The Data Measures, Data Composites, and National Standards To Be Used in the Child and Family Services Reviews; Corrections, 2881-2890 [E7-808]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
• Administration for Children and Families
• Children and Families Administration

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 14 (Tuesday, January 23, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2881-2890]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-808]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


The Data Measures, Data Composites, and National Standards To Be 
Used in the Child and Family Services Reviews; Corrections

AGENCY: Children's Bureau, Administration on Children, Youth and 
Families, Administration for Children and Families, Department of 
Health and Human Services.

ACTION: Notice; corrections.

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SUMMARY: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) published a 
notice in the Federal Register of June 7, 2006 (Vol. 71, No. 109), 
pages 32969-32987, presenting the data measures, data composites, and 
national standards to be used in the Child and Family Services Review 
(CFSR). This notice provides corrections to this notice. A consolidated 
version of the June 7 Federal Register Announcement incorporating these 
corrections is provided on the Children's Bureau's Web site (address). 
The following are the key changes in the document and the reasons for 
the changes:
     There are new specifications for each of the individual 
measures included in each composite. After publication of the June 7, 
Federal Register Announcement, ACF conducted trainings on the CFSR data 
indicators at each of the 10 ACF Regional Offices. The trainings were 
provided to key administrators and staff of State child welfare 
agencies. During these trainings, issues were identified and questions 
were raised regarding the individual measures included in the 
composite. After reviewing these issues and questions, ACF determined 
that more specific information about the measures was needed and that 
some measures required revision in order to better target the outcome 
being assessed. The increased specification includes using the precise 
terminology that is used in the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and 
Reporting System (AFCARS) and describing in greater detail the children 
who are in the denominator and numerator of each measure. The revisions 
to some of the measures required changes in the syntax used to 
calculate the measures.
     There is a new definition of foster parent used by the 
National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS). The change was 
made in this definition because the definition of a foster parent used 
by NCANDS was recently revised.
     There is a new version of the table of ranges, 
percentiles, and national standards for the data indicators and 
measures to be used in the second round of the Child and Family 
Services Review. This table replaces the Table 1 provided in the June 
7, 2006 Federal Register. It was revised to reflect new data and new 
national standards for all of the CFSR data indicators. The data in the 
table and the national standards for all of the data indicators and 
measures are different than those presented in the June 7 Federal 
Register notice. This difference is due to one or both of the following 
reasons: (1) A change in the syntax for calculating some of the 
measures, and (2) a change in the process for calculating the national 
standards. The reason for the change in the procedures for calculating 
the national standards is provided in the following bullet.
     There are revisions and corrections to Attachment B: 
Methodology for Developing the Composites. The revisions in Attachment 
B were made to (1) correct an error in the original attachment B, (2) 
provide the new coefficients (weights) for the composite

[[Page 2882]]

measures that resulted from the changes in the syntax, and (3) explain 
the new procedure for calculating the national standards. The error in 
the original attachment B occurred in Step 10 of the process of 
calculating the composite scores. The new coefficients (weights) for 
each of the measures included in the composites are presented in Table 
1 of the attachment--Coefficients (Weights) for the Measures Included 
in the Permanency Related Data Composites. The coefficients/weights 
changed due to changes in the syntax used to calculate some of the 
individual measures. The new procedure for calculating the national 
standards involved changes in the statistical requirements for fitting 
the data to a normal curve and to changes in the parameters used in 
calculating the sampling error.

Correction 1

    In the Federal Register of June 7, 2006, the text beginning on page 
32974, column 1, Section Heading B (CFSR Composites and Measures That 
will be Used as Part of the Assessment of a State's Substantial 
Conformity with CFSR Permanency Outcome 1--Children have permanency and 
stability in their living situations) should be replaced with the 
specifications presented below for the individual measures included in 
each composite. The new specifications increase the precision of the 
measures and address requests for clarification by participants of 
several training sessions focusing on the data indicators. In some 
instances, increasing precision involved changes to the syntax used to 
calculate performance on the measure.

Specifications of Individual Measures Included in Each Composite

    The following provides specifications of the individual measures 
included in each data composite used to evaluate State performance for 
the second round of the CFSR. More detailed specifications are provided 
in a ``pseudo code'' as well as the SPSS syntax, both of which will be 
made available on the Web site of the National Resource Center for 
Child Welfare Data Technology (https://www.nrccwdt.org/). All measures 
included in the composites are derived from data reported to AFCARS. 
The AFCARS data set used to calculate the measures excludes children 
who are 18 years of age or older on the first day of the CFSR ``12-
month target period.'' The term ``12-month target period'' refers to 
the primary timeframe for which a State is assessed under the CFSR. 
Depending upon the time of its CFSR, a State's 12-month target period 
may include either the combination of an AFCARS A file (the first 6 
months of a fiscal year) and B file (the second 6 months of a fiscal 
year), or it may include the combination of an AFCARS B file (the 
second 6 months of a fiscal year) and A file (the first 6 months of the 
subsequent fiscal year). The 12-month target period used for 
establishing the national standards was fiscal year (FY) 2004.

