Child and Family Services Plan and Final Report Resources

Part 1: CB Priorities and Overview of the CFSR, CFSP, and APSR

Section A: Creating an Equitable Child Welfare System

Each section below provides resources that were included in ACYF-CB-PI-24-02 to support your work in developing your CFSP and CFS-101. You will also find links to additional relevant resources and topic pages on the Information Gateway website to further support this work.

Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government
White House (2021)
Presents information on the Federal Government's comprehensive approach to altering itself to advance equity and to creating policies and programs that deliver more equitable services to underserved communities.

Executive Order on Advancing Equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Individuals
White House (2021)
Calls for increasing support and promoting equity for families of children who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, asexual, Two-Spirit, or other gender or sexual identity.

Equity in Action: Prioritizing and Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities (ACF-IM-IOAS-22-01)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (2022)
Outlines the Administration for Children and Families’ unequivocal commitment to advancing racial equity for all and encouraging grantees to assess and address how their programs and policies may perpetuate systemic barriers for children and families of color.

Find additional resources highlighting CB priorities to create a more equitable child welfare system.

Section B: Overview of the CFSR, CFSP, and APSR

Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) 

Round 4 of the CFSR's
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau (2023)
Provides information on round 4 of the CFSRs, including guidance documents, factsheets, policies, and data for the review process.

CFSR Round 4 Guiding Principles

Guiding Principles, Framework, and Tools for the Statewide Assessment Process
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau (2022)
Offers guiding principles, a suggested framework, and additional resources that States can utilize while completing a statewide assessment for the CFSRs.

Continued Integration of the CFSP Process and Round 4 of the CFSR

CFSR Round 4 Planning and Implementation Tools
Capacity Building Center for States
Shares tools that assist teams in getting ready for CFSR round 4 data activities, adopting an integrated approach, engaging lived experience experts, and more.

Strategic Planning in Child Welfare: Integrating Efforts for Systems Improvement
Capacity Building Center for States (2022)
Provides tips and strategies to help States coordinate and integrate CFSP and APSR development with the CFSR and other improvement efforts.

Find additional resources that discuss the continued integration of the CFSP and Round 4 of the CFSR.

Part 2: Requirements for a States submission of their 2020-2024 Final Report

2. Plan for Enacting the State's Vision

Find resources to help with developing your state's vision.

4. Final Update and Report on Service Description

4.1 - The Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services Program

Addressing the Needs of Young Children in Child Welfare: Part C - Early Intervention Services
Child Welfare Information Gateway 
Describes the intersection of child welfare and early intervention (EI), provides an overview of the EI process, and outlines the challenges and strategies for implementing EI provisions in Federal law.

4.2 - Services for Children Adopted from Other Countries

State Recognition of Intercountry Adoptions Finalized Abroad
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Provides an overview of Federal requirements that apply to adoptions finalized in another country by U.S. citizens. It also discusses requirements that adoptive parents must meet in their State of residence to gain State recognition of the adoption and to receive a new State-issued birth certificate for their adopted child.

4.3 - Services for Children Under the Age of Five

Center for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation
Center of Excellence for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation
Offers resources that address the needs of Head Start staff and families for practical guidance on effective ways to promote young children's social and emotional development and reduce challenging behaviors.

Early Childhood State Policy Profiles
National Center for Children in Poverty
Highlights States' policy choices that promote health, education, and strong families in addition to other contextual data related to the well-being of young children.

4.4 - Services Provided in the Four Areas Under the MaryLee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program

Find resources under the MaryLee Allen PSSF program.

4.6 - Kinship Navigator Funding

Find resources on kinship navigator funding.

4.7 - Monthly Casework Visting Formula Grants

Find resources on monthly casework visiting formula grants.

4.8 - Adoption and Legal Guardianship Incentive Payments and Adoption Savings

Find resources on adoption and legal guardianship payments and adoption savings.

4.10 - Family First Prevention Services Act Transition Grants

Family First Prevention Services Act Transition Grants (ACYF-CB-PI-20-04)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau (2020)
Describes how States can receive their allotments for Federal fiscal Year 2020 authorized under title IV-B, subparts 1 and 2, section 106 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood, and the Education and Training Voucher program.

4.12 - Chafee and Education and Training Vouchers

Independent Living and Transitioning From Foster Care
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Use these resources to learn about programs and services that serve youth transitioning from foster care.

Supplemental Disaster Relief Funding

Supplemental Disaster Relief Funding Available Under Title IV-B, Subpart 1 of the Act (ACYF-CB-PI-23-09)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau (2023)
Provides guidance to agencies administering title IV-B, subpart 1 on the actions required to apply for funding to address child welfare needs relating to disaster recovery in areas affected by Hurricanes Fiona and Ian.

5. Consultation and Coordination Between States and Tribes

Capacity Building Center for Tribes, Tribal Child Welfare Information Exchange 
Assists federally funded Tribal child welfare agencies by delivering tools, resources, information, and more. 

6. Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) State Plan Requirements and Update

New Interactive Tools Support Child Welfare Workers in Their Response to Human Trafficking
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office on Trafficking in Persons (2023)
Details two virtual learning programs developed for professionals who work with children to help them better identify the risks for exploitation early, promote healing, and strengthen resiliency for human trafficking and safety planning.

Title IV-E Plan Amendment – Public Law (P.L.) 117-348 – The Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2022
UU.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau (2023)
Presents information on the actions title IV-E agencies are required to take as a result of the Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2022.

Find resources about CAPTA state plan requirements and updates.

