willing to accept

Caucasian children ages 2-5.

Recruitment:

• Reach out to minority owned businesses and civic/social groups

121

• School personnel

• Identify support groups/organizations that support the LGBTQIA+ population

Retention Strategies:

• Provide foster parents with current daycare provider lists

• Provide training on fostering older youth

• Re-establish foster parent support groups

Area 5

• 17 additional foster children

• 17 additional foster homes (includes the following: Relative, Fictive Kin, Private

Agency Foster Homes, Specialized Private Agency Foster Homes and Regular

Foster Homes)

Needs: teens, sibling groups, and families willing to take children that have experienced

trauma

Recruitment Strategies:

• Obtain 2 billboards

• 25 businesses agreed to put a yard sign or flyer in their business to recruit

• Host Information Meetings

• Met with 5 diverse groups and had 2 people inquire

• Reach out to diverse churches

• Plans to set-up booths at local fairs, farmer’s markets, festivals, public safety

events, teacher fairs

• Host a booth at the June PRIDE event

• Participated in a guest spot on the Broadway Joe Morning Show, that has a

predominate minority audience

• Plan to reach out to colleges and elder community groups to recruit volunteer

transporters

Retention Strategies:

• Ensure open communication between DCFS and foster parents

• Provided 12 CEU opportunities throughout the year

• Conduct quarterly raffles for foster parents who have completed and updated

their files. Prizes will be donated by local businesses

122

• Recruit volunteer medical professionals to donate time to complete foster parent

physicals, at the DHS Office, as this is a barrier to opening and maintaining

homes.

• Hosted a hand and dish soap drive

• Sent out handwritten thank you notes to foster parents

• Distributed 8 pallets of donated diapers, wipes, and pack and plays

• Continue to send out quarterly newsletters

• Hosted a coffee shop question and answer session and a hair care class

• Planning 2 foster parent conferences

• Planning meet and greets at places such as coffee shops and parks

Area 6

• 25 fewer foster children

• 27 additional foster homes (includes the following: Relative, Fictive Kin, Private

Agency Foster Homes, Specialized Private Agency Foster Homes and Regular

Foster Homes)

Needs: African American and Hispanic homes

Recruitment:

• Host information meetings

• Host an information booth at Brandon House Cultural and Performing Arts Center

• Reach out to African American owned businesses and ethnic fraternity/sororities

• Increase social media presence

Retention:

• Train Resource Staff on customer service

• Re-instate foster parent associations

• Discuss effective communication with DCFS monthly

• Contact foster parents monthly

• Purchase items for foster parents as needed

• Plan annual foster parent conference

• Contact active Fictive Kin and Provisional Placement prior to their closure to see

if they would be interested in becoming a traditional foster care home, as

appropriate.

Area 7

• 55 additional foster children

123

• 27 additional foster parents (includes the following: Relative, Fictive Kin, Private

Agency Foster Homes, Specialized Private Agency Foster Homes and Regular

Foster Homes)

Recruitment Strategies:

• Contact people in the community

• Host information meetings

• Reach out to local advertisement groups and schools

Retention Strategies:

• Provide 3-4 CPR/First Aid classes per year

• Host foster parent meetings and provide CEU’s

Area 8

• 42 additional foster children

• 39 additional foster homes (includes the following: Relative, Fictive Kin, Private

Agency Foster Homes, Specialized Private Agency Foster Homes and Regular

Foster Homes)

Needs: homes willing to accept ages 0-12, sibling groups, medically fragile, and

Hispanic and African American homes

Recruitment Strategies:

• Reach out to schools, pediatricians offices, and hospitals

• Provide recruitment brochures to churches not working with the CALL

Retention Strategies:

• Increase communication between DCFS and foster parents

• Continue to partner with foster parent support groups

• Reach out to foster parents monthly

• Send out quarterly newsletter

• Partnered with Together We Foster, Manna Meals, visitation centers, and

clothing closets

• Partnered with ARKids Pediatric Day Centers and EXIT Realty for a pajama drive

• 57 Jordan’s Kwik Stop Stores hosted toy drives for Christmas

• Hosted a drive thru Christmas party

124

• Express Employment Professionals hosted a duffel bag drive, the bags were

filled with toiletries, socks, underwear and comfort items.

• Jonesboro High School hosted a suitcase, duffel bag, and backpack drive during

the spring play. DCFS hosted a booth and had current foster parents come to

speak on their experiences as foster parents.

Area 9

• 13 additional foster children in care

• 15 additional foster homes (includes the following: Relative, Fictive Kin, Private

Agency Foster Homes, Specialized Private Agency Foster Homes and Regular

Foster Homes)

Need: foster families willing to accept children five and older

Recruitment Strategies:

• Contacted each school district and gained 6 Fictive Kin placements due to these

contacts

• Reach out to 4-H, Lions, Rotary Clubs as well as the Chamber of Commerce in

each county

• Contact the larger companies/businesses in each county and request permission

to post flyers and brochures in their breakrooms

• Reach out to local PRIDE organizations

• Hosted a booth at the Batesville PRIDE event

• Contact local hospitals to recruit homes for medically fragile foster children

Retention Strategies:

• Invite DCFS staff to foster parent meetings to enhance communication

• Provide Better Beginnings daycare information to foster parents as this has been

a barrier

• Provide on call schedules to the foster parents and encourage/assist them in

using the Foster Parent Portal. Court dates and case plans are contained in the

Foster Parent Portal.

• Reach out to Foster Parent Associations and ask if they are willing to accept

foster parents from surrounding counties that do not have associations in their

county of origin.

• Received a large beef donation from a local cattle farmer and distributed the

meet to foster parents.

• Continue sending quarterly newsletters

125

Area 10

• 52 fewer foster children

• 6 fewer foster homes (includes the following: Relative, Fictive Kin, Private

Agency Foster Homes, Specialized Private Agency Foster Homes and Regular

Foster Homes)

Needs: Foster homes willing to accept African American children ages 13-18

Recruitment Strategies:

• Contact each school district

• Contact local businesses and organizations

• Hosted a float at the St. Francis County Christmas Parade

• Participate in local events such as county fairs, carnivals, and back to school

bashes etc.

• Establish a liaison in each school to assist in recruitment

• Assisted in having a news article published in the local paper to inform the

community of the need for foster homes, needs of the foster children and

provided upcoming informational meetings.

Retention Strategies:

• Increase communication between DCFS and foster parents

• Provide FYI cards to the foster parents which provides the names and phone

numbers of everyone involved in the case.

• Begin a quarterly newsletter

Requirements for Criminal Background Checks (Item 34)

The Child Welfare Agency Licensing Act (A.C.A. § 9-28-409) requires that child welfare

agencies conduct background checks on certain individuals. These agencies must

conduct the background checks using forms approved by the Placement and Residential

Licensing Unit. Consistent with the Act, Minimum Licensing Standards require the

following checks:

Child Maltreatment Central Registry – each of the following persons in a child welfare

agency must be checked for reports of child maltreatment (initially and then at least

every two years) in his or her state of residence and any state of residence in which the

person has lived for the past five years and in the person's state of employment, if

different:

126

▪ An employee having direct and unsupervised contact with children;

▪ A volunteer having direct and unsupervised contact with children;

▪ A foster parent and all household members 14 years of age and older, excluding

children in foster care;

▪ An adoptive parent and all household members 14 years of age and older,

excluding children in foster care;

▪ An owner having direct and unsupervised contact with children;

▪ A member of the agency's board of directors having direct and unsupervised

contact with children; and,

▪ An adult working in a childcare institution.

Arkansas Criminal Record Check – each of the following persons in a child welfare

agency must be checked with the Identification Bureau of the Department of Arkansas

State Police to determine if the person has pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to or has

been found guilty of the offenses listed in the Act:

▪ An employee having direct and unsupervised contact with children;

▪ A volunteer having direct and unsupervised contact with children;

▪ An owner having direct and unsupervised contact with children;

▪ A member of the agency's board of directors having direct and unsupervised

contact with children;

▪ Foster parents, house parents, and each member of the household 18-and-one-

half years of age and older, excluding children in foster care;

▪ Adoptive parents and each member of the household 18-and-one-half years of

age and older, excluding children in foster care.

▪ An adult working in a childcare institution.

FBI Background Check – each of the following persons in a child welfare agency who has

not lived in Arkansas continuously for the past five years must have a fingerprint-based

criminal background check performed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in

compliance with federal law and regulation to determine if the person has pleaded guilty

or nolo contendere to or been found guilty of the offenses listed in the Act:

▪ An employee having direct and unsupervised contact with children;

▪ A volunteer having direct and unsupervised contact with children;

▪ An owner having direct and unsupervised contact with children;

▪ A member of the agency's board of directors having direct and unsupervised

contact with children;

▪ Foster parents, house parents, and each member of the household 18-and-one-

half years of age and older, excluding children in foster care;

127

▪ Adoptive parents and each member of the household 18-and-one-half years of

age and older, excluding children in foster care; and,

▪ An adult working in a childcare institution.

The Child Welfare Agency Review Board has the authority to deny a license to any

applicant found to have any record of founded child maltreatment in the official record of

the central registry. Any person found to have a record of child maltreatment must be

reviewed by the owner or administrator of the agency, in consultation with the CWARB or

its designee, to determine corrective action. Corrective action may include, but is not

limited to, counseling, training, probationary employment, non-selection for employment,

or termination. The Board has designated the Placement and Residential Licensing Unit

Management Team with the authority to review and approve corrective action for

personnel with a true finding of child maltreatment. All licensing specialists must consult

with their supervisor regarding corrective action on all true maltreatment findings. The

Board has the authority to deny a license or church-operated exemption to an applicant

who continues to employ a person with any record of founded child maltreatment. In

addition, through the approved alternative compliance or policy waiver processes, non-

safety standards and policies may be waived for relative and fictive kin resource homes.

All Arkansas State Police Background Check requests are returned directly to the agency

making the request. Minimum Licensing Standards requires an agency to notify licensing

of an excludable offense. All FBI Background Check results are returned to PRLU. In

accordance with Minimum Licensing Standards, the agency requesting the check is sent

a letter stating the applicant does or does not meet eligibility requirements. The agency

then notifies the applicant who may contact PRLU for further information.

An owner, operator, volunteer, foster parent, adoptive parent, household member of a

foster parent or adoptive parent, member of any child welfare agency's board of directors,

or an employee in a child welfare agency may not petition the Child Welfare Agency

Review Board unless the agency supports the petition. When petitioning the CWARB, the

applicant bears the burden of showing the Board that the applicant does not pose a risk

of harm to any person.

The Child Welfare Agency Review Board may permit an applicant to be an owner,

operator, volunteer, foster parent, adoptive parent, member of an agency's board of

directors, or an employee in a child welfare agency notwithstanding having pleaded guilty

or nolo contendere to or been found guilty of a prohibiting offense upon making a

128

determination that the applicant does not pose a risk of harm to any person served by the

facility. In making a determination, the Child Welfare Agency Review Board shall

consider:

▪ The nature and severity of the crime;

▪ The consequences of the crime;

▪ The number and frequency of the crimes;

▪ The relation between the crime and the health, safety, and welfare of any person,

such as the:

▪ Age and vulnerability of the crime victim;

▪ Harm suffered by the victim; and

▪ Similarity between the victim and the persons served by a child welfare agency;

▪ The time elapsed without a repeat of the same or similar event;

▪ Documentation of successful completion of training or rehabilitation related to the

incident; and

▪ Any other information that relates to the applicant's ability to care for children or

is deemed relevant.

The Child Welfare Agency Review Board's decision to disqualify a person from being an

owner, operator, volunteer, foster parent, adoptive parent, member of a child welfare

agency's board of directors, or an employee in a child welfare agency under this section

shall constitute the final administrative agency action and is not subject to review.

The only exceptions to these processes involve those requests initiated by DCFS,

wherein all State Police and FBI results are returned directly to the Division. The

Placement and Residential Licensing Unit does not receive, and is not authorized, to view

the results. The PRLU does facilitate requests to be placed on the agenda of the Child

Welfare Agency Review Board Agenda. However, PRLU does not make

recommendations or distribute information to the Board members for these requests.

DCFS Policy VII-C outlines the Division’s foster home assessment process, including the

component related to background checks, which meet or exceed the requirements

outlined in the Child Welfare Agency Licensing Act. As described on pages 273-274 of

the Policy and Procedure Manual, DCFS will only place children in approved resource

homes where the resource parents and appropriate members of the household have been

cleared through a series of background checks, specifically the Arkansas Child

Maltreatment Central Registry, the Arkansas Adult Maltreatment Central Registry, the

Arkansas State Police Criminal Record Check and an FBI Criminal Background Check

129

(with the exception that placements may be made in provisional resource homes before

FBI results are received). Once again, exceptions may be made as appropriate for relative

and fictive kin resource homes if it can be shown that the applicant does not pose a risk

of harm to any person. Any household member who resides in the home for more than

three cumulative months in a calendar year (e.g., an adult biological child of the foster

parents who is home for the summer and holiday breaks or a relative who visits for 6

weeks twice a year) must clear all background checks.

The crimes that require an alternative compliance from the CWARB are outlined in

Appendix 7 of the DCFS Policy Manual, as are the specific offenses/crimes for which a

person may not ever request an AC because they are prohibited.

Consistent with the Act, the following crimes require an Alternative Compliance from the

CWARB:

A. Criminal attempt

B. Criminal complicity

C. Criminal conspiracy

D. Criminal solicitation

E. Assault in the first, second, or third degree

F. Aggravated assault

G. Aggravated assault on a family or household member

H. Battery in the first, second, or third degree

I. Breaking or entering

J. Burglary

K. Coercion

L. Computer crimes against minors

M. Contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile

N. Contributing to the delinquency of a minor

O. Criminal impersonation

P. Criminal use of a prohibited weapon

Q. Communicating a death threat concerning a school employee or student

R. Domestic battery in the first, second, or third degree

S. Employing or consenting to the use of a child in a sexual performance

T. Endangering the welfare of a minor in the first or second degree

U. Endangering the welfare of an incompetent person in the second degree

V. Engaging children in sexually explicit conduct for use in visual or print media

130

W. False imprisonment in the first or second degree

X. Felony abuse of an endangered or impaired person

Y. Felony interference with a law enforcement officer

Z. Felony violation of the Uniform Controlled Substance Act

AA. Financial identity fraud

BB. Forgery

CC. Incest

DD. Interference with court ordered custody

EE. Interference with visitation

FF. Introduction of controlled substance into the body of another person

GG. Manslaughter

HH. Negligent homicide

II. Obscene performance at a live public show

JJ. Offense of cruelty to animals

KK. Offense of aggravated cruelty to dog, cat, or equine;

LL. Pandering or possessing visual or print medium depicting sexually explicit

conduct involving a child

MM. Permanent detention or restraint

NN. Permitting abuse of a minor

OO. Producing, directing, or promoting a sexual performance by a child

PP. Promoting obscene materials

QQ. Promoting obscene performance

RR. Promoting prostitution in the first, second, or third degree

SS. Prostitution

TT. Public display of obscenity

UU. Resisting arrest

VV. Robbery

WW. Aggravated robbery

XX. Sexual extortion

YY. Sexual solicitation

ZZ. Sexual offenses

AAA. Simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms

BBB. Soliciting money or property from incompetents

CCC. Stalking

DDD. Terroristic act

EEE. Terroristic threatening

FFF. Theft by receiving

GGG. Theft of property

131

HHH. Theft of public benefits

III. Theft of services

JJJ. Transportation of minors for prohibited sexual conduct

KKK. Unlawful discharge of a firearm from a vehicle

LLL. Voyeurism

An alternative compliance may not be requested by any individual who has pleaded

guilty or nolo contendere to, or has been found guilty of any of the following offenses as

he or she is permanently disqualified from being a foster or adoptive parent per A.C.A.

§9-28-409(e)(1):

A. Abuse of an endangered or impaired person, if felony

B. Arson

C. Capital murder

D. Endangering the welfare of an incompetent person in the first degree

E. Kidnapping

F. Murder in the first degree

G. Murder in the second degree

H. Rape

I. Sexual assault in the first degree

J. Sexual assault in the second degree

K. Aggravated assault upon a law enforcement officer or an employee of a

correctional facility

L. Trafficking of persons.

An alternative compliance may not be requested by any prospective foster or adoptive

parent with a felony conviction for the following offenses, as no foster child in DHS

custody may be placed in such an individual’s home:

A. Child abuse or neglect

B. Spousal abuse or domestic battery

C. A crime against children, including child pornography

D. A crime involving violence, including rape, sexual assault, or homicide, but not

including other physical assault or battery

132

A prospective foster or adoptive parent may request an alternative compliance for a felony

conviction for physical assault, battery or a drug-related offense if the offense was not

committed within the past five years. If an applicant produces evidence that a conviction

has been expunged or sealed, this information must be forwarded to the Office of Chief

Counsel for review.

The Centralized Inquiry Unit (CIU) continues to strengthen its process by communicating

with applicants with a sense of urgency and maintaining engagement until the family has

been assigned to the Resource Worker. The Central Inquiry Unit (CIU) is made up of one

Program Eligibility specialist and three Family Service Workers. The staff obtain applicant

information from the FosterArkansas.org website and complete the initial phone

screening and provide a packet with background checks. During this initial phone

screening, the agency’s need for provider families willing to accept children ages 6 and

older, sibling groups, and children with disabilities is also communicated. The background

checks are run, and the family is sent to the field staff to complete the application process.

Should a background check not be completed or if any household member reaches the

age where a background check is required, there are blocks built into CHRIS so the home

cannot be opened until the checks are completed and entered. 100% of fully approved

resource homes have had the checks since the system requires them to be entered

before opening.

Implementation of Centralized Inquiry Unit has shown to effectively reduce the time it

takes to process applicant’s background checks and initial application forms needed to

assess the family prior to field assignment. For example, prior to Centralized Inquiry Unit

full implementation during state fiscal year 2016, the average number of days it took to

process an applicant prior to field assignment to a Resource Worker was 74.6 days. That

number includes applicants that initiated the process prior to CIU and during the time of

implementation. Since implementing the Lean Six Sigma method the CIU has consistently

been under the goal of having applicants assigned to the field for their IHC within 30 days.

The FSWs continue to call applicants back within ten days if they have not submitted their

packets. By calling the families the CIU has identified families that decide they are no

longer interested in becoming foster parents or failed to receive the paperwork. This

communication has also served as a reminder that the packet needs to be returned to the

CIU in order for the applicants to proceed. The CIU is also now emailing all of their packets

to applicants (unless an applicant specifically states they do not utilize email and request

an actual physical packet to be mailed to them). This saves time since the electronic

delivery of the packets is essentially immediate rather than waiting for the postal service

to deliver the packet. Similarly, applicants are highly encouraged to scan and email their

133

completed packets back to the CIU. Another activity that has occurred since the last

reporting period that has also contributed to a faster applicant approve time is the

requirement for all Child Maltreatment Central Registry check requests to be completed

online. The turn-around time for the results of the Child Maltreatment Central Registry

check results now runs on average between 6.95-7.20 hours. The shortened length of

time it now takes to become a foster parent has encouraged new applicants to begin the

process. The CES share data and information about the progress and changes DCFS

has worked towards which has in turn has improved the overall customer service

experience. The CIU assesses families on the front end and share information with the

resource workers prior to the scheduling of the in-home consultation.

If a new household member is added to an existing resource home, DCFS Policy VII-E:

Resource Home Monitoring and Reevaluation requires that background checks be

completed prior to the person moving into the resource home. If that person moves into

the home before the Division has knowledge of the new household member, policy at a

minimum requires the home to be made “unavailable” in the Division’s information

management system until all checks are received and determined to be clear. Decisions

regarding the placement of any children currently in the home are made on a case-by-

case basis. DCFS Policy VII-E also requires a formal reevaluation of the home with the

addition of any new household member (e.g., birth, adoption, aging relative moving in).

DCFS Policy VII-K, Child Maltreatment Allegations Concerning Out-of-Home Placements,

provides that all child maltreatment allegations concerning any person in a foster home

will be investigated in accordance with the Child Maltreatment Act § 12-18-602. As with

all children whose interest becomes the concern of DCFS, the safety and welfare of all

children in foster care will be paramount.

If any child in foster care is the subject (alleged offender or alleged victim) of an allegation

of child maltreatment, the Child Abuse Hotline will notify the appropriate DCFS and CACD

Executive Staff as well as the Area Director for the DCFS service area in which the foster

home named in the report is located. The DCFS Area Director will then ensure that the

appropriate Division staff notify the child(ren)’s family, the primary and secondary Family

Service Worker (FSW) for the child, as applicable, the Office of Chief Council (OCC)

attorney, the child(ren)’s CASA, if applicable, and the child(ren)’s attorney ad litem. The

attorneys ad litem for any other children placed in the home will be notified as well.

134

If there is an allegation of child maltreatment in which a child in foster care is named as

the alleged offender, Policy II-D: Investigation of Child Maltreatment Reports under “Legal

Representation for Child in Foster Care Named as an Alleged Offender” provides

direction to staff in this regard.

The Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children Division (CACD) will conduct all child

maltreatment investigations (Priority I and II) involving a foster parent or household

member of a foster home excluding reports that meet Differential Response criteria

involving a child in foster care that allegedly occurred prior to the child entering foster

care.

However, when any household member of a foster home (to include foster parents,

biological and adopted children of the foster parents, and children in foster care placed in

the home) is the subject of a child maltreatment allegation, DCFS staff will also conduct

an individualized evaluation to assess the safety of the child(ren) within twenty-four (24)

hours of the receipt of the report to determine if the child(ren) can safely remain in the

home during the course of the investigation. DCFS staff will try to coordinate this visit to

the home to assess safety with CACD staff.

If any of the fourteen (14) Arkansas Health and Safety Factors are identified in the foster

home in consultation with a DCFS supervisor, the children will be moved into another

approved placement. However, if no Health and Safety Factors are identified, and if it can

be shown that it is in the best interest of any or all of the children currently placed in that

foster home, a corrective action plan may be considered to allow any or all of the children

in foster care to remain safely in a home involved in a child maltreatment report. A

corrective action plan is designed to ensure the safety and well-being of the children in

the home as long as the concern was not directly related to an act or omission rising to

the level of maltreatment on the part of the foster parent(s) (e.g., a biological child of the

foster parent posed a risk, but not the foster parents themselves). All relevant information

will be reviewed to make a decision regarding the implementation of a corrective action

plan for the foster home. This would include, but is not limited to:

A. The characteristics and history of the child in foster care;

B. The characteristics and history of the foster parents and their own children (if any);

C. The nature of the allegation;

D. Information collected during the investigation;

E. The services, supports, and/or monitoring that will be put in place during the

investigation.

135

The Assistant Director of Community Services or designee must approve all corrective

action plans for foster homes prior to the DCFS staff leaving the home in which the

corrective action plan will be implemented. If the safety and welfare standards of the

Division cannot be met and the children cannot safely remain in the home, the children in

care will be moved to another approved placement.

If after the initial safety evaluation conducted by DCFS staff it is determined that there are

no risk or safety factors present and, as such, a corrective action plan is not required

while the investigation is being completed, the Area Director may approve leaving the

children in the home if it is in the best interest of the children. The Area Director will notify

the Assistant Director of Community Services or designee when children are left in a

foster home with a pending investigation but for which a corrective action plan was not

necessary.

While any foster home is being investigated because of a child maltreatment allegation,

no additional children in foster care may be placed there (regardless of whether a

corrective action plan was required or not). As such, the foster home will be placed on

unavailable status in the Division’s information management system.

Standards Applied Equally (Item 33)

Consistent with the statutory and regulatory requirements of the Federal Foster Care

Program, as authorized by Title IV-E of the Social Security Act, Arkansas maintains

consistent standards for the approval of all foster and adoptive homes, collectively

referred to as resource homes, and childcare institutions within the state. The Child

Welfare Agency Review Board, as authorized under the Child Welfare Agency Licensing

Act (Ark. Code Ann. 9-28-401 et. seq.), prescribes minimum licensing standards for child

welfare agencies, as defined under the statute. Specifically, the Child Welfare Agency

Review Board (CWARB) promulgates and publishes rules and regulations setting

minimum standards governing the granting, revocation, refusal, conversion and

suspension of licenses for a child welfare agency and the operation of a child welfare

agency. According to A.C.A. 9-28-402(14), "Minimum standards" means those rules and

regulations as established by the Child Welfare Agency Review Board that set forth the

minimum acceptable level of practice for the care of children by a child welfare agency.

These standards are outlined in the Minimum Licensing Standards for Child Welfare

Agencies publication produced by the CWARB and the Placement and Residential

136

Licensing Unit within the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education (PUB-004

A and B).

The Placement and Residential Licensing Unit is charged with the enforcement of the

Child Welfare Agency Licensing Act. The Unit inspects and monitors Residential,

Emergency Residential, Psychiatric Residential Treatment, Independent Living facilities

for children, and Child Placement Agencies that place children into foster and adoptive

homes, and into residential facilities, in accordance with the Minimum Licensing

Standards for Child Welfare Agencies. The Unit makes recommendations to the Child

Welfare Agency Review Board for licensure of agencies and alternative methods of

compliance with standards, investigates complaints of violations of licensing standards,

and if necessary recommends adverse action against an agency found to be in violation

of the standards.

As described in PUB-30: Resource Parent Handbook and the DCFS Policy and

Procedure Manual, the Department of Human Services, acting through the Division of

Children and Family Services, serves as the court-appointed legal custodian for children

in foster care. All children within the Department’s custody must be placed in a licensed

or approved foster home, shelter, or facility, or an exempt child welfare agency as defined

at A.C.A. § 9-28-402. DCFS is a licensed Child Welfare Agency and all of its approved

foster homes must be in compliance with all licensing requirements and DCFS policies.

All DCFS resource homes (providing foster care and/or adoptive services) must meet the

same licensing standards to comply with federal funding regulations. Anything less than

full licensure or approval is insufficient for meeting title IV-E eligibility requirements.

The Division is responsible for selecting an appropriate resource home placement for

each child who enters foster care. Resource families are selected after careful

assessment. A thorough assessment is needed to minimize the risks involved in

placement of a child in foster care and to ensure that a child’s first placement in foster

care is the best – and hopefully only -- placement for that child during his or her time in

foster care. The purpose of the assessment process is to:

• Evaluate the applicants’ personal qualifications as well as resource home

approval requirements such as physical requirements of the home, sleeping and

transportation arrangements, etc.;

• Educate prospective resource parents on the characteristics and needs of

children in foster care; and,

• Evaluate the resource parent’s ability to meet those needs.

137

The home must meet resource home standards and the individual child's needs for the

duration of placement.

The home assessment is a mutual selection process. It involves several components

including, but not limited to, background checks (e.g., Central Registry, State Police

Criminal Record Check, FBI Criminal Record Check) an in-home consultation visit, pre-

service training (e.g., PRIDE for traditional applicants or Kinship Connect for relative and

fictive kin applicants), CPR and Standard First Aid training, a home study, and ongoing

consultation with the prospective resource parents to ensure that all appropriate criteria

related to both compliance and quality are met. At least one parent in the resource home

must be able to communicate effectively in the language of the child.

There are two types of resource homes: traditional resource homes and relative or

fictive kin resource homes. Relative or fictive kin homes may be opened on a

provisional basis.

Traditional resource homes are recruited for a child in foster care to whom they are neither

related nor have other prior connections. DCFS signs an agreement with resource

parents that the family will care for the child as a family member until a permanent plan

can be developed and implemented for that child. The resource parents are given

pertinent information about the child in foster care. This includes, but is not limited to,

reasons for placement, circumstances for removal from the parent's home, where siblings

are placed, a copy of the case plan, and a copy of the family visit/family time plan. They

will be kept informed of plans for the child's future. In many instances, it is appropriate for

resource parents to communicate with, or otherwise support, the birth or legal parents.

DCFS evaluates applicants based on their personal qualifications as well as the physical

characteristics of their home. Points considered and evaluated include any special

training, expertise, or experience that the traditional resource applicant may have. Other

considerations include preferences that the resource parent applicants may have

regarding characteristics of children who may be placed in the home (e.g., age, gender,

special needs, etc.)

In an effort to preserve family connections and reduce the trauma a child experiences

when entering foster care, DCFS may place a child in foster care with a safe and

appropriate relative or fictive kin. Relative means a person within the fifth degree of

138

kinship to the child by virtue of blood or adoption. Fictive kin is a person not related to the

child by blood or marriage, but who has a strong, positive, emotional tie to the child and

has a positive role in the child’s life, such as a godparent, neighbor, or family friend.

Infants may have fictive kin too. Fictive kin for infants must be identified by the infant’s

parent or parents as persons that would have a positive, emotional tie to the child.

Provisional relative and fictive kin resource homes are referred to as provisional because

not all requirements for a traditional resource home must be met by the relative or fictive

kin at the initial placement of the child. For the initial, provisional placement with a relative

or fictive kin, only background checks and a visual inspection of the home must be

conducted in an effort to make an expedited placement for a child with a relative or fictive

kin.

The specific background checks required for provisional placement include an expedited

Arkansas Child Maltreatment Central Registry check, an expedited State Police Criminal

Record check, and a Traffic Violations Record check (i.e., driving record check through

the Arkansas State Vehicle Safety Program). A fingerprint-based criminal background

check performed by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) must also be submitted

within five (5) business days of a child being placed in a provisional home (results of the

FBI criminal background check do not have to be received before placing a child in the

provisional home). The visual inspection of the home is conducted to verify that the

relative or fictive kin and the home of the relative or fictive kin meet basic safety standards.

All provisional homes are evaluated to determine the nature of the relationship between

the provisional resource applicant, the parents of the children in foster care, and the

children in foster care. The DCFS Resource Worker makes efforts to determine if the

applicant has the ability to provide for the physical safety and emotional well-being of the

child in foster care while considering the nature of the relationship with and geographic

proximity to the child’s biological or legal parents.

Once opened as a provisional resource home, DCFS works with the provisional resource

parents to bring them into full compliance with all requirements of a traditional resource

home within six (6) months from the date the child is placed in the provisional home.

Relative and fictive kin resource parents do not always have to meet all traditional

resource home requirements by the six-month timeframe. There is no guarantee, but

waivers or alternative compliances may be given for certain non-safety requirements.

Once a provisional resource home comes into compliance with traditional resource home

requirements or has waivers or alternative compliances in place for non-safety

139

requirements, it is then considered approved as a relative or fictive kin resource home

and is reclassified as such at that point in time.

Provisional resource homes that are not in full compliance by the end of six (6) months

must be closed and the children removed, or the relative or fictive kin must have been

granted custody by the court. DCFS staff is responsible for helping the provisional

resource parents come into compliance with all requirements within six months. DCFS

develops transition plans to the best of its ability in an effort to lessen trauma to the

children in the event a child must be removed from a provisional resource home.

Provisional resource homes do not receive a board payment until the relative meets all

requirements of a traditional resource home (or until all requirements are met or

appropriate waivers put in place for non-safety requirements). However, the child will

have medical insurance. DCFS may also provide daycare assistance if appropriate. The

family may also qualify for other benefits such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance

Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps). If at all possible, the Division will strive to move

a provisional home to fully approved relative or fictive kin status home sooner than six (6)

months so that a board payment can begin to better support the children in that home.

Currently the Division has a goal of moving a kinship home on provisional status to fully

approved status within forty-five (45) days of opening the provisional service.

In order to ensure continued quality of all DCFS resource homes, DCFS Policy VII-E

requires the Division to monitor resource homes at least quarterly and conduct a

complete reevaluation of each resource home’s ability to care for children at least

annually. At least one of the quarterly monitoring visits must be unannounced and be

documented as unannounced in the resource home record.

DCFS Policy VII-E also requires a formal reevaluation whenever there is a major life

change. Major life changes include:

▪ Death or serious illness among the members of the foster family.

▪ Marriage, separation, or divorce.

▪ Loss of or change in employment.

▪ Change in residence.

▪ Suspected child maltreatment of any child in the foster home.

▪ The addition of family members (e.g. birth, adoption, aging relative moving in).

140

The completion and approval of all resource home reevaluations must be documented in

CHRIS. If a resource home reevaluation is not completed and documented annually in

CHRIS, any IV-E eligible child placed in the home will lose IV-E eligible claimability until

the reevaluation of the family is completed and documented. The CHRIS Net Report

“Foster Family Home Reevaluations Due and Upcoming by Month” assists Resource

Supervisors and Resource Workers in ensuring that resource homes do not go overdue

on their annual reevaluations. SafeMeasures also has several reports to assist with

monitoring of resource homes including:

• Resource Home Quarterly Visits (Upcoming and Overdue)

• Resource Home Yearly Unannounced Visits

• Resource Home Annual Reevaluation (similar to CHRIS Net report – both

upcoming and overdue)

In addition to continuing to meet all Minimum Licensing Standards and DCFS Policy

requirements as they relate to resource homes, resource parents must also complete a

minimum of fifteen hours of Division-sponsored or Division-approved in-service training

annually after the first year of service. Resource parents must also maintain current CPR

certification and Standard First Aid training. Maintenance of CPR certification and First

Aid training is in addition to the fifteen hours of continuing education and, therefore,

cannot be counted as part of the annual fifteen-hour continuing education requirement.

Resource parents must complete their annual in-service training requirements before any

additional children in care are placed in their home, unless an exception is granted.

