an overview georgia program improvement plan - Department of ...

7 th Quarter Report: The State has made two requests to extend the completion date in an effort to achieve this action step within this
PIP implementation period. E & R does spot check files during reviews to determine if the child’s placement is correctly captured in
IDS. This is the State’s ongoing way to monitor accuracy when reviewing the individual case file. Documentations below are report
examples generated from the IDS Placement Central System (identifying information has been removed).
7 th Quarter DOCUMENTATION: (1) Current Placements Report, (2) Foster Adoptive Home Report, and (3) Provider List Report,
(4) Provider’s Current Placements; (5) Child Placement History
8 th Quarter Report: Achieved. An ongoing method of monitoring the accuracy of the child’s current placement in relation to Placement
Central is through the E & R Social Services Reviews, which were conducted statewide throughout the year. These reviews are much more
comprehensive than “spot checks”. A result of these reviews was the Trend Analysis Report of July 2002 through June 2003. Ninety-five
county offices were visited and case record reviews conducted using a standardized review instrument. (For this same period, a total of 1,806
cases were reviewed.) The 2004 schedule was interrupted due to special review requests that involved the two largest urban counties. Cases
were selected based on a “randomly valid sample” made available through IDS. The number of actual cases reviewed was based on the
caseload volume. The county is presented with results of the review as well as trends. Recommendations for improvement are made and a
corrective action plan is required. The corrective action plan is monitored by the Field Manager and the Program Consultant for the county to
ensure improvement. The Trend Analysis Report was submitted in the 5 th quarter Documentation Appendix but is also a part of 8 th quarter
reporting under Action Step E2. Included in the Documentation Appendix is an example of a county Trend Report. The county name is not
identifiable. The Annual Qualitative Case Review Report will replace the Trend Analysis Report. The same process of selecting a sample,
presenting counties with results of the review, trends and recommendations for improvements, and requiring corrective action plans is
incorporated in the QCR process. A new review schedule is posted for November 2004 – September 2005 involving 25 counties (all with
hefty caseloads).
ACF requested the state to explain the 40 additional cases: The average number of placement moves for the 106 applicable cases
reviewed during the six month reporting period was 1.24 for a total of 85 moves. An additional 40 cases were reviewed in Dekalb and Fulton
counties related to Item 6, Placement Stability. Of the 40 cases reviewed, 29 had two moves or less. Eleven cases had more than two moves.
The combined results showed that of 146 applicable cases, there were 170 moves for an average of 1.16 placement moves.
The benchmark is achieved. Electronic and desk review systems have been implemented to monitor the accuracy of child placements.
The Division acknowledges via Action Step C5 that different systems reflect different information on placement moves. As indicated
in Action Step C5, the Division's plan to assure that all moves are in the system is to provide a method of linking the payment of foster
care resources (COSTAR) to the IDS/AFCARS system. By linking the two systems we will verify the accuracy of the data regarding
placement moves.
Safe Futures – A Plan for Program Improvement
Georgia Department of Human Resources
November, 2004 Quarter 8 - Work Plan D Page 3