Composite 1: Timeliness and Permanency of Reunification

    For the CFSR data measures, reunification occurs if the child is 
reported to AFCARS as discharged from foster care and the reason for 
discharge is either ``reunification with parents or primary 
caretakers'' or ``living with other relatives.'' Children who are 
reported to AFCARS as discharged to a legal guardianship are not 
included in the count of reunifications, even if the legal guardian to 
whom the child is discharged is a relative. If the relative is a legal 
guardian, the discharge reason of ``guardianship'' is to be used in the 
AFCARS submission.
Component A: Timeliness of Reunification
    The measures for the Timeliness of reunification component include 
an adjustment to account for State policies or practices in which 
children are reunified but the State continues to have care and 
supervision responsibilities for a period of time before discharging 
the child from foster care. This is referred to as the ``Trial Home 
Visit adjustment.''
    A child is eligible for the trial home visit adjustment if all of 
the following criteria are met:
     The child has a date of discharge from foster care that 
occurs during the 12-month target period and the reason for discharge 
is either ``reunification with parents or caretakers'' or ``living with 
other relatives;''
     At the time of discharge from foster care, the child is in 
a ``current placement setting'' of ``Trial Home Visit,'' and
     At the time of discharge from foster care, the child had 
been in the placement setting of trial home visit for longer than 30 
days.
    If these criteria are met, the child's calculated length of stay in 
foster care prior to reunification or live with relative is determined 
in the following way: First, the number of days between the child's 
latest removal from home and the date of placement in the trial home 
visit setting is determined. Then, 30 days are added to that number of 
days to provide the calculated ``length of stay in foster care'' prior 
to reunification.
    Individual Measure C1.1: Of all children who were discharged from 
foster care to reunification in the target 12-month period, and who had 
been in foster care for 8 days or longer, what percent were reunified 
in less than 12 months from the date of the latest removal from home?
    The denominator for this measure includes children who meet all of 
the following criteria:
     The child is in foster care for 8 days or longer;
     The child's date of discharge from foster care occurs 
during the 12-month target period; and
     The child has a reason for discharge, and the reason is 
either ``reunification with parents or primary caretakers'' or ``living 
with other relatives.''
    The numerator for this measure includes children who meet all of 
the criteria for inclusion in the denominator and also meet one of the 
following criteria:
     The child's date of discharge from foster care occurs less 
than 12 months from the date of the latest removal from home; or
     Using the Trial Home Visit adjustment, the child's 
``length of stay'' in foster care is less than 12 months from the date 
of the child's latest removal from home.
    Individual Measure C1.2: Of all children who were discharged from 
foster care to reunification in the 12-month target period, and who had 
been in foster care for 8 days or longer, what was the median length of 
stay in months from the date of the latest removal from home until the 
date of discharge to reunification?
    This measure includes children who meet all of the following 
criteria:
     The child is in foster care for 8 days or longer;
     The child's date of discharge from foster care occurs 
during the 12-month target period; and
     The child has a reason for discharge, and the reason is 
either ``reunification with parents or primary caretakers'' or ``living 
with other relatives.''
    Median length of stay is calculated based on one of the following 
procedures:
     The difference between the child's date of discharge from 
foster care and the child's date of latest removal from home; or
     The child's ``length of stay'' in foster care using the 
Trial Home Visit adjustment calculation.
    Individual Measure C1.3: Of all children who entered foster care 
for the first time in the 6-month period just

[[Page 2883]]

prior to the target 12-month period, and who remained in foster care 
for 8 days or longer, what percent were discharged from foster care to 
reunification in less than 12 months from the date of latest removal 
from home?
    The denominator for this measure includes children who meet all of 
the following criteria:
     The child's date of first removal from home occurs during 
the 6-month period just prior to the 12-month target period, and
     The child is in foster care for 8 days or longer.
    The numerator for this measure includes children who meet all of 
the criteria for inclusion in the denominator and who also meet at 
least one of the following criteria:
     The child has a date of discharge from foster care that is 
less than 12 months from the date of first removal from home, and the 
reason for discharge is either ``reunification with parents or primary 
caretakers'' or ``living with other relatives;'' or
     Using the Trial Home Visit adjustment, the child's 
calculated length of stay in foster care is less than 12 months from 
the date of the child's first removal from home.
Component B: Permanency of Reunification
    Individual Measure C1.4: Of all children who were discharged from 
foster care to reunification in the 12-month period prior to the target 
12-month period, what percent re-entered foster care in less than 12 
months from the date of discharge?
    Individual Measure C1.4: Of all children who were discharged from 
foster care to reunification in the 12-month period prior to the target 
12-month period, what percent re-entered foster care in less than 12 
months from the date of discharge?
    The denominator for this measure includes children who meet all of 
the following criteria:
     The child's date of discharge from foster care occurs 
during the 12-month period just prior to the 12-month target year; and
     At the time of the date of discharge, the reason for 
discharge is either ``reunification with parents or primary 
caretakers'' or ``living with other relatives.''
    The numerator for this measure includes children who meet all of 
the criteria for inclusion in the denominator and also meet the 
following criterion:
     The child's date of latest removal from home is less than 
12 months from the date of discharge from foster care that occurred 
during the 12-month period just prior to the 12-month target year.