Resource parents who do not meet the in-service training requirements will be notified

that they must complete the in-service training requirements within 60 days. No additional

children will be placed in the home during this 60-day period. If the resource parents’

annual in-service training requirements are more than 60 calendar days overdue, then a

reevaluation will also be required unless an extension to meet in-service training

requirements has been granted by the Area Director. Such extensions are the exception

and not the rule.

State Use of Cross-Jurdisdiction Resources for Placement (Item 36)

Arkansas’s Interstate Compact Placement of Children (ICPC) Unit assists in moving

children in need of a foster care or pre-adoptive placement, as well as adoption, across

state lines. The unit also assists to reunify children with parents in an orderly and timely

manner when they are living in another state. When a child requires foster care or

adoptive placement outside the resident state, DCFS uses the National Electronic

Interstate Compact Enterprise (NEICE) to quicky and securely exchange all data and

documents required by ICPC to place children across state lines. FSWs work with their

141

Area ICPC liaisons who have access to NEICE. Following adherence with national best

practices, Arkansas will not grant custody to the out-of-state placement resource until at

least six months of supervision has been completed.

To the extent the placement comes to fruition, Arkansas, upon receipt of the child into the

Arkansas home, will supervise the placement and provide or arrange needed services.

Children involved in an ICPC case should receive at least one face-to-face contact with

DCFS staff during each calendar month (assuming the case was open for the entirety of

that calendar month). Quarterly progress reports are completed, describing the frequency

of the monthly visits to the child, where those visits took place and what was discussed

and identified as strengths as well as service needs. The quarterly reports are also

submitted and received through the NEICE system.

Updates to the Plan for Enacting the State’s Vision and Progress

Made to Improve Outcomes

State’s Vision

DCFS along with the legal system and community partners and providers will actively

engage to ensure every child has a safe, stable, and nurturing family.

Revisions to Goals, Objectives, and Interventions

Because Arkansas is now approximately half-way through its current CFSP, it has

assessed that some of its activities within the strategic plan will need to be revised. Some

of these revision requests are related to staff capacity. As previously covered in this

report, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and continued high rates of turnover likely

correspond to these declines and other concerns. There has been an increased turnover

rate in SFY 2022 to date with 62.61% turnover in the FSW population as compared to a

57.79% turnover in this population during SFY 2021. Similarly, the turnover rate for

Program Assistants and Family Service Assistant positions has also grown. In SFY 2022

to date the turnover rate for Program Assistants and Family Service Assistants is an

astounding 74.04% as compared to 59.71% turnover for this group of staff in SFY

2021(however, it should be noted that 24.26% of that overall 74.04% is due to PA and

Family Service Assistant promotions; the Division has embraced allowing PAs and Family

Service Assistants to promote up into an FSW position if they have had five or more years’

experience in the child welfare arena and have demonstrated proficiency as a PA or

Family Service Assistant). Further in recent months the Division has averaged

approximately 185 vacancies at any given point. These vacancies have even applied to

142

positions within Central Office with nine program manager vacancies at one point during

spring 2022.

Certainly, these staffing challenges have compounded many issues, resulting in higher

average caseloads statewide (please see APSR Attachment A: State Profile May 2022,

page 3 for more detail) and likely contributing to lower ratings within the QSPR and other

data points.

Revisions are also being requested due to the addition of new initiatives and activities in

Arkansas that were not planned when the 2020-2024 CFSP was developed, and the State

recognizing the need to prioritize certain activities over others within the ever-changing

landscape of child welfare. The Division is committed to continuing its implementation of

Safety Organized Practice and the associated Structured Decision-Making

implementation. However, the Division is requesting to extend activity completion dates

and even forfeit implementation of other activities listed in the “Plan for Enacting the

State’s Vision and Progress Made to Improve Outcomes” in an effort to mitigate stress

for staff and to allow them to more fully concentrate on applying concepts learned from

SOP which may help increase QSPR ratings in the upcoming periods under review.

Updates to the specific activities under each strategy have been added to the far-right

column in the table below. Updates on progress made to improve outcomes have also

been inserted into the table below in red font. Requests for changes along with the

justification for those changes are noted in their respective update sections of the state’s

plan on the pages that follow but are also summarized here:

• Strategy 1, Activity C2: Convene Predict-Align-Prevent advisory group to review

results of risk analysis and develop recommendations to address concerns

identified in data analysis.

o The Division has ended its partnership with Predict-Align-Prevent so this is

no longer an active project. As such DCFS requests to remove this activity

from its strategic plan.

• Strategy 1, Activity C3: Work with stakeholders in local

communities/neighborhoods to implement Predict-Align-Prevent

recommendations to address identified needs/risks.

o The Division has ended its partnership with Predict-Align-Prevent so this is

no longer an active project. As such DCFS requests to remove this activity

from its strategic plan.

143

• Strategy 2, Activity C1: Explore possibility of contracting with University of

Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) to create service coordinator position to

assist pregnant and parenting teens in foster care navigate various services such

as home visiting, high-quality childcare.

o With the forthcoming implementation of LifeSet in Arkansas which may be

able to address the needs of pregnant and parenting youth in the same way

that this activity was intended, the Division is requesting to delete this

activity from its strategic plan. DCFS believes many of the expected

outcomes of this activity may still be achieved through as LifeSet is

implemented.

• Strategy 2, Activity C2: Contingent upon funding, develop interagency contract for

service coordinator for pregnant and parenting teens in foster care.

o For the same reasons outlined above for Strategy 2, Activity C1, the Division

is formally requesting to delete this activity from its strategic plan.

• Strategy 2, Activity C3: Contingent upon funding, hire service coordinator for

pregnant and parenting teens in foster care.

o For the same reasons outlined above for Strategy 2, Activity C1, the Division

is formally requesting to delete this activity from its strategic plan.

• Strategy 6, Activity A1: Establish joint meetings between Parent Advisory Council

(PAC) and Foster Parent Advisory Council (FPAC) to work on relationships.

o The PAC intended to discuss the prospect of establishing joint meetings

with the FPAC during its May 2022 meeting but since it was shared that

the Foster Parent Advisory Council is for all intents and purposes no

longer functional, the Division is requesting to formally delete this activity

from its strategic plan. Due to the challenge of maintaining consistent

membership of the Foster Parent Advisory Council as well as the

challenges to having a neutral facilitator for this group and ongoing staff

capacity limitations within the Foster Care Unit, there are no current plans

to revive the Foster Parent Advisory Council. There are many local Foster

Parent Associations that are active and provide feedback to the Foster

Care Unit as needed.

• Strategy 6, Activity A2: During selected, separate PAC and FPAC meetings,

assess effectiveness of joint meetings.

o The Division is requesting to strike this activity from its strategic plan for the

same reasons explained above regarding Strategy 6, Activity A1.

144

• Strategy 6, Activity B1: Research other foster parent training curricula and make

recommendations to DCFS Exec Staff.

o During this reporting period, the focus has been on the development of the

Kinship Connect Training. In addition, the Foster Care Manager position

was vacant for a few months until it was recently filled which is another

reason this activity has not yet been completed. Arkansas plans to focus on

The National Training and Development Curriculum (NTDC) over the

upcoming year and, as such, is requesting a formal change to this activity’s

completion date from Spring 2021 to Fall 2023.

• Strategy 6, Activity B2: Develop implementation plan for revised foster parent

training curriculum.

o The Division is requesting to amend the completion date for this activity from

Fall 2021 to Spring 2024 for the reasons described above in the justification

for the completion date amendment for Strategy 6, Activity B1.

• Strategy 6, Activity B3: Implement revised foster parent training curriculum.

o The Division now plans to complete this activity by Summer 2024 for the

reasons outlined in the justification for Strategy 6, Activity B1 above. This is

outside the date range of its current CFSP so may need to be deleted from

this strategic plan, but the Division still intends to complete it.

• Strategy 6, Activity B4: Develop surveys and/or focus groups to evaluate.

o The Division now plans to complete this activity by Fall 2024 for the reasons

outlined in the justification for Strategy 6, Activity B1 above and in order to

accommodate other requested activity completion data changes and allow

time for the new curriculum to run before conducting focus groups to

evaluate its effectiveness. This new proposed date is outside the date range

of its current CFSP so may need to be deleted from this strategic plan, but

the Division still intends to complete it.

• Strategy 7, Activity A1: Develop and implement best practice guide for family

visitation and support field staff in creating quality family visitations.

o The family time guidelines are almost completed and will be rolled out

along with SOP Deep Dive Module 8: Family Time in August 2022. As

such, the Division requests to amend the completion date for this activity

to Fall 2022.

145

• Strategy 7, Activity B1: Research visit coach strategies and programs in

conjunction with community partners such as community centers, high-quality

childcare centers, emergency shelters, private child welfare agencies, etc.

o The Division has not currently decided on a specific coaching model in

part due to the SOP Program Manager position being vacant as well as

turnover in the Reunification Specialist position and in part due to the

immense amount of resources it has taken to roll-out the SOP Deep Dives

during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and staffing challenges. A formal

request to amend this activity completion date from Fall 2020 to Fall 2023

is being requested as part of this APSR submission.

• Strategy 7, Activity B2: Contingent upon funding and staffing and needed MOUs

or contracts, develop implementation plan for visit coaching program.

o Since a specific visit coaching model has not yet been selected for the

reasons described above in the justification for Strategy 7, Activity B1,

there have not been any associated MOUs or contracts developed. A

formal request to amend this activity completion date from Spring 2022 to

Spring 2024 is being requested as part of this APSR submission given the

completion date requests for related to implementing a visit coaching

model.

• Strategy 7, Activity B3: Contingent upon funding and staffing, pilot visit coaching

program in selected counties to include evaluation and CQI strategies to

continuously assess implementation.

o While the current activity completion date is not until Fall 2022, the Division

is requesting to amend this deadline to Spring 2024 given the requested

completion dates of its preceding activities as described above.

• Strategy 7, Activity B4: Contingent upon funding and staffing and results of pilot

visit coaching program, develop expansion plan to include evaluation and CQI

strategies to continuously assess implementation of plan.

o While the current activity completion date is not until Spring 2024, the

Division is requesting to amend this deadline to Spring 2025 (beyond the

date range of the current CFSP so may need to be deleted from this

strategic plan) given the requested completion dates of its preceding

activities as described above.

• Strategy 8, Activity A2: Develop recruitment/retention plan in collaboration with

existing TFC providers (this will also intersect with Targeted Foster Adoptive

Parent Diligent Recruitment Plan Strategy B, Item 6 and all of Strategy C in that

146

plan) to include evaluation and CQI strategies to continuously assess

implementation of plan.

o Headway has been made on possible recruitment/retention plans specific

to therapeutic foster homes, but the focus has pivoted to recruitment of

kinship homes to TFC. The Division is requesting to amend the completion

date of this activity from Fall 2020 to Fall 2023 assuming the proposed plan

from the Family Focused Treatment Association (FFTA) is approved by the

Division Director.

• Strategy 11, Activity B7: Use Rapid Cycle Assessment and other CQI strategies to

support implementation.

o Proposed completion timeframe beyond 2022 APSR report date. However,

since NCWWI is no longer formally supporting DCFS beyond the University

Partnership (i.e., stipend students) and the second Comprehensive

Organizational Health Assessment (COHA), DCFS is requesting to formally

delete this activity from its strategic plan.

• Strategy 11, Activity B8: Use evaluation and CQI strategies to continuously assess

project implementation.

o While the proposed completion timeframe beyond 2022 APSR report date.

However, since NCWWI is no longer formally supporting DCFS beyond the

University Partnership (i.e., stipend students) and the second COHA, DCFS

is requesting to formally delete this activity from its strategic plan.

Regarding goal and progress measures, as in previous APSRs, in order to maintain

consistency in how the goal and progress measures in the “Update to the Plan for

Enacting the State’s Vision and Progress Made to Improve Outcomes,” are provided for

both the 2022 and 2023 APSR periods, those data are based on State Fiscal Year (i.e.,

with SFY 2020 data provided for the APSR 2022 Goal and Progress Measure updates

and SFY 2021 data provided for the APSR 2023 Goal and Progress Measure updates).

For information regarding how feedback loops were used to support progress made to

improve outcomes, please see the Collaborations section as well as the Agency

Responsiveness to the Community portion of the Systemic Factor Updates.

Several updates to the goal and progress measures provided in the table were gleaned

from the state’s CQI/QA system to include, but not limited to, QSPRs, the Annual Report

Card, Program Manager Monthly Monitoring Reports, and DHS Human Resources

Dashboards. A more complete list and associated descriptions of the multitude of data

resources to help assess progress measures and overall performance and practice

147

statewide are found in the bulleted list below. These reports account for the major quality

assurance and evaluation activities undertaken in Arkansas during SFY 2022 to date that

have also provided insight when assessing the goals, strategies, and activities within the

Update to the Plan for Enacting the State’s Vision and Progress Made to Improve

Outcomes.

The Division’s data and evaluation reports are largely built around the three core goals of

child welfare -- child safety, permanency, and well-being -- while also considering and

accounting for other factors that might support or even impede these goals. Reports

generally track performance over time, as well as compare performance to the agency’s

goals, federally established standards, and/or national averages when applicable.

DCFS utilizes its data in its efforts to report on performance and best practice. The

following list of reports and projects (and accompanying descriptions) account for the

major quality assurance and evaluation activities undertaken in Arkansas during SFY

2022:

• Monthly Profiles – Each month DCFS reviews various performance data

indicators over a rolling 12-month period on a statewide, Area-wide, and county-

specific basis. These indicators include the (1) number of children in foster care,

(2) average family service worker caseload, (3) number of children who have been

placed in an emergency shelter for longer than 14 days, (4) number of children

ages 12 and younger who are placed in congregate care, (5) percentage of

children in foster care who are placed in a family-like setting, (6) percentage of

children ages 10 to 17 who are placed in foster homes, (7) number of foster family

homes, (8) percentage of required monthly visits that were completed to see

children in foster care, (9) percentage of required monthly visits to see families in

in-home protective services cases, and (10) number of overdue investigations.

These charts are made available and disseminated to all agency staff.

• Every Day Counts – Similar to the Monthly Profiles, DCFS reviews data indicators

over a rolling 12-month period on a statewide, Area-wide, and county-specific

level. These indicators include the (1) children in foster care during the month, (2)

entries into foster care during the month, (3) discharges from foster care during the

month, (4) children with a goal of reunification in care 15-24 months and in care

longer than 24 months, (5) children in foster care 24 months or longer, (6) children

entering care whose first placement is with a relative, (8) children placed with

148

relatives, (9) n adoptions finalized during the month, (10) length of time from TPR

to adoption finalization, and (11) discharges from care to guardianship These

charts are made available and disseminated to all agency staff.

• Quarterly Performance Report (QPR) – The QPR is a statistical report created

for legislative committees who provide oversight over the services DCFS offers

and delivers to youth and their families. The report is completed quarterly for the

state fiscal year.

• Annual Report Card (ARC) – The ARC is a statistical report that is also created

for legislative committees providing oversight over the services that DCFS offers

and delivers to youth and their families. The ARC is reported for each state fiscal

year and is structured similar to the QPR. The report details the Division’s

performance on several key performance indicators, displays the demographics of

the population served by the agency, and documents any observable trends over

time.

• Workload Reports – DCFS tracks the responsibilities of its workforce on a

monthly basis. The workload reports allow the agency to track both the number

and types (e.g., foster care, in-home protective services, investigation, differential

response) of cases assigned to each worker, county, or Area.

• Differential Response Reports – On a monthly basis, DCFS closely examines

data regarding its differential response (DR) program. The agency relies on these

reports both on a micro level (i.e., ensuring quality practice and decision-making

within individual cases) as well as on a macro level (i.e., steering programmatic

decisions).

• Adoption Reports – On a monthly basis, DCFS closely examines the children

whose adoptions have been finalized. This report offered detailed information on

all finalized adoptions for the reporting month, which the agency utilizes to help

improve its processes regarding this permanency option.

• Juvenile Offender Reports – On a monthly basis, DCFS closely examines any

true report of child maltreatment that identifies an offender between 14 and 17

years of age. These reports display detailed information on these underage

offenders, and the agency utilizes this information to examine whether there are

ways that these investigations can be improved or better managed.

149

• Foster Home Approval Report – On a monthly basis, DCFS closely examines

the foster family homes who were approved during the month. Aside from

identifying those foster family homes, the report details additional information,

including which homes were initially assigned to or approved by central office,

average days from central office assignment to first field assignment, average days

from first field assignment to final approval, and average days form earliest

assignment to approval. The agency utilizes this information to improve its

processes so that it can expedite the approval of and improve service to new foster

homes.

• Child Welfare Data Report – Three times per week, DCFS emails an updated

data report which displays (1) the number of children currently in foster care, (2)

the placement settings of those children, (3) whether the children are placed in or

outside of their home county, and (4) the number of foster homes that are currently

approved. This report was developed to improve transparency and access to

continuously updated data for DHS administration, DCFS leadership, and DCFS

field staff.

• SafeMeasures® – DCFS implemented SafeMeasures, a state-of-the-art reporting

service that helps the Division’s field staff transform data into actionable

information, statewide during SFY 2020, and for SFY 2022 the agency continued

making additions and enhancements to the service. SafeMeasures allows the

agency to assess the performance of DCFS caseworkers by county and/or

regional areas with respect to casework or case-related activities. At monthly

intervals the agency incorporates feedback from field staff to help make

modifications and enhancements to SafeMeasures. Reconciliation is routinely

completed on existing reports, while new reports are being researched, developed,

and produced as well.

• CANS/FAST Reviews – Evident Change produces a monthly report to of initial

CANS/FAST assessments recently completed. A state employee of the DCFS

Quality Assurance Unit is currently conducting qualitative reviews of recently

completed CANS/FAST functional assessments.

• Family Preservation Services Evaluation – DCFS conducts this evaluation on

an annual basis. This report focuses on the agency’s performance with respect to

150

the children and families it serves as well as the impact that services have on these

clients. In part, it does this by closely replicating many of the currently recognized

federal measures. Additionally, it measures DCFS’ progress and overall transition

over the three most recently completed calendar years (2019, 2020, 2021) at both

the state, area, and county levels. Because this report places a strong emphasis

on performance at the area and county level, DCFS leadership is able to better

identify where performance is strong and where improvement might be needed.

• Summary of Garrett’s Law Referrals – On an annual basis, DCFS completes an

analysis of Garrett’s Law referrals received during the most recently completed

state fiscal year. Garrett’s Law refers to a bill enacted in 2005 that addresses

situations in which a mother gives birth to a child, and either the mother or the

newborn is found to have an illegal substance in his or her system. According to

the law, the presence of an illegal substance in either the mother or newborn is

sufficient to substantiate an allegation of neglect. The most recently completed

Garrett’s Law Summary presented information on the Garrett’s Law referrals

received from SFY 2018 through SFY 2021. This report displays information

regarding the number of Garrett’s Law referrals received annually; the types of

drugs cited in these referrals; how DCFS responds to Garrett’s Law referrals; and

whether the parents involved in these referrals receive any type of treatment.

• Ad Hoc Reports – On an ad hoc basis, DCFS examines data related to its various

programs and policies to assess its own performance and understand the

population of children and families served by its programs and policies. The

Division also shares information to external stakeholders in an effort to improve

communication and transparency. Between 300 and 400 ad hoc reports are

completed in a given year.

Update on Progress Made to Improve Outcomes (Progress Measures, Benchmarks, etc.)

Goal 1: Promote and increase primary prevention efforts and coordination with community and federal programs so families are

diverted from the child welfare system.

Rationale: Coordinated and robust primary prevention efforts are critically important to strengthen families and prevent both the initial

occurrence of child abuse and neglect and ongoing maltreatment; prevent unnecessary family disruption; reduce family and child trauma;

interrupt intergenerational cycles of maltreatment; and build a well-functioning child welfare system. The Division has been fortunate to

have the State’s Community-Base Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) Grantee as part of DCFS since July 2017. This has given the

agency the ability to implement true primary prevention programs in coordination with other child welfare stakeholders. The strategies

and activities below will allow the Division to build upon those as well as begin working toward additional primary prevention efforts.

Primary prevention is not a goal addressed through CFSR PIP; CFSR PIP focuses on secondary and tertiary prevention so there are no

related CFSR PIP strategies that apply.

Goal Measures:

• Decrease the number of maltreatment reports to Child Abuse Hotline (SFY 2018: 35,867 reports received).

o Year 1: 1% decrease from SFY 2018 APSR 2021 Update: Achieved. SFY 2019: 34,296 reports received or 4.4% decrease

o Year 2: 2% decrease from SFY 2018 APSR 2022 Update: Achieved. SFY 2020: 31,142 reports received or 13.2% decrease

o Year 3: 4% decrease from SFY 2018 APSR 2023 Update: Achieved. SFY 2021: 30,935 reports received or 13.7% decrease

o Year 4: 5% decrease from SFY 2018

o Year 5: 7% decrease from SFY 2018

• Decrease the number of children entering foster care (SFY 2018: 3,289 entries).

o Year 1: 2% decrease from SFY 2018 APSR 2021 Update: Not achieved but progress still made from SFY 2018. SFY 2019: 3,236

children entered care or 1.6% decrease

o Year 2: 3% decrease from SFY 2018 APSR 2022 Update: Not achieved but entries still lower than SFY 2018. SFY 2020: 3,255

children entered care or 1% decrease

o Year 3: 5% decrease from SFY 2018 APSR 2023 Update: Not achieved but entries still lower than SFY 2018. SFY 2021: 3,240

children entered care or 1.5% decrease

o Year 4: 8% decrease from SFY 2018

o Year 5: 12% decrease from SFY 2018

CFSR measures non-applicable to primary prevention.

152

Strategy 1: Strengthen and increase involvement with existing primary prevention programs: Baby and Me, Predict-Align-Prevent, and the Arkansas

Home Visiting Network.

Rationale: Infants and very young children are the most vulnerable population due to long-term effects of early child abuse and neglect. Research

shows that parenting education programs for children ages 4-8 show significant benefits for parents, caregivers, children, and families.

Research

shows that home visiting programs such as Healthy Families and Nurse Family Partnership showed favorable impacts on primary measures of child

development, school readiness, and positive parenting practices.

In addition, DCFS wants to strengthen and expand upon some of its first efforts at primary prevention, the Baby and Me Program offered through the

Department of Health’s Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) clinics and begin utilizing data collected through the Predict-Align-Prevent Program.

Activity

Party

Responsible

Completion

Timeframe

Expected Outcomes/Elements

of Services Delivery

Progress Measures

APSR Update

A1: Develop strategies to

improve initial intake

numbers of Baby and Me

Program

CBCAP

Lead/Baby and

Me Advisory

Committee and

staff

Ongoing

• Higher post-test results

• Strengthened parent/ child

attachment

• Increased protective

capacity

• Parent understands

developmental milestones

• Increased safe

sleep/Decrease co-sleeping

deaths

• Decreased incidents of

shaken baby

• Decreased maltreatment

Year 1: Achieve 80% intake

rate from recruitment

population.

Year 2: Achieve 82% intake

rate from recruitment

population.

Year 3: Achieve 83% intake

rate from recruitment

population.

Year 4: Achieve 84% intake

rate from recruitment

population.

Year 5: Achieve 85% intake

rate from recruitment

population.

APSR 2021: An advisory

committee for Baby and Me

meets weekly to discuss the

progress of the program, to

troubleshoot any issues, and

suggest any necessary changes

or additions. The advisory

committee includes: The

Children’s Trust Fund director,

the director of Child and

Adolescent Health for the

Department of Health, the

statewide director of the WIC

program, a Regional director of

the Department of Health,

members of the UAMS RED

Team, and staff from the

MidSOUTH Training and

Prevention Center. This group is

working on developing

Child Welfare Information Gateway, February 2019: Parent Education and Strengthening Families and Prevent Child Maltreatment

Sama-Miller, Emily, et. al, October 2018: Home Visiting Evidence of Effectiveness Review: Executive Summary; OPRE Report # 2018-113

153

improved data tracking and

evaluation procedures.

APSR 2022: The advisory

committee for Baby and Me

continues to meet weekly to

discuss the progress of the

program, to troubleshoot any

issues, and suggest any

necessary changes or additions.

APSR 2023: The core team for

Baby and Me which includes

representatives from DCFS,

ADH, and MidSOUTH

Prevention Services, meets

every other week to discuss the

progress of the program, to

troubleshoot any issues, and

suggest any necessary changes

or additions.

A2: Develop strategies to

improve program

completion rates of Baby

and Me Program

CBCAP

Lead/Baby and

Me Advisory

Committee and

staff

Ongoing

See above.

Year 1: Achieve 15%

completion rate.

Year 2: Achieve 18%

completion rate.

Year 3: Achieve 23%

completion rate.

Year 4: Achieve 25%

completion rate.

Year 5: Achieve 28%

completion rate.

APSR 2021: As of the April

monthly reports from Baby and

Me, 383 individual Baby and

Me modules had been

completed since March 2020.

The Baby and Me Advisory

Committee is working on

developing improved data

tracking and evaluation

procedures.

APSR 2022: As of June 2021

monthly reports from Baby and

154

Me report that there have been

4,569 individual Baby and Me

modules (months 0-6)

completed. There have been 930

recruitment forms filled out.

The Baby and Me Advisory

Committee is working on

developing improved data

tracking and evaluation

procedures as implementation

supports to promote successful

implementation of this activity.

The evaluation report is due on

June 30, 2021.

APSR 2023: To date in SFY

2022, 624 Baby and Me

recruitment forms have been

completed, 601 formal intakes

completed, and 2,929 modules

completed. The Baby and Me

core team and staff continue

discuss ways to increase

enrollment and improve module

completion rates.

A3: Work with DCFS Data

Management & Analysis

vendor (Evident Change) to

develop way to track

subsequent maltreatment at

6 and 12 months for those

who participated in Baby

and Me

DCFS Deputy

Director, Asst.

Director of

Prevention and

Reunification,

NCCD

Spring 2020

• CHRIS/NCCD data report

showing subsequent

maltreatment at 6 and 12

months for those who

participated in Baby and

Me.

• More data to inform Baby

and Me program

improvement efforts.

No baseline data at present.

To be determined.

APSR 2021: Not yet completed.

The Children’s Trust Fund

Program Manager position is

currently vacant. Once filled,

the Division plans for this

position to take lead with the

Baby and Me Advisory

Committee and NCCD to

determine next steps.

APSR 2022: This task has not

yet been completed. The

155

Children’s Trust Fund Program

Director was hired in November

2020 after being vacant for 8

months. The position took the

lead with the Baby and Me

Advisory Committee and

Evident Change to determine

next steps. Now that the

Children’s Trust Fund Program

is on board, fully trained, and

acclimated to her new position,

her role can act as an

implementation support.

Additional resources related to

data systems may also be

needed to promote successful

implementation of this activity.

APSR 2023: This task has not

yet been completed. The

Children’s Trust Fund Program

Director has been vacant once

again since November 2021.

Additional resources related to

data systems may also be

needed to promote successful

implementation of this activity.

A4: Depending on data

results, develop a data-

informed plan to approach

AR Health Department or

other partners to propose

investment in Baby and Me.

Data will include:

• Numbers served;

CBCAP

Lead/Baby and

Me Advisory

Committee

2023-2024

More families to be positively

impacted by Baby and Me:

• Higher post-test results

• Strengthened parent/child

attachment

• Increased protective

capacity

N/A

APSR 2021: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2021 APSR report date

APSR 2022: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2022 APSR report date

156

• Pre/post test

results;

• Number of

enrollees who had

report of

maltreatment

within one year of

service

• Parent understands

developmental milestones

• Increased safe

sleep/Decrease co-sleeping

deaths

• Decreased incidents of

shaken baby

• Decreased maltreatment

APSR 2023: N/A -- Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2022 APSR report date

B1: Through staff training,

message importance of

considering referrals to

applicable Arkansas Home

Visiting Network (AHVN)

programs particularly as

part of plan of safe care for

infants who are not found to

be neglected but who have

reports to hotline of prenatal

exposure to drugs, as

appropriate

Differential

Response

Manager,

Assistant

Directors of

Prevention and

Reunification

and

Infrastructure

and Specialized

Programs,

Federal

Compliance

Officer, AHVN

Director

Starts July

2019 and

then ongoing

• Strengthened parent/child

attachment

• Increased protective

capacity

• Parent understands

developmental milestones

• Increased safe

sleep/Decrease co-sleeping

deaths

• Decreased incidents of

shaken baby

• Decreased maltreatment

Acceptance of reports of

infants with prenatal

exposure to drugs but who

are not neglected will be a

new type of report for

DCFS, so no baseline data

exists from which to base

benchmarks and associated

timeframes. Over the next

five years the Division will:

• Track number of

prenatal substance

exposure referrals

from the hotline;

• Track number of

referrals of non-

neglected substance

exposed infants from

DCFS to AHVN

programs and related

intake numbers once

MOU with AHVN is

developed. See

following activity.

APSR 2021: The importance of

considering referrals to a home

visiting programs (outside of

SafeCare since these infants

would not meet SafeCare

criteria) through AHVN has

been messaged to staff during

the 2019 Legislative Update

Trainings, Transitional Youth

Services and Resource Staff

meetings, coaching sessions

where applicable, and the newly

developed Facilitated Wrap Up

Conversations that take place

following staff completion of

the National Center on

Substance Abuse and Child

Welfare’s Online Substance

Abuse Tutorial for Child

Welfare Professionals.

To date, 9 referrals have been

received for infants with

prenatal exposure to drugs but

who are not neglected (CARA).

An MOU has not yet been

established with AHVN so there

is not yet a systematic way to

157

track whether these infants were

referred to an AHVN program.

APSR 2022: During July 1,

2020-present reporting period

there were 24 CARA referrals

for infants with prenatal

exposure to legal drugs. Home

visiting referrals are listed as a

possibility on the CFS-101:

Plan of Safe Care document that

is required to be completed with

the family and healthcare

providers for all CARA

referrals. However, because

these referrals are not

considered maltreatment,

participation in such services is

optional for these families.

More to the point, the specific

referral services that may be

completed as part of the CARA

referrals are not specifically

documented in CHRIS unless a

Supportive Services case is

open for the family upon their

request. Messaging around

home visiting has also

continued to staff via Virtual

Supervisor Meetings and the

DCFS Director’s weekly Zoom

meetings. Realignment of

existing staff duties to focus on

coaching around the

development of the Plans of

158

Safe Care may be needed as

implementation supports to

ensure the successful

implementation of this activity.

Messaging around home

visiting has also continued to

staff via the DCFS Director’s

weekly Zoom meetings and

similar forums.

APSR 2023: During July 1,

2022-present reporting period

there were 119 CARA referrals.

This increase between the

APSR 2022 and APSR 2023

reporting is most likely

attributed to a clarification

provided to the Child Abuse

Hotline in June 2021 regarding

infants and/or their mothers who

test positive for THC and the

mothers who have a medical

marijuana card at the time of the

infants’ births being routed as a

CARA referral rather than an

investigation.

B2: Develop MOU with

AHVN that would allow

AHVN and DCFS to

develop tracking and

information sharing

protocols to better assess

short and long-term

outcomes of substance

exposed infants who are

Assistant

Directors of

Prevention and

Reunification

and

Infrastructure

and Specialized

Programs,

Assistant

Summer

2020

MOU

TBD

APSR 2021: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2020 APSR report date

APSR 2022: Due to the

COVID-19 pandemic and other

agency initiatives such as the

implementation of Safety

Organized Practice, the

159

referred to and participate in

home visiting programs

Director of

Infrastructure

and Specialized

Programs

Division’s Five Year IV-E

Prevention Plan, and CFSR

Round 4 PIP, the agency has not

yet explored this MOU.

APSR 2023: Due to the ongoing

COVID-19 pandemic, other

agency initiatives, and several

program manager and specialist

vacancies within the Prevention

and Reunification Unit during

this reporting period, the agency

has not yet explored this MOU.

C1: Through Predict-Align-

Prevent Geospatial Risk

Analysis for Child

Maltreatment in Little

Rock, create maps of child

maltreatment and

environmental risk factors

CBCAP Lead

and Predict-

Align-Prevent

Director and

staff

Ongoing

Predict-Align-Prevent maps

For all five years, annual

progress updates on use of

data and enhanced

services/programs in

applicable

communities/neighborhoods

as determined by future

Predict-Align-Prevent maps

and potential surveys of

neighborhood/community

residents.

APSR 2021: Over the past year,

Predict Align Prevent and

partners at the University of

Arkansas at Fayetteville have

worked to acquire the address

level data from multiple sources

and began mapping the data.

The acquisition of address level

data was slow, in order to assure

partners that the data will be

protected. Once the address

level data was plotted, a grid

was laid over the map that

breaks the city in to 1000 by

1000 square foot cells. Then

each cell was assigned a risk

score based on the number of

adverse events that were

present. This process de-

identified the data and began to

give a clear picture of the

160

specific areas of the city where

the most abuse occurs. The

team is now ready to drill down

into the data of those high

maltreatment areas and see what

else is happening in that

location.

The final report from PAP was

expected in April of 2020, but it

has been delayed due to

complications of the COVID19

pandemic. The tentative release

date is now August 2020.

APSR 2022: The final Predict-

Align-Prevent report was

completed and approved in

September 2020. The report

identified areas of potential risk

for child maltreatment in the

city of Little Rock. This allows

us to implement targeted

intervention strategies in those

areas of greatest risk per the

report.

APSR 2023: DCFS no longer

has a partnership with Predict-

Align- Prevent but has still used

some of the data gleaned from

this Partnership to inform

decisions such as the selected

locations for the forthcoming

community schools initiatives.

