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• To this end, the NC Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Social Services is advising counties that since these measures will be included in the Data Review and performance for CFSR Round IV, counties need to continue monitoring and striving to achieve progress toward accomplishing these measures, to ensure that North Carolina can be determined to be in "substantial conformity." In an effort to assist counties in monitoring and achieving these progress measures, check the following link for data provided by UNC-CH: httos://ssw.unc.edu/ma. *Child and Family Services Review Technical Bulletin #12 Announcement of the CFSR Round 4 reviews, August 2020, Section I. Context and Overview of Next Round of CFSR - Round 4, pp 1-3 The federal Children's Bureau assesses states for "substantial conformity" with federal requirements for child welfare services through a periodic Child and Family Services Review (CFSR). Federal guidelines define "substantial conformity" to mean the measure is achieved in 95% of cases reviewed. Two relevant tools are used to evaluate state compliance during the CFSR. They are: • National Standards for State Performance on Statewide Data Indicators: The Data Indicators are aggregate measures, calculated using available administrative data. These measures look at outcomes for children, for example, whether a child is: a victim of child abuse or neglect while in foster care; a repeat victim of abuse or neglect; or able to achieve a permanent home in 12 months. • The Onsite Review Instrument (OSRI) includes only a limited sample of case reviews, interviews with children and families engaged in services, and interviews with community stakeholders - such as courts, community agencies, foster families, caseworkers, and service providers. The OSRI looks at outcomes for children and the type and quality of services children in child welfare services receive. The OSRI involves an intensive review of small samplings of family case records and looks not only at whether a particular service or action occurred, but whether it was performed in a quality manner.Therefore, the OSRI measures are NOT used as a basis for the NCDHHS County Performance Measures, because data for the Performance Measures must be available for all counties and all cases and recipients of services. A Closer Look: Child Welfare Performance Measures 1. County will initiate 95%of all screened in reports within required timeframes. NOTE.' This measure is a growth measure. Performance over prior years will be compiled and shared with counties. RATIONALE The intent of this measure is to ensure allegations of child abuse, neglect and dependency are initiated within mandated timeframes. This measure addresses how quickly a "screened in" report of child maltreatment (physical,sexual or psychological abuse, neglect,dependency,or human trafficking) must be followed up on with a full investigation. A "screened in report" means that information gathered in the report of child maltreatment has been determined by a county child welfare intake caseworker and supervisors to meet the legal definition of child maltreatment. That same caseworker and their supervisor will determine the urgency of conducting the investigation depending on the nature and severity of the alleged abuse, neglect,exploitation, or dependency. BASIS • In North Carolina, the timeframes for initiating an investigation of child maltreatment are defined in state law as, immediately, 24 or 72 hours, depending on the severity of the alleged abuse. NC Administrative Rule and the NCDHHS Family Services Manual further define the processes for adhering to the state law. • NC State Statute: G.S. §7B-302 • NC Administrative Rule: 10A NCAC 70A.0105 • NCDHHS Family Services Manual: Vol 1.Chapter VIII.Section 1408 Investigative and Family Assessments 2of4