Composite 2: Timeliness of Adoptions

Component A: Timeliness of Adoptions of Children Exiting Foster Care
    Individual Measure C2.1: Of all children who were discharged from 
foster care to a finalized adoption during the 12-month target period, 
what percent were discharged in less than 24 months from the date of 
the latest removal from home?
    The denominator for this measure includes children who meet all of 
the following criteria:
     The child has a date of discharge from foster care during 
the 12-month target period, and
     The reason for discharge is adoption.
    The numerator for this measure includes children who meet all of 
the criteria for inclusion in the denominator, and also meet the 
following criterion:
     The child's date of discharge is less than 24 months from 
the date of latest removal from home.
    Individual Measure C2.2: Of all children who were discharged from 
foster care to a finalized adoption during the 12-month target period, 
what was the median length of stay in foster care in months from the 
date of latest removal from home to the date of discharge to adoption?
    This measure includes children who meet all of the following 
criteria:
     The child's date of discharge from foster care occurs 
during the 12-month target period; and
     The reason for discharge is adoption.
    The ``length of stay'' in foster care is the time difference 
between the date of discharge from foster care to adoption and the date 
of the latest removal from home.
Component B: Progress Toward Adoption of Children Who Have Been in 
Foster Care for 17 Months or Longer
    Individual Measure C2.3: Of all children in foster care on the 
first day of the 12-month target period who were in foster care for 17 
continuous months or longer, what percent were discharged from foster 
care to a finalized adoption by the last day of the 12 month target 
period? (The denominator for this measure excludes children who, by the 
last day of the 12-month target period, are discharged from foster care 
with a discharge reason of reunification with parents or primary 
caretakers, living with other relatives, or guardianship.)
    The denominator for this measure includes children who meet all of 
the following criteria:
     The child was in foster care for 17 or more continuous 
months or longer as of the first day of the 12-month target period, and
     By the last day of the 12-month target period, the child 
had not discharged from foster care with a discharge reason of 
reunification with parents or primary caretakers, living with other 
relatives, or guardianship.
    The numerator for this measure includes children who meet all of 
the criteria for inclusion in the denominator and also meet all of the 
following criteria:
     The child's date of discharge from foster care occurs 
during the 12-month target period (including the first day of the 
target period); and
     The reason for discharge is adoption.
    Individual Measure C2.4: Of all children in foster care on the 
first day of the 12-month target period who were in foster care for 17 
continuous months or longer, and who were not legally free for adoption 
prior to that day, what percent became legally free for adoption during 
the first 6-months of the 12-month target period?
    A child is considered to be legally free for adoption if there is a 
parental rights termination date reported to AFCARS for both mother and 
father. In AFCARS, if a parent is deceased, the date of death is to be 
reported as the parental rights termination date.
    The denominator for this measure includes children who meet ALL of 
the following criteria:
     The child was in foster care for 17 continuous months or 
longer as of the first day of the 12-month target period, and
     The child was not legally free for adoption prior to the 
first day of the 12-month target period.
    The denominator for this measure excludes any child who did not 
become legally free during the first 6 months of the target year, but 
who, during that 6-month period, is discharged from foster care with a 
discharge reason of reunification with parents or primary caretakers, 
living with other relatives, or guardianship.
    The numerator for this measure includes children who meet all of 
the criteria for inclusion in the denominator and also meet the 
following criterion:
     The child became legally free for adoption during the 
first 6 months of the 12-month target period (including the first and 
last day of the 6-month period).

[[Page 2884]]

Component C: Timeliness of Adoptions of Children Who Are Legally Free 
for Adoption
    Individual Measure C2.5: Of all children who became legally free 
for adoption during the 12 months prior to the target 12-month period, 
what percent were discharged from foster care to a finalized adoption 
in less than 12 months from the date of becoming legally free?
    The denominator for this measure includes children who meet all of 
the following criteria:
     The child has a parental rights termination date for both 
mother and father, and
     The latest parental rights termination date occurs in the 
12-months just prior to the 12-month target period.
    The numerator for this measure includes children who meet all of 
the criteria for inclusion in the denominator and also meet the 
following criteria:
     The child has a date of discharge from foster care that 
occurs in less than 12 months of the latest date of parental rights 
termination, and
     The reason for discharge is adoption.

Composite 3: Achieving Permanency for Children in Foster Care for Long 
Periods of Time