161

C2: Convene advisory

group to review results of

risk analysis and develop

recommendations to address

concerns identified in data

analysis

CBCAP Lead

and Predict-

Align-Prevent

Director and

staff

Fall 2020

Advisory group

recommendations

For all five years, annual

progress updates on use of

data and enhanced

services/programs in

applicable

communities/neighborhoods

as determined by future

Predict-Align-Prevent maps

and potential surveys of

neighborhood/community

residents.

APSR 2021: In the upcoming

year, DCFS with the support of

CAPTA funding will bring

together representatives from

state and community-level

service providers as well as

parents/families from across the

state to create the Strengthening

Families Advisory Board

(SFAB). The primary purpose

of establishing the SFAB is to

assist DCFS in developing a

child abuse prevention plan for

Arkansas and to advise the

Children’s Trust Fund in

implementing the plan. The

SFAB will begin by reviewing

state level data relevant to child

maltreatment, to include data

gathered through the Predict-

Align-Prevent project, to gain a

better understanding of the

issues facing our state. The

SFAB will also assist DCFS in

conducting an environmental

scan to determine what services

are already available for

families in our state and what

types of programs or services

are missing. Finally, the SFAB

will make recommendation

about evidenced-based

strategies that are needed to

162

address identified issues and

gaps in services. This Advisory

Board will support collective

learning and shared resources,

inform data collection, and offer

solutions to address the

prevention of child

maltreatment.

APSR 2022: A decision was

made to hold off on convening

the advisory group due to the

COVID-19 Pandemic as it was

thought the group would work

best with in-person meetings.

APSR 2023: DCFS no longer

has a partnership with Predict-

Align- Prevent. As such, DCFS

requests to remove this activity

from its strategic plan.

C3: Work with stakeholders

in local

communities/neighborhoods

to implement

recommendations to address

identified needs/risks

CBCAP Lead

and Predict-

Align-Prevent

Director

Summer

2024

• Increased community

involvement and

collaboration

• Decreased child

maltreatment

• Increased community

protective factors

For all five years, annual

progress updates on use of

data and enhanced

services/programs in

applicable

communities/neighborhoods

as determined by future

Predict-Align-Prevent maps

and potential surveys of

neighborhood/community

residents.

APSR 2021: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2021 APSR report date

APSR 2022: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2022 APSR report date

APSR 2023: DCFS no longer

has a partnership with Predict-

Align- Prevent. As such, DCFS

requests to remove this activity

from its strategic plan.

However, it should be noted that

some of the Predict-Align-

Prevent data has been utilized

163

by the Division in determining

its community school locations.

Strategy 2: Increase support to pregnant and parenting teens in foster care as a primary prevention strategy for their children.

Rationale: Feedback from staff, providers, and youth in care is that support for pregnant and parenting teens is lacking but much needed given the

vulnerable populations in which both mother and baby fall. DCFS is also committed to implementing primary prevention strategies and activities

aimed at the children of teenagers who are in foster care to prevent future maltreatment of those young children. On average, there are between 30-40

pregnant or parenting youth in the foster care system in Arkansas, so this is a reasonable initial goal for DCFS’ foray into primary prevention. Safety

showers are a mechanism to provided needed safety information to expecting mothers but in a non-threatening and supportive environment. Research

shows that home visiting programs, such as Healthy Families and Nurse Family Partnership showed favorable impacts on primary measures of child

development, school readiness, and positive parenting practices.

Activity

Party

Responsible

Completion

Timeframe

Expected Outcomes/Elements

of Services Delivery

Progress Measures

APSR 2020 Update

A1: Refer parenting teens

who do not qualify for other

home visiting programs to

Positive Parenting Program

(Triple P)(or in addition to

home visiting, as applicable

based on specific case)

DCFS ended Nurturing

Families of Arkansas and

had the provider switch to

the Triple P Model on July

1, 2020.

Messaging

from Assistant

Directors of

Prevention and

Reunification

and

Infrastructure

and Specialized

Programs to

staff about

change in NFA

PIs to accept

referrals for

this population;

Family Service

Worker (FSW)

caseworkers

and

Transitional

Youth Services

July 2019

and then

ongoing

• Higher post-test results

• Strengthened parent/child

attachment

• Increased protective

capacity

• Parent understands

developmental milestones

• Increased safe

sleep/Decreased co-

sleeping deaths

• Decreased incidents of

shaken baby

• Decreased maltreatment

Year 1: 50% referral rate of

designated population, of

those, no maltreatment

referrals during teen’s

remaining time in foster

care

Year 2: 75% referral rate of

designated population, of

those, no maltreatment

referrals during teen’s

remaining time in foster

care.

Year 3: 80% referral rate of

designated population, of

those, no maltreatment

referrals during teen’s

remaining time in foster

care

Year 4: 90% referral rate of

designated population, of

APSR 2021: Initial messaging

regarding the ability to refer

teens in foster care who are also

parents to NFA was limited.

The Division has the additional

challenge of not having a way to

consistently track teens in foster

care who are pregnant and

parenting. There is a check box

in CHRIS to denote when a

youth is pregnant, but this is

rarely used and, when it is used,

it is generally not updated when

the baby is born. With the

forthcoming implementation of

CCWIS, the Division plans to

explore better ways to track this

sub-population of youth in care

to help ensure successful

implementation of this activity.

Sama-Miller, Emily, et. al, October 2018: Home Visiting Evidence of Effectiveness Review: Executive Summary; OPRE Report # 2018-113

164

(TYS)

Coordinators

for referrals

those, no maltreatment

referrals during teen’s

remaining time in foster

care

Year 5: 98% referral rate of

designated population, of

those, no maltreatment

referrals during teen’s

remaining time in foster

care

APSR 2022: Triple P Parenting

Program began July 1, 2020 and

direct messaging was provided

to the staff about the new

program. Even with extensive

messaging around Triple P, the

referrals for parenting teens are

still low and there is no

mechanism in CHRIS to track

the information. As such, it is

not possible to report on the

specific progress measures

given the unreliable data in

CHRIS regarding teens in care

who are pregnant as well as

parenting teens who may have

been referred to Triple P.

Developing a way to better

track this sub-population in

CCWIS is an implementation

support that the Division will

explore as its CCWIS is

developed.

APSR 2023: Arkansas

continues to provide messaging

around Triple P, however the

referrals for parenting teens

continues to be low. Currently

there is no mechanism in

CHRIS to track the number of

referrals made to Triple P, but

Triple P records the number of

referrals made in RedCap and

so far, 3 referrals involving teen

mothers in foster care have been

made. However, it is still

difficult to determine specific

progress measures given the

165

unreliable data in CHRIS

regarding the overall number of

teens in care who are pregnant

and parenting. Based on a recent

scan of staff in spring 2022,

there were currently 12 young

women in foster care or

Extended Foster Care who were

pregnant at the time (so not yet

eligible for a Triple P referral)

and 26 other young women who

were already parenting,

including some who had already

been parenting for several years

and may have already

participated in a local parenting

education program. However,

based on straight numbers

alone, DCFS is not achieving its

goal of having 80% of its

parenting youth participate in

Triple P. Developing a way to

better track this sub-population

in Arkansas’ new CCWIS,

ARFocus, is an implementation

support that the Division will

explore as it is developed.

A2: Implement Safety

Showers for pregnant teens

in foster care.

Assistant

Director of

Infrastructure

and Specialized

Programs

Fall 2019 and

then ongoing

• Increased knowledge of

infant and home safety

• Increased safe

sleep/decreased co-sleeping

deaths

Year 1: 75% completion

rate, of those no incidents of

unsafe sleep related deaths

Year 2: 80% completion

rate, of those no incidents of

unsafe sleep related deaths

Year 3: 90% completion

rate, of those no incidents of

unsafe sleep related deaths

APSR 2021: Safety Showers for

pregnant teens were

implemented in mid-October

2019. The Transitional Youth

Services Coordinator is trained

in this curriculum. She leads the

Safety Shower and relies on

assistance from local staff to

help coordinate the location and

166

Year 4: 98% completion

rate, of those no incidents of

unsafe sleep related deaths

Year 5: 100% completion

rate, of those no incidents of

unsafe sleep related deaths

purchase of refreshments for the

event. During the Safety

Shower the pregnant mother is

also presented with a box of

diapers and wipes, a Halo sleep

sack, and a board book about

safe sleep from the Division.

The COVID pandemic has

made hosting the safety baby

showers challenging. The TYS

Coordinator is currently trying

to design a way to potentially

host them virtually for two

youth who are currently

pregnant in the Central

Arkansas area. Between the

mid-October 2019

implementation date and March

11, 2020 (date an emergency

was declared in Arkansas due to

COVID) two safety showers

were held. Once again, the

limited ability of the Division to

track pregnant and parenting

youth makes it challenging to

accurately determine the

completion rate for Safety

Showers. However, given that

only two were held, it is

assumed that the Division did

not achieve the 75% completion

rate. There have been 0 deaths

related to unsafe sleep

environment for this population.

APSR 2022: During this

reporting period three Safety

Showers were held. The FSWs

were present during the showers

and the TYS Coordinator

167

provided the safe sleep

information to the pregnant

teens via Zoom. It is not

possible to report on the specific

progress measures given the

unreliable data in CHRIS

regarding teens in care who are

pregnant. The Division is

currently in the process of

hiring a TYS Program Specialist

who may be able to take on

some of the duties described in

this activity or at least focus on

increased tracking of pregnant

and parenting youth which

could serve as an

implementation support for this

activity. In addition, developing

a way to better track this sub-

population in CCWIS is an

implementation support that the

Division will explore as its

CCWIS is developed over the

next several years.

There have been 0 deaths in this

population due to unsafe sleep.

APSR 2023: During this

reporting period three Safety

Showers were held (two for

female clients and one for a

male client). The FSWs were

present during the showers and

the TYS Program Manager

provided the safe sleep

information to the pregnant

168

teens via Zoom. Based on the

previously referenced survey of

staff, the agency only provided

Safety Showers to 25% of the

eligible population, though the

TYS Program Manager is

working on scheduling

additional Safety Showers for

some of these youth. The

ongoing challenge remains in

that there is not a reliable way

for the Central Office TYS

Program to know if a client

becomes pregnant. The TYS

Program relies on staff

notifications and/or when the

TYS Program conducts

intermittent surveys regarding

parenting and pregnant youth.

This task of the pregnant and

parenting surveys of staff was

the responsibility of the TYS

Specialist, but this position was

vacated in May and remains

vacant at present.

There have been 0 deaths in this

population due to unsafe sleep.

B1: Through staff training

and other messaging

platforms, message

importance of considering

referrals to applicable

Arkansas Home Visiting

Network (AHVN)

programs, for pregnant and

parenting teens in foster

care.

Assistant

Director of

Infrastructure

and Specialized

Programs for

messaging,

FSWs and TYS

Coordinators

for referrals

Fall 2019 and

then ongoing

• Strengthened parent/child

attachment

• Increased protective

capacity

• Parent understands

developmental milestones

• Increased safe

sleep/Decreased co-

sleeping deaths

• Cannot establish

desired referral rate

because referrals

depend on whether

mom was also referred

to NFA (see Activity

A1 above) and what

AHVN programs are

available in a specific

APSR 2021: The importance of

considering referrals to a home

visiting programs through

AHVN has been messaged to

staff during the 2019 Legislative

Update Trainings, Transitional

Youth Services and Resource

Staff meetings, coaching

sessions and other conversations

with field staff where

169

• Decreased incidents of

shaken baby

• Decreased maltreatment

county and, from there,

whether a program has

open slots.

• Of those referred and

accepted to AHVN

program, no

maltreatment referrals

during teen’s remaining

time in foster care.

applicable, and the newly

developed Facilitated Wrap Up

Conversations that take place

following staff completion of

the National Center on

Substance Abuse and Child

Welfare’s Online Substance

Abuse Tutorial for Child

Welfare Professionals. There is

not yet a way to systematically

track parents who have been

referred to an AHVN home

visiting program (outside of

SafeCare) so data regarding

maltreatment referrals after

participation in a home visiting

program is not yet available.

APSR 2022: Messaging

regarding the importance of

considering referrals to

applicable Arkansas Home

Visiting Network for pregnant

and parenting teens in foster

care has continued in forums

such as DCFS Supervisor

Meetings, TYS Case Review

Summaries, through individual

staffings, etc. The Division is

currently in the process of

hiring a TYS Program Specialist

who may be able to conduct a

more targeted focus on this

messaging effort which could

serve as an implementation

170

support for this activity, though

training for this individual – as

an implementation support –

would also be required to gain

more knowledge about each

home visiting model under the

Arkansas Home Visiting

Network. That said, it should be

noted that not all counties have

a home visiting program and

that even counties that have

home visiting models may not

be appropriate (i.e., criteria

referral do not apply) for this

population.

There have been 0 deaths in this

population due to unsafe sleep.

APSR 2023: Messaging

regarding the importance of

considering referrals to

applicable Arkansas Home

Visiting Network for pregnant

and parenting teens in foster

care has continued in forums

such as Statewide TYS

Coordinator Meetings, and

individual staffings. As

referenced in the APSR 2022

update, a TYS Specialist was

hired in August 2021 but then

left in May 2022, and

unfortunately this was not an

area on which she was able to

focus prior to leaving. Once

again, it should be noted that

171

not all counties have a home

visiting program and that even

counties that have home visiting

models may not be appropriate

(i.e., criteria referral do not

apply) for this population.

There have been 0 deaths in this

population due to unsafe sleep.

C1: Explore possibility of

contracting with University

of Arkansas for Medical

Sciences (UAMS) to create

service coordinator position

to assist pregnant and

parenting teens in foster

care navigate various

services such as home

visiting, high-quality

childcare.

Assistant

Director of

Infrastructure

and Specialized

Programs, AR

Children’s

Hospital

Executive

Director of

Child

Advocacy and

Public Health,

Associate

Director of

Research and

Evaluation

Division for

Department of

Family and

Preventive

Medicine at

UAMS

Fall 2020

• Increased service

coordination for pregnant

and parenting teens in

foster care

• Improved parent-child

well-being

• Decreased maltreatment

• Increased knowledge of

FSWs and TYS

Coordinators regarding

services for pregnant and

parenting teens

N/A

APSR 2021: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2021 APSR report date

APSR 2022: This activity has

not yet been explored due to

other Division initiatives such

as the implementation of Safety

Organized Practice, responding

to various challenges presented

by the public health emergency,

and the implementation and

monitoring of the Supervised

Independent Living Provider

contracts. The Division is

currently in the process of

hiring a TYS Program Specialist

who may be able to take on

some of the duties described in

this activity or at least focus on

increased tracking of pregnant

and parenting youth.

APSR 2023: This activity has

not yet been explored due to

172

other Division initiatives such

as the implementation of Safety

Organized Practice, responding

to various challenges presented

by the public health emergency,

and the implementation and the

development of the LifeSet

contract. With the forthcoming

implementation of LifeSet, the

Division requests to formally

delete this activity from its

strategic plan and insert the

implementation of LifeSet in its

place. Youth who are pregnant

or parenting will be eligible for

LifeSet and the assigned LifeSet

Specialist may be able to assist

with the navigation of services

to this population.

C2: Contingent upon

funding, develop

interagency contract for

service coordinator for

pregnant and parenting

teens in foster care.

Assistant

Director of

Infrastructure

and Specialized

Programs, AR

Children’s

Hospital

Executive

Director of

Child

Advocacy and

Public Health,

Associate

Director of

Research and

Evaluation

Division for

Department of

Family and

Preventive

Spring 2021

• Increased service

coordination for pregnant

and parenting teens in

foster care

• Improved parent-child

well-being

• Decreased maltreatment

• Increased knowledge of

FSWs and TYS

Coordinators regarding

services for pregnant and

parenting teens

Contract developed as

applicable.

APSR 2021: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2020 APSR report date

APSR 2022: N/A – See Strategy

2, Activity C1 Progress Update

above.

APSR 2023: See Strategy 2,

Activity C1 Progress Update

above. The Division requests to

formally delete this activity

from its strategic plan and insert

the implementation of LifeSet in

its place.

173

Medicine at

UAMS

C3: Contingent upon

funding, hire service

coordinator for pregnant

and parenting teens in foster

care.

Assistant

Director of

Infrastructure

and Specialized

Programs, AR

Children’s

Hospital

Executive

Director of

Child

Advocacy and

Public Health,

Associate

Director of

Research and

Evaluation

Division for

Department of

Family and

Preventive

Medicine at

UAMS

Fall 2021

• Increased service

coordination for pregnant

and parenting teens in

foster care

• Improved parent-child

well-being

• Decreased maltreatment

• Increased knowledge of

FSWs and TYS

Coordinators regarding

services for pregnant and

parenting teens

• 100% referral rate of

pregnant and parenting

teens to service

coordinator.

• Evaluation

measurements TBD as

part of contract

development.

APSR 2021: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2020 APSR report date

APSR 2022: N/A – See Strategy

2, Activity C1 Progress Update

above.

APSR 2023: See Strategy 2,

Activity C1 Progress Update

above. The Division requests to

formally delete this activity

from its strategic plan and insert

the implementation of LifeSet in

its place.

Goal 2: Strengthen response to maltreatment allegations and increase and improve services to protect children in their homes

and prevent entry/re-entry into foster care.

Rationale: Research shows that entry into foster care is yet another trauma for children and that children do best with their own families.

As such, if at all safely possible, the Division strives to safely maintain children in their own homes. The CFSR identified challenges

with initial and ongoing safety and risk assessment, and a lack of adequate safety planning and monitoring, particularly when substance

use is an issue in the home. The Parent Advisory Council also made several recommendations in relation to services to prevent removal.

This goal is supported by CFSR PIP Strategies 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 15, and 16.

Goal Measures:

174

• Decrease the number of children entering foster care (SFY 2018: 3,289 entries).

o Year 1: 2% decrease from SFY 2018 APSR 2021 Update: Not achieved but progress still made from SFY 2018. SFY 2019: 3,236

children entered care or 1.6% decrease

o Year 2: 3% decrease from SFY 2018 APSR 2022 Update: Not achieved but progress still made from SFY 2018. SFY 2020: 3,255

children entered care or 1% decrease

o Year 3: 5% decrease from SFY 2018 APSR 2023 Update: Not achieved but entries still lower than SFY 2018. SFY 2021: 3,240

children entered care or 1.5% decrease

o Year 4: 8% decrease from SFY 2018

o Year 5: 12% decrease from SFY 2018

• CFSR Safety 2 (SFY 2018: 70%)

o Year 1: 85% ASPR 2020 Update: Not achieved but progress still made from SFY 2018 Statewide QSPR. SFY 2019: 83%

o Year 2: 87% APSR 2021 Update: Not achieved but progress still made from SFY 2018 Statewide QSPR SFY 2020: 82%

o Year 3: 90% APSR 2022 Update: Not achieved but progress still made from SFY 2018 Statewide QSPR SFY 2021: 75%

o Year 4: 92%

o Year 5: 94%

Strategy 3: Implement and expand Considered Removal Team Decision Making Statewide.

Rationale: While QSPR results indicate that safety and risk items have improved for all case types since the CFSR, there is still room for

improvement. QSPR 2018 data shows that necessary services to prevent children from entering foster care in 75% of the reviewed cases. During SFY

2018, sufficient efforts were not made to assess and address risk and safety concerns for children receiving services in more than a quarter of the

reviewed cases (29 percent). The deficient ratings once again stemmed from problems with conducting ongoing assessments of risk and safety and

with safety management.

The final IV-E Waiver Evaluation results showed that families who participated in TDM meetings were satisfied with the openness and non-

judgmental atmosphere of the meeting. Staff also appreciated the family having a voice and their ability to highlight strengths and available

resources. The TDM meeting also helped the worker to better identify services the families needed, and the families felt improved engagement and

more positive relationships with DCFS as a result. The Parent Advisory Council also recommended expanding Team Decision Making statewide.

Activity

Party

Responsible

Completion

Timeframe

Expected Outcomes/Elements

of Services Delivery

Progress Measures

APSR Update

175

A1: Complete revised TDM

policy for considered

removals

Infrastructure

and Specialized

Programs,

Program

Administrator

August 2019

• Policy completed

reflecting new TDM

triggers and considered

removal framework

• Policy completed

APSR 2021: Completed. (Please

see attachment, TDM Protocol.)

A2: Train all Team

Decision Making (TDM)

facilitators, back-ups, and

TDM supervisor on Anne

E. Casey 3-day considered

removal curriculum

TDM Manager

September

2019

• All necessary staff trained

in new triggers and

considered removal

framework.

• 100% completion rate

APSR 2021: Completed. (Please

see attachment, Training

Curriculum.)

A3: Train all Area 8 staff

that currently have TDM in

their counties (not yet area-

wide) on TDM, highlighting

new triggers

TDM Manager

September

2019

• All necessary staff trained

in new triggers and

considered removal

framework.

• 100% completion rate

APSR 2021: Completed. By

September 2019 all Area 8 staff

(a total of 78) was trained by the

TDM Manager that had TDM in

their counties on new triggers.

A4: Provide Considered

Removal TDM orientation

to applicable county Office

of Chief Counsel (OCC)

and external stakeholders

(e.g., court, legal, CASA,

schools, mental health

providers, community

partners)

TDM Manager,

OCC Area 8

Supervising

Attorney for

OCC portion,

AECF staff

September

2019

• Majority of applicable

stakeholders have

knowledge about

Considered Removal

TDM values, goals, and

processes.

• 75% completion rate

APSR 2021: This orientation

for external stakeholders was

not held. However, all eight

OCC attorneys in the area were

trained and a meeting with one

local judge also took place to

provide her with an overview of

Considered Removal TDMs. A

training for Parent Counsel and

Attorneys Ad Litem is currently

in development.

A5: Go-live with

Considered Removal TDMs

in existing TDM counties in

Area 8

TDM Manager

October 2019

• Decreased removals

• Increased relative

placements

For all five years, all

applicable families receive

Considered Removal TDM

APSR 2021: Completed as of

October 2019. The Go-Live

date for Area 8 was launched on

October 7, 2019. “Potty

Posters” were placed in the

176

• Increased family

engagement

• Increased placement

stability

• Increased time to

permanency within 12

months

• Improved relationship

with domestic violence

prevention/intervention

programs

restrooms. There were four

different posters that were ran

over a month’s time. A “Jimmy

Kimmel” skit was performed at

the Area 8 Education meeting

before the GO LIVE date.

A6: Train Area 8 resource

families on Considered

Removal TDM and their

roles within it

TDM Manager,

AECF staff

October 2019

• Majority of resource

families have knowledge

about Considered

Removal TDM values,

goals, and processes.

• 75% completion rate

APSR 2021: Not completed.

The focus on training was to

train Judges and Parent Counsel

first before training resource

families. All trainings were put

on hold due to COVID. A

meeting was held with Judge

Halsey from Area 8 back in

January 2020. At that time, she

informed that she would be

retiring, and several new judges

would be starting in the new

term. We still plan on getting

this completed in the future and

will keep you all abreast of any

new updates.

APSR 2022: Since Considered

Removal TDMs happen prior to

the placement of a child in a

177

resource home, the TDM

Program determined a meeting

with resource families was not

needed at this time.

APSR 2023: N/A. See previous

progress reports.

A7: Begin scheduling

quarterly meetings court

team to check-in on

progress, concerns, etc. and

address concerns as needed

Area 8

Director, Area

TDM

Facilitator

November

2019

• Improved

communication and

ability to strengthen

CQI processes.

• For all five years,

court team

meetings occur

quarterly and are

reported to

Assistant Directors

of Community

Services and

Prevention and

Reunification in

monthly reports.

APSR 2021: Completed. The

Prevention and Reunification

Unit is in the process of

establishing a workgroup

comprised of frontline

managers, supervisors, and

caseworkers; agency leadership;

TDM facilitators;

QA/performance staff. This will

be a monthly meeting to discuss

TDM-related data and practice

that is guided by TDM Self-

Evaluation Discussion Guide.

This Discussion Guide was

developed by the National

Council on Crime and

Delinquency Children’s

Research Center. As per the

recommendations of the TDM

Self-Evaluation, external

partners are brought into these

meetings after the self-

178

evaluation process is well-

established.

A8: Create protocols to

ensure all newly hired staff

in Area 8 receive training as

part of onboarding

TDM Manager

and Supervisor

November

2019

• All necessary staff trained

in new triggers and

considered removal

framework.

• 100% of newly hired

staff receive Considered

Removal TDM training.

APSR 2021: Completed.

Quarterly Zoom meetings are

held to train incoming staff on

Considered Removal TDMs.

A9: Evaluate progress of

Area 8 Considered Removal

TDMs

TDM Manager

and Supervisor,

Assistant

Director of

Prevention and

Reunification

Ongoing

• Data analysis to inform

CQI processes and

statewide expansion plan.

• Establish baseline rates

for current TDM

counties’ removal rates,

time to permanency,

relative placements and

establish progress

measures based on that

data.

APSR 2021: Ongoing. See

APSR Attachment E: TDM

Meeting Summary Data for

more information.

APSR 2022: In order to

evaluate progress of Area 8

Considered Removal TDMs, a

monthly meeting is held in Area

8 with the Area Director, staff,

and Evident Change Consultant

to review Area 8 pilot progress.

The TDM Summary Report in

CHRIS Net and the monthly

charts are reviewed during the

meeting. The report captures the

number of TDM meetings that

involved a considered removal

or removal. The Summary

Report is being revised by the

IT team to provide a better

analysis of the data that is being

collected. The TDM Program

Manager reviews the TDM

Summary Plans for Area 8 and

documents the information in

Survey Monkey.

APSR 2023: The IT team was

able to create a report for TDM.

179

The report provides information

from the previous month on the

number of TDM meetings,

number of father’s and

mother’s participating, as well

as the community supports

assisting the family. The report

also provides trends that are

happening within TDM.

B1: Using data and

consideration of county/area

readiness per

implementation science,

develop statewide

expansion plan using roll-

out plan described in “A”

activities above to ensure

100% coverage of TDM

(currently TDM is

implemented in 40% of the

state).

TDM Manager

and Assistant

Director of

Prevention and

Reunification

Spring 2020

• Statewide expansion plan

informed by quantitative

and qualitative data.

Year 1: Expand Considered

Removal TDMs to

remaining Area 8 counties

Year 2: Expand Considered

Removal TDMs to ensure

70% of state has TDM

Year 3: Expand Considered

Removal TDMs to ensure

100% of state has TDM

Year 4: Sustain TDMs

statewide

Year 5: Sustain TDMs

statewide

APSR 2021: Completed. All

counties within Area 8 are now

TDM considered removal

counties as of October 2019.

Currently expansion beyond

Area 8 is on hold due to COVID

pandemic concerns and related

budget constraints.

APSR 2022: Work has started

to launch Considered Removal

TDMs in Area 2 (TDMs under

the state’s initial TDM model

already take place in Area 2).

Monthly meetings with DCFS

staff and the Evident Change

TDM consultant started in

Spring 2021. An initial training

on the Considered Removal

TDMs triggers has also been

completed with Area 2

supervisors and staff. An

implementation workplan has

also been developed. A tentative

launch date for Considered

Removal TDMs in Area 2 is late

fall 2021, though subject to

change based on the continued

180

SOP implementation and staff

turnover challenges. Once

Considered Removal TDMs are

launched in Area 2, a little over

21% of the state will have

Considered Removal TDMs.

APSR 2023: Considered

Removal TDM’s launched in

Area 2 in August 2021 in

Sebastian and Crawford

counties. In March 2022 the rest

of the counites in Area 2

implemented Considered

Removal TDM’s. As such, 16

counties, or slightly over 21%

of the state, has launched

Considered Removal TDMs at

the time of this reporting.

Division leadership has been

meeting in recent weeks to

review data to determine the

next locations for the continued

roll-out of Considered Removal

TDMs. Areas 7 and 10 have

tentatively been selected, but

exact dates for implementation

in these areas is still to be

determined.

Strategy 4: Expand Intensive In-Home Services statewide contingent on FFPSA funding and clearinghouse approval (currently in 37

counties).

Rationale: The CFSR identified concerns with the overall service array and accessibility of services, especially in the rural areas of the state that

affected service provision. According to information in the Statewide Assessment, parenting classes often are not individualized, and counseling

and mental health services are rarely effective. In addition, the Intensive In-Home Services Program is what the Division hopes will be its first IV-E

prevention service program pursuant to the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), so the Division has selected to place this FFPSA-related

service into its CFSP. The Division has had traditional Intensive Family Services (IFS) within its service array for many years. However, while the

traditional four to six-week IFS model is sufficient for many families experiencing relatively short-term crises needing intensive intervention, the

181

traditional IFS model is not suited for families with generational child maltreatment issues and trauma. Due to this gap in the child welfare service

array, the Division determined that a program that was similar to IFS, but stayed involved long enough to do crisis intervention and long term

stabilization was needed: one that would address mental health and parenting, but also help the family create a natural social support system,

navigate individualized educational plans, address housing issues, employment, problem solving skills, etc. To that end, DCFS put out an RFQ for

Intensive In-Home Services (IIHS). The RFQ included the parameters for how the service would be provided including length of time, caseloads

allowed, expectation for supervision, 24/7 availability, crisis intervention, who they were expected to serve, what issues they were expected to

address, outcomes expected, the requirement that the intervention model they would use be evidenced based, and that they had experience in

delivering that model. From the responses to the RFQ, the Division chose Youth Villages to deliver Intercept, St. Francis to deliver Family Centered

Treatment, and Youth Advocate Program to deliver Strengthening Families. Below are some of the reasons we chose these three providers:

St. Francis

• Doing this work in 2 states already;

• Experience in rural, impoverished areas;

• Using a Family Centered Treatment model that is already promising on California Clearinghouse and is working towards well-supported;

• Included in proposal statistics and understanding of poverty levels in communities that they bid on.

Youth Advocate Program

• Using the Strengthening Families model that will hopefully qualify for well-supported on Federal Clearinghouse;

• Provides similar service in 12 other states with over 40 years’ experience;

• Success rate of 84%;

• Has a “No Reject – No Eject” policy.

Youth Villages

• Using a program based off of MST;

• Providing this service in 11 states;

• 88% success rate 2 years post discharge.

Activity

Party

Responsible

Completion

Timeframe

Expected

Outcomes/Elements of

Services Delivery

Progress Measures

APSR Update

A1: Continue to analyze

data/evaluations from

providers of current

Intensive In-Home Services

(currently in 37 counties so

In-Home

Services

Manager

Ongoing

• Increased family stability

and functioning

• Decreased child

maltreatment

For all five years

(contingent upon FFPSA

funding and clearinghouse

approval):

• 95% of families shall

not have confirmed

APSR 2021: The Prevention

and Reunification Unit is still

working with UAMS to get

their designated staff access to

the correct data so that UAMS

can begin establishing baseline

182

49.3% statewide coverage)

and related CHRIS data

• Decrease in foster care

entries

abuse/neglect within 6

months of intervention

• 90% of families shall

not have confirmed

abuse/neglect within 12

months of intervention

• 85% of families shall

not have confirmed

abuse/neglect within 24

months of service

• 95% of children shall

remain safely in their

homes during

intervention

• 90% of families

receiving intervention

in a foster care case

must successfully

reunify during

intervention

• 95% of families

receiving intervention

through Protective

Services Case shall not

have a child removed

during intervention

• 92% shall not have a

child removed within 6

months of intervention

• 90% shall not have a

child removed within

12 months following

intervention

• 85% shall not have a

child removed within

data. Access has successfully

been granted for the UAMS

team to CHRIS and

SafeMeasures. The contract

calls for a yearly report. The

first one is set to be completed

by November 2020.

Monthly IIHS Provider

meetings are also held (though

during the initial weeks of the

COVID pandemic these

meetings actually took place on

a weekly basis). Process data is

provided to the In-Home

Services Manager from each

IIHS Provider monthly. See

attached excerpt for a summary

example of such data.

APSR 2022: UAMS is now

receiving monthly data tables

from Deloitte. The In-Home

Program Manager is working

with UAMS to ensure the data

is being categorized correctly

and that tables are being

identified and are being added

to the data exchange. While

progress is being made, UAMS

is still working on propensity

matching and choosing the

correct variables from CHRIS to

ensure reliable baseline data

matching for establishing

equivalent comparison groups.

They are committed to

conducting an evaluation that

will meet the requirements of

the Title IV-E Clearinghouse in

183

24 months of

intervention

order to contribute to the

research base that qualifies

programs for “promising,

supported, or well supported” as

defined by the Title IV-E

Clearinghouse Handbook.

These requirements are stricter

than the general “well designed

and rigorous evaluation”

required for the state’s Five-

Year Prevention Plan. While

UAMS does not have a written

report yet for either IIHS

program, Public Consulting

Group (PCG) has completed

their first round of CQI that

looked at Family Centered

Treatment (FCT) provided by

St. Francis. FCT provided by

Youth Advocate Program was

not included in this first round

because they did not start

providing FCT until the end of

the SFY 20 and were not fully

providing FCT until September

2020.

Regular IIHS Provider meetings

were held weekly during the

initial weeks of the COVID-19

Pandemic. The meetings are

now taking place every other

month.

APSR 2023: PCG has

completed its second round of

CQI evaluations for FCT. In the

184

second round Youth Advocates

were included. St. Francis and

Youth Advocates both showed

positive outcomes. UAMS does

not have a written report yet for

Family Centered Treatment as

they had originally intended to

review this IIHS program last in

order to allow for enough time

between implementation of the

program and the evaluation to

truly assess outcomes of the

program. With Arkansas

recently securing an evaluation

waiver for Intercept as it now

rated as “well supported” by the

IV-E Prevention Services

Clearinghouse, UAMS is

currently determining if enough

time has passed since

implementation of FCT by both

St. Francis and Youth

Advocates in order to have a

valid outcome evaluation. FCT

is under review in the IV-E

Prevention Services

Clearinghouse.

