STUDIES, SURVEYS, AND AUDITS
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office of Inspector General - Compliance Audits
Review of Connecticut Claims for Title IV-E Retroactive Adjustments. A-01-01-02501, February 12, 2002.
Audit of Title IV-E Foster Care Child-Care Claims at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' Division of Child Development for the Period November 1, 1997 to March 31, 1999. (A-04-01-00002). November 19, 2001.
Audit of Title IV-E Foster Care and Other Grants' Payments for Child Care Claims at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' Division of Child Development. (A-04-98-00123). April 30, 2001.
Review of Federal Nonparticipating Foster Care Costs Which the New York State Department of Family Assistance Retroactively Claimed to the Title IV-E Foster Care Program. (A-02-98-02004). April 24, 2001.
Review of Maine's Licensing of Foster Care Homes. (A-01-00-02500). January 23, 2001.
Review of Costs Claimed for Federal Financial Participation Under the Title IV-A Emergency Assistance Program by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare for Children in Allegheny County from October 1, 1994 to September 30, 1996. (A-03-99-00596). December 5, 2000.
Review of Kinship Foster Care Costs Which the New York State Department of Family Assistance Retroactively Claimed to the Emergency Assistance Program. (A-02-99-02001). September 28, 2000.
Review of Juvenile Justice Costs and Youth Incentive Program Costs Which the New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development Retroactively Claimed to the Emergency Assistance Program. (A-02-99-02006). August 31, 2000.
Review of Mississippi's Retroactive Claim for Foster Care Administrative and Training Costs and Maintenance Payments. (A-04-98-00126). August 10, 2000.
Review of Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare Costs Claimed Under Title IV-A Emergency Assistance for Children in Youth Development Centers, Youth Forestry Camps, and Castille Contracted Detention Facilities from October 1, 1994 to September 30, 1996. (A-03-99-00594). August 9, 2000.
Review of Costs Claimed for Federal Financial Participation Under the Title IV-A Emergency Assistance Program by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare for Children in Philadelphia County from October 1, 1994 to September 30, 1996. (A-03-98-00592). April 21, 2000.
Review of Federal Nonparticipating Foster Care Costs Which the New York State Department of Family Assistance Retroactively Claimed to the Emergency Assistance Program. (A-02-98-02002). February 29, 2000.
Review of Retroactive Adjustments Filed by Massachusetts Under the Title IV-E Foster Care Program. (A-01-98-02505). February 29, 2000.
Review of Two Selected Eligibility Requirements for New York State Title IV-E Foster Care Claims for New York City. (A-02-97-02002). February 24, 2000.
Maintenance Payments to For-Profit Child Care Providers Under the Title IV-E Foster Care Program in Illinois. (A-05-99-00004). February 23, 2000.
Missouri's Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS). (A-07-99-01040). October 8, 1999.
Ceiling for Enhanced Federal Financial Participation Exceeded by the Missouri Department of Social Services. (A-07-98-01033). March 19, 1999.
Follow-on Review of the Office of Inspector General Audit of Title IV-E Foster Care Eligibility in California. (A-09-98-00075). February 12, 1999.
Review of the State of Georgia's Independent Living Program. (A-04-97-00113). October 30, 1998.
Review of Costs Claimed Under the Title IV-A Emergency Assistance (EA) Program by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (DPW) for Children in the Philadelphia Department of Human Services (DHS) Juvenile Justice System from January 1, 1996 through June 30, 1996. (A-03-98-00590). September 1, 1998.
Retroactive Claims Under the Title IV-E Foster Care Program in Indiana. (A-05-97-00026). January 22, 1998.
Audit of California Department of Social Services Rate-Setting Methodology for Foster Family Agencies. (A-09-96-00082). November 17, 1997.
Review of Foster Care Claims Reclassified by the State of Alabama. (A-04-97-00111). October 31, 1997.
Follow-up Review of State Agency Comments on Audit of Title IV-E Payments to Child Placing Agencies, Indiana Family and Social Services Administration. (A-05-97-00056). September 24, 1997.
Audit of Training Contract Costs Claimed for Federal Reimbursement by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services. (A-10-96-00004). September 4, 1997.
Foster Care Training Administrative Costs Claimed for Federal Reimbursement by the California Department of Social Services. (A-09-96-00066). September 4, 1997.