Component A: Achieving Permanency for Children in Foster Care for 
Extended Periods of Time
    Individual Measure C3.1: Of all children who were in foster care 
for 24 months or longer on the first day of the 12-month target period, 
what percent were discharged to a permanent home by the last day of the 
12-month period and prior to their 18th birthday?
    A child is considered as discharged to a permanent home if the 
discharge reason reported to AFCARS is reunification with parents or 
primary caretakers, living with other relatives, guardianship, or 
adoption.
    The denominator for this measure includes children who meet the 
following criterion:
     The child is in foster care for 24 continuous months or 
longer on the first day of the 12-month target period.
    The numerator for this measure includes children who meet the 
criterion for the denominator and also meet all of the following 
criteria:
     The child's date of discharge from foster care occurs 
during the 12-month target period;
     The child's reason for discharge is reunification with 
parents or primary caretakers, living with other relatives, 
guardianship, or adoption; and
     The date of discharge from foster care occurs before the 
child's 18th birthday.
    Individual Measure C3.2: Of all children who were discharged from 
foster care during the 12-month target period, and who were legally 
free for adoption (i.e., there is a parental rights termination date 
for both parents) at the time of discharge, what percent were 
discharged to a permanent home prior to their 18th birthday?
    A child is considered as discharged to a permanent home if the 
discharge reason reported to AFCARS is reunification with parents or 
primary caretakers, living with other relatives, guardianship, or 
adoption.
    The denominator for this measure includes children who meet all of 
the following criteria:
     The child has a parental rights termination date for both 
mother and father at the time of discharge from foster care, and
     The child has a date of discharge from foster care that 
occurs during the 12-month target period.
    The numerator for this measure includes children who meet all of 
the criteria for inclusion in the denominator, and also meet all of the 
following criteria:
     The child has a discharge reason of reunification with 
parents or primary caretakers, living with other relatives, 
guardianship, or adoption; and
     The date of discharge is prior to the child's 18th 
birthday.
Component B: Children Growing Up in Foster Care
    Individual Measure C3.3: Of all children who either (1) were, prior 
to age 18, discharged from foster care during the 12-month target 
period with a discharge reason of emancipation, or (2) reached their 
18th birthday while in foster care but had not yet been discharged from 
foster care, what percent were in foster care for 3 years or longer?
    The denominator for this measure includes children who meet one of 
the following criteria:
     The child has a date of discharge from foster care during 
the 12-month target period that occurs prior to the child's 18th 
birthday and the reason for discharge is ``emancipation;'' or
     The child reaches his or her 18th birthday during the 12-
month target period and is in foster care at the time of the birthday.
    The numerator for this measure includes children who meet one of 
the criteria for inclusion in the denominator and also meet one of the 
following criteria:
     The time from the date of the latest removal from home and 
the date of discharge is equal to, or greater than, 3 years; or
     The time from the date of the latest removal from home and 
the date of the child's 18th birthday is equal to, or greater than, 3 
years.
    In AFCARS, emancipation is defined as ``the child reached majority 
according to State law by virtue of age, marriage, etc.''

Composite 4: Placement Stability

    Individual Measure C4.1: Of all children who were served in foster 
care during the 12-month target period, and who were in foster care for 
at least 8 days but less than 12 months, what percent had two or fewer 
placement settings?
    The denominator for this measure includes children who meet all of 
the following criteria:
     The child is in foster care at some time during the 12-
month target period, and
     The child's length of stay in foster care during the most 
recent foster care episode is at least 8 days but less than 12 months.
    The numerator for this measure includes children who meet all of 
the criteria for inclusion in the denominator and also meet the 
following criterion:
     The child's number of placement settings during this 
removal episode does not exceed two (2).
    Individual Measure C4.2: Of all children who were served in foster 
care during the 12-month target period, and who were in foster care for 
at least 12 months but less than 24 months, what percent had two or 
fewer placement settings?
    The denominator for this measure includes children who meet all of 
the following criteria:
     The child is in foster care at some time during the 12-
month target period, and
     The child's length of stay in foster care during the most 
recent foster care episode is at least 12 months but less than 24 
months.
    The numerator for this measure includes children who meet all of 
the criteria for inclusion in the denominator and also meet the 
following criterion:
     The child's number of placement settings during this 
removal episode does not exceed two (2).
    Individual Measure C4.3: Of all children who were served in foster 
care during the 12-month target period, and who were in foster care for 
at least 24 months, what percent had two or fewer placement settings?

[[Page 2885]]

    The denominator for this measure includes children who meet all of 
the following criteria:
     The child is in foster care at some time during the 12-
month target period, and
     The child's length of stay in foster care during the most 
recent foster care episode is at least 24 months.
    The numerator for this measure includes children who meet all of 
the criteria for inclusion in the denominator and also meet the 
following criterion:
     The child's number of placement settings during this 
removal episode does not exceed two (2).

Correction 2

    In the Federal Register of June 7, 2006, Table 1 on page 32980 
showing the range, percentiles, and national standards for the data 
indicators to be used in the second round of the CFSR is to be replaced 
by Table 1 in this current notice. The ranges, percentiles, and 
national standards for all six data indicators (the two safety-related 
indicators and the four permanency-related indicators) are different 
than those reported in the June 7 Federal Register. For the safety-
related indicators, the differences are due to a change in the 
procedure for calculating the sampling error used for establishing the 
national standards. For the permanency-related composite indicators, 
the differences are a result of an increased precision of the measures 
and/or a change in the procedure for calculating the sampling error 
used for establishing the national standards (See correction 7 for 
information on the change in calculation of the sampling error.)

Correction 3

    In the Federal Register of June 7, 2006, on page 32973, in the 
second column, the definition of the term ``foster parent,'' as it is 
used by the NCANDS has been changed. The new definition is the 
following: An individual who provides a home for orphaned, abused, 
neglected, delinquent, or disabled children under the placement, care 
or supervision of the State. The individual may be a relative or non-
relative and need not be licensed by the State agency to be considered 
a foster parent.

Correction 4

    In the Federal Register of June 7, 2006, page 32981, column A, 
under the heading Attachment A: List of Data to be Included in the 
State Data Profile, the descriptive information currently included in 
the State Data Profile from NCANDS (section A) did not include all of 
the information included in the profile. This section should be 
replaced with the following text:

Descriptive Information Currently Included in the State Data Profile

A. Descriptive Information From the National Child Abuse and Neglect 
Data System (NCANDS)
    1. The number of reports alleging maltreatment of children that 
reached a disposition within the reporting year, the total number of 
reports, the number of unique children associated with reports alleging 
maltreatment, and the number of ``duplicate children.''
    2. The numbers and percentages of reports that were given a 
disposition of Substantiated and Indicated, Unsubstantiated, or Other, 
and the numbers and percentages of duplicate and unique children.
    3. The numbers and percentages of unique and duplicate child victim 
cases opened for services, based on the number of victims during the 
reporting period under review.
    4. The numbers and percentages of duplicate and unique victims 
entering foster care in response to a child abuse/neglect report.
    5. The number of child fatalities.