A2: Expand Intensive In-

Home Services statewide

contingent on FFPSA

funding and clearinghouse

approval to include

evaluation and CQI

strategies to continuously

assess implementation.

In-Home

Services

Manager

TBD

contingent

upon FFPSA

funding and

clearinghouse

approval and

RFQ process

• Increased family stability

and functioning

• Decreased child

maltreatment

• Decrease in foster care

entries

Contingent upon FFPSA

funding and clearinghouse

approval:

Year 1: 60% of state to have

Intensive In-Home coverage

Year 2: 75% of state to have

Intensive In-Home coverage

Year 3: 90% of state to have

Intensive In-Home coverage

APSR 2021: Beyond the

existing 37 counties that are

served by IIHS providers

(providing 49.3% coverage rate

for the state), any plans to

expand are currently on hold as

a result of the COVID pandemic

and related budget constraints.

APSR 2022: Currently 49.3% of

the state continues to be covered

185

Year 4: 100% of state to

have Intensive In-Home

coverage

Year 5: 100% of state to

have Intensive In-Home

coverage

by IIHS providers. Expansion

was put on hold during this

reporting period due to the

uncertainty of the COVID-19

pandemic. However, in January

2021, discussions around

expansion of IIHS began taking

place. IIHS was to expand to the

remaining counties in Area 8,

additional counties in Area 7,

and to Area 3. However, the

expansion plans had to be put

on hold given that the Title IV-

E Clearinghouse did not rate

Family Centered Treatment

(FCT) as a “promising,

supported, or well-supported”

practice. Contingency plans

have been put into place for the

continued funding of FCT for

the time being since the

Division has seen many positive

outcomes associated with FCT

(e.g., collective decrease of

16.6% in the foster care

population and a 44% decrease

in the number of entries into

foster care in the last two years

in the counties served by FCT).

However, alternate funding

streams or transition to a

different modality may be

needed as an implementation

support for long-term

sustainability of IIHS.

186

APSR 2023: IIHS providers

currently covers approximately

69% of the state to some degree

(many counties are fully

implemented while IIHS takes

referrals from some of the

surrounding counties on a case-

by-case basis. IIHS has

expanded to all of the counties

in Area 8, and additional

counties in Area 7. The

expansion plans were put on

hold for some time when the

Title IV-E Clearinghouse did

not rate Family Centered

Treatment (FCT) as a

“promising, supported, or well-

supported” practice. After

further review by the

Clearinghouse FCT was

approved as Supported. As

reported in the APSR 2022

update, the Division has seen

positive outcomes associated

with FCT , so additional

funding has been applied to the

program. (. However, alternate

funding streams or transition to

a different modality may be

needed as an implementation

support for long-term

sustainability of IIHS.

Strategy 5: Continue implementing Evident Change-Children’s Research Center (CRC) Safety Organized Practice (SOP) implementation

plan years 3-5 per Evident Change-CRC proposal (this will be a continuation of CFSR PIP Strategy 2 past the completion of the PIP itself).

Rationale: During SFY 2018, sufficient efforts were not made to assess and address risk and safety concerns for children receiving services in more

than a quarter of the reviewed cases (29 percent). The deficient ratings once again stemmed from problems with conducting ongoing assessments of

risk and safety and with safety management.

187

For more than 20 years, CRC has partnered with child welfare agencies nationally and internationally to implement the SDM assessment system. The

SDM system includes a series of evidence-based assessments used at key points in child protection casework to support staff in making consistent,

accurate, and equitable decisions throughout their work with a family. Additionally, the SDM system allows an organization to better understand its

data, better manage limited resources, and better direct its resources to families that are most in need. DCFS currently uses an older locally modified

version of our older risk assessment mixed with other assessments.

Additionally, CRC integrates a family-centered, strengths-based social work practice alongside the SDM assessments known as SOP. This is an

approach to day-to-day child welfare casework designed to help all key stakeholders involved with a child—parents; extended family; child welfare

worker; supervisors and managers; lawyers, judges, and other court officials; and the child him/herself—to meaningfully participate in assessment

activities and to develop culturally responsive collaborative plans that keep a clear focus on enhancing child safety at all points in the case process.

Combining the SDM system and SOP connects an evidence-based analytic system to rigorous, collaborative social work practice to support better

outcomes for children and families. Evident Change-CRC has implemented SDM and SOP in multiple jurisdictions in the United States as well as in

Canada and Australia.

Activity

Party

Responsible

Completion

Timeframe

Expected

Outcomes/Elements of

Services Delivery

Progress Measures

APSR Update

A1: SOP Initial Launch to

include orientation sessions,

foundational trainings, and

supervisor trainings.

Assistant

Director of

Prevention and

Reunification,

Assistant

Director of

Community

Services,

NCCD-CRC

Fall 2021

• Improved initial and

ongoing risk and safety

assessments

• Decreased foster care

entries

• Increased permanency in

12 months

TBD

APSR 2021: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2020 APSR report date

APSR 2022: SOP Orientations

for all DCFS staff were

completed in January 2021. The

two-day SOP Supervisor

Trainings began in May 2021

and were completed in June

2021 all via Zoom. DCFS

worked closely with Evident

Change and MidSOUTH to

convert what was the three-day

SOP Foundations training into a

series of nine eLearnings (each

approximately 30 minutes)

broken into three units (with

three eLearnings in each unit)

with each unit followed by a

188

facilitated wrap-up conversation

that highlight important points,

provide supplemental

information not included in the

eLearnings, and allow staff to

ask questions. The first three

eLearnings were provided to all

DCFS staff in June 2021 and the

first set of facilitated wrap-up

conversations begin the last

week of June over Zoom. Staff

have been encouraged to begin

“trying on” concepts and tools

introduced in the SOP

Supervisor Training and

eLearnings.

APSR 2023: As outlined in the

APSR 2022 update, DCFS

worked closely with Evident

Change and MidSOUTH to

convert what was the three-day

SOP Foundations training into a

series of nine eLearnings (each

approximately 30 minutes)

broken into three units (with

three eLearnings in each unit)

with each unit followed by a

facilitated wrap-up conversation

that highlight important points,

provide supplemental

information not included in the

eLearnings, and allow staff to

ask questions. Staff completed

all eLearnings and associated

wrap-up sessions by September

2021.

189

A2: SOP Implementation

activities to include SOP

intensive practice series,

working across differences

trainings, and coaching

institute.

Assistant

Director of

Prevention and

Reunification,

Assistant

Director of

Community

Services,

NCCD-CRC

Fall 2022

• Improved initial and

ongoing risk and safety

assessments

• Decreased foster care

entries

• Increased permanency in

12 months

TBD

APSR 2021: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2020 APSR report date

APSR 2022: SOP “Deep Dives”

(i.e., intensive practice series)

are scheduled to begin in

October 2021. Identifying and

training local staff to assist with

co-facilitation alongside already

identified IV-E field trainers

will be a needed implementation

support for successful

implementation of this activity.

Several members of Central

Office have already participated

in the Working With and Across

Differences Training as an

introduction. The SOP

Coaching Institute is scheduled

for Spring 2022.

APSR 2023: SOP “Deep Dives”

(i.e., intensive practice series)

began in October 2021. Local

staff were trained to assist with

co-facilitation alongside already

identified university field

trainers. Eight of the ten areas

across the state have started

Deep Dives and are currently on

Deep Dive module 5 of 8. Deep

Dive Module 7 will take place

over the month of July 2022 and

Deep Dive Module 8 will take

place over the month of August

2022. Several members of

190

Central Office have already

participated in the Working

With and Across Differences

Training (WWADT) as an

introduction and the NCWWI

Racial Equity and Inclusions

Action Team members also

participated in the WWADT .

The first SOP Coaching

Institute is scheduled for July

25-27, 2022, for identified

DCFS exec staff attending,

program managers, specialist,

and identified field trainers.

The SOP Coaching Institute for

supervisors and others in

leadership positions will rollout

statewide in calendar year 2023.

A3: SOP Sustainability

activities include the

training integration

activities and fidelity

review.

Assistant

Director of

Prevention and

Reunification,

Assistant

Director of

Community

Services,

NCCD-CRC

Spring 2024

• Improved initial and

ongoing risk and safety

assessments

• Decreased foster care

entries

• Increased permanency in

12 months

TBD

APSR 2021: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2021 APSR report date

APSR 2022: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2022 APSR report date

B1: DCFS with support

from Evident Change will

implement associated

training of the SDM Safety

and Risk Assessment Tool.

Assistant

Director of

Prevention and

Reunification

Fall 2022

• Improved initial and

ongoing risk and safety

assessments

• Decreased foster care

entries

• Increased permanency in

12 months

DCFS is currently working on

possible contract negotiations

with the University of Arkansas

at Little Rock MidSOUTH

Training Academy to assist with

the SDM Safety and Risk Tool

in January-March 2022.

APSR 2023: The University of

Arkansas at Little Rock

MidSOUTH Training Academy

191

will be used to implement

Structured Decision Making and

train the models of SDM in

Arkansas. MidSOUTH has now

hired trainers to assist with the

SDM Safety and Risk rollout.

Safety and Risk training is

scheduled to take place in

September 2022-November

2022.

B2: Evident Change will

develop clear policy,

procedures, needed

technology, and fidelity

measures for the SOP

practices to implement them

uniformly across the state.

Assistant

Director of

Prevention and

Reunification

Spring 2022

• Improved initial and

ongoing risk and safety

assessments

• Decreased foster care

entries

• Increased permanency in

12 months

APSR 2022: Completed. The

policy, technology, and fidelity

measures have already been

developed and will be

implemented alongside the

Safety and Risk Assessment

Tool trainings.

B3: Following

implementation, Evident

Change will conduct remote

or onsite case readings

related to the safety and risk

assessment tool within three

to six months after each set

of tools is implemented to

gain early view of fidelity

of assessment

implementation and to

provide feedback as needed.

Feedback will be presented

verbally onsite and be

followed with a written

Assistant

Director of

Prevention and

Reunification

New

proposed

completion

date of Fall

2023.

Request date

for change

made

06/30/2022.

• Improved initial and

ongoing risk and safety

assessments

• Decreased foster care

entries

• Increased permanency in

12 months

APSR 2023: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2023 APSR report date.

However, DCFS will need to

request a date change on this

activity. Since the SDM Safety

and Risk Assessment Tool

Training will not be completed

until November 2022, the onsite

case readings will need to begin

taking place during summer

2023 with reviews completed by

fall 2023.

192

memo summarizing the

findings with

recommendations for

strengthening

implementation.

B4: Evident Change will

customize an updated set of

the SDM assessments to

enhance DCFS’s ability to

make case planning and

reunification decisions with

accuracy and consistency

across the state with the

training and implementation

of these backend tools

Assistant

Director of

Prevention and

Reunification

Fall 2022

• Improved case planning,

ongoing risk assessments,

and reunification planning

• Increased permanency in

12 months

APSR 2023: Completed. The

SDM case planning,

reunification, and risk

reassessment tools have been

completed and inter-rater

reliability tested.

B5: Evident Change will

develop clear policy,

procedures, needed

technology, and fidelity

measures for the SOP

practices to implement them

uniformly across the state

specific to the backend

tools.

Fall 2022

• Improved case planning,

ongoing risk assessments,

and reunification planning

• Increased permanency in

12 months

APSR 2023: Completed.

Evident Change, in conjunction

with DCFS, has developed clear

policy, procedure, needed

technology, and fidelity

measures for the case planning,

reunification, and risk re-

assessment tools.

B6: Following

implementation, Evident

Change will conduct remote

or onsite case readings of

the backend tools within

three to six months after

each set of tools is

implemented to gain early

view of fidelity of

assessment implementation

and to provide feedback as

needed. Feedback will be

presented verbally onsite

and be followed with a

Spring 2024

• Increase permanency in

12 months

• Improved case planning,

ongoing risk assessments,

and reunification planning

APSR 2023: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2023 APSR report date.

193

written memo summarizing

the findings with

recommendations for

strengthening

implementation.

Goal 3: Improve the foster care system for children who cannot remain safely in their homes.

Rationale: According to the 2014 In-Home Services in Child Welfare, Child Welfare Information Gateway, “Removing children from

their families is disruptive and traumatic and can have long-lasting, negative effects. There are a number of stressors for a child that are

associated with removal and can add to the initial trauma of maltreatment, including dealing with the substantiation of abuse and/or

neglect findings and having to cope with parental loss (Schneider & Phares, 2005).” However, if a child must be removed from home

due to child abuse or neglect, research and federal legislation (42 U.S.C 675(5)) supports the notion that a child should be placed in the

least restrictive, most family-like environment available.

CFSR PIP strategies that support this goal include Strategies 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16. The Kinship Connect Program

will also impact this goal.

Goal Measures:

• CFSR Permanency 1:

o Year 1: 45% APSR 2021 Update: Achieved. SFY 2019: 48%

o Year 2: 50% APSR 2022 Update: Achieved. SFY 2020: 53%

o Year 3: 55% APSR 2023 Update: Not Achieved. SFY 2021: 44%

o Year 4: 60%

o Year 5: 65%

• CFSR Permanency 2:

o Year 1: 80% APSR 2021 Update: Achieved. SFY 2019: 80%

o Year 2: 82% APSR 2022 Update: Not Achieved, SFY 2020: 79%

o Year 3: 84% APSR 2023 Update: Not Achieved, SFY 2021: 74%

National Conference of State Legislatures, 2016: The Child Welfare Placement Continuum: What’s Best for Children?

194

o Year 4: 85%

o Year 5: 87%

Strategy 6: Support building relationships between foster and biological families to increase child and family well-being and improve

permanency within 12 months.

Rationale: Research shows that children, youth, and families benefit when foster parents and birth parents are supported by an agency culture that

encourages meaningful partnerships and that provides quality support.

This is general recommendation as well as some of the specific activities

below came from the Foster Parent Advisory Council and the Parent Advisory Council. There are also strategies and activities in the Foster Adoptive

Diligent Recruitment Plan that will integrate into this strategy (See Strategy E).

Activity

Party

Responsible

Completion

Timeframe

Expected Outcomes/Elements

of Services Delivery

Progress Measures

APSR Update

A1: Establish joint meetings

between Parent Advisory

Council (PAC) and Foster

Parent Advisory Council

(FPAC) to work on

relationships.

Foster Care and

Adoptions

Program

Administrator,

CBCAP Lead

Spring 2020

• Increased

understanding

between biological

and resource parents.

• Increased

collaboration on

resource parent and

DCFS staff training

strategies/development

of training.

• Establish annual

meeting schedule

• For all five years, at

least two joint meetings

between the Parent

Advisory Council and

the Foster Parent

Advisory Council each

year.

APSR 2021: This has not yet

occurred. The Children’s Trust

Fund within the DCFS

Prevention and Reunification

Unit are still planning on this

taking place. However, a

determination was made that

this first joint meeting would

work best as a face-to-face

rather than a Zoom meeting or

similar platform. As such, the

face-to-face meeting is on hold

for an in determinant amount of

time due to the COVID

pandemic.

APSR 2022: This joint meeting

between the two groups

continues to be put on hold due

to the public health emergency

as well as the Foster Care Unit

being understaffed for different

Child Welfare Information Gateway, May 2019: Partnering with Birth Parents to Promote Reunification.

195

reasons at different points in

time.

APSR 2023: The PAC intended

to discuss the prospect of

establishing joint meetings with

the FPAC during its May 2022

meeting but since it was shared

that the Foster Parent Advisory

Council is for all intents and

purposes no longer functional,

the Division is requesting to

formally delete this activity

from its strategic plan.

A2: During selected,

separate PAC and FPAC

meetings, assess

effectiveness of joint

meetings.

CBCAP Lead,

FPAC

facilitators,

Foster Care and

Adoptions

Program

Administrator

Summer

2020 and

then ongoing

See above.

• Establish once these

assessments will occur

during separate

meetings.

APSR 2021: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2020 APSR report date

APSR 2022: During this

reporting period, the FPAC did

not meet due to the COVID-19

pandemic as well as the Foster

Care Unit being understaffed for

different reasons at different

points in time. The PAC did

meet on a virtual platform and

focused primarily on supporting

one another through the

pandemic.

APSR 2023: The PAC discussed

the prospect of establishing joint

meetings with the FPAC, but

were informed that the FPAC is

no longer meeting.

196

B1: Research other foster

parent training curricula and

make recommendations to

DCFS Exec Staff.

Foster Parent

Advisory

Council, Parent

Advisory

Council, Foster

Care and

Adoptions

Program

Administrator,

Training

Manager,

MidSOUTH

Training

Academy

Spring 2021

New

proposed

completion

date of Fall

2023.

Request date

for change

made

06/30/2022.

• Summary of review and

recommendations

completed

Year 1: N/A

Year 2: Review and

recommendations

completed

Years 3-5: See ‘B’ activities

below.

APSR 2021: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2020 APSR report date

APSR 2022: During this

reporting period, the Foster

Care Manager explored new

training curriculum for resource

parents. The National Training

and Development Curriculum

(NTDC) staff met with DCFS to

learn more about the training

and assessed if the training

would be beneficial for

Arkansas resource parents. The

training has online portions and

has more up to date material

then the current training

curricula. Arkansas plans to

explore implementation in depth

in 2022. It was decided to wait

until 2022 due to the

development of the Kinship

Training for relatives and fictive

kin families, which has been the

primary focus during this

reporting period and is

scheduled to launch in August

2021.

APSR 2023: During this

reporting period, the focus has

been on the development of the

Kinship Connect Training. In

addition, the Foster Care

Manager position was vacant

for a few months until it was

recently filled which is another

reason this activity has not yet

been completed. Arkansas plans

197

to focus on The National

Training and Development

Curriculum (NTDC) over the

upcoming year and, as such, is

requesting a formal change to

this activity’s completion date

to Fall 2023.

B2: Develop

implementation plan for

revised foster parent

training curriculum.

Foster Parent

Advisory

Council, Parent

Advisory

Council, Foster

Care and

Adoptions

Program

Administrator,

Training

Manager,

MidSOUTH

Training

Academy

Fall 2021

New

proposed

completion

date of

Spring 2024.

Request date

for change

made

06/30/2022.

• Implementation plan

completed and associated

implementation supports

determined

Year 1: N/A

Year 2: N/A

Year 3: Implementation

plan completed and

associated implementation

support determined

Years 4-5: See ‘B’ activities

below

APSR 2021: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2020 APSR report date

APSR 2022: N/A – See

progress report for Strategy 6,

Activity B1 above.

APSR 2023: See progress report

above for Strategy 3, Item B1.

The Division is requesting a

formal change to the activity’s

completion date to Spring 2024

given the reasons listed in

Strategy 3, Activity B1.

B3: Implement revised

foster parent training

curriculum.

Foster Care and

Adoptions

Program

Administrator,

Training

Manager,

MidSOUTH

Training

Academy

Summer

2022

New

proposed

completion

date of

Summer

2024 (beyond

current CFSP

date range).

Request date

for change

• Foster parents better

prepared for their role to

both child and child’s

family

• Increased understanding

of impact of trauma

Years 1-2: See ‘B’ activities

above

Year 3: CFSR Item 11: 62%

Year 4 CFSR Item 11: 65%

Year 5 CFSR Item 11: 70%

APSR 2021: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2021 APSR report date

APSR 2022: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2022 APSR report date though

given progress updates in

Activities B1 and B2 above, it is

highly unlikely that the revised

curriculum for traditional

resource parents will launch in

Summer 2022. In addition,

198

made

06/30/2022

NTDC is still in the pilot phase

in several states and will not be

ready for mass implementation

until 2022. Arkansas will

review information from the

NTDC pilot phase before

making a decision about

implementation in this state.

APSR 2023: See progress

report above for Strategy 3,

Item B1. The Division is

requesting a formal change to

the activity’s completion date to

Summer 2024 given the reasons

listed in Strategy 3, Activity B1

B4: Develop surveys and/or

focus groups to evaluate

effectiveness of new foster

parent training curriculum.

Foster Care and

Adoptions

Program

Administrator,

Training

Manager,

MidSOUTH

Training

Academy

Fall 2022 and

then ongoing.

New

proposed

completion

date of Fall

2024 (beyond

current CFSP

date range).

Request date

for change

made

06/30/2022

• Foster parents better

prepared for their role to

both child and child’s

family

• Increased understanding

of impact of trauma

Years 1-2: See ‘B’ activities

above

Year 3: CFSR Item 11: 62%

Year 4 CFSR Item 11: 65%

Year 5 CFSR Item 11: 70%

APSR 2021: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2021 APSR report date

APSR 2022: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2022 APSR report date.

However, this activity will also

have to be moved back to Fall

2024 in order to accommodate

other requested activity

completion data changes and

allow time for the new

curriculum to run before

conducting focus groups to

evaluate its effectiveness.

Strategy 7: Increase quality of parent-child visits in an effort to improve relationship of child in care with parents and permanency within 12

months.

Rationale: Research shows consistent and frequent visitation between parents and their children in out-of-home care can reduce trauma for children

(Smariga, 2007; Mallon & Hess, 2005; Haight, Kagle & Black, 2003). Visitation is crucial to strengthening and maintaining family relationships –

199

it’s also important for parent-child attachments and can decrease the sense of abandonment that children often experience when they are removed

from their home and placed into out-of-home care. Family visitation is linked to positive outcomes, including improved child well-being, less time in

out-of-home care, and faster reunification when it is in the best interest of the child (Mallon & Hess, 2005; Hess, 2003). Throughout the 2018 root

cause analysis focus groups, there were often concerns expressed about both the frequency and quality of parent-child visits. This strategy and some

of the activities listed below are also recommendations from the Parent Advisory Council. In terms of the frequency/amount of parent-child

visitation, this strategy may also be impacted by Act 558 of the 92

General Assembly, Regular Session which mandates that if the court orders

supervised visitation, the parent from whom custody was removed will have a minimum of four hours of visitation each week unless the court orders

less than four hours each week because it determines that it is not in the best interest of the child or that it will impose an extreme hardship on one of

the parties.

Activity

Party

Responsible

Completion

Timeframe

Expected Outcomes/Elements

of Services Delivery

Progress Measures

APSR Update

A1: Develop and implement

best practice guide for

family visitation and

support field staff in

creating quality family

visitations.

Parent

Advisory

Council;

CBCAP Lead;

Infrastructure

and Specialized

Programs,

Program

Administrator;

Fall 2020

New

proposed

completion

date of Fall

2022.

Request date

for change

made

06/30/2022

• Increased knowledge of

components of quality

family visitation.

Year 1: Practice guide

developed and implemented

Year 2: CFSR Item 8: 86%

Year 3: CFSR Item 8: 88%

Year 4: CFSR Item 8: 90%

Year 5: CFSR Item 8: 92%

APSR 2021: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2020 APSR report date For SFY

2021, QSPR Item 8 was rated at

86%.

APSR 2022: A draft of the best

practice guide for family

visitation has been developed;

however, the implementation

and dissemination of this

document was put on hold given

that the family time approach

and associated visit coaching is

a component of Safety

Organized Practice. Decisions

regarding the family time

approach as a component of

SOP are still being made so it

was deemed prudent to pause

the dissemination of the family

visitation best practice guide to

ensure it fully aligns with SOP.

Arkansas is currently

200

researching visit coaching

models it may implement as

part of the larger SOP roll-out.

For SFY 2020, QSPR Item 8

was rated at 89%. For SFY

2021 to date, CFSR Item 8 has

decreased to 83%, but this is not

surprising given the impact of

the public health emergency on

children and families as well as,

specific to this activity, that the

best practice guide has not yet

been launched.

APSR 2023: A new set of

family time guidelines has been

developed to roll out in

conjunction with SOP Deep

Dive Module 8: Family Time in

August 2022. These guidelines

are currently under review by

field staff and will then be

reviewed by the Parent

Advisory Council. As such, the

completion date for this activity

needs to be changed to Fall

2022.

B1: Research visit coach

strategies and programs in

conjunction with

community partners such as

community centers, high-

quality childcare centers,

emergency shelters, private

child welfare agencies, etc.

Foster Care and

Adoptions

Program

Administrator,

Fall 2020

New

proposed

completion

date of Fall

2023.

Request date

for change

made

06/30/2022.

• Summary of research and

recommendations.

Year 1: N/A

Year 2: Develop

recommendations

Years 3-5: See following

‘B’ activities

APSR 2021: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2020 APSR report date

APSR 2022: The Reunification

Specialist within the Prevention

and Reunification Unit is

currently researching visit

coaching models that may be

implemented as part of the

201

Division’s SOP implementation.

DCFS Central Office Staff also

met with representatives from

Vermont who implemented the

Marty Beyer’s visit coaching

model several years ago as part

of their SOP implementation.

APSR 2023: The Division has

not currently decided on a

specific coaching model in part

due to the SOP Program

Manager position being vacant

as well as turnover in the

Reunification Specialist position

and in part due to the immense

amount of resources it has taken

to roll-out the SOP Deep Dives

during the ongoing COVID-19

pandemic and staffing

challenges. A formal request to

amend this activity completion

date to Fall 2023 is being

requested as part of this APSR

submission.

B2: Contingent upon

funding and staffing and

needed MOUs or contracts,

develop implementation

plan for visit coaching

program.

Foster Care and

Adoptions

Program

Administrator;

Assistant

Director of

Community

Services;

DCFS Deputy

Director; Leads

of selected

Spring 2022

New

proposed

completion

date of

Spring 2024.

Request date

for change

made

06/30/2022.

• Implementation plan and

associated MOUs or

contracts, as applicable.

Year 1: See ‘B’ activities

above

Year 2: See ‘B’ activities

above

Year 3: Implementation

plan and associated MOUs

or contracts developed.

Years 4-5: See ‘B’ activities

below.

APSR 2021: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2021 APSR report date

APSR 2022: Since a specific

visit coaching model has not yet

been selected, there have not

been any associated MOUs or

contracts developed.

APSR 2023:

202

community

partners

A formal request to amend this

activity completion date to

Spring 2024 is being requested

as part of this APSR submission

given the completion date

requests for related to

implementing a visit coaching

model.

B3: Contingent upon

funding and staffing, pilot

visit coaching program in

selected counties to include

evaluation and CQI

strategies to continuously

assess implementation.

Foster Care and

Adoptions

Program

Administrator;

Assistant

Director of

Community

Services;

DCFS Deputy

Director

Fall 2022

New

proposed

completion

date of

Spring 2024.

Request date

for change

made

06/30/2022.

• Increased frequency and

quality of family visitation

• Increased family

engagement

• Improved relationship of

child in care with parents

• Increased time to

permanency within 12

months

• Increased parent and child

well-being

Year 1: See ‘B’ activities

above

Year 2: See ‘B’ activities

above

Year 3: CFSR Item 8: 88%

Year 4: CFSR Item 8: 90%

Year 5: CFSR Item 8: 92%

APSR 2021: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2020 APSR report date

APSR 2022: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2022 APSR report date.

However, this activity will also

have to be moved back to

Spring 2024 in order to

accommodate other requested

activity completion date

changes related to implementing

a visit coaching model.

B4: Contingent upon

funding and staffing and

results of pilot visit

coaching program, develop

expansion plan to include

evaluation and CQI

strategies to continuously

assess implementation of

plan.

Foster Care and

Adoptions

Program

Administrator;

Assistant

Director of

Community

Services;

DCFS Deputy

Director

Spring 2024

New

proposed

completion

date of

Spring 2025

(beyond

current CFSP

date range).

Request date

for change

made

06/30/2022.

• Increased frequency and

quality of family visitation

• Increased family

engagement

• Improved relationship of

child in care with parents

• Increased time to

permanency within 12

months

• Increased parent and child

well-being

Year 1: See ‘B’ activities

above

Year 2: See ‘B’ activities

above

Year 3: CFSR Item 8: 88%

Year 4: CFSR Item 8: 90%

Year 5: CFSR Item 8: 92%

APSR 2021: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2020 APSR report date

APSR 2022: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2022 APSR report date.

However, this activity will also

have to be moved back to

Spring 2025 (beyond this CFSP

date range) in order to

accommodate other requested

activity completion date

changes related to implementing

a visit coaching model.

203

Strategy 8: Increase number of Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC) homes to help improve placement stability for children in foster care.

Rationale: As Arkansas prepares for the implementation of the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), the need for more family-like settings

for children who may not be appropriate for a Qualified Residential Treatment Program (QRTP) but who also may not be able to maintain in a

traditional foster home will continue to increase; or, for children who may have had a QRTP placement but need to step-down to a more structured

family like setting than a traditional foster home.

Activity

Party

Responsible

Completion

Timeframe

Expected

Outcomes/Elements of

Services Delivery

Progress

Measures

APSR Update

A1: Develop strategy to

communicate baseline data

associated with new TFC

performance-based

contracts (this will also

intersect with Targeted

Foster Adoptive Parent

Diligent Recruitment Plan

Strategy C) to include

evaluation and CQI

strategies to continuously

assess implementation of

strategy.

Assistant

Director of

Placement

Support &

Community

Outreach;

Chapin Hall

Summer

2020

• Improved communication

between DCFS and

providers

• Increased knowledge

regarding strengths and

areas needing

improvement for TFC

providers

• Increased knowledge

about strengths and needs

of children in TFC

settings

• Communication

strategy developed.

• Meeting schedule with

providers TBD

APSR 2021: Completed.

Baseline data was gathered

through the TFC performance-

based contracts supported by

Chapin Hall and this initial data

was reviewed with DCFS and

the TFC placement providers.

However, the Division has

made the decision to eliminate

this work with Chapin Hall and

potentially pursue a similar

method of performance-based

contracting with its existing

NCCD contract.

A2: Develop

recruitment/retention plan

in collaboration with

existing TFC providers (this

will also intersect with

Targeted Foster Adoptive

Parent Diligent Recruitment

Plan Strategy B, Item 6 and

all of Strategy C in that

plan) to include evaluation

and CQI strategies to

continuously assess

implementation of plan.

Assistant

Director of

Placement

Support &

Community

Outreach; TFC

Providers

Fall 2020

New

proposed

completion

date of Fall

2023.

Request date

for change

made

06/30/2022.

• Increased placement

options

• Improved placement

stability

Year 1: N/A (plan not

developed until year 2)

Year 2: 2% increase in the

number of TFC homes

Year 3: 4% increase in the

number of TFC homes

Year 4: 5% increase in the

number of TFC homes

Year 5: Sustain the number

of TFC homes

APSR 2021: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2020 APSR report date but the

timeframe will need to be

pushed back since the Division

is considering NCCD taking on

this work.

APSR 2022: The president of

the Family Focused Treatment

Association is currently

working on a proposal for

recruitment funding. The plans

have been discussed at the

204

Family Focused Treatment

Association monthly meetings

where updates are provided.

The associated progress

measures have not been

achieved for APSR 2022. As of

June 30, 2021, there are 245

TFC resource homes whereas

there were 264 TFC homes on

June 30, 2020. Both the public

health emergency as well as

closure of TFC homes due to

adoptions have contributed to

this decrease.

APSR 2023: The proposal from

the Family Focused Treatment

Association (FFTA) was not

submitted. The group decided to

pivot to focus on specific

recruitment of kinship homes to

TFC providers. FFTA has

submitted a proposal to DCFS

to request funding for this

project that would utilize the

Pressley-Ridge Treatment

training curriculum. As of June

29, 2022, there are 263 open

TFC resource homes where as

there were 245 TFC homes on

June 30, 2021, so gains have

been made regardless.

Strategy 9: Develop and implement Supervised Independent Living Contracts for 40 beds/program openings to provide more placement

options and wraparound support for older youth.

Rationale: Feedback from staff and stakeholders is resounding regarding the need for more placement options for youth who elect to stay in extended

care. Arkansas plans to take advantage to claim IV-E dollars for youth 18 and older in foster care who reside in a Supervised Independent Living

setting.

205

Activity

Party

Responsible

Completion

Timeframe

Expected

Outcomes/Elements of

Services Delivery

Progress Measures

APSR Update

A1: Develop scope of work

and contract deliverables

Assistant

Director of

Infrastructure

and Specialized

Programs, DHS

Procurement

Office

Fall 2019

• Additional placement

options for youth 18 and

older

• Additional

support/wraparound

services to help young

adults prepare for transition

to adulthood

Scope of work and PIs

completed

APSR 2021: Completed. The

scope of work and contract

deliverables for the Supervised

Independent Living contracts

were submitted to the DHS

Office of Procurement in

November 2019.

A2: Request for Proposal

(RFP) Posted

Assistant

Director of

Infrastructure

and Specialized

Programs, DHS

Procurement

Office

Winter 2019-

2020

• Additional placement

options for youth 18 and

older

• Additional

support/wraparound

services to help young

adults prepare for transition

to adulthood

RFP posted

APSR 2021: Completed. The

RFP for the Supervised

Independent Living Contract

was posted in February 2020

and closed on March 4, 2020.

