States Face Challenges in Developing Information Systems and Reporting Reliable Child Welfare Data

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states continue to face challenges developing their systems. Most state
officials said they recognize the benefit their state will achieve by developing
SACWIS, such as contributing to the timeliness of child abuse and neglect
investigations; however, despite the availability of federal funds since 1994,
states reported a median delay of 2½ years beyond the time frames they set
for completion. States reported that they encountered some difficulties
during SACWIS development, such as challenges receiving state funding and
creating a system that reflected their work processes. In response to some
of these challenges, HHS has provided technical assistance to help states
develop their systems and conducted on-site reviews of SACWIS to verify
that the systems meet federal requirements.
Despite efforts to implement comprehensive information systems, several
factors affect the states’ ability to collect and report reliable adoption, foster
care, and child abuse and neglect data. States responding to GAO’s survey
and officials in the five states GAO visited reported that insufficient
caseworker training and inaccurate and incomplete data entry affect the
quality of the data reported to HHS. In addition, states reported technical
challenges reporting data. Despite HHS assistance, many states report
ongoing challenges, such as the lack of clear and documented guidance on
how to report child welfare data. In addition, although states were
mandated to begin reporting data to the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis
Reporting System (AFCARS) in 1995, few reviews of states’ AFCARS
reporting capabilities have been conducted to assist states in resolving some
of their reporting challenges.
Some states are using a variety of practices to address the challenges
associated with developing SACWIS and improving data reliability. For
example, 28 states reported using approaches to help caseworkers identify
and better understand the data elements that are required for federal
reporting.
In a related report, we recommended that the Secretary of HHS consider
ways to enhance the guidance and assistance offered to states to help them
overcome the key challenges in collecting and reporting child welfare data.
These efforts could include a stronger emphasis placed on conducting
AFCARS reviews and timelier follow-up to help states implement their
improvement plans or identifying a useful method to provide clear and
consistent guidance. HHS generally agreed with our findings but, in
response to our recommendation, said that we did not recognize the longterm
efforts to provide AFCARS and National Child Abuse and Neglect Data
System related guidance. HHS also noted that the data definitions need to be
updated and revised and said it was in the process of revising regulations.
HHS added that it is firmly committed to continue to support the states and
to provide technical guidance and assistance as resources permit.
families served by state child
welfare agencies, Congress
authorized matching funds for the
development of statewide
automated child welfare
information systems (SACWIS) and
required that the Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS)
compile information on the
children served by state agencies.
This testimony is based on our July
2003 report and addresses the
following: (1) states’ experiences in
developing child welfare
information systems and HHS’s
role in assisting in their
development, (2) factors that affect
the reliability of data that states
collect and report on children
served by their child welfare
agencies and HHS’s role in
ensuring the reliability of those
data, and (3) practices that child
welfare agencies use to overcome
challenges associated with SACWIS
development and data reliability.
For the July 2003 report, we
surveyed all 50 states and the
District of Columbia regarding their
experiences developing and using
information systems and their
ability to report data to HHS. We
also reviewed a variety of HHS
documents and visited five states
to obtain firsthand information.
Finally, we interviewed HHS
officials and child welfare and data
experts and reviewed relevant
literature.