Correction 5

    In the Federal Register of June 7, 2006, page 32985, second column, 
the text for section 10 did not accurately describe the final step in 
calculating the composite score. This section should be replaced by the 
following:
    10. Generate the composite scores for each State. After the 
composite score for each county is calculated, that score is multiplied 
by the number of children served in foster care in that county during 
the 12-month target period. The result is a ``weighted'' county 
composite score. This ``weighting'' allows counties with larger foster 
care populations to make a greater contribution to the overall State 
score. The weighted county scores are then summed and divided by the 
total number of children served in foster care in all of the counties 
included in the calculation. The result is the State composite score.

Correction 6

    In the Federal Register of June 7, 2006, page 32986, in column 1, 
information in the first bullet point was not included in the 
publication. The first bullet point should read as follows:
    Set Bullets
     PCA does not compensate for measures that are currently 
misunderstood or inadequately defined; it compounds the existing 
weakness in each measure. It is incorrect to say that PCA compounds 
weaknesses in each measure. PCA provides a well understood empirical 
strategy for combining variables or measures. The main body of the 
Federal Register Announcement provides a response to concerns about the 
adequacy of the measures.

Correction 7

    In the Federal Register of June 7, 2006, page 32986, column 3, the 
paragraph under the heading Establishing the National Standards should 
be replaced because of changes that ACF has made in the procedures for 
calculating the national standard. The text should read as follows:

Establishing the National Standard

    The process for establishing the national standards on the 
composite scores differs from that used for the first round of the 
CFSR. In the first round of the CFSR, the procedure for establishing 
the national standard for each measure involved fitting the data to a 
normal curve based on a level of significance of .05, and adjusting for 
the 75th percentile by calculating the sampling error using the lower 
limit of a 95 percent confidence interval for estimating the population 
mean. ACF determined that this procedure was not appropriate for the 
second round of the CFSR. One concern was that using a level of 
significance of .05 would result in eliminating States at either end of 
the range of each of the State permanency composite data indicators and 
safety-related data indicators in order to fit the distribution to a 
normal curve. Consequently, not all States would be included in the 
calculation of the national standards. Although this was appropriate 
for the first round of the CFSR because of data quality problems at the 
time that the standards were established, these data quality problems 
are no longer as significant an issue. Another concern was that using 
the 95 percent confidence interval would result in a considerable 
reduction in the actual percentile represented by each of the 
permanency and safety standards.
    To address the concern relevant to eliminating States from the 
calculation of the national standard, ACF changed the level of 
significance for fitting the data to a normal curve from .05 to .01. At 
this higher significance level, all States could be included in the 
fitted normal probability distribution for both the composite data 
indicators and the safety-related data indicators. Consequently, 
performance of all States was used to determine the national standards 
for all data indicators. To

[[Page 2886]]

address the concern relevant to the considerable reduction in the 
actual percentile represented by the national standard for each of the 
indicators, the basis for calculating the sampling error was changed 
from the lower limit of 95 percent confidence interval to the lower 
limit of an 80 percent confidence interval. As a result of this change, 
the adjusted 75th percentile is close to the 69th percentile, with the 
percentile based on the distribution to the normal curve.

Correction 8

    In the Federal Register of June 7, 2006, page 32986, Attachment B, 
table 1 showing the coefficients (weights) for the individual measures 
included in the permanency composites is to be replaced by Table 2 in 
this document. There are differences in the coefficients for the 
individual measures. The differences are due to changes in the syntax 
resulting from increasing the precision of the measures.

    Dated: January 16, 2007.
Joan E. Ohl,
Commissioner, Administration on Children, Youth and Families.