A3: RFPs awarded, and

Supervised Independent

Living services begin

Assistant

Director of

Infrastructure

and Specialized

Programs, DHS

Procurement

Office

Summer

2020

• Assistant Director of

Infrastructure and

Specialized Programs,

DHS Procurement Office

For all five years:

• Youth placed in these

settings stay in foster

care until age 21;

• Youth have secured

housing prior to leaving

Extended Care;

• Youth have some type

of employment prior to

leaving care;

APSR 2021: Due to the COVID

pandemic, the RFP review

process was temporarily put on

hold to allow the Division time

to assess its options regarding

moving forward with the

Supervised Independent Living

contracts. The anticipation to

award these contracts was

posted in June 2020. Eight

providers were awarded

statewide with a total of 37 beds

between them. The contract

206

• Youth have identified

support system outside

of DCFS and

Supervised Independent

Living provider prior to

leaving care;

• Pre-exit surveys

indicate youth feels

prepared prior to

leaving care

start date is set for September 1,

2020. The TYS Unit is currently

working with the DHS

Communications Team on a

messaging strategy to help

encourage youth to consider this

as a placement option.

APSR 2022: Completed. The

Supervised Independent Living

(SIL) contracts went live on

October 1, 2020. The total

number of SIL beds available

statewide has increased to 40.

As of June 28, 2021, 77.5% of

these beds are currently full. All

youth placed in an SIL setting

are either enrolled in school

and/or employed.

Goal 4: Build a strong child welfare workforce.

Rationale: The CFSR states that positive outcomes for children and families involved in the child welfare system are directly affected

by the workers and supervisors in the field. Arkansas has historically struggled to maintain a strong workforce and has regularly faced

high rates of turnover and vacancies with a turnover rate at 46% in SFY 2019. As a result, workers are not able to ensure the safety of

children, comprehensively assess families’ needs, or effectively engage them in case planning to achieve timely and appropriate

permanency. The Parent Advisory Council also made several suggestions regarding creating and retaining quality staff.

CFSR PIP strategies that support this goal include Strategies 14, 15, and 16.

Goal Measures:

• CFSR Well-Being 1 (SFY 2018: 51%):

o Year 1: 62% APSR 2021 Update: Not achieved but progress still made from SFY 2018 Statewide QSPR. SFY 2019: 60%

o Year 2: 65% APSR 2022 Update: Achieved SFY 2020: 71%

o Year 3: 68% APSR 2023 Update: Not Achieved SFY 2021: 58%

o Year 4: 70%

o Year 5: 75%

207

• DCFS Turnover Rate (SFY 2019 FSW Turnover Rate: 46% (includes resignations, terminations, promotions, demotions, and transfers):

o Year 1: Decrease staff turnover rate to 45% ASPR 2021 Update: Achieved. SFY 2019 FSW Turnover Rate: 42.9% (includes

resignations, terminations, promotions, demotions, and transfers).

o Year 2: Decrease staff turnover rate to 43% APSR 2022 Update: Achieved. SFY 2020 FSW Turnover Rate: 39.07%

(includes resignations, terminations, promotions, demotions, and transfers)

o Year 3: Decrease staff turnover rate to 40% APSR 2023 Update: Not achieved. SFY 2021 FSW Turnover Rate: 55.79%

(includes resignations, terminations, promotions, demotions, and transfers)

o Year 4: Decrease staff turnover rate to 35%

o Year 5: Decrease staff turnover rate to 33%

Strategy 10: Ensure child welfare staff have the support and tools to allow them to reach full potential.

Rationale: In the Statewide Assessment, stakeholders reported that in areas with high turnover or vacancy rates, caseworkers are assigned cases

before completing initial training and the state has difficulty implementing the mentoring and coaching aspects of initial training. The graduated

caseload is designed to provide on the job training opportunities for new hires to practice the skills learned in formal training but without an

overwhelming amount of cases assigned and provide casework support to existing staff through secondary case assignments.

The current Compliance Outcome Report (COR) shows data after the fact and is not an effective tool for workers to use as an ongoing monitoring

tool. Safe Measures is a web-based reporting service that transforms case management data into actionable information. Agency staff will use Safe

Measures reports and dashboards to monitor performance, plan upcoming work, and review completed work.

The addition of more case reviews of counties other than the counties reviewed as a part of the Quality Services Peer Review (QSPR) for PIP

purposes has been a request from staff for years. Area directors have felt that the QSPRs do not present an accurate portrayal of services provided

from their areas with only three counties reviewed for the QSPR when the average area is comprised on nine counties (with the exception of Area 6

which is made up only of Pulaski County and Area 1 which is comprised of four counties). The addition of more reviews for counties outside of the

PIP counties should increase staff buy-in of the QSPR process and provide a more balanced picture of services provided in each area.

Activity

Party

Responsible

Completion

Timeframe

Expected Outcomes/Elements

of Services Delivery

Progress Measures

APSR Update

A1: Continue monitoring

and enforcing graduated

caseload.

Assistant

Director of

Community

Services, Area

Directors,

Ongoing

• Improved worker

retention

For all five years, 95%

compliance rate with

graduated caseload.

APSR 2021 and 2022: The

Executive Staff team continue

to monitor graduated caseloads

on a monthly basis.

208

Program

Administrators

• Improved casework

practice with families

APSR 2023: Amendments were

made to the DCFS Graduated

Caseload internal procedure in

April 2022. Please see DCFS

Training Plan for more details.

Graduated caseloads are now

monitored at the local level.

B1: Implement Office of

Chief Counsel (OCC) case

management system to

track key metrics related to

DCFS legal representation.

Office of Chief

Counsel Senior

General

Counsel and

supervising

attorneys

July 2019

and then

ongoing

• More effectively and

efficiently monitor and

redistribute attorney

caseloads to meet DCFS

changing needs across the

state.

New contract for case

management system goes

into effect July 2019,

subsequent progress

measures TBD once system

in operational.

APSR 2021: Completed.

APSR 2022: Completed. Rocket

Matter was implemented

statewide in December 2019.

The database allows CLO

leadership to access cases

electronically. Rocket Matter

allows leadership to monitor

work product and provides

immediate access to cases when

attorneys are covering for one

another.

APSR 2023: Another custom

modification update was

implemented in December of

2021 which added DCFS

CHRIS numbers to the legal

cases in Rocket Matter. This

move allowed OCC to cross

reference cases by the court’s

docket numbers and the DCFS

case numbers. Tying those

numbers helps to pull the

appropriate information and

generate better reporting

209

C1: Continue

implementation of

SafeMeasures.

DCFS Deputy

Director,

Training

Manager

Spring 2020

• Better prioritize work and

meet deadlines at FSW

level.

• Utilize tool to coach staff

regarding best practices

and identify and correct

issues early at supervisor

level.

Year 1: Complete initial

training roll-out.

Year 2: Finalize plan for

sustaining SafeMeasures

Training in New Staff

Training and as a refresher

when needed and conduct

surveys of staff to get

feedback regarding use of

SafeMeasures.

Years 3-5: Sustain

SafeMeasures.

APSR 2021: Completed. Initial

training roll-out completed in

November 2019. MidSOUTH

Training Academy now holds

quarterly SafeMeasures

Orientation Trainings for staff

hired during that quarter.

APSR 2022: During SFY 2021,

an online Safe Measures

training through Evident

Change was also made available

to all staff as another training

option.

APSR 2023: Both the

instructor-led SafeMeasures

trainings held on a quarterly

basis and the online

SafeMeasures training that is

available to staff 24/7 continue

to be training options for staff

statewide.

D1: Enhance PCG Contract

for Quality Services Peer

Reviews (QSPRs) to review

of 100 additional cases per

year so that team reviews

cases in all 75 counties

(additional cases to be

primarily electronic reviews

supported by interviews).

DCFS Deputy

Director,

Federal

Compliance

Officer

Summer

2020

• Better inform finding for

area directors and DCFS

Executive Staff and

improve buy-in

Year 1: Update PCG

contract deliverables and

budget.

Year 2: Implement revised

contract and begin

additional reviews.

Year 3: Sustain additional

reviews.

Year 4: Sustain additional

reviews.

APSR 2021: Completed. The

additional electronic reviews

began in September 2019 with

Area 10 and has been

incorporated in each of the

subsequent area reviews. Each

year two counties are selected in

each area to participate in the

QSPR process, with different

counties selected in subsequent

210

Year 5: Sustain additional

reviews.

years until every county has a

chance to participate. Ten

additional cases are reviewed in

each service area, five in each

of the additional counties.

The

additional cases reviewed from

each county are randomly

selected as they are for the

QSPR reviews and focus on the

same 12-month review

period. While the same case

review instrument is used, only

the caseworker and/or

supervisor will be interviewed

for the additional case reviews.

Results from the expanded

reviews are summarized in a

separate “Continuous Quality

Improvement” section of each

area’s QSPR report. Initial

reactions to the addition of the

non-QSPR counties has been

positive since it is a more

inclusive approach. The QSPR

presentations for each area were

re-initiated in June 2020 due to

a vacancy of several months but

the agency looks forward to

gleaning more from these

additional reviews.

APSR 2022: The additional

electronic reviews of other non-

QSPR counties continued

during this reporting period.

211

The QSPR team has also been

receiving technical assistance to

increase the state’s capacity

regarding the CQI/QA system.

Please see Technical Assistance

section for more information.

APSR 2023: The additional

electronic reviews of other non-

QSPR counties continued

during this reporting period.

Strategy 11: Continue as National Child Welfare Workforce Institute (NCWWI) Workforce Excellent site (see below for more information

regarding NCWWI grant).

Rationale: DCFS has the organizational capacity to address its workforce issues but needs the enhanced university partnership and the NCWWI

capacity-building services offered through this initiative to meet its goals. With the support of the governor and legislature, DCFS received 187 new

positions and funding for those positions in the past two years, but turnover for frontline staff remains around 46 percent. DCFS has implemented

strategies to address caseload size and retention, but a more holistic approach is needed, to include the Comprehensive Organizational Health

Assessment (COHA), because DCFS needs the workforce framework and expertise offered through this initiative in order to make system change

that will be sustained for the Arkansas child welfare workforce.

Activity

Party

Responsible

Completion

Timeframe

Expected Outcomes/Elements

of Services Delivery

Progress Measures

APSR Update

B1: Monthly meetings with

NCWWI Project Team and

Implementation Teams to

include university partner

NCWWI,

Implementation

Teams, DCFS

Exec Staff

July 2019

and then

ongoing

• Increased staff buy-in

Monthly progress updates

provided to NCWWI and

Infrastructure and

Specialized Programs’

Program Administrator.

APSR 2021: Monthly

Implementation Team Meetings

began in July 2019 with the

exception of December 2019

due to the holidays and March

2019 due to the onset of the

COVID pandemic. Staff

participation has been high and

the overall feedback positive.

APSR 2022: Monthly

Implementation Team Meetings

continue, and participation

212

remains strong. The meetings

are held each month except for

December due to the holidays.

The Implementation Team

developed several goals and

strategies upon which the local

Action Teams are now focusing

and selecting specific activities

designed to achieve the

strategies and goals.

APSR 2023: Monthly

Implementation Team Meetings

continued until January 2022.

The NCWWI project was

discontinued, for the most part,

in January of 2022, except for

the Action Teams and the

stipend students. A second

COHA survey will go out to

staff in June 2022 and the

Implementation Team might

reconvene depending on the

results of the survey.

B2: Select NCWWI stipend

students (this activity will

then occur the following

spring/summer of each year

of the NCWWI grant)

NCWWI,

UALR,

Assistant

Director of

Infrastructure

and Specialized

Programs,

Training

Manager

July 2019

• Improved staff capacity

Students selected and

enrolled in BSW program

and interviews conducted

throughout process to assess

student support and other

program components.

APSR 2021: There were four

DCFS Program Assistants who

were selected as the inaugural

NCWWI Stipends. One of these

stipends graduated with her

BSW in May 2020 and was

selected by her peers in the

School of Social Work to

deliver their class’s

commencement address. She is

now in a Family Service

Worker position. The remaining

three NCWWI stipends are set

to graduate in May 2021. One

new NCWWI stipend will begin

213

the BSW program at UALR in

Fall 2020.

APSR 2022: In May 2021, three

NCWWI Stipend Students

graduated with their BSW

degree and have now been

placed in FSW positions with

DCFS. There is one NCWWI

stipend who will be entering her

second year of the program. The

University Partnership NCWWI

grant lead is currently trying to

identify two stipend candidates

for the fall semester. This will

be the last cohort for the

NCWWI grant.

APSR 2023: Four non-DCFS

Stipend Students were selected

for the final cohort. The

students completed the fall and

spring semesters during this

reporting period.

B2: Review National Child

Welfare Workforce Institute

(NCWWI) Comprehensive

Organizational Assessment

(COHA) analysis

NCWWI,

DCFS

Executive Staff

November

2019

• Increased staff buy-in

• Improved organizational

climate

TBD based on results of

COHA.

APSR 2021: Completed. The

Implementation Team has used

the COHA data to determine.

B3: Train the Trainers for

Leadership Academies

NCWWI,

Implementation

Teams, DCFS

Exec Staff

Spring 2020

• Enhanced leadership

capacity

• Improved supervision and

support to frontline staff

100% of applicable

population trained.

APSR 2021: Not yet completed.

The Train the Trainers for

Leadership Academies is

currently set to take place in

August 2020.

214

APSR 2022: Completed. The

Train the Trainer Trainings for

the Leadership Academy took

place in August 2020. The

trainers began training the

Leadership Academy

participants in January 2021 and

the trainings were completed in

June 2021. Discussions are

underway as to when the next

Leadership Academy cohort

may take place and who will be

recruited for that cohort.

Recruitment will not be

immediate as the Division is

currently focusing on SOP

implementation and struggling

with staff turnover.

APSR 2023: During this

reporting period, a decision was

made not to choose another

Leadership Academy cohort due

to staff shortages and time

constraints.

B4: Facilitated Theory of

Change process that leads to

logic model and

implementation plan

NCWWI,

Implementation

Teams, DCFS

Exec Staff

Fall 2020

• Increased staff buy-in

• Improved organizational

climate

• Enhanced leadership

capacity

• Improved supervision and

support to frontline staff

Creation of logic model and

implementation plan.

APSR 2021: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2020 APSR report date

APSR 2022: Completed. The

logic model for and

implementation plan was

developed. The Implementation

Team meets monthly and

facilitates all aspects of the

NCWWI projects. Each month a

NCWWI project is highlighted,

and updates are provided by

those team members.

215

B5: Deliver Leadership

Academy to DCFS

supervisors and managers

NCWWI,

Implementation

Teams, DCFS

Exec Staff,

Training

Manager,

Infrastructure

and Specialized

Programs’

Program

Administrator

Fall 2021

• Increased staff buy-in

• Improved organizational

climate

• Enhanced leadership

capacity

• Improved supervision and

support to frontline staff

100% of applicable

population trained.

APSR 2021: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2020 APSR report date

APSR 2022: Completed. See

progress update in Strategy 11,

Activity B3 above.

B6: Provide coaching and

support for Training and

Action Team Liaison

NCWWI

Spring 2024

• Increased staff buy-in

• Improved organizational

climate

• Enhanced leadership

capacity

• Improved supervision and

support to frontline staff

TBD

APSR 2021: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2020 APSR report date

APSR 2022: This activity is

ongoing. There are currently

three Action Teams and one

workgroup in place. The

Division set up purchase orders

for Action Team Facilitators in

an effort to provide a neutral

individual who had training or

background in facilitation to

help guide these meetings.

NCWWI has provided support

to the Action Teams as a whole

as well as to the Action Team

Facilitators.

APSR 2023: The three Action

Teams continued to meet during

this reporting period. Although

one of the teams decided to

disband in June 2022 due to

lack of participation. The other

two teams continue to meet and

216

develop action steps. The

Division has continued to fund

outside facilitators for these

Action Teams as a means of

providing coaching an

d support for them.

B7: Use Rapid Cycle

Assessment and other CQI

strategies to support

implementation

NCWWI,

DCFS

Executive

Staff,

Implementation

Teams

Spring 2024

• Increased staff buy-in

• Improved organizational

climate

• Enhanced leadership

capacity

• Improved supervision and

support to frontline staff

TBD

APSR 2021: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2021 APSR report date

APSR 2022: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2022 APSR report date

APSR 2023: Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2022 APSR report date.

However, since NCWWI is no

longer formally supporting

DCFS beyond the University

Partnership (i.e., stipend

students) and the second

COHA, DCFS is requesting to

formally delete this activity

from its strategic plan.

B8: Use evaluation and CQI

strategies to continuously

assess project

implementation

NCWWI,

DCFS

Executive

Staff,

Implementation

Teams

Spring 2024

• Increased staff buy-in

• Improved organizational

climate

• Enhanced leadership

capacity

• Improved supervision and

support to frontline staff

TBD

APSR 2021: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2020 APSR report date

APSR 2022: N/A – Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2022 APSR report date

APSR 2023: Proposed

completion timeframe beyond

2022 APSR report date.

However, since NCWWI is no

longer formally supporting

217

DCFS beyond the University

Partnership (i.e., stipend

students) and the second

COHA, DCFS is requesting to

formally delete this activity

from its strategic plan.

218

While DCFS did not meet all of its established benchmarks and progress measures for this

reporting period, the Division still recognizes the efforts taken amid the ongoing COVID-19

pandemic, staff turnover, and placement challenges to continue to serve children and families to

the best of its abilities while simultaneously launching an intensive Safety Organized Practice

implementation including eLearnings throughout last summer and almost 300 SOP Deep Dive

sessions to date as well as the concerted efforts related to the Every Day Counts campaign to

name a few.

Implementation Supports

The Division has worked hard to ensure that implementation supports are aligned across the CFSR

PIP, the NYTD PIP, and the CFSP. Many of the implementation supports needed to achieve the

strategies and goals within these plans are included in the activities under each strategy and

include associated timelines. These implementation supports include training and coaching,

improvements to data systems, revisions to policy, and budget considerations as the impact of

COVID-19 is continually being assessed. The amount of resources that have been dedicated to

the implementation of Safety Organized Practice over the last reporting period continues to be

significant.

The most recent challenges to implementation supports are the increased level of staff turnover.

The average number of DCFS vacancies in the field has hovered around 185 for the last several

months. By comparison, the number of vacancies peaked in January 2021 at 150 vacancies and

from January 2019-July 2020 the average number of vacancies per month was 104.7, with some

months below 100 vacancies. From another perspective, DCFS field staff turnover (all positions)

for SFY 2022 to date is at 57.67% as compared to the rate of 49.74% for SFY 2021. Turnover rates

specific to FSW and Program Assistants were even higher as reported on p. 117 of this report.

Through its ongoing work with and associated feedback from the National Child Welfare Workforce

Institute Workforce Excellence Project, DCFS, in partnership with DHS Shared Services and the

Office of Personnel Management, implemented the following statewide efforts to help recruit and

retain quality child welfare staff:

• Allowed staff to claim overtime pay rather than first banking 240 hours of comp time as

previously required)

• Implemented differential pay for staff assigned to on-call standby duty at a rate of 20% of

their hourly rate while on-call

• Increased entry pay for new Program Assistants and provided one-time raises for

Program Assistants based on career service

• Established a career ladder for Family Service Workers (FSWs) by:

o Providing a 7% raise when FSWs successfully complete New Staff Training

o Allowing FSWs – who are in GS06 positions -- the opportunity to request

consideration for a promotion to an FSW Specialist GS07 position once they have

219

attained three years’ work experience as an FSW and have demonstrated a high-

level of proficiency as an FSW

In addition, since in the past DCFS has lost viable job candidates due to the length of the state

hiring process, DCFS and the Office of Shared Services have also held several “mass hire” events

and recently have been able to structure these hiring events so that all background checks are run

and references are checked during the mass hiring event so that a same day job offer can be made

to eligible candidates contingent on the results of their drug screen.

In addition, since the DCFS workforce challenges have been most acute within Pulaski County,

the Division also entered into a partnership with Public Knowledge in September 2021. For more

than 27 years Public Knowledge has partnered with state, local, federal, and private agencies to

improve outcomes for child welfare staff and families. The goal of the Public Knowledge partnership

is to resolve some of the immediate crisis and implement longer-term transformations that will help

prevent future similar crises. By developing knowledge and resources within the community to

address concerns unrelated to maltreatment, child protective service resources will be more

efficaciously directed to children who are most in need of attention, helping to promote child safety

and well-being. A major focus of the work centers on workforce development and coaching,

including existing and new staff and eventually executive leadership. The work will also include

developing new, expected work behaviors and skills, and training existing and incoming staff to

use those skills. The three broad areas on which DCFS and Public Knowledge are collaborating:

• Addressing the front end of the child welfare system, in terms of appropriate decision-

making on removals and making appropriate efforts to keep families together.

• Aligning the courts and legal judicial system with the agency’s ability to respond by

replacing the current crisis-driven approach with one that is jointly created and owned by

the judiciary and agency and informed by the community.

• Providing immediate assistance in stabilizing the workforce and supporting the readiness

for longer-term solutions.

Fortunately, as referenced in other sections in this report, the number of children in foster care has

declined slightly during this reporting period and went from 4,810 in June 2021 to 4,572 in June

2022.

For more information, please refer to the agency’s CFSR PIP, NYTD PIP, and updated CFSP

Strategic Plan above.

220

Training and Technical Assistance Narrative Plan

Some of the implementation supports needed for the Division’s various activities included in its

federal plans have included training and technical support. The Technical Assistance Plan outlined

in the table below provides a summary of technical assistance the Division has received during the

last reporting period. These capacity building services from partnering organizations and

consultants are invaluable to the Division in terms of achieving its goals and objectives, particularly

the implementation of Family First initiatives, sustained IV-E Waiver initiatives, and the Program

Improvement Plan. During this reporting period, no TA was needed or requested specific to COVID.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (TA) PLAN

DATE

REQUESTED

TA DESCRIPTION

NRC/Provider

APPROVED

TA PLANNED

FOR FY 2023

7/1/2017-

6/30/22

CFSR Planning

Region 6

Cedeline

Samson/Janis

Brown

N/A

Yes

7/1/13-6/30/22

Organizational,

Strategic,

Programmatic

Consultation

Casey Family

Programs-

Shemeka

Sorrells,

Consultant

Yes

8/1/21-6/30/22

Permanency

Coaching

Public Knowledge

Yes

7/1/21-6/30/22

Safety

Collaborative to

Reduce Child

Fatalities

Casey/National

Partnership on

Child

Safety/University

of Kentucky

Yes

Casey Family Programs provides technical assistance and support through contract with

Public Knowledge (formerly Center for the Support of Families) to provide practice

coaching for identified DCFS employees

Public Knowledge had been providing permanency coaching – specific to Permanency Safety

Consultations (PSC)-- tailored to ensure safety and well-being of children and families in Arkansas.

During this reporting period Public Knowledge collaborated with the DCFS Reunification Specialist

to review PSC data. One finding was that that the six-month PSC is the most critical in terms of

safely and swiftly moving children toward permanency. DCFS leadership will discuss with Public

Knowledge changes that may need to be made to the requirement for PSCs given this data. In

addition, as part of the work with Public Knowledge regarding PSCs, after discussions between

leadership and field staff, it was determined that one way to integrate Safety Organized Practice

221

(SOP) into the existing PSC framework would be to utilize the SOP Collaborative Assessment and

Planning (CAP) Framework. Public Knowledge piloted this effort in Area 10 with great success.

Public Knowledge, the DCFS Reunification Specialist, and Evident Change then collaborated on

developing the “CAP Framework Permanency Safety Consultation Facilitator Resource Guide” to

help provide guidance when this is rolled out to other areas.

Casey Family Programs provides technical assistance and support through contract with

National Partnership on Child Safety (NPCS)/University of Kentucky (formerly led by

Chapin Hall) to reduce child fatalities

The mission of the safety collaborative is to improve safety and prevent child maltreatment related

fatalities by strengthening families and promoting innovations in child protection. Arkansas joined

the collaborative and as a member, receives TA on collecting and sharing data as well as how to

implement a set of strategies informed by safety science and other innovations to build technical

excellence for a 21st Century child protection system. During the fiscal year, DCFS worked with

NPCS to look at ways to improve the division’s Internal Child Death and Near Fatality Review

Process. Consultants with NPCS/University of Kentucky observed internal reviews and provided

feedback on ways to identify larger systemic challenges, instead of focusing solely on case

workers’ practice. This systemic perspective is needed to make strides in the areas the Arkansas

child welfare system is trying to improve. The University of Kentucky has assisted with building a

data system in Red Cap to help track child death and near fatality data. It aides in being able to

identify trends and improvement opportunities statewide.

National Child Welfare Workforce Institute (NCWWI)

DCFS and its university partner, University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Social Work, were

selected to be in the cohort of Workforce Excellence sites in the NCWWI. NCWWI staff provided

TA for each aspect of the WE project, including overall initiative leadership, though this direct

support for implementation and overall program management formally ended in January 2022.

However, two regional action teams focusing on worker safety and supervision and a statewide

action team focused on racial equity and inclusion continued to meet throughout this reporting

period and have developed action plans. The action teams have been led by external facilitators

and are being transitioned to DCFS led teams. During the fiscal year, four non-DCFS stipend

students were selected and attended school during the fall and spring semesters.

EVALUATION REPORTS AND PROJECTS

In addition to the data and evaluation reports listed on pages 122-125 of this document, the Division

also implemented several evaluations as part of its IV-E Prevention Program Five-Year Plan. For

example, the Department of Family and Preventative Medicine, Research and Evaluation Division

of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences has contracts with the Division for the following

222

programs and services: Baby and Me, SafeCare, and Family Centered Treatment (Intensive In-

Home Program).

In addition to DCFS’ contracted evaluation, many of these services also have fidelity measures to

which they must adhere in order to administer the program. For instance, SafeCare is a model that

requires oversight and accreditation from the national SafeCare office. Family Centered Treatment

requires licensure through the Family Centered Treatment Foundation which provides training,

coaching, and certification to allow agencies to implement this model. Intercept was created by

Youth Villages which has strong fidelity measures to ensure appropriate implementation.

UPDATE ON SERVICE DESCRIPTION

Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services

Services for Children Adopted from Other Countries

For children adopted from other countries who come to the attention of DCFS, the Adoption

Specialist will open a supportive service case when providing post adoption services and assign

to the adoption unit. If the case stays open longer than 30 days, it will require a FAST and case

plan to be completed. The case plan documents needed services and holds the agency and the

family accountable for the services. If the case turns into a foster care case the worker will be able

to show what post adoption services were offered to the family and how the family worked with the

agency to help prevent the child from entering foster care. During this reporting period we had one

child that did not enter state custody.

Services for Children Under the Age of Five

Arkansas has developed and/or accesses an array of services to ensure the well-being needs of

the children under the age of five are served and to reduce the length of time they are without a

permanent family. The Division worked diligently on strengthening the relationship with the Division

of Child Care and Early Childhood Education (DCCECE) as well as local community providers who

focus on early intervention services for high-risk populations. DCFS utilizes data reports as well as

a trending report at the executive level and a lower level for identification of needs, services, and

monitoring the effectiveness of services provided. DCFS continually promotes the use of Head

Start and Arkansas Better Chance (ABC) quality early childhood programs for children in foster

care as the preferred childcare option and as way to help address the developmental needs of all

vulnerable children under five years of age. DCFS also submitted a letter of support to a proposed

joint project between DCFS, DCCECE, and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. This

project, if funding is awarded, will focus on improving participation in foster care in stable, high

quality early care and education. It will examine administrative data to determine a baseline

regarding the current landscape of children in foster care’s participation in high quality Arkansas

early childhood education program, collect and analyze focus group and survey data to learn about

223

the challenges to providing high quality ECE to Arkansas children in foster care, and test and

evaluate solutions to address these challenges.

DCFS has been working on various strategies over the past five years to impact the well-being

needs and to reduce the length of time in foster care for children under age five. Some of the

strategies used are:

• Dashboard accessible for data management;

• Quality assurance strategies are aligned with state and federal regulations and Arkansas

Practice Model;

• Trauma Informed Training;

• Messaging regarding the requirement to refer all children under the age of three (3)

involved in a substantiated case of child maltreatment (regardless of whether all of the

children are named as alleged victims) to DDS Children’s Services for an early

intervention screening if not already referred while the investigation was pending in an

effort to address the developmental needs of these young children;

• Protocols put in place to prevent the placement of young children in emergency shelters

and other congregate care settings and, when young children must be placed in

emergency shelters, protocols to ensure that special approval is granted before allowing

children under 10 to stay in emergency shelters for longer than ten (10) days;

• Focus on opening more relative provisional homes (research shows children have a

higher rate of placement stability with relatives which in turn often positively impacts long-

term permanency outcomes for children);

• Continued use of Removal Consultations held within 24 hours of all removals to ensure

consistency in decision-making and, if appropriate, release the 72-hour hold if removal

was not warranted.

• Continued use of Permanency Safety Consultations (held at three, six, and nine months of

each foster care case with a goal of reunification) in an effort to safely expedite a child’s

return home or, if necessary, pursuit of the concurrent permanency plan.

A link to the DCFS Annual Report Card to illustrate the agency’s evaluation of the effectiveness of

these efforts can be accessed here. SFY 2021 Annual Report Card

Below are additional Early Intervention/Well-Being strategies and initiatives that continue to

operate in an effort to improve the lives of Infants and Toddlers in Arkansas Child Welfare System:

Zero to Three, Safe Babies Court Team Project

The Zero to Three Safe Babies Court Team (SBCT) Project is a collaboration between the Division

of Children and Family Services, the Division of Child Care/Early Childhood Education (DCC/ECE),

and Zero to Three. The purpose of this program is to:

• Reduce the occurrence of abuse and neglect

224

• Increase awareness of the impact of abuse and neglect

• Improve outcomes for vulnerable young children

Currently the SBCT is implemented in the 10

Division of Pulaski County and in Judge Smith’s

court in Benton County. An expansion grant was awarded and SBCT began taking cases in

Jefferson and Sebastian Counties since April 2021. In addition, the DCFS In Home Services

Program Manager, who oversees reunification efforts, continued to attend SBCT planning

meetings.

Project PLAY (Positive Learning for Arkansas’ Youngest)

Within DHS, the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education partnered with the Division

of Children and Family Services along with University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences to facilitate

collaboration between early childcare programs and specially trained mental health professionals.

The goals of Project PLAY are to:

• Promote positive social and emotional development of children through changes in the

early learning environment; and

• Decrease problematic social and emotional behaviors of young children in early childcare

settings by building the skills of childcare providers and family members.

Project PLAY activities include:

• Outreach to Better Beginnings approved childcare centers in targeted areas to identify

high quality centers that are currently serving foster children or may be appropriate for

future placements for foster children. Work to increase quality in centers at the lower

levels of Better Beginnings that are currently serving foster children. Use Project PLAY

staff to educate biological parents, foster parents, DCFS workers, and other on the

importance of a high-quality child-care environment that remains consistent for the child

regardless of changes at home or custodial changes.

• Ensure that childcare professionals have the support they need to maintain foster children

in quality care settings.

• Educate the childcare professionals about what to expect when working with children who

may have experience trauma, and the importance of their role as a stable figure in the life

of the child.

• Provide support for the caregivers regarding ways to manage difficult behavior and

support healthy social and emotional development.

Promote communication and consistency between home and school.

• Provide one-on-one education to biological and foster parents about the importance of

continuity of childcare when the child is transitioning between homes, or if a change in

childcare cannot be avoided, assist with the transition.

225

Child Care & Child Welfare Partnership Toolkit

This toolkit is designed to enhance the important partnership between childcare providers and

family service workers in the child welfare system, with the goal of ensuring that foster children get

the best care possible. This tool was re-introduced to staff during a trauma-informed training –

“Navigating Transitions” led by Zero to Three staff and held for all staff in December 2021.The

toolkit includes:

• A brief article about the impacts of trauma on young children and what caregivers can do

to help.

• An Information Exchange guide designed to ‘jump-start’ the sharing of information

between the childcare provider and the family service worker. You may choose to use this

communication guide as is or incorporate pieces of it into your normal paperwork. The

important thing is to share information for the good of the child.

• A Child Progress Update form that teachers may want to complete and give to the family

service worker to let them know how the child is doing in the preschool classroom. This

information may be useful for the family service worker in the ongoing development of the

child’s case plan and in reporting to the court.

• Information about how to obtain Immunization records when needed.

• “Saying Goodbye” – Suggestions for creating a smooth transition when it is time for the

child to leave the center.

• A Developmental Milestones handout with information on typical behavior for children of

different ages and suggestions for teachers/caregivers/parents to promote healthy

development in young children.

SafeCare

SafeCare is available to IV-E prevention plan foster care candidates which includes, among others,

infants involved in Garrett’s Law referrals if not removed from the home. Exceptions can be made

for children on a trial home placement if additional services are needed to stabilize the placement

of the children in the home. SafeCare is an evidenced-based program that provides intensive home

visiting services to participating families to address health and safety issues for the children in the

home.

Garrett’s Law reports were selected as foster care candidate trigger because a number of families

who initially come to the Division’s attention due to Garrett’s Law allegations later have a child

removed from the home and because several co-sleeping deaths have also occurred in families

who had a Garrett’s Law report. As a result, the Division wanted this evidence-based home visiting

program to provide enough support and services in the home to ensure the child’s safety and

prevent removal.

226

Arkansas Children’s Trust Fund Programs

The Arkansas Children’s Trust Fund also continues to be a component of the DCFS Prevention

and Reunification Unit and spearheads primary prevention efforts for the Division, many of which

are geared toward the under-five population and designed to improve child outcomes. The

Children’s Trust Fund is in the process of writing the CBCAP Application and when the funds

become available, new programs will begin. Until the funds are available the following activities

and programs include:

ACEs Activities – The Children’s Trust Fund program director is a member of the steering

committee of the Arkansas ACEs and Resilience Collective Impact. In addition, the Children’s Trust

Fund is supporting the development of an ACEs introductory presentation that will be available for

our own use internally and for members of the Collective Impact’s Speakers Bureau. The

presentation will help educate more people across the state with a consistent and clear message.

