January 2004

Final Report: Wisconsin Child and Family Services Review

This document presents the findings of the Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) for the State of Wisconsin. The CFSR assesses State child welfare agency performance with regard to seven child welfare outcomes in the areas of safety, permanency, and wellbeing and seven systemic factors pertaining to child welfare agency operations. The Wisconsin CFSR was conducted the week of August 18, 2003. The findings were derived from the following documents and data collection procedures: The Statewide Assessment, prepared by the State child welfare agency - the Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) of the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services; The State Data Profile, prepared by the Children's Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which provides State child welfare data for the years 1999 through 2001; Reviews of 50 cases at three sites in the State (Milwaukee County, Kenosha County, and Outagamie County - the local child welfare agencies). While four juvenile justice out-of-home care cases were included in the sample of 50 cases to be reviewed, one of these cases was reviewed as a non-juvenile justice case because the child entered out of home care due to neglect. Interviews or focus groups (conducted at all three sites and at the State-level) with stakeholders including, but not limited to children, parents, foster parents, all levels of state and local child welfare personnel, collaborating agency personnel, Tribal representatives, service providers, court personnel, and attorneys.