                       Table A.--Data Indicators for the Child and Family Services Review
   [Ranges, medians, and national standards for the Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) data indicators*]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Data indicators                     Range         Median**             National standard**
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Data Indicators Associated With CFSR Safety Outcome 1--Children Are, First and Foremost, Protected From Abuse
                                                   and Neglect
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Of all children who were victims of a             86.0-98.0            93.3  94.6 or higher.
 substantiated or indicated maltreatment
 allegation during the first 6 months of FY
 2004, what percent were not victims of
 another substantiated or indicated
 maltreatment allegation within the 6-
 months following that maltreatment
 incident? (45 States).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Of all children served in foster care in FY       98.59-100           99.52  99.68 or higher.
 2004, what percent were not victims of a
 substantiated or indicated maltreatment by
 a foster parent or facility staff member
 during the fiscal year? (37 States).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Data Indicators Associated With CFSR Permanency Outcome 1--Children Have Permanency and Stability In Their
                                                Living Situations
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Permanency Composite 1: Timeliness and               50-150           113.7  122.6 or higher.
 Permanency of Reunification (47 States)***.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Component A: Timeliness of
 reunification****:
    Measure C1.1: Of all children                 44.3-92.5            69.9  No Standard.
     discharged from foster care to
     reunification in FY 2004 who had been
     in foster care for 8 days or longer,
     what percent were reunified in less
     than 12 months from the date of the
     latest removal from home? (This
     includes the ``trial home visit
     adjustment.'') (51 States).
    Measure C1.2: Of all children who were        1.1-13. 7             6.5  No Standard.
     discharged from foster care to
     reunification in FY 2004, and who had
     been in foster care for 8 days or
     longer, what was the median length of
     stay in months from the date of the
     latest removal from home until the
     date of discharge to reunification?
     (This includes the ``trial home visit
     adjustment.'') (51 States).
    Measure C1.3: Of all children who             17.7-68.9            39.4  No Standard.
     entered foster care for the first time
     in the 6-month period just prior to FY
     2004, and who remained in foster care
     for 8 days or longer, what percent
     were discharged from foster care to
     reunification in less than 12 months
     from the date of latest removal from
     home? (This includes the ``trial home
     visit adjustment.'') (47 States).
Component B: Permanency of
 reunification****:
    Measure C14: Of all children who were          1.6-29.8            15.0  No Standard.
     discharged from foster care to
     reunification in the 12-month period
     prior to FY 2004 (i.e., FY 2003), what
     percent re-entered foster care in less
     than 12 months from the date of
     discharge? (47 States).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* The data shown are for the national standard target year of FY 2004. Each State will be evaluated against the
 standard on data relevant to its specific CFSR 12-month target period. The national standards will remain the
 same throughout the second round of the CFSR.
** The medians and the national standards for the safety and composite data indicators are based on an
 adjustment to the distribution using the sampling error for each data indicator. The medians and national
 standards for the composite data indicators are from a dataset that excluded counties in a State that did not
 have data for all measures within a particular composite. The range and medians for each individual measure
 reflect the distribution of all counties that had data for that particular measure, even if that county was not
 included in the overall composite calculation.
*** A State was excluded from the calculation of the composite national standard if (1) it did not submit FIPS
 codes in its AFCARS submissions (1 State), or (2) with regard to composite 1 and 2, it did not provide unique
 identifiers that would permit tracking children across fiscal years (4 States).
**** Children are included in the count of reunifications if the reason for discharge reported to AFCARS was
 either ``reunification'' or ``live with relative.'' They are not included in the count of ``reunifications'' if
 the reason for discharge reported to AFCARS was ``guardianship,'' even if the guardian is a relative.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Data Indicators Associated With CFSR Permanency Outcome 1--Children Have Permanency and Stability in Their
                                               Living Situations*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Permanency Composite 2: Timeliness of                50-150            95.3  106.4 or higher.
 Adoptions (47 States).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Component A: Timeliness of adoptions of
 children discharged from foster care:
    Measure C2.1: Of all children who were         6.4-74.9            26.8  No Standard.
     discharged from foster care to a
     finalized adoption during FY 2004,
     what percent were discharged in less
     than 24 months from the date of the
     latest removal from home? (51 States).

[[Page 2887]]