Baby and Me WIC Clinic Project – The Children’s Trust Fund supports Parent Support Mentors in

seventeen WIC Clinics across the state. The Mentors provide one-on-one sessions with mothers

beginning prenatally and through the first six months of the baby’s life. The sessions include a brief

educational lesson and a check of developmental milestones followed by activities to promote

parent/child interaction. Parents are also be connected to community services and supports as

needed.

The following is a breakdown of children in foster care four and younger and their average length

of stay for SFYs 2017 through 2022. In SFY 2018, the number of children ages four and under

dropped dramatically, though the average length of stay for this population increased from 304.4

days in SFY 2017 to 322.8 days in SFY 2018. However, in SFY 2019, the number of children ages

four and under increased to 1,559, but there was a noticeable decrease in the average length of

stay for this group – down to 291.2 days, or a 9.8% decrease from the previous year. During the

previous reporting period of SFY 2020, the number of children in foster ages four or younger

increased slightly as did their average length of stay. During this reporting period there was an

10.5% decrease in the number of children in foster care ages four and younger and the length of

stay increased 10.7%. While not a one-to-one comparison with the data points above, it should be

noted that the trend over the last several DCFS Annual Report cards show that children ages 0-5

make up the largest group of children in foster care when broken down by age. While the data in

the DCFS Annual Report Cards is a point-in-time datum and the information provided in the context

data provided by the Children’s Bureau highlights entries into care over a six-month period, it is

interesting to note that the context data shows that children ages 0-5 also make up the largest

group of foster care entries over the last several AFCARS reporting periods. This is an area for

DCFS to further explore given that children ages 0-5 made up 32.5% of the overall child population

in 2021, which was not the largest percentage of the overall child population in 2021 (the largest

227

portion of the overall child population in 2021 was ages 11-16 at 34.5%). Further, the context data

shows that the entry rate children under the age of 1 per 1000 is 15.26 – much higher than all other

age groups. While certainly the vulnerability of this younger age group is a contributing factor to

this higher entry rate per 1000, these data may indicate a need for Arkansas to focus on prevention

services targeted at children ages five and under -- with particular attention focused on children

under age 1 -- as well as services to assist reunification efforts for parents’ children ages five and

under.

• As of 5/31/2017, there were 1,920 children in foster care ages four or younger. The

average length of stay for those children as of 5/31/2017 was 304.4 days.

• As of 5/31/2018, there were 1,423 children in foster care ages four or younger. The

average length of stay in foster care for those children as of 5/31/2018 was 322.8 days.

• As of 5/31/2019, there were 1,559 children in foster care ages four or younger. The

average length of stay in foster care for those children as of 5/31/2019 was 291.2 days.

• As of 5/31/2020, there were 1,596 children in foster care ages four or younger. The

average length of stay in foster care for those children as of 5/31/2020 was 293.5 days.

• As of 5/31/2021, there were 1,725 children in foster care ages four or younger. The

average length of stay in foster care for those children was 311.3 days.

• As of 5/31/2022, there were 1,561 children in foster care ages four or younger. The

average length of stay in foster care for those children was 344.6 days.

228

Removal conditions cited for the 1,249 children who were ages 4 or younger when they entered

care between 7-1-2021 to 5-31-2022. This information was pulled from our CHRIS (SACWIS)

system.

Removal Reason

Number of

Removals in

which Reason /

Condition was

Cited

Percentage (%)

Substance Abuse

725

58.0

Neglect (Alleged)

714

57.2

Incarceration of Parent(s)

220

17.6

Inadequate Housing

164

13.1

Physical Abuse (Alleged)

158

12.7

Caretaker ILL/ Unable to Cope

2.8

Sexual Abuse (Alleged)

2.2

Abandonment

1.9

Death of Parent(s)

0.5

Child's Disability

0.2

Court Ordered Foster Care in FINS

Case

0.2

Relinquishment

0.2

Sexual Offender

0.2

Truancy

0.1

Child of Teen Parent in Foster Care

0.1

Total Removal Reasons Cited

2,084

N/A

Arkansas explored the removal reasons among the children (ages 4 and younger) who were in

care as of those dates, also comparing the years to one another. For several years’ substance

abuse was increasingly cited as a removal reason among these children. For example, substance

abuse was cited as a removal reason for the percent of children in care (ages 4 and young)

increased to 60.3% in 2020 and in 2021 there was a slight decrease to 55.8%. During this reporting

period there was a 3% increase for this removal reason.

While the number of children in this age range has decreased by approximately 10.5% from 2021

and an increase of 10.7% in length of stay perhaps the reason for the increases can be tied to,

though not necessarily caused by, the increase in the statewide average caseload and the increase

in staff turnover. As of May 2022, the average statewide caseload was 24.1, which is an increase

of 1.1 cases from this time last year.

While these trends have been taking place over the past two to three years, it is possible that these

trends are just now impacting service delivery and outcomes. Having manageable caseloads

allows caseworkers to more fully focus on the families to which they are assigned and work those

cases more intensively than they would be able to with a higher caseload. A consistent caseworker

229

throughout the life of a case may also impact families’ abilities to work through their case plans

more efficiently. The SafeCare Home Visiting and Intensive In-Home Services Programs described

earlier in this document above should also help to improve services and supports for children under

the age of five.

The table below displays the percentages for six timeframes:

Date

Number of

Children in

Care, Ages 4

and Younger

Number of Children,

Ages 4 and Younger,

for which Substance

Abuse was Cited as a

Removal Reason

Percentage

(%)

5/31/2017

1,920

1,182

61.6

5/31/2018

1,423

896

63.0

5/31/2019

5/31/2020

5/31/2021

1,559

1,596

1,725

952

962

1,047

61.1

60.3

60.7

5/31/2022

1,561

978

62.7

EFFORTS TO TRACK AND PREVENT MALTREATMENT DEATHS

Below are the fatalities for SFY 2021 (July 1, 2021 – May 13, 2022) These are not fatalities in

which children necessarily had prior involvement with DCFS, but all fatalities that were

investigated within a context of a child maltreatment report.

True Fatality Reports for SFY 2021: 21

Unsubstantiated Fatality Reports for SFY 2021: 6

Pending Fatality Reports for SFY 2021: 15

Exempt (No Risk) Fatality Reports for SFY 2021: 2

Unable to Locate Reports for SFY 2021: 0

Fatalities of Children in Foster Care Who Did Not Receive a Maltreatment Investigation for SFY

2021: 8

230

Information regarding child fatalities and near fatalities is compiled by DCFS in the first three

quarters of the SFY 2021 Report Card.

DCFS also exchanges information with its partners in order to improve outcomes for children and

families.

Arkansas receives information on child maltreatment fatalities through the referral of the child

abuse hotline. Most of these referrals are from mandated reporters such as law enforcement,

coroners, medical examiners, members of child death review teams, and physicians. Referrals

involving fatalities are documented in the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System

(NCANDS).

Steps to Track and Prevent Child Maltreatment Deaths

The three groups and their related efforts described below comprise Arkansas’s current plan for

tracking and preventing child maltreatment deaths.

DCFS Internal Child Death Review Committee

The Agency reviews reports on all deaths from all cases of children with whom the agency has

been involved in any way during the twenty-four months prior to the child’s death. The DCFS

Internal Child Death Review Committee reviews DCFS actions and prior involvement in order to

make recommendations to improve child safety and investigative practices both locally and

statewide. The standing committee consists of the DCFS Assistant Director of Prevention and

Reunification, the DCFS Assistant Director of Community Services, and the Prevention and

Reunification Administrator, but the Area Director and all pertinent field staff are engaged

throughout the review process. The Prevention and Reunification Program Administrator reviews

all recommendations from the Committee and assigns them to the appropriate staff within his/her

administrative team for implementation. Upon approval and implementation of the

recommendations, the Program Administrator reports the implementation of the recommended

actions to the DCFS Executive Staff. In addition, DCFS policy and procedures are updated to

reflect any needed changes identified through these reviews. As a result of the internal child death

review process, additional training has been provided to investigators and supervisors to improve

the quality of the investigations and to ensure timely documentation and disposition.

Child Death and Near Fatality Multidisciplinary Review Committee/External Child Near Fatality

and Fatality Review Team

The External Child Near Fatality and Fatality Review Team, has continued to meet throughout

this reporting period to review applicable near fatalities and fatalities and worked to make some

revisions the DCFS Child Near Fatalities and Fatalities Policy.

The External Child Near Fatality and Fatality Review Team is comprised of the following

members:

231

• DCFS Director or designee;

• DCFS Assistant Director of Community Services or designee;

• DCFS Family Service Worker (FSW) Supervisor designated by the DCFS Director;

• DCFS FSW Investigative Supervisor designated by the DCFS Director;

• Crimes Against Children Division Commander or designee;

• Arkansas Commission on Child Abuse, Rape, and Domestic Violence Executive Director

or designee;

• Children’s Advocacy Centers of Arkansas Director or designee;

• Arkansas CASA Association Director or designee;

• Arkansas Children’s Hospital’s Team for Children at Risk and Arkansas Children’s House

Director or designee;

• Dependency-Neglect Attorney Ad Litem Director or designee;

• Office of Chief Counsel Director or designee;

• The Governor’s Senior Advisor for Child Welfare

• A member of the Arkansas Child Death Review Panel;

• A member of the Arkansas Department of Health;

• A member appointed by the Chief Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court.

Arkansas Infant and Child Death Review Program

The Arkansas Infant and Child Death Review Program was created within the Arkansas

Department of Health. It is now administered by Arkansas Children's Hospital and supported by a

contract with the Arkansas Department of Health, Family Health Branch.

The purpose of the Arkansas Infant and Child Death Review (ICDR) Program is to improve the

response to infant and child fatalities, provide accurate information on how and why Arkansas

children are dying, and ultimately reduce the number of preventable infant and child deaths by

establishing an effective review and standardized data collection system for all unexpected infant

and child deaths.

232

To date, there are eleven active local level review teams that review infant and child deaths

covering all 75 counties in Arkansas. All child fatalities meeting the local child death review team’s

criteria are entered into the Arkansas Child Death Review data system. The results and

recommendations from the local child death review teams are submitted to the Arkansas Child

Death Review Program for follow up and implementation. The DCFS Area Directors serve as core

team members of the review teams in their areas.

The Arkansas ICDR Panel and the local child death review teams consist of the representatives

listed below:

• The Arkansas Medical Examiner’s Office.

• A coroner who is registered with the National Board of Medico legal Death investigators.

• The Center for Health Statistics of the Department of Health.

• The Division of Children and Family Services of the Department of Human Services.

• The Crimes against Children Division of the Department of Arkansas State Police.

• The Arkansas Child Abuse/Rape/Domestic Violence Commission.

• A physician who specializes in child abuse.

• The College of Public Health at the University of Arkansas for Medical Services.

• The Office of the Prosecutor Coordinator

Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act

The Division did not expense any of its Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act. The

specific counties for which this funding was designated combined with the period of time for which

the funds may be used presented challenges in expensing this supplemental appropriation.

Supplemental Funding to prevent, prepare, or respond to COVID-19

As reported in the 2022 APSR, Arkansas positively impacted its workforce and the children and

families it serves by using the supplemental Title IV-B, Subpart 1 funds provided under the CARES

Act to prevent, prepare, and respond to the challenges resulting from COVID-19. Arkansas spent

the majority of its CARES funds on direct assistance for children and families and on technology

allowing staff to carry out essential child welfare functions during SFY 2021. The remainder of the

CARES funds were expended between July 1, 2021-September 30, 2021, by making needed

renovations and other improvements to the visitation rooms in certain county offices and covering

initial costs of First Aid and CPR trainer certification for 13 DCFS staff members. The goal of this

training was to certify these DCFS team members as National Safety Council First Aid and CPR

Trainers to, in turn, more quickly certify resource parent applicants, with particular attention to

233

kinship families, in First Aid and CPR as required by Minimum Licensing Standards and DCFS

policy.

Mary Lee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program

Promoting Safe and Stable Families (title IV-B, subpart 2) helps to fund Division quality assurance

activities and also includes services such as diagnostic services, clinical testing services, drug kits,

and screens, counseling, respite, and home studies. Services are available statewide to any family

who needs and is referred for the service.

Percentages of title IV-B, subpart 2 funds will be expended on service delivery as follows:

• Family Preservation: The State normally expends all of the federal funding and backs this

up with state funding.

• Community-based family support: The state only receives a limited amount of funding and

once this is used, then State General Revenue is used to supplement services.

• Family reunification: The state spends much of the funding (federal and state) on trying to

keep families together and sometimes may fall short of the 20% but services are still being

provided.

• Adoption promotion and support services, and on planning and service coordination.

Arkansas is below 20% during this reporting period: The state uses Adoption Incentive funds

when available for these services.

Service Decision Making Process for Family Support Services

Request for Proposals (RFPs) continue to be issued to seek proposals from qualified organizations

to provide services. Respondents operate community-based businesses, serving designated client

populations. Moreover, they must be listed as being in good standing with the Secretary of State’s

office.

The respondents submit proposals in two separate parts, technical and cost. The proposals are

then evaluated in four phases:

• Phase 1 is the review to ensure all minimum qualifications are met and is mandatory.

Proposals must pass this phase before being moved forward for further review.

• Phase 2 is the evaluation of the technical proposal. Respondents must demonstrate how

they are able to effectively and efficiently deliver the service.

• Phase 3 is evaluation of the cost proposal.

• Phase 4 is ranking of the proposals after the final scores for each respondent for the

technical and cost proposals are added together for a final overall score. The highest

number of points is ranked number 1. The other proposals are ranked in descending order

based on their number of points.

234

A contract is awarded to the respondent whose proposal is determined to be most advantageous

to DCFS and DHS based on the selection criteria, not necessarily the lowest price. State

procurement law and regulations are followed whenever selecting agencies and organizations for

funding to provide family support services. Applicant criteria within each RFP is set to ensure that

family support services are community-based.

POPULATIONS AT GREATEST RISK OF MALTREATMENT

In the 2020-2024 CFSP, Arkansas designated two specific populations as being at the greatest

risk of maltreatment: Garrett’s Law/Substance Exposed Infants and

Garrett’s Law/Substance Exposed Infants and Children Affected by Domestic Violence. Updates

on efforts to reduce the risk of maltreatment to each of these populations follow.

Garrett’s Law/Substance Exposed Infants

Garrett’s Law (GL), which was named after a child who was born under such circumstances, is the

commonly used term to describe infants found to neglected as a result of the presence of an illegal

substance in the mother's or infant’s bodily fluids or bodily substances at the time of birth. Mothers

cited in GL reports are not listed in the state’s Child Maltreatment Central Registry, even if the

report is determined to be true. This change was made in response to concerns that being listed

in the maltreatment registry might have negative consequences on employment prospects of

mothers involved in such reports, among other drawbacks.

The Division continues to consider the infants involved in Garrett’s Law referrals and cases to be

one of the populations at greatest risk given the vulnerability of young infants, the impact substance

use can have on parenting, and the fact that many of Arkansas’s co-sleeping deaths involve drugs

of some kind (some of which did have GL referrals at birth and others that did not). For this reason,

the Division has attempted a significant number of efforts related to supporting GL babies and their

families. These include referring all GL families, regardless of whether the child is removed, to

Team Decision Making Meetings and selecting GL families as one of the target populations for the

SafeCare Home Visiting Program. SafeCare is an evidenced-based program that provides

intensive home visiting services to participating families. This program focuses on improving

parent/child interaction, and the parent’s ability to address health and safety issues for the children

in the home. It is an 18-22-week program in which the home visitor spends approximately 1.5-2

hours each of those weeks in the home working with the family. With the implementation of the

state’s Title IV-E Prevention Program, GL infants not removed from the home are considered foster

care candidates to substance exposed infants will continue to benefit from this program following

the implementation of Family First in Arkansas.

Other efforts to provide more services and supports to the population of families with a GL referral

in an effort to protect this vulnerable population include, but are not limited to, providing information

to all families regarding safe sleep and trying to determine a stronger training curriculum for DCFS

235

staff and legal stakeholders to have a better understanding of substance use disorders – from

engagement with families suffering from substance use disorder to screening and referrals to

treatment and the road to recovery.

Following is information on GL reports received during state fiscal year (SFY) 2021. As in previous

years’ reports, many of the data for 2021 appear in comparison to data from the preceding three

fiscal years.

GARRETT’S LAW REPORTS RECEIVED

The number of GL reports accepted for investigation has consistently increased since the law’s

inception 16 years ago. Figure 1 displays the number of GL reports received each year. On

average, the number of GL reports has increased by 10% per year from SFY 2006 onward.

During SFY 2021, 1,619 GL reports were received,1 which was 20% higher than the number

received during the previous year. The number of GL reports received annually has nearly

quadrupled since SFY 2006.

CHARACTERISTICS OF GARRETT’S LAW REPORTS

Act 1176 requires that an annual report be delivered to the Legislature that includes the following

characteristics of GL reports.

Figure

Garrett’s Law Referrals Received

SFY 2006–2021

2006 2007 2008 2009

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

2020 2021

1,619

1,143

1,241

1,280

1,311

1,350

867

970

749

534

528

602

557

662

416

518

236

• Ages of mothers involved in the reports

• Types of illegal substances to which newborns were allegedly exposed

• Estimated gestational ages of newborns

• Any health problems observed in newborns

Although age distribution of birthing parents involved in GL reports fluctuates year to year, mothers

are generally younger than 30 years old at the time of the child’s birth (Table 1). The median age of

all GL mothers was 26 for SFY 2021 (not shown). The age distribution closely resembled that of

previous years.

Of the 1,619 birthing parents cited in GL reports for SFY 2021, 339 (21%) were prior offenders of

child maltreatment and 228 (14%) were prior offenders of GL.

Marijuana, including THC and cannabis, was cited in 75% of GL reports for SFY 2021. This was

followed by amphetamines/methamphetamines at 26% and opiates (e.g., heroin, morphine,

codeine, and oxycodone) at 10%. Benzodiazepines (e.g., prescription drugs such as Xanax and

Valium) were the fourth most commonly cited drug (5%), followed by cocaine (3%). Barbiturates,

hallucinogens, and non-categorized prescription drugs (e.g., tricyclics) are rarely identified in GL

reports (Table 2).

TABLE

AGE DISTRIBUTION OF MOTHERS IN GL REPORTS

SFY 2018–2021

MOTHER’S

AGE

2018

2019

2020

2021

Younger Than 20 Years

20 to 24 Years

32%

31%

32%

25 to 29 Years

31%

30%

32%

30%

30 to 34 Years

23%

21%

22%

21%

35 to 39 Years

10%

40 Years or Older

Total

100%

Number

Reports

1,280

1,311

1,350

1,619

TABLE

PERCENTAGE OF GL REPORTS IN WHICH DRUG WAS CITED

SFY 2018–2021

TYPE OF DRUG

2018

2019

2020

2021

Prescriptions*

<1%

Number

Times

Drugs

Were

Cited

†

1,616

1,602

1,659

1,958

Number

Reports

1,280

1,311

1,350

1,619

237

*Includes drugs not categorized elsewhere.

†Multiple drugs can be mentioned in a given report.

Regarding the gestational age of newborns in GL reports, nearly 23% were born prematurely

during SFY 2021, similar to previous years (Table 3).

*Defined as a gestational age of at least 37 weeks.

†Defined as a gestational age of younger than 37 weeks.

Among newborns reportedly exposed to substances in utero, 77% did not have any reported

health problems, similar to the previous year. About 10% required treatment in a neonatal

intensive care unit (NICU), 11% suffered from respiratory distress or other respiratory problems,

and 4% exhibited drug-related withdrawal symptoms (Table 4).

*Multiple health problems can be included in a single report.

†“All other problems” includes a wide range of observed health issues that could not be categorized elsewhere,

including conditions such as low blood sugar, heart complication and/or defects, anemia, physical deformity, feeding

difficulties, hypoglycemia, and syphilis.

Among the mothers cited in GL reports, those who allegedly used benzodiazepines were the

most likely to give birth to children with a documented health problem (40%), followed closely by

those who used amphetamines/methamphetamines (39%). Health problems were also found to a

varying extent among newborns whose mothers allegedly used cocaine (36%) and opiates

TABLE

GESTATIONAL AGE DISTRIBUTION OF NEWBORNS IN GL REPORTS

SFY 2018–2021

GESTATIONAL

AGE

2018

2019

2020

2021

Full Term*

76%

77%

Premature†

24%

23%

Total

100%

Number

Reports

1,280

1,311

1,350

1,619

TABLE

PERCENTAGE OF GL REPORTS IN WHICH HEALTH PROBLEM WAS CITED

SFY 2018–2021

HEALTH

PROBLEM

REPORTED*

2018

2019

2020

2021

No Health Problems

70%

76%

75%

77%

Neonatal

Intensive

Care

Required

16%

13%

10%

Respiratory

Distress

11%

Drug-Related

Withdrawal

Symptoms

Child Died

<1%

All Other Problems†

11%

10%

Number

Reports

1,280

1,311

1,350

1,619

238

(34%). Birthing parents who allegedly used marijuana were the least likely (19%) to give birth to

children with a health problem.

Regarding specific health problems, newborns whose mothers allegedly used cocaine were more

likely to spend time in the NICU (22%) than those whose mothers used any other drug.

Newborns whose mother’s allegedly used benzodiazepines were most likely to experience drug-

related withdrawal symptoms (17%).

IV. DCFS RESPONSES TO GARRETT’S LAW REPORTS

This section presents information regarding Arkansas Division of Children and Family Services’

(DCFS) response to GL reports, including:

•

The percentage of reports that were substantiated after an investigation;

•

The percentage of substantiated reports that resulted in opening a child protective services

(CPS) case;

and

•

The percentage of substantiated reports that resulted in removing the newborn from the

birthing parent’s custody.

In SFY 2021, 93% of the GL reports received statewide were substantiated, similar to previous

years. The substantiation rate among individual service areas ranged from 86% in Area 8 to 99%

in Area 9 (Table 5).

CPS cases include cases in which children remain in the home and cases in which children are placed in foster

care.

Statewide, the rate at which DCFS caseworkers opened a CPS case in response to a

substantiated finding of a GL report was 94% for SFY 2021, similar to the rates observed in

TABLE

SUBSTANTIATION RATE OF GL REPORTS BY AREA

SFY 2018–2021

AREA

2018

2019

2020

2021

84%

86%

82%

88%

92%

94%

97%

92%

97%

95%

96%

93%

98%

93%

99%

97%

93%

96%

97%

94%

96%

90%

96%

92%

91%

86%

92%

98%

96%

99%

82%

89%

94%

93%

State

92%

94%

93%

239

recent years. Whether caseworkers responded to a substantiated GL report by opening a CPS

case ranged from 80% in Area 5 to 98% in

Areas 3 and 4 (Table 6).

Note: In addition to CPS cases opened due to the GL referral, percentages include cases opened

prior to the referral and still open at the time of the referral. This more accurately represents the

percentage of substantiated GL referrals that were handled within the context of an active CPS

case.

Statewide, in SFY 2021, nearly 15% of substantiated GL reports resulted in removing the newborn

from the mother’s custody, similar to the rate observed in previous years. The removal rate varied

widely among DCFS service areas. Children in Areas 8 and 10, for instance, were the least likely to

be removed from their homes as a result of a substantiated GL report (8%), followed by Area 2

(10%). Meanwhile, newborns in Areas 7 (27%) and 6 (22%) were most likely to be removed in

response to a substantiated GL report.

Newborns were removed at nearly twice the rate of the previous year in Area 7 (from 14% to

27%) and more than twice the rate in Area 6 (from 9% to 22%; Table 7).

TABLE

CASE OPENING RATES FOR SUBSTANTIATED GL REPORTS BY AREA

SFY 2018–2021

AREA

2018

2019

2020

2021

96%

93%

95%

96%

99%

95%

98%

97%

95%

98%

88%

95%

98%

96%

93%

92%

80%

94%

95%

92%

94%

90%

94%

95%

97%

94%

97%

93%

99%

96%

94%

84%

82%

94%

93%

State

94%

95%

94%

240

The rate at which children were removed in response to a substantiated GL report also fluctuated

somewhat at the county level. The relatively high removal rate observed in Area 7, for example,

was largely driven by the decisions made in Grant, Lincoln, and Prairie Counties, which collectively

removed two thirds of the newborns (10 of 15) involved in substantiated GL reports and—to a

lesser extent—decisions made in Jefferson County (six of 29). In comparison, less than 14% (four

of 29) were removed in response to substantiated GL reports in the rest of Area 7. Additionally,

children were removed at rates noticeably higher than the statewide average in Washington

County (25 of 115 removed) in Area 1, Sevier (four of seven) and Little River (four of 11) Counties

in Area 4; Faulkner County (seven of 36) in Area 5; and White (10 of 22) and Poinsett (five of 21)

Counties in Area 9.

Several counties exhibited apparent restraint with respect to removing children in response to a

true report. Among counties in which at least 10 GL reports were substantiated, 10% or less of

victim children from Baxter, Boone, Craighead, Crawford, Crittenden, Mississippi, Phillips, Pope,

Sebastian, and St. Francis Counties were removed in response to the true finding.

An analysis of the substantiated GL reports received during SFY 2020 revealed that 29% of the

children who were removed from their homes returned home or were discharged to relatives

within 12 months, slightly lower than the rate observed for the previous year (31%). Among

TABLE

CHILD REMOVAL RATE FOR SUBSTANTIATED GL REPORTS BY AREA

SFY 2018–21

AREA

2018

2019

2020

2021

19%

13%

14%

17%

16%

15%

11%

10%

13%

15%

12%

15%

13%

18%

17%

15%

14%

11%

15%

12%

22%

16%

15%

14%

27%

13%

16%

28%

25%

24%

19%

State

15%

14%

13%

15%

241

children involved in substantiated GL reports who were not removed from the home immediately,

6% were removed within 12 months, and 4% were cited in a subsequent substantiated

maltreatment report over the same period. These figures were identical to those reported for the

previous year (6% and 4%, respectively).

4 Specifically, the percentage of newborns removed in response to a true report was 5% for Baxter, 7% for Boone, 6%

for Craighead, 8% for Crawford, 6% for Crittenden, 8% for Mississippi, 6% for Phillips, 10% for Pope, 8% for

Sebastian, and 10% for St. Francis

V. SUMMARY

This report reviewed select characteristics of GL reports and the DCFS response to those

reports for SFY 2021 and several preceding years, as appropriate. The highlights of this

report are presented below.

•

The number of GL reports accepted for investigation has increased, on average, by

10% per year since the law’s inception 16 years ago. During SFY 2021, 1,619 GL

reports were accepted for investigation, a 20% increase from the previous year.

•

Marijuana was the most commonly mentioned illegal substance in GL reports. For

SFY 2021, 75% cited marijuana use, either separately or in combination with other

drugs, followed by amphetamines/methamphetamines (26%) and then opiates

(10%). Benzodiazepines were cited in 5% of the reports, while cocaine was cited in

3%.

•

During SFY 2021, 93% of the GL reports statewide were substantiated, similar to the

substantiation rate observed in recent years.

•

The rate at which DCFS caseworkers opened a CPS case in response to a

substantiated GL report was 94% for SFY 2021, similar to the rates observed for the

previous three years.

•

DCFS removed 15% of newborns from the birthing parent’s custody in response to

a true GL report during SFY 2021, similar to recent years. Among the 10 DCFS

service areas, Areas 8 and 10 demonstrated greater restraint during the year,

removing just 8% of children in response to a substantiated GL report. Conversely,

Areas 6 and 7 exhibited the highest rate of removals in response to a true GL report;

well over 20% of the newborns from those areas were removed.

•

Of the children removed in response to a substantiated GL report during SFY 2020,

29% either returned home or were discharged to relatives within 12 months. Among

those not removed initially, 6% were removed within 12 months and 4% were cited

in a subsequent substantiated maltreatment report over the same period.

The analysis was limited to SFY 2020 to allow a sufficient follow-up period of 12 months for all children cited

in GL reports. Sufficient time has not passed for the affected newborns for whom a report was received during

SFY 2021.

243

APPENDIX: GARRETT’S LAW REPORTS BY COUNTY

TABLE

GARRETT’S

LAW

REPORTS

RECEIVED

DURING

SFY

2021

COUNTY

AND

AREA

COUNTY

NUMBER OF REPORTS

Benton

Carroll

Madison

Washington

131

Area

Total

244

Crawford

Franklin

Johnson

Logan

Scott

Sebastian

117

Yell

Area

Total

205

Clark

Garland

Hot Spring

Howard

Montgomery

Perry

Pike

Polk

Saline

Area 3 Total

207

244

TABLE

GARRETT’S

LAW

REPORTS

RECEIVED

DURING

SFY

2021

COUNTY

AND

AREA

COUNTY

NUMBER OF REPORTS

Columbia

Hempstead

Lafayette

Little River

Miller

Nevada

Ouachita

Sevier

Union

Area 4

Total

125

Baxter

Boone

Conway

Faulkner

Marion

Newton

Pope

Searcy

Van Buren

Area 5 Total

160

Pulaski

160

Area 6 Total

160

Bradley

Calhoun

Cleveland

Dallas

Grant

Jefferson

Lincoln

Lonoke

Prairie

Area

Total

245

TABLE

GARRETT’S

LAW

REPORTS

RECEIVED

DURING

SFY

2021

COUNTY

AND

AREA

COUNTY

NUMBER OF REPORTS

Clay

Craighead

Fulton

Greene

Izard

Lawrence

Mississippi

Randolph

Sharp

Area 8 Total

206

Cleburne

Crittenden

Cross

Independence

Jackson

Poinsett

Stone

White

Woodruff

Area 9 Total

135

Arkansas

Ashley

Chicot

Desha

Drew

Lee

Monroe

Phillips

St. Francis

Area

Total

TOTAL

1,619

246

Children Affected by Domestic Violence

Local staff and community stakeholders have continued to voice a concern about being

adequately equipped to recognize and address issues of domestic violence, particularly

as it affects children in the home. This population can be particularly difficult for staff given

that domestic violence in and of itself is not defined as child maltreatment in Arkansas.

This is why the Division selected this population as a focus in terms of improving both

assessment of and service provision as part of its CFSP.

Team Decision Making (TDM) has continued to allow the counties in which TDM operates

to strengthen relationships with local domestic violence shelters and prevention

programs. Over the last year DCFS has noted an uptick in domestic violence and mental

health providers participating in TDM meetings and offering support that the families and

children need. Arkansas will continue to encourage the advocates to participate and offer

guidance to the families and children. TDM is now in each county in Area 2 and was the

first area to pilot a TDM Scheduling position. The scheduler was responsible for

scheduling TDM meetings and assigning them to the facilitators. The scheduler proved

to be beneficial, especially as the number of TDM meetings increased as counties began

using the program. Arkansas is planning to roll out scheduling positions to other areas of

the state over the next several months.

In addition, the agency has hypothesized that the continued roll-out of the Evident Change

Structured-Decision Making suite of tools will also help it improve risk and safety

assessments of families where domestic violence is an issue (among others) and improve

planning around domestic violence issues. A representative from the Arkansas Coalition

Against Domestic Violence (ACADV) remains a member of the SOP Implementation

Team. This ACADV representative provided input throughout the development of the

SOP e-Learnings and SOP Practice Model regarding appropriate language to be used as

well as other domestic violence considerations.

As another effort to focus on this population at risk of greatest maltreatment, DCFS, in

partnership with the Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence, hosted four lunch and

learns for DCFS staff via Zoom in October 2021. The first lunch and learn provided a

general overview of domestic violence in terms of who it affects and how; relevant

terminology, and variants of domestic violence. The second DV lunch and learn focused

on DV red flags, how to handle the signs within families and survivors, and engaging

families experiencing DV with Safety Organized Practice (SOP) tools and approaches.

The third lunch and learn addressed other compounding issues that often present with

DV such as mental health diagnoses and substance abuse. The final lunch and learn

focused on resources to help clients experiencing DV including collaboration between DV

resources/organizations and DCFS.

247

Most recently, the DCFS In-Home Program Manager worked with Arkansas Coalition

Against Domestic Violence to bring a full-day Introduction to Domestic Violence training

to DCFS staff in Area 9, which featured an “In Her Shoes” simulation and also taught staff

about red flags around domestic violence, safety planning, and domestic violence

resources. The feedback from staff who participated in this training was extremely

positive. This same training will eventually be conducted statewide over the course of the

next year. As a final note, in May 2022 the DCFS In-Home Services Program Manager,

Patty Hibbs received the Champion Award from the Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic

Violence. Regarding this honor, ACADV wrote:

“[Patty’s] efforts to increase awareness around domestic violence, her enthusiasm to

coordinate state-wide trainings on this topic, and her willingness to collaborate have

earned her this award. Thank you, Patty, for all that you do - day and night - for survivors

and their families.”

The Division intends to keep children affected by domestic violence as one of its greatest

risk of maltreatment populations and plans to continue to focus on developing strategies

to better identify and serve this population.

The groups referenced above are some of the greatest risk populations served in

Arkansas’s child welfare system. These do not cover the entire populations that could be

discussed. If DCFS can impact these groups through case practice, shifts in service

capacity, resource development and availability, then the outcomes for these populations

will improve and, as a result, the positive impacts will have a ripple effect throughout the

child welfare system in Arkansas.