Training Costs Claimed By Kansas Under the Title IV-E Foster Care Program. (A-07-97-01028). August 28, 1997.
Payments to Child Placing Agencies Under Title IV-E Foster Care Program, Indiana Family and Social Services Administration. (A-05-96-00055). June 27, 1997.
Review of Title IV-E Training Costs, Michigan Family Independence Agency. (A-05-96-00043). June 17, 1997.
Report of Costs Allocated to the Title IV-E Foster Care Program. (A-07-97-01027). June 11, 1997.
Summary Report on Nationwide Audit of Training Contract and Administrative Costs Charged to Department of Health and Human Services Supported Programs. (A-02-95-02002). April 25, 1997.
Allocation of Title IV-E Training Costs - Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. (A-05-96-00013). August 20, 1996.
Audit of Training Contract Costs Claimed for Federal Reimbursement by the California Department of Social Services. (A-09-95-00056). August 9, 1996.
Maintenance Payments Retained by Child Placing Agencies in the Texas Foster Care Program. (A-06-95-00035), February 6, 1996.
Review of Rising Costs in the Emergency Assistance Program. (A-01-95-02503), October 6, 1995.
Improvements Needed in Monitoring Child Placing Agencies in the Texas Foster Care Program. (A-06-94-00041), August 5, 1995.
Audit of Title IV-E Foster Care Eligibility in California for the Period October 1, 1988 through September 30, 1991
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, Audit A-09-92-00086, March 18, 1994.
Review of Retroactive Foster Care Title IV-E Claims Submitted by the Missouri Department of Social Services.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, Audit (A-07-92-00601, March 8, 1994.
Using Relatives for Foster Care.
Richard P. Kusserow, Office of the HHS Inspector General, OEI-06-90-02390, 1992.
General Accounting Office Reports
District of Columbia Child Welfare: Long-Term Challenges to Ensuring Children's Well-Being.
GAO-01-191. December 29, 2000.
Child Welfare: New Financing and Service Strategies Hold Promise, but Effects Unknown.
GAO/T-HEHS-00-158. July 20, 2000.
Foster Care: HHS Should Ensure That Juvenile Justice Placements Are Reviewed.
GAO/HEHS-00-42. June 9, 2000.
Foster Care: Status of the District of Columbia's Child Welfare System Reform Efforts.
GAO/T-HEHS-00-109. May 5, 2000.
Foster Care: States' Early Experiences Implementing the Adoption and Safe Families Act.
GAO/HEHS-00-1. December 22, 1999.
Foster Care: Effectiveness of Independent Living Services Unknown.
GAO/HEHS-0013. November 10, 1999.
Foster Care: HHS Could Better Facilitate the Interjurisdictional Adoption Process.
GAO/HEHS-00-12. November 19, 1999.
Management Reform: Elements of Successful Improvement Initiatives.
GAO/T-GGD-00-26. October 15, 1999.
Foster Care: Challenges in Helping Youths Live Independently.
T-HEHS-99-121. May 13, 1999.
Foster Care: Kinship Care Quality and Permanency Issues.
GAO/HEHS-99-32. May 6, 1999.
Foster Care: Increases in Adoption Rates.
GAO/HEHS-99-114R. April 20, 1999.
Social Service Privatization: Ethics and Accountability Challenges in State Contracting.
HEHS-99-41. April 5, 1999.
Juvenile Courts: Reforms Aim to Better Serve Maltreated Children.
GAO//HEHS-99-13. January 11, 1999.
Child Welfare: Early Experiences Implementing a Managed Care Approach.
GAO/HEHS-99-8. October 21, 1998.
Foster Care: Agencies Face Challenges Securing Stable Homes for Children of Substance Abusers.
GAO/HEHE-98-182. September 30, 1998.
Foster Care: Challenges Faced in Implementing the Multiethnic Placement Act.
T-HEHS-98-241. September 15, 1998.
Foster Care: Implementation of the Multiethnic Placement Act Poses Difficult Challenges.
GAO/HEHS-98-204. September 14, 1998.
Healthy Start: Preliminary Results From National Evaluation Are Not Conclusive.
GAO/HEHS-98-167. June 15, 1998.
Parental Substance Abuse: Implications for Children, the Child Welfare System, and Foster Care Outcomes.