Part 3: Submission of State 2025–2029 CFSPs

1. Vision and Collaboration 

Find resources on developing a vision for providing child and family services and developing or improving a coordinated service-delivery system and as well plans for collaboration.

Engaging a Diverse Group of Partners in Child Welfare
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Presents resources about engaging diverse individuals and organizations as partners in child welfare, including during the CFSRs, in the development of CFSPs and APSRs, and in other strategic planning efforts.

Judicial, Court, and Attorney Measures of Performance
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Use these resources to learn more about how Judicial, Court, and Attorney Measures of Performance can promote equity and continuous quality improvement in court practices.

2. Assessment of Current Performance in Improving Outcomes

Find resources on assessing current performance and improving outcomes.

Systemic Factors: Case Review System

Judicial, Court, and Attorney Measures for Performance
Child Welfare Information Gateway

Systemic Factors: Quality Assurance Systems

Find resources on quality assurance systems.

3. Plan for Enacting the State's Vision

Goals

Establishing and Maintaining Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Systems in State Child Welfare Agencies (ACYF-CB-IM-12-07)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau (2012)
Provides information for State title IV-B and IV-E agencies on establishing and maintaining systems for continuous quality improvement (CQI) and presents a framework for a well-functioning State CQI system.

Criteria for Using State Case Review Process for CFSR Purposes
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau (2014)
Provides supplemental guidance to CFSR Technical Bulletin #7 on how States and CB can work to verify each State's ability to meet the CFSR case review criteria.

4. Services

Services for Children Adopted from Other Countries

State Recognition of Intercountry Adoptions Finalized Abroad
Child Welfare Information Gateway (2018)
Provides an overview of Federal requirements that apply to adoptions finalized in another country by U.S. citizens. It also discusses requirements that adoptive parents must meet in their State of residence to gain State recognition of the adoption and to receive a new State-issued birth certificate for their adopted child

Efforts to Track and Prevent Child Maltreatment Deaths

Child Maltreatment Fatality Reviews: Learning Together to Improve Systems That Protect Children and Prevent Maltreatment
Covington & Collier (2018)
The National Center for Fatality Review and Prevention
Offers guidance on how to conduct high-quality case reviews of child maltreatment fatalities and improve the understanding these reports can bring. The resource offers information on the review process, suggestions for how to improve reviews systematically, and tools to help integrate suggestions within local and State contexts.

Within Our Reach: A National Strategy to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities
Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities (2016)
Outlines recommendations to improve the current child protection system to drastically reduce the number of child fatalities through significant reform, including data usage and cross-system collaboration.

LGBTQIA2S+

Equity for LGBTQIA2S+ Individuals
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Provides resources to help child welfare professionals and community organization members implement policy and practice changes that support equity for individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, asexual, Two-Spirit, or other gender or sexual identity.

Find resources on supporting the LGBTQIA2S+ community.

Transition Planning Processes

Independent Living and Transitioning from Foster Care
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Presents resources about programs and services that serve youth transitioning from foster care.

Transition and Aging Out
Youth.Gov
Shares resources for youth aged 16–24 who are transitioning out of the foster care system about education and job opportunities, managing money, securing housing, and more.

Serving Youth of Various Ages and Stages of Achieving Independence

Child Welfare Policy Manual: Question 3
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau
Child Welfare Policy Manual
Presents policy questions and answers, including on which States is responsible for providing John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood services if a former foster youth moves from the State in which he or she aged out of foster care to another State (question 3).

Letter Regarding Reminders to State and Tribal Title IV-E agencies about the Social Security Representative Payee Program and the Title IVE Federal Foster Care Program
U.S. Social Security Administration & U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families (2023)
Provides guidance on benefit management for children receiving Social Security or Supplemental Security Income benefits.

Collaboration With Other Private and Public Agencies

Medicaid

Changes to Medicaid Eligibility for Youth/Young Adults Age 18 Who Transition Out of Foster Care and Move to a New State (ACYF-CB-IM-23-04)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau (2023)
Provides child welfare agencies with information about changes in Medicaid eligibility for young adults who turn age 18 on or after January 1, 2023, and who move to a new State after transitioning from foster care.

State Health Official Letter
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Center for Medicaid & CHIP Services (2022)
Provides guidance on changes made by the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention That Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act to the mandatory Medicaid eligibility group serving youth formerly in foster care.

Housing and Foster Youth to Independence

Find resources related to housing and the Foster Youth to Independence initiative.

ETV

Independent Living, Educational and Training Vouchers
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau
Child Welfare Policy Manual
Presents policy questions and answers, including on which State is responsible for providing John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood services if a youth formerly in foster care moves from the State in which they aged out of foster care to another State (question 1).

Chafee/ETV Coordination With Tribes

Building on the Lessons Learned from Division X Implementation
Division X Technical Assistance (2023)
Explores opportunities and lessons learned from the implementation of Division X of the Supporting Foster Youth and Families Through the Pandemic Act.

6. Targeted Plans Within the 2025-2029 CFSP

Foster and Adoptive Parent Diligent Recruitment Plan

Find resources on foster and adoptive parenting diligent recruitment plans.

Recruiting and Retaining Families for Children and Youth in Foster Care
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Presents resources about recruiting and retaining families for children and youth in foster care, including the importance of a kin-first approach and connecting them to services and supports.

Health Care Oversight and Coordination Plan

Find resources on health-care oversight and coordination plans.

Disaster Plan

Find resources on disaster planning.

Section E. Financial Information

Non-Discretionary Award Terms and Conditions
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families
Provides information on general terms and conditions that apply to all nondiscretionary (i.e., mandatory) programs administered by the Administration for Children and Families.