Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSR)
The Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) process is undertaken by the Children's Bureau, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families, analyzing seven major child welfare outcomes in the areas of safety, permanency, and wellbeing from a randomly selected sample of cases for each participating state, and seven systemic factors.
The CFSRs enable the Children’s Bureau to: (1) ensure conformity with certain federal child welfare requirements; (2) determine what is actually happening to children and families as they are engaged in child welfare services; and (3) assist states in enhancing their capacity to help children and families achieve positive outcomes. Federal law and regulations authorize the Children’s Bureau to administer the review of child and family services programs under titles IV-B and IV-E of the Social Security Act. The CFSRs are structured to help states identify strengths and areas needing improvement in their child welfare practices and programs as well as institute systemic changes that will improve child and family outcomes.
The CFSRs for Massachusetts were completed in three stages. Stage One was completed in July 2001, Stage Two was completed in February 2008, and Stage Three was completed in January 2016 and was then reissued in 2017.
Here we have posted the Final Reports issued by the Children's Bureau after their onsite reviews. The full set of documents prepared for each round is available here from the Children Bureau's website. These include in addition to the final reviews: Statewide Assessments which states complete prior to the review, Program Improvement Plans (PIPs) which states are required to submit if found out of conformance on any one of the seven outcomes or seven systemic factors subject to review, and Individual Key Findings Reports which are key findings from the Child and Family Services Review (CFSRs) final reports available for the first and second round reviews.
More information for CFSRs is available here.
2016
2008
2001