T-HEHS-98-40. October 28, 1997.
Social Service Privatization: Expansion Poses Challenges in Ensuring Accountability for Program Results.
GAO/HEHS-98-6. October 20, 1997.
Child Protective Services: Complex Challenges Require New Strategies.
GAO/HEHS-97-115. July 21, 1997.
Foster Care: State Efforts to Improve The Permanency Planning Process Show Some Promise.
GAO/HEHS-97-73. May 7, 1997.
Foster Care: State Efforts to Expedite Permanency Hearings and Placement Decisions.
GAO/T-HEHS-97-76. February 27, 1997.
Child Welfare: States' Progress in Implementing Family Preservation and Support Services.
GAO/HEHS-97-34. February 18, 1997.
Cycle of Sexual Abuse: Research Inconclusive About Whether Child Victims Become Adult Abusers.
General Accounting Office, Letter Report, GAO/GGD-96-178, September 13, 1996.
Preventing Child Sexual Abuse: Research Inconclusive About Effectiveness of Child Education Programs
General Accounting Office, Letter Report, GAO/GGD-96-156, July 26, 1996.
Sex Offender Treatment: Research Results Inconclusive About What Works to Reduce Recidivism
General Accounting Office, Letter Report, GAO/GGD-96-137, June 21, 1996.
At-Risk and Delinquent Youth: Multiple Federal Programs Raise Efficiency Questions.
GAO/HEHS-96-34. March 6, 1996.
Child Welfare: Complex Needs Strain Capacity to Provide Services.
GAO/HEHS-95-208. September 26, 1995.
Child Welfare: Opportunities to Further Enhance Family Preservation and Support Activities.
GAO/HEHS95-112. June 15, 1995.
Foster Care: Health Needs of Many Young Children Are Unknown and Unmet.
GAO/HEHS-95-114. May 26, 1995.
Foster Care: Parental Drug Abuse Has Alarming Impact on Young Children.
GAO/HEHS-94-89. April 4, 1994.
Residential Care: Some High-Risk Youth Benefit, But More Study Needed.
HEHS-94-56. January 28, 1994.
Foster Care: Federal Policy on Title IV-E Share of Training Costs.
GAO/HRD-94-7. November 3, 1993.
Foster Care: Services to Prevent Out-of-Home Placements Are Limited by Funding Barriers.
HRD-93-76. June 29, 1993.
Foster Care: State Agencies Other Than Child Welfare Can Access Title IV-E Funds.
HRD-93-6. February 9, 1993.
Integrating Human Services: Linking At-Risk Families With Services More Successful Than System Reform Efforts.
HRD-92-108. September 24, 1992.
Child Abuse: Prevention Programs Need Greater Emphasis.
HRD-92-99. August 3, 1992.
Child Abuse and Neglect: Progress of the National Center Since May 1991.
T-HRD-92-14. February 27, 1992.
Implementation of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1988 by the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect.
T-HRD-91-29. May 9, 1991.
Drug Exposed Infants: A Generation at Risk.
T-HRD-90-46. June 28, 1990.
Foster Care: Delayed Follow-Up of Noncomplying States May Reduce Incentive for Reform.
PEMD-89-16. September 13, 1989.
Foster Care: Incomplete Implementation of the Reforms and Unknown Effectiveness.
PEMD-89-17. August 14, 1989.
Meeting the Needs of Children in a Home-Based Setting.
T-HRD-89-30. June 20, 1989.
Foster Care: Preliminary Report on Reform Effects.
PEMD-89-23BR. June 1, 1989.
Children's Programs: A Comparative Evaluation Framework and Five Illustrations.
PEMD-88-28BR. August 31, 1988.
Clinical Social Work: State Laws Governing Independent Practice and Reimbursement of Services.
HRD-86-55FS. February 21, 1986.
Residential Care: Patterns of Child Placement in Three States.
PEMD-85-2. June 28, 1985.
Children's Bureau, Child and Family Services Reviews, State Final Reports
The HTML versions of these reports may be viewed online with any browser, while the PDF versions require the Adobe Acrobat Reader.
The Children's Bureau conducted comprehenive reviews in all 50 states during the early 2000s. Not one state passed the reviews, which addressed matters as basic as safety and permanency in state care, as well as services provided to children and their families. Included here are the complete reports covering compliance and other vital issues.