Emergency Funding for the Mary Lee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families

Programs

During this reporting period the Division utilized emergency funding through the Mary

Lee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families funding to provide the Intercept Intensive

In-Home Services Programs to families through its contract with Youth Villages.

Kinship Navigator Funding

The Arkansas Division of Children and Family Services was one of the states awarded

Kinship Navigator Funding for Arkansas Kinship Connect. Kinship Connect still abides by

two primary components: 1) support of relative and fictive kin caregivers through

information dissemination and resource coordination, and; 2) identification of relatives

248

and fictive kin for the purpose of placement and/or otherwise maintaining connections

with their relatives/fictive kin who are in foster care.

DCFS partnered with 366 Gathering LLC to provide monthly kinship support groups.

Groups are offered statewide via zoom every third Tuesday. The 366 Gathering LLC host

2-hour groups with an hour of talking about specific topic and the last hour being a Q&A

and voicing session. Feedback from the support groups is extremely positive and helpful

for Arkansas kinship families. Support groups have been a great way for kinship families

to talk share experiences and provide a safe space to voice concerns.

DCFS still has a partnership with Assemblies of God Family Services/COMPACT to case

mine and deliver detailed kinship information for either placement, a visiting/respite

source, or provide any family/medical information using COMPACT FINDS. During this

SFY fourteen (14) cases were sent to COMPACT to re-establish connections with siblings

and parents whose rights were terminated over three years. No permanent placements

were found with the FINDS. The FINDS helped DCFS staff get creative with placement

options-establish connections and support specific family needs with the COMPACT

Permanency Contract.

Seneca FIND is a new resource for DCFS. Seneca Family of Agencies Diligent Family

Finding Search serves the purpose of locating relatives for children in DHS custody for

kinship or fictive kin care or otherwise establishing and/or maintaining lifelong connections

with relatives and fictive kin for children and youth in DHS custody. Seneca provides, at

a minimum, the following information to the designated DCFS point of contact within 24-

48 hours of case referral: Comprehensive log, spreadsheet, or similar tracking document

of all research and case-mining activities conducted and date on which they were

conducted for a specific referral. The goal is to identify relatives sooner for children who

enter foster care.

DCFS has partnered with Fostering Families Today Magazine. Fostering Families Today

is a bi-monthly magazine subscriptions that publishes foster care, adoption, and kinship

care resources, as well as expert opinions and practical advice for resource families.

Fostering Families Today magazine was created for all families navigating the

complexities of the foster care system, whether they are kinship caregivers or adoptive

parents. The magazines past issues have covered the topics of childhood trauma and

attachment, foster youth mental health, navigating relationships with birth families, foster

reunification, aging out of the foster care system, challenges unique to kinship care, and

adoption resources. Fostering Families Today aims to uplift a variety of voices, whether

249

they come from the lived experiences of foster youth or the expertise of foster care

professionals. Fostering Families Today’s goal is to provide our readers with vital

information, new approaches to parenting and features from the latest available

resources in the professional foster care, adoptive care and kinship care communities.

Every kinship family in Arkansas will receive a copy of the magazine bi-monthly.

In addition, when a child in foster care achieves permanency through a guardianship or

an order of permanent custody, there are times when the child’s relative or fictive kin

guardian or custodian may wish to adopt the child at a later date. The guardian or

custodian may now request that DCFS provide services to assist the guardian or

custodian with the subsequent adoption. Kinship Navigator funds are being used to

support this new contract performance indicator in an effort to further enhance

permanency for children in these situations.

Kinship Connect made great strides in creating a training for Arkansas kinship families

called ARKinship Connect Training. Foster parent classes for relatives and fictive kin have

been condensed from a 27-hour training to 12-hour training and shortening the licensing

process to three months to receive a board payment. ARKinship Connect Training started

in August of 2021. To coincide with this new curriculum for kinship families, the Division

also developed a kinship home study template and contracted with three LCSWs across

the state to pilot this kinship home study. Kinship Navigator funded these time-limited

contracts.

The kinship navigator program Kinship Connect started hosting kinship support groups

more than once a month due to popular demand. The Division will also collaborate with

agencies to help local staff in searching for relatives and fictive kin placements as children

enter and exit foster care. Kinship Connect also wants to explore different ways to use

technology on sharing resources and information to kinship families.

Monthly Caseworker Visit Formula Grant

Percentage of visits made on a monthly basis by caseworkers to children in foster care:

FFY 2021: 83.84% (for FFY 2020: 87.94%

Number of monthly visits made to children in the reporting population

(Numerator) – 42,536

Number of such visits that would occur during the FFY if each such child

were visited once per month while in care (Denominator) – 50,732

Percentage of visits that occurred in the residence of the child:

250

FFY 2021: 92.73% (for FFY 2020: 95.87%

Number of monthly visits made to children in the reporting population that

occurred in the residence of the child (Numerator) – 39,444

Number of monthly visits made to the children in the reporting population

(Denominator) – 42536

The aggregate # of children in the data reporting population is: 6,595 for FFY2020:

6,363)

Caseworker Visits with Foster Care Children-Details by Month

This report gives an overview of the Caseworker Visits with Foster Care Children

information by selected month. The report provides totals and percentages by Area,

County and Primary Staff Name. This report can be used as a good monitoring tool for

Staff to determine what foster care clients should receive a visit and have/have not been

visited as per the Case Contact documentation. The report is refreshed daily.

The report includes all children under age 18 who are considered to be in foster care for

the full calendar month (Calendar month = last day of previous + all days during current

month + first day of subsequent month). The Area(s) and Month should be selected and

then the ‘View Report’ button for the results to appear. To be considered as a Completed

‘Regular Visit’, the following criteria must be met in a Case Contact:

• Contact Date should be in the actual Calendar Month (1st-end) to determine if

Visit was made

• Type/Location: must be Any ‘Face to Face’ type

• Status: ‘Completed’ must be selected

• Participants pick list: The foster care child must be selected

• Only pull the following Staff Positions (Contact Attempted/Completed By field)

are considered as a Caseworker Visit:

o DHS Area Manager

o DHS Assistant Director

o DHS Deputy Director - DCFS

o DHS Program Coordinator

o DHS Program Manager

o DHS Program Specialist

o DHS Staff Supervisor

o Family Service Worker

o Family Service Worker Clinical Spec

o Family Service Worker County Supervisor

o Family Service Worker Specialist

o Family Service Worker Specialist-Adoption Specialist

o Family Service Worker Supervisor

o Family Service Worker-Adoption Specialist

o Family Services Program Coordinator

251

The above criteria is considered as a Completed ‘Home Visit’ with the exception that

only the following Type/Location are applicable:

• Face to Face (Placement Provider ICPC)

• Face to Face (Placement Provider)

• Face to Face (Home)

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic virtual home visits were counted as a completed home

visit.

The report is sorted by Area/County of Current Primary Assigned Worker (Staff Name).

Report also includes the following:

• Primary Staff County

• Client Count: The number of Clients that are considered to be ‘In Foster Care’

for the month and should have a visit

• Case ID

• Client ID

• Client Name

• Age

• Birth Date

• Reg. Visits Count (Regular Visits): The number of ‘Face to Face’ Visits that were

completed as there is a Case Contact that meets the report criteria; Y will appear

if met, N will appear if not met

• Home Visits Count: The number of Visits that were completed in the home as

there is a Case Contact that meets the report criteria; Y will appear if met, N will

appear if not met. If Home Visits is a Y, then Reg. Visits should be a Y

• Percentage of Completed Reg. Visits: The Percentage of Regular ‘Face to Face’

Visits that were completed. Percentages that are under 95% show in red

because 95% is the performance standard for regular visits that is required by

the feds or there could be a reduction in Federal Financial Participation.

Caseworker Visits with Foster Care Children-Details for FFY

This report gives an overview of the Caseworker Visits with Foster Care Children

information for the FFY. The counts and percentages are submitted to the Feds by

December 15 each year for the previous FFY (October-September). It provides an

overview for each month for the FFY. This report can be used as a good monitoring tool

for staff to determine what foster care clients should receive a visit and have/have not

been visited as per the Case Contact documentation per Month. The report is refreshed

daily.

This report includes all children under age 18 who have been in foster care for at least

one full calendar month during the FFY. (Calendar month = last day of previous + all days

during current month + first day of subsequent month).

252

The report is sorted by Area/County of Current Primary Assigned Worker (Staff Name).

Report also includes Primary Staff County, Case ID, Client ID, Client Name, Age, DOB,

and the monthly information:

A column appears for each month October-September:

o In Care: Y will appear if the client is considered in care for that entire month

(Visit required) or N will appear if the client is not considered in care (Visit not

required)

o Regular visit (Reg. Visit): For the month, Y will appear if at least one Case

Contact meets the conditions (in Requirements) or N will appear if the

conditions are not met.

o Home Visit: For the month, Y will appear if at least one Case Contact meets

the conditions (in Requirements) or N will appear if the conditions are not met.

If Home Visits is a Y, then Reg. Visits should be a Y

There is a Total Months in Care column that gives the total count of months the foster

care child is considered to be in care and should have had a visit.

There is a Total Reg. Visits that gives the total count of visits that meet the regular visits

criteria.

There is a Total Home Visits column that gives the total count of visits that meet the home

visits criteria.

The total per Staff, per County, and per Area appear in rows after each condition.

At the end of the report, the overall totals and percentages show what will be sent to the

feds when it is time to submit, by December 15 for the previous FFY.

Performance standards due to high caseloads, supervisors carrying a caseload and staff

turnover remain a consistent issue. The COVID pandemic did continue to impact the work

that DCFS staff across the state while shifting back and forth from remote work to being

present in the office. December 2021 and January 2022 DCFS was impacted by staff

illness related to COVID and quarantine which made the work difficult.

Arkansas continues to monitor and assess the frequency and quality of worker visits.

During monthly Area Director meetings, the Assistant Director over Community Services

will discuss with the Area Director’s monthly home visit numbers which is also reported in

their monthly reports to the Assistant Director of Community Services. During this

reporting period the Area Directors received a tutorial from CHRIS IT Manager related to

documentation barriers and evaluation of areas of need. DCFS Director also discussed

quality home visits during DCFS All Zooms and has featured staff who are excelling at

the work.

253

Since August 2020, the Division requirements has been that all monthly visits occur in

person unless a client actively has COVID or is on quarantine or is there is another

extenuating circumstance (e.g., parent is incarcerated and jail/prison not allowing in

person visits). The Division has provided guidance to staff regarding elements that

contribute to quality virtual caseworker visits through virtual trainings led by Evident

Change and associated handouts.

As needed, each Area Director will identify barriers specific down to their county level and

the county supervisor must develop a plan to increase number monthly caseworker visits

and improve performance at the local levels. These local improvement plans will also be

monitored by the Area Director and Assistant Director of Community Services.

Through this planning, monitoring, and tracking the Division believes there will be more

focus around monthly caseworker visits, so numbers should improve. The statewide level

data from the monthly charts and also on our new SafeMeasures tool has also been

discussed.

The Division continues to assess what strategies are working for those areas and share

with other areas for consideration during discussions held at Area Director’s meetings. It

is the Division’s intent to continue with the implementation of its practice model framework

which has an emphasis on safety, family engagement, involvement, and visits with

parents and children. In addition, the Assistant Director of Community Services will

continue to ensure that this is a priority area for improvement for field with both primary

and secondary cases assigned in each Area. As she meets with the Area Directors and

their staff, she includes data specific to their area and county and ensures it is a part of

the agenda and consultations using monthly charts and now SafeMeasures usage that

are now part of data that helps in monitoring compliance all the way to the local county

and even worker level.

A small portion of the caseworker visit grant was used on administrative costs related to

printing the revised PUB-30: Resource Parent Handbook. Arkansas also plans to utilize

these funds for cost related to the Statewide Supervisor meetings that will take place in

September 2022. The Statewide Supervisor meetings are day long events (two different

ones are offered to ensure office coverage) that will be interactive and include a variety

of topics, presenters, and panels designed to increase the knowledge and skills of

supervisors to, in turn, take back to their staff who can then use that information to

increase the quality of caseworker visits. The Division wanted to ensure that FSWs are

aware of the Minimum Licensing Standards and DCFS policies related to the approval,

maintenance, and support of resource homes as a way to better inform and increase the

254

quality of the monthly visits to these homes. The Division remained within the prescribed

10% limit of the case worker visit grant that is allowed to be expensed on administrative

activities.

Adoption and Legal Guardianship Incentive Payments

Arkansas has received Adoption Incentive Money and listed below is the information:

CFDA#93.603 – Adoption and Legal Guardianship Incentive Payments Program

Grant Award# - AIPP19 - 1901ARAIPP – Amount - $1,142,000.00

Grant Period – 10/01/2018 – 12/31/2022

These funds must be obligated by 09/30/2022 and liquidated no later than 12/31/2022.

A total of $1,010,557.43 remains to be used by 09/30/2022.

The Adoption Incentive money was spent on a variety of services that include post-

adoption services, home studies, adoptive and foster parent recruitment activities, and

other services permitted under Titles IV-E and IV-B.

CFDA#93.603 – Adoption and Legal Guardianship Incentive Payments Program

Grant Award # AIPP20 – 2001ARAIPP – Amount - $1,995,500.00

Grant Period: 10/01/2019 - 09/30/2023

These funds must be obligated by 09/30/23 and liquidated no later than 12/31/2023. No

funds have been used from this grant.

CFDA #93.603 – Adoption and Legal Guardianship Incentive Payments Program

Grant Award # AIPP21 – 2101ARAIPP – Amount $305,000.00 total.

These funds are for the period of 10/01/2020 – 12/31/2024. The funds must be

obligated by 09/30/2024 and expensed by 12/31/2024. No funds have been used from

this grant.

The funds can be used for the same expenses indicated above.

Adoptions Savings

Arkansas Adoption Program will continue to invest resources in the following activities:

o Cover cost of acute or other inpatient care when there are no other

payment source, and an adoption is in danger of disruption or dissolution

and adoptive family is willing to continue participating in treatment with

child.

o Cover cost of counseling when there are no other payment source, and an

adoption is in danger of disruption or dissolution and adoptive family is

willing to participate in counseling.

o Provide respite for adoptions in danger of disruption or dissolution when

adoptive family is committed to continue to work with the child.

255

The state is still redirecting any unused funds toward the previous stated activities.

The State uses available funding to cover activities where there is no other source of

funding or funding has been exceeded, the funding would be used on a yearly basis

until expensed.

As there are currently no actual funds available, the Division can’t access them only

expense what we can cover from other sources. There are no plans at present to

change the Adoption Savings methodology.

Family First Prevention Services Act Transition Grants

During this reporting period, Arkansas used the Family First Prevention Services Act

(FFPSA) Transition Grant to continue an in-home service that was not yet eligible for IV-

E prevention funding – Intensive Family Services, and 2) to fund the Division’s contract

with Public Knowledge.

Part of Arkansas’s plan for its statewide prevention program includes moving from the

current Intensive Family Services (IFS) model that is only available in some counties to

an evidence-based model that is available statewide and eligible for IV-E prevention

funding. Arkansas proposed expenditure for the IFS program is around $770,000 each

fiscal year. Arkansas has worked in the past two years to develop a procurement and

implementation strategy to expand access to this service for our families, The FFPSA

Transition Grant has been used in the last year to continue funding IFS providers in the

selected counties thought the IFS contracts will end December 31, 2022.

The Public Knowledge contract is largely designed around professional workforce

development and training services to support the transformation of Pulaski County's Child

Welfare System. The goals are to resolve some of the immediate crises and implement

longer-term transformations that will help prevent future similar crises by using an

approach centered on empowering communities to support and strengthen families

before calls are needed to a child abuse and neglect hotline. The three broad areas that

Public Knowledge aims to address are:

1) The front end of the child welfare system, in terms of appropriate decision-making

on removals and making appropriate efforts to keep families together by replacing

the existing front-end structure with a different approach to supporting families in

need.

2) The alignment of the courts and legal judicial system with the agency’s ability to

respond to replace the current crisis-driven approach with one that is jointly created

256

and owned by the judiciary and agency, and informed by the community, and

focused on family unity and well-being.

3) The high turnover rate of agency staff in Pulaski County, and the staff’s ability to

effectively manage and execute the work through immediate assistance in

stabilizing the workforce and supporting the readiness for longer-term solutions.

Please see APSR Attachment C: Public Knowledge Scope of Work to Support

Transformation of Pulaski County’s Child Welfare System for more information.

Family First Prevention Services Transition Act Funding Certainty Grant

During this reporting period Arkansas expended its Family First Transition Act Funding

Certainty Grant on family reunification services, pursuant to the specific IV-B, subpart 2

purpose of “addressing the problems of families whose children have been placed in

foster care so that reunification may occur in a safe and stable manner in accordance

with the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997.” Specifically, these funds have been

used to provide the Intensive In-Home Services for families who do not qualify for the

prevention program under candidacy but need the service to safely reunify children with

their families.

John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood

The Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is the state agency with the

responsibility and authority to administer, supervise, and directly deliver or arrange for the

delivery of the programs identified as the Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful

Transition to Adulthood and the Educational and Training Vouchers (ETV), generally

referred to in Arkansas as the Transitional Youth Services (TYS) Program. DCFS

provides transitional services to youth 14 and older with the guidance of policy and

procedures. All children with Indian heritage who otherwise qualify for Chafee and/or ETV,

are eligible for Chafee (transitional youth) services and the ETV program. These services

are provided by internal and external staff determined by the assessment of transitional

needs of the youth in foster care as well as other case plan requirements as described

below.

The purpose of Transitional Youth Services (TYS) is to better prepare youth in DCFS

custody, who are in an out-of-home placement or whose adoption or guardianship is

finalized at age 16 or older for successful transition to adulthood and to ensure that youth

have access to an array of resources. The Division ensures that each youth in foster care

who reaches age 14, or who enters foster care at or after age 14, is provided with the

opportunity to take an active role in planning for his or her future. Youth entering foster

care between the ages of 14 and 17 are immediately referred to the Transitional Youth

Services (TYS) Coordinator.

257

The Transitional Youth Services (TYS) Unit in Central Office is comprised of the TYS

Program Manager, TYS Program Specialist, and the TYS Fiscal Support Specialist. The

TYS Program Specialist position was only filled from August 9, 2021-May 13, 2022, of

this reporting period.

The TYS Fiscal Support Specialist position processes all Driving Program and Car

Insurance Reimbursement Program applications, responds timely to questions from field

staff, youth, and resource parents regarding these applications and programs, enters

driver's license numbers for youth into CHRIS and other contacts as applicable. The TYS

Fiscal Support Specialist also processes all Chafee funding requests for start-up items,

after care, and other TYS purchases including gathering additional needed information

and documentation, processing accordingly, and logging information for record-keeping

purposes, and documenting approved funding requests into the data information system.

The TYS Fiscal Support Specialist also handles hotel reservations and folio

reconciliations for youth who have required a temporary hotel stay during this reporting

period.

The TYS Program Specialist position processes all Education and Training Voucher

applications, trouble-shoots issues related to ETV, and enters approved ETV awards into

the data information system. In addition, the TYS Program Specialist receives, review,

and send out the Supervised independent living referrals. The TYS Program Specialist is

also responsible for monitoring various data reports within CHRIS Net and conducting

follow-up with staff as needed such as youth who have a TYS Sponsor and for whom no

board payment amount has been entered.

The TYS Program Specialist also leads, coordinates, and supports the Youth Advisory

Board in their activities and leadership development. The Youth Advisory Board (YAB) is

a group of youth in foster care from across the state who represent their peers in foster

care at various conferences and events, advocate on their behalf, and inform the

Division’s policy and plans as they relate to youth ages 14 and older in foster care. The

TYS Specialist schedules and facilitates the monthly Youth Advisory Board meetings

along with providing technical and logistical support to Youth Advisory Board officers and

members. The TYS Program Specialist works with the YAB to develop the annual Senior

DCFS Educational Achievement event and the annual Youth Leadership Conference as

well.

During this reporting period, the YAB membership has remained relatively consistent.

Arkansas currently has eleven YAB members. Five out of ten areas are represented.

258

Recruitment of additional YAB members is an agenda topic for the upcoming Quarterly

TYS Coordinator Meeting in September 2022.

The YAB has led discussions surrounding efforts the Division can support youth/young

adults who are currently in foster care and former foster care youth during the pandemic

as well as provided feedback on broader issues such as youth involvement in case

planning and transition planning and how clothing vouchers are issued around the state.

YAB members also provided feedback on their experience with the child welfare system

when meeting with Public Knowledge’s Family Integrity and Justice Works

representatives during one of their YAB meetings in the fall of 2021. Themes that

resonated during that session with Public Knowledge included a limited amount of contact

from most of the young adults’ caseworkers but them feeling well-supported by their

respective TYS Coordinators; a frustration with their attorneys ad litem not representing

their wishes (since by design the attorneys ad litem are charged with representing the

best interest of the youth rather than the youth themselves), and them generally wanting

additional contact with biological family members and/or believing it would be safe for

them to return home when other parties to their case disagreed. YAB representatives

were also invited to participate in a recent Envisioning Session led by Public Knowledge

that focused on issues specific to Pulaski County. During this reporting period YAB

members also reviewed and were encouraged to provide feedback on Division policy

drafts related to Extended Foster Care, TYS sponsors, and the DCFS Foster Care Driving

Program. Finally, the YAB also learned about Youth Villages’ LifeSet Program that the

state explored implementing during this reporting period (see Division X section below for

more information on LifeSet). In fact, the YAB President was able to participate in a virtual

LifeSet site visit in February 2022 to learn more about the program and then share

information with his peers. The YAB Vice-President then took lead on writing a letter of

endorsement on behalf of the YAB to support the Division’s application for private funding

to assist with Life Set implementation in SFY 2023. For any topic discussed during a YAB

meeting in which the YAB members provide input, TYS Program staff always strive to

provide an update at the following YAB meeting regarding the result of the youth’s

feedback on a particular topic.

The TYS Unit receives and reviews a monthly report provided by each Transitional Youth

Services Coordinator throughout the state. These monthly reports allow the unit to

determine whether appropriate services are provided to transition aged youth with

consistency throughout the state. Additionally, this report provides information on the

number of transition-aged youth participating in Life Skills Classes. Life Skills Classes

cover topics that include but are not limited to banking basics, hygiene and general health,

budgeting, the college application process, creating a resume, job interview preparation,

meal planning and shopping, basic cooking skills, etc. The TYS Coordinators are currently

259

the staff responsible for providing Life Skills Classes to youth in foster care, but may, as

needed, coordinate other presenters, panels, community leaders, etc. to provide some of

the Life Skills Classes as needed.

In SFY 2022 to date (July 1, 2021, through May 31, 2022) 1,495 youth (includes duplicate

counts) participated in Life Skills classes offered by DCFS staff, which is a decline from

the 1,781 youth who participated in Life Skills Classes in SFY 2021. This decrease is

largely tied to the fact that all Life Skills Classes were transferred to virtual platforms which

was not an effective way to reach most youth. There were several challenges with youth

access to technology to be able to participate, connectivity issues, and general Zoom

fatigue, particularly from youth who were already attending school virtually. However, a

partnership between the DCFS Area 1 TYS Coordinator and CASA in Northwest

Arkansas was somewhat successful. The CASA Youth Specialist from this chapter was

able to upload the Life Skills Classes onto Vimeo which worked well for many youth.

Please see the chart on the following page for a breakdown of youth participating in Life

Skills Classes by area. The number of youth who participated in life skills classes data

was collected from the TYS coordinators monthly reports. The numbers reported are

duplicated counts. The far-right column reflects the number of youth ages 14-and older

within each area at the time this report was pulled.

Board payments for IV-E eligible youth may be made through title IV-E funds. Board

payments for youth who are not IV-E eligible are paid using State General Revenue funds.

The Division also offers several other financial supports to assist youth with achieving

Area

Annual # Of youth who

participated

# Of total youth statewide

132

270

163

185

135

357

189

213

169

109

Total

1,495

1,118

260

normalcy while in foster care as well as helping them to transition to adulthood. Arkansas

claimed IV-E funding for contract payments to youth placed in our Supervised

Independent living program who are IV-E eligible as allowed under Family First

Prevention Act. Part of the contract payment includes a stipend for the youth for clothing,

food, etc.

Overall, the Supervised Independent Living contracts continue to provide a much-needed

placement options for youth participating in the Extended Foster Care Program. There

are currently eight providers statewide with a total of 46 contracted beds across the state

with 31 beds full as of June 28, 2022. Five of these beds are not currently filled because

two of the eight providers are not accepting referrals at this time due to their own staffing

challenges. Another provider just opened an SIL Level 1 group of apartments at the end

of June 2022 that will be able to take up to six youth, but since it has just been opened

and received licensure approval on June 29, 2022, no youth have been placed to date.

This SIL placement option for youth over the age of 18 has been a much-needed addition

to the state’s placement continuum, particularly in regard to SIL Level 2 settings --

designed for youth with a higher-level need – which have overall been a helpful transition

option for youth previously in QRTP settings. However, both SIL Level 1 and Level 2

settings have bolstered the overall placement continuum. Prior to the implementation of

SIL, there were only three placement providers that would regularly accept youth over the

age of 18. While these three were strong partners that offered significant wrap-around

support to youth participants, the capacity of these programs was limited due to funding

issues. With the SIL contract payments, these financial issues have since been

ameliorated.

Many of the SIL providers have cultivated notable community connections for the youth

in their placement setting who have helped to transport the youth to jobs, welcomed them

into church communities, or resulted in job placement opportunities designed to meet the

interests and skills of the youth. One example is of a young man who was interested in a

career in industrial maintenance. The SIL Provider arranged for an interview for this youth

with Alma Tractor and Equipment, which does sales, repairs, and maintenance on heavy

farm and related equipment. Alma Tractor gave the youth a two-month trial period to make

sure that this is what he wants to do with his life and prove his abilities. As a result, this

youth has since started a heavy equipment mechanic training program sponsored by New

Holland Farm Equipment and Alma Tractor and Equipment. The program is completely

paid for by the dealership with contractual stipulations stating how long the youth must

work for the dealership after graduation. He will graduate from this program with a

certificate that would transfer over to other positions in the field. The job that he will be

awarded at Alma Tractor and Equipment upon graduation would start out at

261

approximately $45,000 per year with great benefits. The company expressed that the

starting salary is very low compared to the salary that youth can expect after having two

to three years of experience.

The additional case management through the SIL providers have also benefitted this

population that often do not get the one-on-one support many of them require. For

example, SIL providers have helped to ensure that youth who have been behind on school

credits have sufficiently caught up on school credits, have earned their driver’s licenses,

and have helped youth navigate challenging situations with their biological families.

The TYS Program Manager continues to review weekly summaries for each youth placed

in an SIL setting (these summaries are also provided to the youth’s FSW, FSW

Supervisor, and TYS Coordinator) and monthly programmatic reports to identify

challenges and successes on the individual client and program levels.

Regarding other placement issues for older youth in foster care, while the Division would

like to continue to grow its number of resource homes that take children age 10-17, DCFS

is pleased that the percentage of resource homes that take this age population has

remained fairly constant despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Please see APSR

Attachment A: State Profile 2022, page 7 for more detail.

During this reporting period, the state also continued to implement its NYTD Program

Improvement Plan. Much of the work over the last year has focused on strengthening the

collection of high-quality data through NYTD by making CHRIS enhancements that were

recommended as a result of Arkansas’s Onsite NYTD Review that occurred in April 2018.

For example, modifications were made to the Client General Information Screen so that

the Tribe Grouping screen will no longer mark the ‘Primary’ Tribe field Mandatory when

the Race ‘American Indian or Alaskan Native’ is selected. Staff can now enter

Primary/Secondary Tribe information in the Tribe grouping as deemed appropriate.

In terms of how the state is integrating NYTD data into the state’s quality assurance

system, the state has not had the capacity to address this issue and is still struggling to

pull county-level data from NYTD that would be more helpful to families and youth; tribes;

courts; and other partners verses a statewide snapshot that is currently available.

However, the hope is that this may be accomplished with the implementation of the state’s

CCWIS over the next few years. However, DCFS has made several attempts to continue

to educate staff and stakeholders about the NYTD survey and the importance of

262

encouraging youth to participate. For instance, during this reporting period this has been

a featured topic on the DCFS Director’s weekly Zoom open to all staff. A presentation on

NYTD was also provided to resource parents during their November 2021 Lunch and

Learn via Zoom. The goal being to encourage them to prompt and assist older youth

placed in their homes or with whom they have ongoing relationship due to previous

placements in their home to complete the NYTD survey. The presentation was recorded

and sent out to all resource parents to view at their discretion.

The Division has also continued work during this reporting period to refer youth to public

housing authorities with whom the Division has standing Memoranda of Understanding

(MOUs) regarding the Foster Youth Independence vouchers. This program has

particularly grown over the last reporting period in Pulaski County. To date, approximately

30 youth have been referred by DCFS and received housing vouchers.

The Division is also enthused by recently developed private partnerships that will meet

the needs of LGBTQI+ youth and young adults. For example, DCFS has partnered with

Foster Love, a statewide non-profit recruitment agency with the goal of opening more all-

inclusive Arkansas foster and adoptive homes and a place for LGBTQI+ children in foster

care to call home. Foster Love conducted its first PRIDE training series in June 2022.

In addition, DCFS has also developed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the

joint venture that is Jessi’s House and Club Z at Sweet House. Jessi’s House is a

renovated Victorian home that provides a space for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,

and questioning youth in the River Valley area of Arkansas (i.e, portions of DCFS Areas

2 and 5), giving them a safe space to rest and regroup, build a support network, and

access to resources to improve the trajectory of their futures. There are currently two

youth participating in the Extended Foster Care Program who are placed at Jessi’s

House.

Club Z at Sweet House is a community and event center located in Fort Smith, Arkansas

(DCFS Area 2). It serves diverse organizations, including a program for LGBTQ youth

called Club Z. The Executive Director has presented to Area 2 staff about supports

available to youth at Sweet House and has also indicated interest in providing training or

general information sharing to resource parents as well as biological parents who have

open in-home cases to make them aware of resources available to youth in their homes

who may identify as LGBTQI+ and need a safe space to spend their time.

Coordination with other federal and state programs for youth, abstinence education

programs, programs for disabled youth, and school-to-work programs offered by high

263

schools or local workforce agencies have been limited. This is because much of the focus

of the TYS Program Manager during this period was on the facilitation of Division X funds

and the implementation of LifeSet while also working three primary Extended Care Foster

Care cases due to staff shortages in Pulaski County and otherwise trouble-shooting other

issues related to specific youth participating in the TYS Program. The notable exception

is work conducted alongside the Department of Workforce Services. The TYS Program

Manager provided a presentation regarding the TYS Program for the Department of

Workforce Services (DWS) at the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)

Partners’ meeting. This presentation provided a detailed overview of the TYS Program

to include services, supports, and applicable policy.

In addition, DWS has provided DCFS with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

(TANF) funds to expand the LifeBase Program offered through Immerse Arkansas. The

LifeBase Program provides in-home, two-generational coaching and case management

including ongoing assessment to promote progress for teens in foster care in a resource

home or teens who were adopted from foster care. There are also plans to offer this

service to youth who are placed in a QRTP and require additional support outside of the

treatment services provided to them at the QRTP. LifeBase:

• Recruits, trains, and facilitates connections between volunteers and foster and

adoptive families in order to provide mentorship, respite, and tangible assistance

such as laundry, meals, etc.

• Provide retreats and trainings using trauma-informed principles to promote

permanent bonds between the youth and family

• Focuses on safe and stable housing by:

o Empowering and guiding youth and families to create a home

atmosphere that has physical and psychological safety

o Increasing placement stability through appropriately identifying and

addressing the needs of youth and families

o Empowering youth and families through building resiliency, implementing

protective factors, and strengthening developmental assets

o Assisting in the development and implementation of a plan towards

independent housing when appropriate

• Provides 24/7 crisis intervention and support

• Provides a therapeutic component to LifeBase services that include:

o Individual scheduled trauma therapy for the youth;

o Evidence-based treatment including a series of prolonged therapy

sessions in which youth and their family process the youth’s trauma

o Immediate counseling as needed through an on-site therapist

264

• Increases earning potential by equipping each youth and family with

resources and tools for educational and employment stability and growth.

Essentially LifeBase provides additional and more intensive case management services

than the assigned DCFS caseworker can typically provide. As such, DCFS, Immerse, and

DWS see LifeBase as filling a gap within the current system since youth in foster care or

who have exited foster care to permanency often do not receive the level of case

management and support required given their trauma histories, among other challenges.

LifeBase will not replace DCFS case management services but bolster them. LifeBase is

also unique in that it focuses not only on the youth, but also on their foster or adoptive

parents thereby utilizing a whole-family approach in providing services to this population

that is designed not only to increase placement stability for this population, but also

produce better long-term outcomes for these youth and their families. All of these facets

of the LifeBase Program align with the agency’s vision that every child has a safe, stable,

and nurturing family each day.

The Division admittedly struggles with culturally specific service providers for this

population. The Division strives to meet culture needs of youth in care by providing some

limited supports for various cultural events and celebrations such as quinceaneras. The

Division also maintains a statewide contract for interpretation services. Some of the DCFS

area diligent recruitment plans also include activities to target recruitment of Spanish

speaking families as well.