 
    Measure C2.2: Of all children who were        16.2-55.7            32.4  No Standard.
     discharged from foster care to a
     finalized adoption during FY 2004,
     what was the median length of stay in
     foster care in months from the date of
     latest removal from home to the date
     of discharge to adoption? (51 States).
Component B: Progress toward adoption for
 children in foster care for 17 months or
 longer:
    Measure C2.3: Of all children who were         2.4-26.2            20.2  No Standard.
     in foster care on the first day of FY
     2004, and who were in foster care for
     17 continuous months or longer, what
     percent were discharged from foster
     care to a finalized adoption by the
     last day of FY 2004? The denominator
     for this measure excludes children
     who, by the end of FY 2004, were
     discharged from foster care with a
     discharge reason of live with
     relative, reunification, or
     guardianship. (51 States).
    Measure C2.4: Of all children who were         0.1-17.8             8.8  No Standard.
     in foster care on the first day of FY
     2004 for 17 continuous months or
     longer, and who were not legally free
     for adoption prior to that day, what
     percent became legally free for
     adoption during the first 6 months of
     FY 2004? (Legally free means that
     there was a parental rights
     termination date reported to AFCARS
     for both mother and father.) The
     denominator for this measure excludes
     children who, by the last day of the
     first 6 months of FY 2004, were not
     legally free, but had been discharged
     from foster care with a discharge
     reason of live with relative,
     reunification, or guardianship. (51
     States).
Component C: Progress toward adoption of
 children who are legally free for
 adoption:
    Measure C2.5: Of all children who              20.0-100            45.8  No Standard.
     became legally free for adoption
     during FY 2003 (i.e., there was a
     parental rights termination date
     reported to AFCARS for both mother and
     father), what percent were discharged
     from foster care to a finalized
     adoption in less than 12 months of
     becoming legally free? (47 States).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* The data shown are for the national standard target year of FY 2004. Each State will be evaluated against the
 standard on data relevant to its specific CFSR 12-month target period. The national standards will remain the
 same throughout the second round of the CFSR.
** The medians and the national standards for the safety and composite data indicators are based on an
 adjustment to the distribution using the sampling error for each data indicator. The medians and national
 standards for the composite data indicators are from a dataset that excluded counties in a State that did not
 have data for all measures within a particular composite. The range and medians for each individual measure
 reflect the distribution of all counties that had data for that particular measure, even if that county was not
 included in the overall composite calculation.
*** A State was excluded from the calculation of this composite either because (1) it did not submit FIPS codes
 in its AFCARS submissions (1 State), or (2) with regard to composite 1 and 2, it did not provide unique
 identifiers that would permit tracking children across fiscal years (4 States).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Data Indicators Associated With CFSR Permanency Outcome 1--Children Have Permanency and Stability in Their
                                               Living Situations*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Permanency Composite 3: Achieving                    50-150           112.7  121.7 or higher.
 Permanency for Children in Foster Care for
 Long Periods of Time (51 States)***.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Component A: Permanency for children in
 foster care for long periods of time:
    Measure C3.1: Of all children who were         8.1-35.3            25.0  No Standard.
     in foster care for 24 months or longer
     on the first day of FY 2004, what
     percent were discharged to a permanent
     home prior to their 18th birthday and
     by the end of the fiscal year? A child
     is considered discharged to a
     permanent home if the discharge reason
     is adoption, guardianship,
     reunification, or live with relative.
     (51 States).
    Measure C3.2: Of all children who were         84.9-100            96.8  No Standard.
     discharged from foster care in FY 2004
     who were legally free for adoption at
     the time of discharge (i.e., there was
     a parental rights termination date
     reported to AFCARS for both mother and
     father), what percent were discharged
     to a permanent home prior to their
     18th birthday? A child is considered
     discharged to a permanent home if the
     discharge reason is adoption,
     guardianship, reunification, or live
     with relative. (51 States).
Component B: Children growing up in foster
 care:
    Measure C3.3: Of all children who             15.8-76.9            47.8  No Standard.
     either (1) were discharged from foster
     care in FY 2004 with a discharge
     reason of emancipation, or (2) reached
     their 18th birthday in FY 2004 while
     in foster care, what percent were in
     foster care for 3 years or longer? (51
     States).
Permanency Composite 4: Placement Stability          50-150            93.3  101.5 or higher.
 (51 States).
    Measure C4.1: Of all children who were        55.0-99.6            83.3  No Standard.
     served in foster care during FY 2004,
     and who were in foster care for at
     least 8 days but less than 12 months,
     what percent had two or fewer
     placement settings? (51 States).
    Measure C4.2: Of all children who were        27.0-99.8            59.9  No Standard.
     served in foster care during FY 2004,
     and who were in foster care for at
     least 12 months but less than 24
     months, what percent had two or fewer
     placement settings? (51 States).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 2888]]

 
    Measure C4.3: Of all children who were        13.7-98.9            33.9  No Standard.
     served in foster care during FY 2004,
     and who were in foster care for at
     least 24 months, what percent had two
     or fewer placement settings? (51
     States).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* The data shown are for the national standard target year of FY 2004. Each State will be evaluated against the
 standard on data relevant to its specific CFSR 12-month target period. The national standards will remain the
 same throughout the second round of the CFSR.
** The medians and the national standards for the safety and composite data indicators are based on an
 adjustment to the distribution using the sampling error. The medians and national standards for the composite
 data indicators are from a dataset that excluded counties in a State that did not have data for all measures
 within a particular composite. The range and medians for each individual measure reflect the distribution of
 all counties that had data for that particular measure, even if that county was not included in the overall
 composite calculation.
*** A State was excluded from the calculation of this composite because it did not submit FIPS codes in its
 AFCARS submissions.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


              Table B.--Coefficients (Weights) for Individual Measures in the CFSR Data Composites
                                [Coefficients (weights) for individual measures]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Components and weights
                                              ------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Component A     Component B              Component C
     Composites and Individual Measures*      ------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                Timeliness of   Permanency of
                                                reunification   reunification   Not applicable to this composite
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Permanency Composite 1: Timeliness and
 Premanency of Reunification** (1,975
 Counties):
    Measure C1.1: Of all children who were              0.462           0.085
     discharged from foster care to
     reunification in FY 2004, and who had
     been in foster care for 8 days or
     longer, what percent were reunified in
     less than 12 months from the date of the
     latest removal from home? (This includes
     the ``trial home visit adjustment.'')
     (51 States).
    Measure C1.2: Of all children who were              0.451           0.070  .................................
     discharged from foster care to
     reunification in FY 2004, and who had
     been in foster care for 8 days or
     longer, what was the median length of
     stay in months from the date of the
     latest removal from home until the date
     of discharge to reunification? (This
     includes the ``trial home visit
     adjustment.'') (51 States).
    Measure C1.3: Of all children who entered           0.295          -0.005  .................................
     foster care for the first time in the 6-
     month period just prior to FY 2004, and
     who remained in foster care for 8 days
     or longer, what percent were discharged
     from foster care to reunification in
     less than 12 months from the date of
     latest removal from home? (This includes
     the ``trial home visit adjustment.'')
     (47 States).
    Measure C1.4: Of all children who were              0.129           1.025  .................................
     discharged from foster care to
     reunification in the 12-month period
     prior to FY 2004, what percent re-
     entered foster care in less than 12
     months from the date of discharge? (47
     States).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*The coefficients were determined from a national data set incorporating only those counties that had data for
 all of the individual measures included in a particular composite. This data set includes those ``counties''
 constructed by combining small counties in a State to reach the requirement of at least 50 children served in
 foster care during FY 2004.
**Children are included in the count of reunifications if the reason for discharge reported to AFCARS is either
 ``reunify'' or ``live with relative.'' They are not included if the reason for discharge is guardianship, even
 if the guardian is a relative.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


