Seven Performance Categories. Assessment of Data Sufficiency, Progress and Good Faith Efforts In this section of the commentary, the Co-Neutrals review the seven performance categories under the CSA, commenting on: the sufficiency of data presented to the Co-Neutrals and DHS’ efforts to achieve substantial and sustained progress toward targeted outcomes. From the beginning of DHS’ reform efforts, the Co-Neutrals have encouraged DHS to sequence its implementation of the Pinnacle Plan with an initial, intense focus on three areas – reducing caseloads so that staff have the time and capacity to care for children; increasing the supply of xxxxxx homes so that children who have been separated from their families have safe and appropriate places to live; and reducing the use of shelter care, especially for young children and infants. To achieve substantial and sustained progress toward targeted outcomes in all performance categories, it is essential that DHS first achieve substantial and sustained progress in reducing caseloads and increasing its pool of safe, diverse and stable xxxxxx homes. All child welfare systems must have a solid foundation of manageable caseloads and a sufficient number of xxxxxx homes to meet the diverse needs of children and to promote their safety, permanency and well-being. To fully assess DHS’ reform progress, it is necessary to understand and consider the interconnected impact of each of the seven performance categories on one another and not review progress of any one area in a vacuum. As such, the Co-Neutrals again want to reiterate that the cross-metric impact of having a robust pool of xxxxxx homes and manageable caseloads cannot be underestimated. These areas in particular represent the two foundational pillars for reform, upon which all other areas of the CSA performance categories, as well as reforms identified in the Pinnacle Plan, will rest. DHS has encountered a number of formidable challenges in implementing this reform effort. As has been widely reported, DHS has experienced a surge in the number of children placed in DHS’ custody, a trend underway and noticeable at the time the Pinnacle Plan was submitted by DHS and approved.1 The Co-Neutrals highlighted in the October 2013 report that DHS placed a great deal of its resources reorganizing the reporting structure of its child welfare system, which has been a wide-scale undertaking. In fact, the system and personnel changes were so significant that some of the instability in the system now is a result...
