The Department of Family Services (DFS) partners with the Administration for Children and Families to conduct a Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) of the state’s Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice System. This robust federal audit enables Wyoming to evaluate and assess conformity with federal child welfare and juvenile justice requirements while also providing opportunities to work with stakeholders and partners to use information gathered to enhance the system’s capacity to help children and families achieve positive outcomes.
As part of the CFSR, DFS completes of a comprehensive Statewide Assessment. The Statewide Assessment process collects information through surveys and interviews with community stakeholders in order to assess the Safety, Permanency, and Well-Being of children, as well as the following seven systemic factors:
- Statewide Information System
- Case Review System
- Quality Assurance System
- Staff and Provider Training
- Service Array and Resource Development
- Agency Responsiveness to the Community
- Foster and Adoptive Parent Licensing, Recruitment and Retention.
The Department of Family Services is in the middle of completing Round 4 of the CFSR and are looking to have final results along with a finalized Statewide Assessment in the Spring, 2024. We will then be moving into developing our Program Improvement Plan which is designed to create lasting and statewide systemic change in key areas identified in the Child and Family Services review while also addressing the practice and systemic concerns found during the review that affect the system’s ability to meet the needs of children and families served. We will be looking for community stakeholders to help develop and implement the PIP so please check back for new information.