Visit or call with agency staff explaining the sample file process

OMB Control Number: 0970-0202
Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX

Appendix H: Topics and Questions Addressed during the Sample Process Agency Visit or Call

Thank you very much for agreeing to participate in this discussion today. Your agency’s participation is very important to the study. My name is __________ and I work for RTI International.

This collection of information is voluntary and responses will be kept private to the extent permitted by law. The information will be used to learn about the functioning and well-being, service needs, and service utilization of CWS-involved children and families. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 120 minutes per response for meeting with project staff to review the sample file instructions, and 60 minutes for the generation and transmission of each monthly sample file. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number and expiration date for this collection are OMB #: 0970-0202, Exp: XX/XX/XXXX. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to [Contact Name]; [Contact Address].

We are conducting the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW) for the Administration for Children and Families within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The purpose of NSCAW is to collect nationally representative data about the functioning and well-being, service needs, and service utilization of children and families involved in the child welfare system. We would like to talk to you today about the data collected within your agency systems, and the preparation and submission of files from which a sample of children will be drawn for the study.

Data System

• Does the agency have a computerized data system? If so, what kind?

  • What applications does the agency use, and on what platforms?

• Has the agency implemented a SACWIS system? If not, are there plans to implement the system? If so, when?

Review of Eligible Child Cases and Requested Data Elements

• The sample files should include:

1. All children with completed investigations or assessments in the prior month, and

2. Children entering legal custody through alternative pathways such as the juvenile justice system

• Is the agency able to identify the children entering legal custody through other pathways?

• Suggestions for identifying these children:

  • Children who are in AFCARS but not NCANDS

  • Depending on state law, will likely include children age 14 or older

  • For some of these children, the AFCARS reason for removal may be coded as a behavior problem (CHBEHPRB = 1).

• Table 2 of the Specifications for Monthly Sample File Submissions document lists the data elements needed for the monthly sample frame files.

• Are there any data elements that cannot be provided?

• Are there any data elements that can be provided, but in a different format?

• Are there any questions about any of the data elements?

Investigations

• What is the time limit to complete an investigation (including extensions)?

• What is the average time from the close of the investigation until the investigation data is entered in the system?

• Are there other tracks to which cases could be diverted, without going through a full investigation? If other tracks are used, are start and end dates available?

Siblings

• Are siblings of investigated children included in the file?

• If YES, do all siblings receive the same level of investigations? If so, is it possible to identify the target child(ren)?

Unsubstantiated Cases

• Would it be possible to have access to unsubstantiated case records? Are these records purged? If so, how frequently?

File Transfer

• Does the agency anticipate any problems submitting files via the project’s secure website?

• Will encryption in addition to password protection be sufficient?