Federal Child and Family Service Reviews Measures – Round 3 (CFSR3)

The diagrams in this document illustrate how the CFSR3 measures are calculated, using these icons:

Permanency in 12 Months for Children in Out of Home Care (OHC)

The three permanency measures do not overlap; each focuses on a different cohort of children who entered OHC before the 12-month Outcome Window during one of the three timeframes illustrated below.

Children over age 18 as of the Outcome Window start date are not included in this measure; therefore, the earliest possible date of inclusion is 18 years prior to the Outcome Window start date

Permanency in 12 Months for Children Entering Out of Home Care (OHC)

Of all children who entered OHC within a specific 12-month period (the Observation Window), what proportion of them discharged to permanency within 12 months of entering OHC?

Federal Standard = 40.5% or greater

Permanency Rate: 1 / 3 = 33.3

(A / A + B + C)

Permanency in 12 Months for Children in Out of Home Care (OHC) 12-23 Months

Of all children who had been in OHC for 12-23 months as of the first day of a specific 12-month period (the Outcome Window), what proportion of them discharged to permanency by the end of that 12-month Outcome period?

Federal Standard = 43.6% or greater

Permanency Rate: 1 / 3 = 33.3%

(A / A + B + C)

Permanency in 12 Months for Children in Out of Home Care (OHC) 24 Months+

Of all children who had been in OHC for 24 or more months as of the first day of a specific 12-month period (the Outcome Window), what proportion of them discharged to permanency by the end of that 12-month Outcome period?

Federal Standard = 30.3% or greater

Children over age 18 as of the Outcome Window start date are not included in this measure; therefore, the earliest possible date of inclusion is 18 years prior to the Outcome Window start date.

Permanency Rate: 1 / 3 = 33.3% 

(A / A + B + C)

Placement Stability for Children in Out of Home Care (OHC)

Of children who entered OHC within a specific 12-month period: how many placement moves occurred per the total number of days those children were in OHC? (multiplied by 1,000 days)

Federal Standard = less than 4.12 moves per 1,000 days

Placement Stability Rate: (5 moves/ 690 days) * 1,000 = 7.25

Maltreatment in Out of Home Care (OHC)

Of children who were in OHC within a specific 12-month period: how many substantiated maltreatment allegations occurred per the total number of days those kids were in OHC during that 12-month period? (multiplied by 100,000 days)

Federal Standard = less than 8.5 victimizations per 100,000 days

Maltreatment Rate: (3 substantiated allegations/ 765 days) * 100,000 = 392.2

Recurrence of Maltreatment

Of all children who experienced a substantiated allegation of maltreatment during a specific 12-month period (the Observation Window): what proportion of them experienced another substantiated allegation of maltreatment within the following 12 months? Note: the children do not need to be in out-of-home care to qualify for this measure.

Federal Standard = 9.1% or less

Recurrence of Maltreatment: 1 subsequent substantiated allegation / 3 children with an initial maltreatment incident = 33.3%

Re-entry into Out of Home Care (OHC)

Of all children who entered OHC during a specific 12-month period (the Observation Window) and were discharged from OHC within 12 months, what proportion of them re-entered OHC within 12 months of being discharged? 

Federal Standard = 8.3% or less

Re-entry: 1/3 = 33%

(A/A+B+C)

For more information on these federal guidelines, go to:

CFS Portal