Children's Bureau Child Welfare Reviews
Miscelleaneous Child Welfare & Foster Care Reports - (This section is currently being revised and expanded).
Fifteen Years of Failure: An Assessment of California's Child Welfare System
Justin Matlick, Pacific Research Institute, March, 1997.
The State of the Children: An Examination of Government-Run Foster Care, Conna Craig and Derek Herbert, Institute for Children, National Center for Policy Analysis, August, 1997.
Little Hoover Commission, Report #115, For The Sake Of The Children: Restructuring Foster Care In California, April 9, 1992.
Little Hoover Commission, Report #152, Now in Our Hands: Caring For California's Abused and Neglected Children. August 1999.
Little Hoover Commission, Report #168, Still in Our Hands: A Review of Efforts to Reform Foster Care in California, February 2003.
Michael T. Skrak, Office of New York State Senator Franz S. Leichter, New York State Abandons Victims of Institutional Child Abuse, September, 1993.
Department of Human Services, Foster Care Program, Office of the State Auditor, Legislative Audit Committee, Colorado, June 2002. Complete report PDF.
Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Children, Youth and Families: Foster Family Care Program, Legislative Budget Assistant Office, New Hampshire. September 2001.
Department of Public Health and Human Services, Financial-Compliance Audit For the Two Fiscal Years Ended June 30, 2001, Audit 01-11, Legislative Audit Division, Montana. December 2001. Report Summary, Complete report in PDF format.
Department of Corrections, Out-of-Home Placement of Juvenile Offenders, Performance Audit, 99P-02. Legislative Audit Division, Montana. November 1999. Report Summary, Complete report in PDF format.
Juvenile Detention, Montana Board of Crime Control (MBCC). Performance Audit 00P-12. Legislative Audit Division, Montana. November 1999. Report Summary, Complete report in PDF format.
Child Protective Services, (House Joint Resolution 32), Child and Family Services Division, Department of Public Health and Human Services, The Supreme Court of Montana, Department of Justice. Performance Audit, 02P-02. Legislative Audit Division, Montana. October 2002. Report summary, Complete report in PDF format.
Domestic Violence Program, Child & Family Services Division, Department of Public Health and Human Services, Performance Audit 00P-15, Legislative Audit Division, Montana. November 2000. Report Summary, Complete report in PDF format.
Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), Audit and Compliance Bureau Performance Audit, 99P-03. Montana. December 1999. Report Summary, Complete report in PDF format.
Montana Foster Care Review Process, Department of Public Health and Human Services and Supreme Court, Performance Audit, 98SP-79. Montana. December 1998. Report summary, Complete report in PDF format, Complete Follow-up report (June 2001) in PDF format.
A Performance Audit of the Utah Foster Care Foundation, Legislative Auditor General, Report Number 2002-4, State of Utah, June 2002. Complete report in PDF format.
A Performance Audit of Child Welfare Caseworker Workload, Legislative Auditor General, Report Number 2002-54, State of Utah, September 2002. Complete report in PDF format.
A Performance Audit of Utah's Adoption Assistance Program, Legislative Auditor General, Report Number 2001-03, State of Utah, January 2001. Complete report in PDF format.
Child Welfare Referrals and Cases, Legislative Auditor General, Report Number 2001-08, State of Utah, September 2001. Complete report in PDF format.
Foster Care. Tennessee Division of State Audit, Audit 97113, November 1998. Download complete PDF report.
Cohort 2: A Study of Families and Children Entering Foster Care 1991-1993
Child Welfare Partnership, Portland State University, Graduate School of Social Work.
A Review of Family Preservation and Family Reunification Programs
Westat, Inc. in association with James Bell Associates, Inc., and The Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago, For the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, May 30, 1995.
A Synthesis of Research on Family Preservation and Family Reunification Programs.
Julia H. Littell and John R. Schuerman, Westat, Inc., in association with James Bell Associates, and the Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago. A part of the National Evaluation of Family Preservation Services for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. May, 1995.
Executive Summary.
Intensive Family Reunification Programs.
Ariel Ahart, Ruth Bruer, Carolyn Rutsch, Richard Schmidt, and Susan Zaro, Macro International, Inc., For the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, June 30, 1992.
Executive Summary.