Regarding other goals for the Transitional Youth Services Program set forth in the

Division’s CFSP, the TYS Program has not yet focused on those goals due to other efforts

referenced above and the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Remaining goals

include the creation of a video to be used for foster home recruitment and expansion of

Youth Advisory Boards at the state and local level. As noted in the updates to the plan for

enacting the state’s vision and progress made to improve outcomes section of this report,

the Division has proposed deleting Strategy 2 and related Activities C1, C2, and C3

regarding a contract with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences to create a

service coordinator position to assist pregnant and parenting teens and insert the

Division’s implementation of LifeSet in its place as LifeSet may address similar needs for

this sub-population of youth (see Division X section below for more information on

LifeSet).

The Divisions efforts to support and reach out to youth and young adults in or formerly in

foster care to promote wellness and proactively address mental health needs has been

limited. For the most part this is done through individual staffings with youth or otherwise

265

on a one-on-one basis rather than a strategic effort across the board.

DCFS has had conversations with its sister Division of Medical Services (Medicaid) and

Division of County Operations (DCO, the Division that handles eligibility for Medicaid,

among other benefits) regarding access to Medicaid for youth formerly in foster care who

move to a new state after January 1, 2023. The DCO Director confirmed on June 8, 2022,

that she has requested her policy team to promulgate the change and schedule an

applicable ARIES system change. To date, most efforts to provide youth formerly in foster

care in Arkansas with information and resources to support their enrollment in Medicaid

in their new state of residence has centered around completing the CFS-008: Proof of

Foster Care form upon request. The Division will be providing a reminder to all staff about

this form, and the Division’s obligation to complete it for youth when staff are aware the

youth is moving to another state or upon request.

While certainly specific training related to supporting the goals and objectives of the

state’s Chafee plan and to help resource parents, relative guardians, adoptive parents,

works in group homes, and case managers understand their opportunity to promote and

assist youth in the transition to adulthood would be beneficial, the state does not have

plans to implement specific training on this topic due to other training obligations and

initiatives.

Division X Additional Funding from the Supporting Foster Youth and Families

Through the Pandemic Act

Under Division X Supporting Foster Youth and Families Through the Pandemic Act, the

Division offered additional services and supports to a wider population of youth. For

example, the Division offered COVID relief payments of up to $1,000 to any youth who

experienced foster care at 14 or older and has not yet attained age 27 and not currently

in foster care with the exception that youth participating in the Extended Foster Care

Program could also request this $1,000 COVID relief payment. This option was put into

place and announced to staff, stakeholders, and youth on January 28, 2021. These

COVID relief payments were made directly to the providers of eligible goods/services or

youth were reimbursed if receipts and other required documentation are submitted.

Eligible expenses included:

• Rent deposit

• Rent payment

• Utility deposits and hook-up fees

• Household appliances

• Groceries

266

• Personal care items

• Computer or similar devices related to support of educational goals

• Driver’s education and licenses

• Automotive repairs

• Auto insurance

• Car payments

• Phone/phone bill payments

• GED costs

• Work apparel.

The Division was also able to approve more and longer-term stays in hotel for youth no

longer in foster care given the ability through Division X to serve youth up to age 27 and

the ability to exceed the limitation on the percentage of funds that may be used for room

and board. In total, the Division assisted 314 youth through the COVID relief payments

totaling $47,621.96.

The Division was also able to welcome youth over the age of 21 back into the Extended

Foster Care Program or allow youth who turned 21 during this reporting period to stay in

the Extended Foster Care Program until September 30, 2021. Once again, these options

were also announced to staff, stakeholders, and youth beginning January 28, 2021.

Thirty-three youth chose benefit from Extended Foster Care past the age of 21 thanks to

the flexibilities of the Supporting Youth and Families Through the Pandemic Act funding.

In an effort to more quickly facilitate Division X funding into the hand of youth,

demographic information was not collected on youth who accessed Division X funding.

All Division X funding requests were tracked on a manual spreadsheet. There was not

time to develop a mechanism within the Division’s information management system to

link Client ID, and therefore associated demographic information, with these COVID relief

funding requests in a way that the system could then produce a report regarding specific

client demographics. Further, with one person managing most of these requests, there

was not internal capacity to otherwise track demographic information.

The Division worked with its internal Office of Communications and Community

Engagement to create an infographic describing and advertising Division X services. This

publication was sent out to community partners that typically serve youth who have aged

out of foster care such as homeless shelters and libraries, current placement providers

(including resource parents), attorneys ad litem, CASA, parent counsel, the Court

Improvement Program, and posted the infographic to the Department’s social media

outlets. In addition, the TYS Unit worked internally with the DHS data team to retrieve

email addresses for former foster youth who would be eligible to receive support. The

TYS Fiscal Support Specialist contacted each youth who had an email address entered

267

in the Division data information system to provide them with a summary of services

eligible to them through Division X, including the additional ETV funding and flexibility in

program requirements.

The Division also collaborated with its IT team to create a website for eligible youth to

apply for direct payments processed through a one-time payment mechanism. This

website containing the online application for COVID relief funds for youth who

experienced foster care at 16 or older and who have not yet attained the age of 27 was

announced on July 26, 2021 and was open to accept applications from July 26-August

31, 2022.

To help promote this funding opportunity and corresponding website, YAB

representatives as well as other youth with previous lived experience in the Arkansas

foster care system participated in a public service announcement (PSA) developed in

conjunction with the DHS Office of Communications and Community Engagement. This

PSA provided an overview of the COVID relief direct payment opportunity and how to

apply. The PSA received over 5,000 views on the Department’s social media webpage.

Direct emails regarding this online application for COVID relief funds for youth who

experienced foster care were also sent to DCFS staff, attorneys ad litem, CASA, parent

counsel, the Court Improvement Project, placement providers across the placement

continuum, and youth themselves. Over 1,700 applications were received. The month of

September was spent reconciling the information provided through the online applications

with the information in CHRIS. As a result of those efforts, 1,118 youth were determined

to be eligible for direct payments in the amount of $1,250.00 for a total of $1,397,500.00

of Division X funding expensed for this population. The checks were mailed to youth on

September 30, 2021.

Throughout much of the fall, a significant amount of time on the part of the TYS Unit was

required to handle issues related to this direct COVID payment. This included ensuring

youth who had moved placements since completing the online application still received

their checks when the checks were mailed to the originally provided address, working

with youth to re-issue checks that were lost in the mail, working with providers who did

not want youth to have the cash on-hand while placed in their programs and, as a result,

developing alternate ways for the youth to access the funding, and re-issuing checks for

youth whose checks were initially issued with their original name instead of their adoptive

name.

268

In an effort to further release Division X funding to youth in need, DCFS also developed

a Request for Applications that allowed providers that already work with youth and young

adults formerly in foster care (e.g., supportive housing providers, Runaway and Homeless

Youth grantees) to apply for funding through DCFS. This provided DCFS with an

opportunity to enhance existing relationships with these providers already connected with

this population of youth. Unfortunately, only two agencies applied, but both received

Division X funding to further support youth impacted by the public health emergency --

Immerse Arkansas and Into the Light. Immerse was awarded $8000. Into the light was

awarded $5000.

Finally, the TYS unit and members of the DCFS Finance Team participated in regional

team meetings, round table discussions, and other webinars provided to states on how

to appropriate the Division X funds.

The remaining Division X funds will be used to expand DCFS’ existing contract with Youth

Villages in order to implement LifeSet in Arkansas. LifeSet is an individualized, evidence-

informed community-based program that is highly intensive. LifeSet specialists meet with

participants face to face at least once each week. They text, email and call young people

regularly throughout the week, when needed. Specialists stabilize even the toughest

situations and help young people build healthy relationships, obtain safe housing,

education and employment. More than 20,000 young people have helped through LifeSet

across the country since the program began in 1999, and the Division is thrilled to bring

this program to Arkansas. Initially LifeSet will be piloted in Areas 1 and 2. The contract

deliverables for LifeSet become will become effective on July 1, 2022 at which point Youth

Villages will begin the hiring process and associated training of staff. The Division and

LifeSet anticipate being ready to accept referrals by fall 2022. The specific population to

be served by LifeSet will be:

• Youth who have a goal of Another Planned Permanent Living Arrangement

(APPLA) or Adoption and who do not plan to enter Extended Foster Care (EFC)

upon admission

• Young adults receiving an Education and Training Voucher (ETV) Young adults

planning to enter or currently enrolled in EFC and who need additional support

beyond EFC case management

• Young adults who exited foster care (at age 18 or exited EFC) and need

additional support

• Young adults preparing to step down from Supervised Independent Living (SIL)

• Young adults who were adopted or entered into a guardianship at 16 or older and

are in need of additional support.

269

As part of the pre-implementation work associated with LifeSet, DCFS also applied for a

private funding opportunity through the Youth Villages to assist with implementation costs.

The Division was awarded the full requested amount of $850,096.00 in private funding

over the next three years as it works to implement LifeSet in Arkansas. DCFS and Youth

Villages look forward to this public-private partnership designed to help youth in foster

care achieve independence.

Similar to LifeBase, DCFS envisions LifeSet fitting into the current service array as an

additional service to case management. The Division believes LifeSet Specialists will help

bridge some of these existing gaps for youth on FSW caseloads. For instance, DCFS

caseworkers typically do not have the capacity to provide intensive, individualized support

needed by most youth in foster care in the way that LifeSet Specialists will be able to do.

DCFS staff and LifeSet Specialists will work as a team by actively communicating and

collaborating through various forums to include the young adults’ Transitional Team

Meetings. LifeSet will align with the state’s vision of collaborating with stakeholders to

ensure that older youth have a safe, stable, and nurturing family, however an individual

youth may choose to define said family.

DCFS also believes that LifeSet’s approach to addressing the social determinants of

health with the support of its GuideTree tool may be a first step in modeling for DCFS

staff, stakeholders, and youth how a strong Transitional Plan may be developed and

executed. Further, LifeSet will also complement existing Life Skills classes; however,

LifeSet Specialists will be able to target each youth’s specific interests and needs and

provide the one-on-one support to meet those needs in a community setting in a way Life

Skills classes cannot.

Education and Training Voucher Program

There were no changes during this reporting period to the state’s administration of the

Education and Training Voucher (ETV) Program. Youth in care, emancipated youth, youth

who exited foster care at age 18 or older, and youth who exited foster care and entered

into an adoption or guardianship at 16 and older may apply for assistance through the

ETV program. ETV is available to eligible youth in these populations up until the age of

26 as long as ETV is not accessed by an individual for more than five years. First-time

college applicants only require either a high school diploma OR a GED. For youth who

have already been awarded ETV, they must re-apply for ETV each semester. To re-

qualify for ETV once a youth has started college, he/she must be in good academic

standing and making progress toward a degree.

270

Arkansas currently manages the ETV program. Youth, who apply and are deemed eligible

for participation in the program receive up to $5000 each state fiscal year. However, due

to the Supporting Foster Youth and Families Through the Pandemic Act, ETV funds were

increased to up to $12,000 each state fiscal year through September 30, 2022. This

information about the increased funding available through ETV and increased flexibility

was put in place and announced to staff, stakeholders, and youth beginning on January

28, 2021.

During this reporting period, ETV funds have been utilized to assist youth with tuition,

fees, books, housing, laptops, etc. ETV can be utilized to pay for summer school as long

as the limit is not exceeded in any state fiscal year. ETV is paid directly to the post-

secondary institution. If there are remaining ETV funds available to the youth after all

post-secondary institution tuition and fees have been paid, the ETV funds may be used

for other costs of attendance as long as the other items do not exceed the total cost of

attendance for a particular school. However, as noted above, under the Supporting Foster

Youth and Families Through the Pandemic there is currently even more flexibility in terms

of what ETV can cover if it will help the youth stay enrolled in post-secondary educational

settings; this has allowed the Division to work with youth to identify other needs and use

ETV funding received through Division X to help the youth remain enrolled in school and,

in some cases, has helped youth to re-enroll in schools now that they have this additional

financial support. Other costs of attendance are paid either directly to the provider of those

goods or may be paid directly to the youth on a reimbursement basis provided the

appropriate documentation is submitted by the youth.

The ETV approval process takes place within the TYS Unit including tracking of ETV

amounts awarded in the date information system, which is how the state provides an

unduplicated number of ETVs awarded each school year.

In order to access any federal funding youth must complete the Free Application for

Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is the key to federal Pell Grants, the Arkansas

Academic Challenge Scholarship, and the DCFS Educational and Training Voucher

(ETV). Assuming a youth successfully completes the FAFSA, almost all youth in foster

care will qualify for a federal Pell Grant (typically almost $6,000 for the entire academic

year). This is the first source of financial aid applied to a youth's cost of attendance for

college.

Services provided through ETV since the submission of the 2020-2024 CFSP have not

changed with the exception of messaging the increased funding amounts and

271

programmatic flexibility offered through the Supporting Foster Youth and Families

Through the Transition Act to youth and stakeholders. The previously mentioned

infographic that summarizes benefits through Division X includes information regarding

ETV. One of the biggest barriers the state has experienced in being able to use the

additional ETV funds is due to the low number of youth who elect to enroll in a post-

secondary education institution. This is in line with the overall population in Arkansas in

terms of post-secondary academic achievement. According to the U.S. Census Bureau,

only 23.8% of person’s 25 years of age and older in Arkansas has a Bachelor’s degree

or higher. The state does not anticipate liquidating the remainder of its additional ETV

funding through COVID by September 30, 2022.

DCFS continued to work with the various colleges and universities to trouble-shoot

student account issues and otherwise support students whose post-secondary education

may have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Examples include the TYS

Specialist supporting youth with communicating with their financial aid offices to ensure

youth were not dropped from classes while awaiting their ETV funds to arrive. The TYS

Specialist assisted one youth with re-enrolling in classes after he decided to withdraw

from school to work. During that time, working to afford his basic living needs was priority.

The Division was able to use the COVID relief funds to supplement some of his income

so that he could focus on school and not feel pressured to choose between working or

attending to school.

The TYS Program continued to receive and process ETV applications for youth pursuing

post-secondary educational goals. ETV continued to be applied to the cost of attendance

for youth enrolled in an accredited institution of higher education. The financial assistance

provided through ETV complements additional funding the youth receive through Pell

Grants and other local scholarships and programs. During this reporting period, 101 youth

were awarded ETV funding.

Act 355 of the 93

General Assembly, Regular Session 2021 allowed for institutions of

higher education to designate a current member of the staff to serve as the liaison for

students who are homeless, in foster care, or who left foster care at eighteen (18) years

of age or older. The purpose of this staff person is to:

• Inform prospective students about:

o Financial aid

o Other means of financial assistance

• Assist students in applying for and receiving:

o Federal and state financial aide

272

o Other available services designed to assist students with navigating and

successfully managing course work and student life.

Not all colleges and universities have taken advantage of this option. However, the TYS

Unit staff in Central Office has worked over the past year to determine which schools have

opted in. This will allow the TYS Unit and the respective schools to collaborate in an effort

to increase student enrollment, retention, and graduation for this population.

Consultation and Coordination Between States and Tribes

Please refer to the earlier section regarding Consultation and Coordination between

States and Tribes for information regarding how the states consult Indian tribes and

efforts to coordinate programs with these tribes. This information applies to sharing

information regarding Chafee and ETV.

Benefits and services under Chafee and ETV have objective criteria, so these programs

are available to Indian children and youth on the same basis as to other children in the

state. All Chafee and ETV benefits described above are available to Indian children and

youth.

CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION BETWEEN STATES AND TRIBES

There are no changes regarding the state’s consultation and coordination with tribes.

DCFS provides services and supports to all child populations in Arkansas — including

Native American. Children’s ethnicity is captured in the CHRIS system when a case is

opened. A family’s ethnicity is also discussed at the probable cause and adjudication

hearing to determine if the family is a member of a Native American tribe. The attorneys

for the Department take the lead on notifying any Tribal Nation and assisting with

coordination of steps to verify the membership of the child with a specific Tribe including

verifying maternity and paternity of the child. During this verification process, as well as

after Tribal membership has been confirmed, DCFS staff ensure that Tribal Liaison

representatives are included in all aspects of case management and that child welfare

services and protections for tribal children are provided. These services and protections

include operation of a case review system; a preplacement preventative services program

for children at risk of entering foster care to remain safely with their families; and a service

program for children in foster care to facilitate reunification with their families, when safe

and appropriate, or to place a child in an adoptive home, legal guardianship, or other

planned, permanent living arrangement.

During this reporting period there were zero (0) cases that was moved to tribal court.

273

The Division’s policy and procedures are applicable to all child populations. The Tribal

Liaison representative is included for children identified as Native American.

All children ages 14 and older in Arkansas are referred to the Transitional Youth Services

(TYS) (Independent Living) program and eligible to participate in the TYS program. The

program allows youth to actively participate in life skill classes, the development of their

Life Plan, and to actively patriciate in the planning of their future. The limitations of APPLA

as a permanency goal (i.e., only available as appropriate to youth ages 16 and older)

applies to ICWA children as well. If a current ICWA child reaches the age of 14 during

this year, they will be referred to the TYS Coordinator in their area to begin offering

independent livings services will be offered to them. No tribes requested to develop an

agreement to administer, supervise, or oversee the Chafee or ETV program with respect

to eligible Indian children or to receive an appropriate portion of the state’s allotment for

such administration or supervision.

Some examples of case management activities that DCFS provides include:

• Providing updates and/or notification on placement moves

• Conduct home studies on potential relative/fictive kin placements

• Work with ICPC on any cross-jurisdictional placement requests

• Ensuring all educational needs are met

• Notifications of court hearings, case plan staffings, mediations

• Providing a schedule of the parent/child visits

Some examples of case activities the Tribal Liaison representative might provide

include:

• Attending & participating in court hearings

• Ensuring that the legal language is in the court orders

• Recommending services/placements specifically for Native American children

• Providing parents various contacting information

• Advocating the child and/or parent

• Provide expert witness testimony

Currently, the majority of the ICWA cases in Arkansas are predominately in Northwest

Arkansas—Benton, Carroll, Washington, Boone, Crawford, and Sebastian counties.

However, there are a few other cases scattered throughout the state. In this area, almost

all of the foster children involved with ICWA are part of the Cherokee Nation. The FSWs

communicate one-on-one with the Tribal caseworker from the Cherokee Nation on cases.

274

Generally, it appears to be a good working relationship between the DCFS staff and the

Cherokee Nation caseworker.

On the few other Native American cases, typically the OCC attorney regularly consults

with the Tribal representatives. These same OCC attorneys provide notice as required by

ICWA and have ongoing communication with the Tribal representatives to discuss

participation in the court hearings and case plan staffings. The OCC attorneys also help

assist in identifying potential placements, although the placement options are not always

utilized.

Arkansas continues to only have a few child welfare cases that have Native American

children identified. Please see below the breakdown for SFY 2022:

For SFY 2022 CHRIS reflects for foster children American Indian and Alaskan Native

Data:

Unique count of children in foster care during SFY 2022 between July 1, 2021 - May

31, 2022: 124

• 78 Current foster children who are identified as American Indian and Alaskan

Native (AIAN)

• 46 Children who left foster care between July 1, 2021 - May 31, 2022

• 30 Children who are identified as American Indian and Alaskan Native (AIAN)

and entered foster care between July 1, 2021 - May 31, 2022

Some of the Tribes represented in the number of children entering care were: Cherokee

Nation of Oklahoma, Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, The Chickasaw

Nation, and Chippewa Cree of Rocky Boy's Reservation.

Tribal Communication/Collaboration

DCFS continues its good working relationship with the Cherokee Nation, the tribe where

the majority of the Arkansas foster children have heritage.

There is one primary Cherokee field caseworker and they continue to have a good rapport

with the local office staff. DCFS Central Office Tribal liaisons are always available to

assist these caseworkers with any issues that may arise. Tribal liaison has assisted a

Cherokee worker needing information on prior investigations information during this

reporting period. The Cherokee Nation field caseworker continues to provide ongoing

training to DCFS field staff in the Northwest region of Arkansas as needed. She is invited

to staff meetings and provide information on ICWA policies and the importance of what

active efforts mean to each case.

275

The DCFS Director also continues the annual contact with the tribal leaders, via email, to

promote an avenue to express any issues/concerns/ideas on an ongoing basis. The

establishment of the two Central Office liaisons has continued to help strengthen the

collaboration/partnership with Tribal agencies. In April 2022, the Division Director made

contact via email with the leaders of all the tribes with which Arkansas has the potential

to have affiliation regarding placements of children. The email provided the Directors

contact information, the two Central Office liaisons contact information, the approved FFY

2022 APSR, a link to the DCFS master policy manual, and an excerpt of the ICWA policy.

The tribal leads were:

• Nikki Baker, Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma

• Lari Ann Brister, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma

• Tamara Gibson, Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma

• Mandy Dement, Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma

• Andrea Patterson, Cheyenne Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma

• Shannon Ahtone, Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma

• Amanda Farren, Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma

• Amy Oldfield, Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma

• Christi Gonzales, Tonkawa Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma

• Tara Gragg, Wyandotte Nation

There were no negative responses and or suggestions to the policy from members who

received the APSR and policies.

Arkansas continues to look for ways to engage other tribes in meaningful case

consultation and to ensure collaboration for the best interest of each child. While

Arkansas has made some progress, communication and collaboration with the tribal

partners could still be improved. Field staff and practicing attorneys need to continue to

receive training on all ICWA requirements.

As referenced above, the Division Director will continue to make contact with the tribal

leaders on an annual basis to promote an avenue to express any issues/concerns/ideas.

The Division believes that the two Central Office liaisons will continue to help strengthen

its collaboration/partnership with Tribal agencies.

CAPTA STATE PLAN REQUIREMENTS AND UPDATES

The Arkansas Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment (CAPTA) State Plan assures that

Arkansas directs funding to the CAPTA allowable and required programmatic areas. The

276

Arkansas CAPTA Coordinator (State Liaison Officer) may be contacted at:

[email protected] P.O. Box 1437 Slot S563 Little Rock, AR 72203.

There were no substantive changes to state law or regulations relating to the prevention

of child abuse and neglect that could affect the state’s eligibility for the CAPTA State

Grant. Several activities previously funded by CAPTA remain, including the funding of

continued Safety Organized Practice implementation in Arkansas. All activities, services,

and initiatives funded by CAPTA support various program areas enumerated in section

106(a) of CAPTA. More detail is provided below.

Activities Supported by CAPTA and Prevention Funding

Case management including ongoing case monitoring and delivery of services and

treatment to children and their families through:

• Family Treatment Program contracts that continue to provide parents and

caregivers of sexually abused children with treatment. Participants receive an

ssessment, diagnostic interview, psychiatric review, and individual or group

psychotherapy. Services are offered statewide. There are no planned changes to

this program.

• Three Citizen Review Panels that review investigations and work to improve child

welfare related practices and systems. These panels operate in Pope, Logan and

Garland Counties. The citizen review panels play an important role in the success

of the agency and recommendations are used to improve practice and outcomes

for the children and families served. Some of the responsibilities of the panels

include:

o Ensuring agreements of confidentiality are signed by members;

o Development of an annual plan to identify and carry out specific short- and

long-term goals, unique to their area. The goals are designed to assist

DCFS to better serve children and families;

o information on pending child maltreatment investigations;

o Making recommendations for services on each investigation reviewed at the

CRP meeting and submitting to DCFS.

• Family Centered Treatment (FCT) Intensive In Home Services contract from

October 1, 2021-December 31, 2021 while the IV-E Prevention Services

Clearinghouse conducted a re-review of FCT.

Developing, strengthening, and facilitating training topics through:

• Research-based strategies and Differential Response (DR) to promote

collaboration with the families.

277

• Limited funding for investigative training provided through UALR MidSOUTH

Training Academy.

• Additional parenting training resources that will be made available to field staff for

guidance in providing services to families.

• Collaboration with the Commission on Child Abuse, Rape, and Domestic Violence

and the mandated reporter training provided by the Commission for the state.

• Safety Organized Practice (SOP) Training and implementation activities for all

DCFS Staff. Please see the State Training Plan Update for more information

regarding the SOP Training and associated implementation. There is also a Safety

Organized Practice Implementation Team that meets monthly and is supported

through the Evident Change contract which is funded with CAPTA dollars. The

team consists of stakeholders and DCFS staff from across the state and has been

working on DCFS’s Practice Model and a logic model to help create a Continuous

Quality Improvement process. The team will have also sub-committees for

community outreach, CCWIS development, and legal considerations.

Developing, implementing, or operating programs to assist in obtaining or coordinating

necessary services for families of disabled infants with life threatening conditions

including:

• Social, health, and financial services necessary to facilitate adoptive placement of

any such infants who have been relinquished for adoption to include the availability

of a physician to assist in responding to “Baby Doe” reports.

Developing and delivering information to improve public education relating to the role and

responsibility of the child protection system and the nature and basis for reporting

suspected incidents of child abuse and neglect through:

• Child abuse prevention materials and promotional items distribution. DCFS will

purchase promotional items and prevention materials to target the reduction of

child abuse and community awareness on the importance of prevention. These

materials will also continue to be distributed to DCFS staff and community

stakeholders to raise the community’s knowledge of the need to protect children.

• Prevention website updates. The Prevention Unit will continue to research topics

and upload to the website those that might be of interest to the public and assist in

bringing about awareness regarding the prevention of child maltreatment.

278

CAPTA funds have not been used in Arkansas to improve legal preparation and

representation.

Update on Services to Substance-Exposed Newborns

Regarding the state’s continued efforts to support and address the needs of infants born

with and being affected by substance abuse or withdrawal symptoms resulting from

prenatal drug exposure or a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, the primary update is the

increased number of CARA referrals (i.e., infants affected by substance abuse or

withdrawal symptoms resulting from prenatal exposure to legal drugs or FASD). The Child

Abuse Hotline received 119 CARA referrals from July 1, 2021-present as compared to 24

CARA referrals received from July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021.The primary reason for this

increase is likely the clarification provided to the hotline at the end of June 2021 which is

that infants and/or mothers who test positive only for THC met the requirement for being

“affected by” substance abuse while in utero, and if the mother possessed a valid medical

marijuana card at the time of the infant’s birth, then these reports will be routed as a CARA

referral rather than a Garrett’s Law referral.

In addition, DCFS field staff provided input to Central Office that, in addition to the CFS-

101: Plan of Safe Care Plan itself, it would be helpful to include relevant attachments to

assist staff in talking through safety and prevention information with parents and other

family members. As such, the DCFS Policy Unit created a CFS-101 “printable packet”

with a variety of resources such as infographics on safe sleep, information on resources

for women who may be suffering from maternal depression, an overview of

developmental milestones for young children, and strategies for coping with crying. The

hope is this packet will help facilitate conversations between DCFS and the caregiver and

other family members when developing the plan of safe care for substance-exposed

infants. CAPTA State Grant funding may be used to support this plan of safe care

resource packet. Aside from that activity, there are not currently any plans for using

CAPTA State Grant funding to support the development, implementation, and monitoring

of plans of safe care for substance-exposed infants.

The Prevention and Reunification continues to monitor these referrals to provide technical

assistance to field staff as needed regarding plans of safe care. DCFS is the lead agency

for these referrals and associated plans of safe care. Local entities may deliver

appropriate services (e.g., substance abuse assessment, home visiting, etc.) for

substance exposed infants and affected family members but those are all coordinated by

DCFS. SafeCare is one example of continued multidisciplinary coordination and services

for substance-exposed infants provided through local entities. SafeCare is an evidenced

279

-based contracted service through Arkansas Children’s Hospital/Arkansas Home Visiting

Network that has been statewide since June 2020. The program provides another

possible service for any Garrett’s Law report (as well as PS cases opened as a result of

a true finding for medical neglect, failure to thrive, and/or Munchausen by Proxy) in an

effort to provide additional support to mothers and their infants who suffered from

withdrawal symptoms due to prenatal drug exposure from either illegal substances or

from legal substances for which the mother did not have a prescription.

There have not been any other changes made to policy or practice other than those

described above based on the implementation of the plans of safe care for infants

experiencing withdrawal but not considered neglected under the Arkansas Child

Maltreatment Act. The state does not currently require technical assistance to support the

implementation of the CAPTA/CARA provisions.

Information on the current monitoring processes of plans of safe care are covered in

DCFS policy which can be accessed here.

More specifically, please refer to:

• Policy II-D: Child Maltreatment Investigations, p. 47 under “Investigation Initiation

Timeframes” as well as pp. 61 under “Investigation Closures and Resulting

Referrals and Case Openings

• Procedure II-D7: Other Child Maltreatment Investigation Activities,” Item C, pp.

• Policy II-F: Substance-Exposed Infants Referral and Assessment, p. 92

• Policy II-G: Team Decision Making, pp. 97

• Procedure VIII-D4: Fast Track Adoption Under Garrett’s Law, p. 347

The state has not previously participated in a Children Bureau’s site vist relating to the

development of plans of safe care for infants born and identified as being affected by

substance abuse or withdrawal symptoms resulting from prenatal drug exposure or

FASD.

Supplemental CAPTA Funding (American Rescue Plan)

Regarding the supplemental CAPTA State Grant provided under the American Rescue

Plan Act of 2021, DCFS has allocated much of these funds to support the implementation

of Structured Decision Making (SDM) rather than using them on the initial plan reported

in the 2022 APSR to support Survey Monkey accounts for the Prevention and

Reunification Unit and the Division’s Public Knowledge proposal. More specifically, DCFS

280

expanded its contract with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) MidSOUTH

Training Academy to collaborate with Evident Change regarding the development of the

SDM training curricula and then UALR MidSOUTH will also conduct all of the SDM

trainings statewide.

Through the SOP Implementation Team, the Division has been able to engage with

representatives from families, community-based agencies, legal stakeholders, and other

partners to plan for the use of funds. The state has not experienced any challenges to

date in terms of accessing or using the supplemental funds.

STATISTICAL AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION

Juvenile Justice Transfers

DCFS has children that are in Foster Care that at times are adjudicated and enter the

Juvenile Justice System which we reference as Division of Youth Services (DYS).

Although they are considered in the custody of DYS at the time of this transfer, DCFS

continues involvement in lieu of a parent. DCFS has a Memorandum of Understanding

with DYS so that a smooth transfer of custody upon entering and discharging from the

DYS system can be ensured. The discharge process could mean a transfer back to DCFS

custody and authority, reunification with parent/relative, or the youth ages out on their

own. For youth aging out, the goal is to help identify and/or facilitate a support system

that is available to the youth upon discharge. DCFS has an identified liaison that works

closely with DYS on youth and the custody.

For SFY 2021 (July 1, 2021 to May 31, 2022) there were 17 distinct DYS Clients with

custody cases who were committed to DYS during that time frame.

This data was obtained from the DYS RiteTrack system and provided by the DYS Data

Unit Manager.

Education and Training Vouchers Awarded

Name of State/ Tribe: ARKANSAS

Total ETVs Awarded

Number of New ETVs

Final Number: 2020-2021

School Year

(July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021)

129

2021-2022 School Year*

(July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022)

101

281

Comments: The numbers above reflect ETV awards through June 28, 2022

Inter-Country Adoptions

Reports the number of children who were adopted from other countries and who

entered into State custody is (1). The child was adopted from Jamaica at the age of two

(2). The family resided in Chicago, IL when the child was adopted.

282

WORKFORCE DEMOGRAPHICS

Information on Child Protective Service Workforce as of June 2022

For child protective service personnel responsible for intake screening, assessment, and

investigation of child abuse neglect reports, the following data is available:

DCFS averages:

CACD averages:

Hotline Operator averages:

Female

89%

Female

90%

Female

75%

Male

11%

Male

10%

Male

25%

Race:

Caucasian

57%

Caucasian

75%

Caucasian

64%

African American

42%

African American

18%

African American

36%

Hispanic

Other

Asian

Ages:

20’s

26%

20-30

15%

30’s

26%

31-40

32%

40’s

26%

41-50

29%

50’s

17%

51-60

18%

60+

61-70

Educational Level:

BSW

11.42%

BSW

Related degree

Related Degree

47.98%

Related Degree

90%

BS/Master's

Degree related

field

96%

283

MSW

1.55%

MSW

Associate

5.41%

Associate

No Degree

21.29%

No Degree

Doctorate

.17%

Non-Related

Degree

12.19%

284

Average Caseload By County as of May 31,2022

Data as of 5/31/22

As of May31, 2022, the average statewide caseload was 24.1, which is an increase of

1.1 cases from this time last year.

The average caseworker workload is based on calculating the total caseload for the

county and dividing it by the number of Family Service Workers housed in that particular

county. For counties reflecting an average caseload of 0.00, that means there were

not any FSWs at the time the data was pulled. As such, those cases were assigned to

workers from other counties. In many instances, counties may be relying on supervisors

to carry a workload as well. Supervisors' workload are outlined in the caseload report, but

they are not considered when calculating the average workload on a per caseworker

basis.

285

ATTACHMENTS LISTING

• APSR Checklist

• Annual Progress and Service Report (APSR)

o APSR Attachment A: State Profile, May 2022

o APSR Attachment B: Every Day Counts Profile, May 2022

o APSR Attachment C: Public Knowledge Scope of Work to Support

Transformation of Pulaski County’s Child Welfare System

o APSR Attachment D: Area QSPR Reports (1-10.)

o APSR Attachment E: TYS NYTD Case Review Template

o APSR Attachment F: DCFS Job Functionals

• SFY 2022 Citizen Review Annual Report and Responses

• SFY 2022 Health Care Oversight and Coordination Plan Updates

• SFY 2022 Disaster Plan

• SFY 2022 Foster and Adoptive Recruitment and Retention Plan Updates

• SFY 2022 Training Plan Updates

o Training Plan Attachment 1: Training Matrix