4. Systems Requirements (SACWIS)

4.1. If our SACWIS system is operational, and we need to develop additional functionality to comply with this rule, will the development activity be eligible for developmental funding or operational funding?

The cost to enhance a SACWIS to support the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD) reporting requirements for children in foster care is eligible for title IV-E funding. The State may submit an As Needed APD to request additional funding. The applicable rate (operational or developmental) will be determined based on the business case presented in the APD.

From: NYTD Webinar Briefing - April 10, 2008

4.2. Do we need an approved APD Update before we start working on this project?

If a State has completed the SACWIS project and the Children's Bureau has closed the APD, a State may enhance the system as an operational expense without submitting an APD if the cost of the system enhancement is less than the thresholds defined at 45 CFR 95.611. If the State has an open APD they should submit an As Needed APD Update as described at 45 CFR 95.605.

From: NYTD Webinar Briefing - April 10, 2008

4.3. Our State is building a new SACWIS, and the proposed timeframe for completion is very close to the start date for initial data collection. What steps can we take should the SACWIS not be ready?

The State should develop contingency plans to capture the information necessary to support NYTD reporting in the absence of an automated system. The cost of these contingency plans can be paid for with Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (CFCIP) funds or State funds, but cannot be claimed as SACWIS expenditures.

From: NYTD Webinar Briefing - April 10, 2008

4.4. If a State creates an external data base (outside the SACWIS system) for recording and maintaining data and survey information associated with youth in the follow-up population, who are no longer in foster care, will this data also be required to be added to the SACWIS data base? Can separate data reports come from SACWIS and from the external data bases?

Regarding the first question, no, these data are not required to be added to SACWIS. Regarding the second question, the State cannot submit separate reports/files for each of the populations. NYTD data must be submitted as a single data file as described in NYTD Technical Bulletin #1: File Structure available here: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/resource/nytd-guidance

From: 2008 NYTD Technical Assistance Meeting - July 23-25, 2008

4.5. Could you provide clarification regarding which costs related to developing functionality to collect and report NYTD information can be charged to SACWIS?

Please refer to the summary guidance below regarding systems development costs for NYTD.
If a State does have a SACWIS:

• NYTD system development costs for enhancements to support youth in foster care up to the maximum age for title IV-E foster care payments (regardless of whether children/youth are title IV-E eligible) are charged to title IV-E SACWIS.
• NYTD system operational costs to support youth in foster care up to the maximum age for title IV-E foster care payments1 (regardless of whether children/youth are title IV-E eligible) are charged to title IV-E SACWIS.
• NYTD system development and operational costs to support youth not in foster care, or in foster care but older than the maximum age for title IV-E foster care payments, are charged to Chafee funds and/or State-only funds or any other applicable non-Federal funding source.

If a State does not have a SACWIS (i.e., is a non-SACWIS State):

• All NYTD system development costs are charged to Chafee funds and/or State-only funds or any other applicable non-Federal funding source.
• All NYTD system operational costs are charged to Chafee funds and/or State-only funds or any other applicable non-Federal funding source.

For more guidance on development and operational costs for SACWIS, please review Program Instruction ACYF-CB-PI-01-05 in Section IV: Definitions, which is available on our web page at: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/resource/pi0105.

From: 2009 NYTD Technical Assistance Meeting - June 25-26, 2009

4.6. Can you provide any further clarification regarding which NYTD information must be captured in a State's SACWIS system?

A SACWIS must collect and manage information on case management activities, including the provision of independent living services, related to youth in foster care. NYTD Outcome Survey data on youth in foster care may be collected and managed in SACWIS or outside of SACWIS.

All NYTD data (both information on case management activities and NYTD Outcome Survey data) for youth not in foster care may be collected and managed in SACWIS or outside of SACWIS.

For further guidance on NYTD data collection and SACWIS, please review Program Instruction ACYF-CB-PI-10-04, which is available on our web page at: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/laws_policies/policy/pi/2010/pi1004.htm

From: 2009 NYTD Technical Assistance Meeting - June 25-26, 2009

4.7. Can you provide any further clarification regarding which NYTD information must be reported from a State's SACWIS system? My understanding is that all of the NYTD information must reported in a single file. What about States that have data for youth still in foster care in their SACWIS but also data for youth who have exited in an external system?

The NYTD report may, but is not required, to be generated by SACWIS. All NYTD data must be submitted as a single data file regardless of the number of systems used to collect the data as described in NYTD Technical Bulletin #1: File Structure available here: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/resource/nytd-guidance.

The State may merge the data produced by the SACWIS with information captured in other systems; however the cost to do this is not a title IV-E expenditure. For further guidance on NYTD and SACWIS funding, please review ACYF-CB-PI-10-04 in Section IV: Funding guidance.

From: 2009 NYTD Technical Assistance Meeting - June 25-26, 2009

4.8. Can States use a web-based survey application that would interface with their SACWIS so that the NYTD data could be uploaded directly into the system? Would this be SACWIS compliant? Would States be able to use title IV-E funding to develop this capacity?

Yes, States may use a web-based survey application to capture outcome data. To ensure that specific designs are SACWIS compliant, States with an open APD should submit their plans and business case to CB/DSS in an As Needed APD. States with a closed APD contemplating NYTD enhancements whose cost will not exceed APD thresholds are encouraged to provide a written description of plans to CB/DSS so that they can be reviewed for SACWIS compliance. State project teams may also discuss alternatives with the CB/DSS analyst responsible for their State.

Please refer to the summary cost guidance above on the availability of title IV-E SACWIS funds for enhancements to support NYTD requirements. However, the costs to build NYTD functionality outside of a SACWIS system is not eligible for title IV-E funding.

From: 2009 NYTD Technical Assistance Meeting - June 25-26, 2009

4.9. Given that a number of youth in the follow-up population will transition from care and elect not to continue receiving services from the State, their individual cases within the SACWIS system will be closed. Has there been any discussion about the maintenance and or method for managing a caseload of youths (NYTD youths with no ongoing relationship to the child welfare agency) within the SACWIS?

As previously stated, a State may elect to support youth in the follow-up population that are not in foster care within the SACWIS or outside the SACWIS. If an individual has left foster care but is seeking services or included in a follow-up survey, the State may elect, but is not required, to support this population through its SACWIS. However, all unique development and operational costs would, as noted above, be funded through non-title IV-E sources.

From: 2009 NYTD Technical Assistance Meeting - June 25-26, 2009

4.10. Our State plans to administer the survey over the internet through a website youth will visit to complete and submit the survey electronically. The data will then be automatically downloaded into the SACWIS. Should we add an edit check in our system that would reject outcomes data from a youth that does not complete the survey within the prescribed timeframes in the NYTD regulation?

No. Failing to administer the youth outcomes survey to a member of the baseline or follow-up population within timeframes specified in the regulation at 45 CFR 1356.82(a)(2)(i) and 45 CFR 1356.82(a)(3) is out of compliance with the NYTD data collection schedule and may result in a penalty. States are encouraged, however, to submit outcomes data that are collected beyond the timeframes specified in the regulation for certain baseline youth as previously described in Q&A #5.9. (As discussed in Q&A #1.45, States are not required to continue to submit follow-up outcomes information for baseline youth who do not participate in the NYTD survey within the prescribed timeframes in the NYTD regulation. See 45 CFR 1356.82(a)(2)(i)). States are also encouraged to submit outcomes data on youth in the follow-up population that are collected after the reporting period in which the youth turned age 19 or 21 in order to maintain the continuity and completeness of the data available for current and future use (see Q&A #1.35).

From: 2010 NYTD Technical Assistance Meeting - July 21-23, 2010

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