 
                                                                            Components and weights
                                                             ---------------------------------------------------
                                                                                Progress toward    Timeliness of
             Composites and individual measures               Length of time  adoption--children   adoptions for
                                                              in foster care  in foster care for   children who
                                                                to adoption      17 months or       are legally
                                                                                    longer             free
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Permanency Composite 2: Timeliness of Adoptions (1,512
 Counties)*:
    Measure C2.1: Of all children who were discharged from             0.533            -0.032            -0.026
     foster care to a finalized adoption during FY 2004,
     what percent were discharged in less than 24 months
     from the date of the latest removal from home? (51
     States)................................................
    Measure C2.2: Of all children who were discharged from             0.551             0.106            -0.032
     foster care to a finalized adoption during FY 2004,
     what was the median length of stay in foster care in
     months from the date of latest removal from home to the
     date of discharge to adoption? (51 States).............
    Measure C2.3: Of all children in foster care on the               -0.087             0.526             0.255
     first day of FY 2004 who were in foster care for 17
     continuous months or longer, what percent were
     discharged from foster care to a finalized adoption by
     the last day of FY 2004? The denominator for this
     measure excludes children who, by the end of FY 2004
     had been discharged from foster care with a discharge
     reason of reunification, live with relative, or
     guardianship. (51 States)..............................

[[Page 2889]]

 
    Measure C2.4: Of all children in foster care on the                0.140             0.699            -0.256
     first day of FY 2004 who were in foster care for 17
     continuous months or longer, and who were not legally
     free for adoption prior to that day, what percent
     became legally free for adoption during the first 6
     months of FY 2004? (Legally free means that there was a
     parental rights termination date reported to AFCARS for
     both mother and father.) The denominator for this
     measure excludes children who, by the last day of the
     first 6 months of FY 2004, were not legally free but
     had been discharged from foster care with a discharge
     reason of reunification, live with relative, or
     guardianship. (51 States)..............................
    Measure C2.5: Of all children who became legally free             -0.030            -0.059             0.930
     for adoption during FY 2003 (i.e., there was a parental
     rights termination date reported to AFCARS for both
     mother and father), what percent were discharged from
     foster care to a finalized adoption in less than 12
     months of becoming legally free? (47 States)...........
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*The coefficients were determined from a national data set that incorporated only those counties that had data
 for all of the individual measures included in a particular composite. This data set includes those
 ``counties'' constructed by combining small counties in a particular State to reach the requirement of at least
 50 children served in foster care during FY 2004.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


 
                                                 Component A     Component B              Component C
                                              ------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  Children
      Composites and individual measures        discharged to     Children
                                                  permanent     discharged to   Not applicable to this composite
                                                    homes       emancipation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Permanency Composite 3: Achieving permanency
 for children in foster care for long periods
 of time (1,681 Counties)*:
    Measure C3.1: Of all children who were in           0.545           0.137  No Standard.
     foster care for 24 months or longer on
     the first day of FY 2004, what percent
     were discharged to a permanent home
     prior to their 18th birthday and by the
     end of the fiscal year? A child is
     considered discharged to a permanent
     home if the discharge reason is
     adoption, guardianship, reunification,
     or live with relative. (51 States).
    Measure C3.2: Of all children who were              0.746          -0.220  No Standard.
     discharged from foster care in FY 2004,
     and who were legally free for adoption
     at the time of discharge (i.e., there
     was a parental rights termination date
     reported to AFCARS for both mother and
     father), what percent were discharged to
     a permanent home prior to their 18th
     birthday? A child is considered
     discharged to a permanent home if the
     discharge reason is adoption,
     guardianship, reunification, or live
     with relative. (51 States).
    Measure C3.3: Of all children who either           -0.108           0.979  No Standard.
     (1) were, prior to their 18th birthday,
     discharged from foster care in FY 2004
     with a discharge reason of emancipation,
     or (2) reached their 18th birthday in FY
     2004 while in foster care, what percent
     were in foster care for 3 years or
     longer? (51 States).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


 
                                                               Not applicable
                                                  Placement       for this     Not applicable for this composite
                                                  stability       composite
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Permanency Composite 4: Placement stability
 (2,140 Counties)*:
    Measure C4.1: Of all children who were              0.398  ..............  .................................
     served in foster care during FY 2004,
     and who were in foster care for at least
     8 days but less than 12 months, what
     percent had two or fewer placement
     settings? (51 States).
    Measure C4.2: Of all children who were              0.417  ..............  .................................
     served in foster care during FY 2004,
     and who were in foster care for at least
     12 months but less than 24 months, what
     percent had two or fewer placement
     settings? (51 States).
    Measure C4.3: Of all children who were              0.400  ..............  .................................
     served in foster care during FY 2004,
     and who were in foster care for at least
     24 months, what percent had two or fewer
     placement settings? (51 States).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*The coefficients were determined from a national data set that incorporated only those counties that had data
 for all of the individual measures included in a particular composite. This data set includes those
 ``counties'' constructed by combining small counties in a particular State to reach the requirement of at least
 50 children served in foster care during FY 2004.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 2890]]

[FR Doc. E7-808 Filed 1-22-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-P