Child Abuse and Neglect Proceedings in Illinois Jurisdictions Outside Cook County: A Descriptive Report.
Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago. Report focuses on court proceedings in parts of Illinois other than Cook County. May 1997. Available in Text or in Word Perfect format.
Timeliness and Delay in the Cook County Juvenile Court Child Protection Division.
Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago. Report focuses on court proceedings in Cook County. January 1997. Available in Text or in Word Perfect format.
Assessment and Recommendations for Improving Child Abuse and Neglect Proceedings in Montana Courts.
Montana Supreme Court, Office of the Court Administrator. December 1996. Available in Text or in Word Perfect format.
Improving the Court Process for Alaska's Children in Need of Aid.
Alaska Judicial Council. October 1996. Available in Text or in Word Perfect format.
Juvenile Justice: Status of Delinquency Prevention Program and Description of Local Projects
Letter Report, GAO/GGD-96-147, August 13, 1996.
Juvenile Out-of-Home Placement,
Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor, Program Evaluation Division, Report Number: 99-02, January 11, 1999.
Report examines Minnesota's locally-administered juvenile out-of-home placement system. It documents the reasons for placements and assesses the strengths and weaknesses of the system.
Child Protective Services,
Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor, Program Evaluation Division, Report Number 98-01. January 13, 1998.
Of particular interest is that this audit found the child fatality data was unreliable, to the extent that it reported twice the number of child fatalities which actually occurred over a two year period.
Arizona Department of Economic Security, Division of Children,Youth and Families
Office of the Auditor General, Report No. 97-18, November, 1997. (Temporarily offline)
Child Abuse and Neglect in California
Legislative Analyst's Office, January, 1996.
Child Welfare System
Utah Legislative Auditor General, December, 1993.
Download complete PDF report.
GRAND JURY REPORTS
Interim Report of the Spring Term 2001 Grand Jury, Broward County Grand Jury, Florida, October 4, 2001.
San Luis Obispo County Grand Jury, California, The Safety and Best Interest of Children, June 2004. PDF
2002 - 2003 Nevada County, California, Grand Jury, Foster Care Policies and Procedures, June 30, 2003. PDF.
2002 - 2003 Nevada County, California, Grand Jury, Child Abuse Reporting Procedure, June 16, 2003. PDF.
1996 - 97 San Francisco Civil Grand Jury, Juvenile Justice System, 1997. (Temporarily offline).
2000 - 2001 Sacramento County Grand Jury, Transitional Assistance For Aging-Out Foster Children, Section in Final Report (Internet Version) June 30, 2001.
2000 - 2001 Sacramento County Grand Jury, Recruitment and Retention of Foster Parents, Section in Final Report (Internet Version) June 30, 2001.
1993 - 1994 San Diego County Grand Jury, Analysis of Child Molestation Issues, Report No. 7. June 1, 1994.
1992 - 1993 Santa Clara County Grand Jury, Investigation: Department Of Family And Children's Services, Final Report. 1993.
County of Tom Green, Texas, Grand Jury Report, December 7, 1987.
1991 - 1992 SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND JURY
The San Diego County Grand Jury reports are among the most comprehensive examinations of the child welfare, foster care and juvenile justice systems conducted by an independent body.
RELATED RESEARCH
Marisol v. Giuliani Civil Complaint.
Includes detailed account of agency operations and comprehensive history of the New York City child welfare system.
Superior Court of Arizona, Maricopa County, Bogutz v. Arizona, 2nd amended civil complaint, No. CV94-04159. July 1994.
United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Lashawn v. Dixon, decision, Civil Action No. 89-1754, 762 F. Supp. 959; 1991 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5300, (April 18, 1991).
Kara B. & Mikaela R. v. Dane County, Dane County Department of Human Services, its Agents and Assigns, Decision, Case Nos. 94-1081 & 94-2908, November 2, 1995.
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, decision, Neal v. Casey, Docket No. 94-1381, December 22, 1994.
Federal Law Enforcement: Investigative Authority and Personnel at 13 Agencies
General Accounting Office, Letter Report, GAO/GGD-96- 154, September 30, 1996.
Characteristics and Sources of Allegations of Ritualistic Child Abuse.
Gail Goodman, Final Report to the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, Grant No. 90CA1405.
Executive Summary.
