PARTNERING FOR
CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT:
Implementing Federal and State Mandates for Reform
Daniel Webster, PhD
California Child Welfare Indicators Project
University of California, Berkeley
Alicia Sandoval
Child Welfare Data Analysis Bureau
California Department of Social Services
Dave McDowell, PhD
Child Welfare Outcomes and Accountability Bureau
California Department of Social Services
Barbara Needell, PhD
California Child Welfare Indicators Project
University of California, Berkeley
CCWIP is supported by the
California Department of Social Services and the Stuart Foundation
XXth ISPCAN
International
Congress on
Child Abuse
& Neglect
Nagoya, Japan
9/16/2014
BACKGROUND
• The Challenge
 Addressing Child and Family Service Review (CFSR) improvements
 Large state with many independent jurisdictions
 Supporting State DSS with data expertise
• A Coordinated Reform Effort
 California Outcomes and Accountability System (Assembly Bill 636)
 Aligns with federal mandates, with key augmentations
 Shift from compliance to continuous quality improvement – outcome
driven and collaborative
• California Child Welfare Indicators Project
 Public reporting of administrative outcome data
 Developing tools and system outcome measures
 Technical assistance
PARTNERING ROLES
• Collaboration
 California Department of Social Services
 California Child Welfare Indicators Project, UC Berkeley
 Children’s Data Network, USC
 Children’s Research Center
 Statewide Data Committee
 Stuart Foundation
• CDSS & UC Berkeley share responsibility for child
welfare reporting, analysis, and official publications
 http://cssr.berkeley.edu/ucb_childwelfare/
 http://www.dss.cahwnet.gov/research/default.htm
A PORTAL FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATIVE DATA
http://cssr.berkeley.edu/ucb_childwelfare/
MONITORING SYSTEM REFORM
MAKING ANALYSIS TRANSPARENT
• Publicly –Available Data
 Uniform across state, 24/7 availability
 Aggregate data, with drill down capability
 Pluses and minuses of public data
• Continuous Quality Improvement
 Local staff must be able to question/challenge analysis, and
get an explanation
 A learning not punitive process
 Continually test data & communicate with users
 Ongoing feedback loop
MOVING FORWARD
and Meeting New Challenges
 An Evolving Landscape with CFSR Round 3
 New measures, risk adjustment, improvement standards
 Rethink and re-tool quarterly report
 Inform child welfare agency staff
 Remain responsive & supportive to the field’s needs
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Nimble adaptability of dynamic website
Create new tools
Develop new outcome metrics
Partner with CDN in new research areas
 Turning Data into Knowledge
 Promote familiarity of data throughout agencies
 Support the link from outcome to practice
 Educate current and emerging professionals
(Graduate courses, Trainings, Data Fellows Program)
QUESTIONS?
dwebster@berkeley.edu