Report 2021-112 Recommendation 11 Responses

Report 2021-112: The Child Abuse Central Index: The Unreliability of This Database Puts Children at Risk and May Violate Individuals' Rights (Release Date: May 2022)

Recommendation #11 To: Social Services, Department of

Until the Legislature amends state law and DOJ develops processes to use CWS/CMS, Social Services should by November 2022, develop monthly reports from CWS/CMS of cases of child abuse substantiated during the month and another list of cases that changed from substantiated to not substantiated, and then provide these reports to the counties and to DOJ.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2023

CDSS has not implemented this recommendation and is continuing ongoing discussions with the County Welfare Directors Association and county child welfare agencies to explore:

- How existing data and automation may be leveraged to support ongoing reconciliation and monitoring of submission of eligible reports to the CACI, including the development of monthly reports.

- The determination of additional data points and automation solutions that may be needed to improve ongoing efforts to strengthen the accuracy and completeness of CACI reports.

CDSS Status: CDSS continues to partner with the DOJ regarding the development of an ongoing reconciliation processes. Currently, the estimated time of completion for developing monthly reports to support ongoing reconciliation processes is

January 1, 2024.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending

Per Social Services' response, it has not fully implemented this recommendation.

1-Year Agency Response

The CDSS has not implemented this recommendation and is currently engaged in ongoing discussions with the CWDA and county child welfare agencies to explore:

- how existing data and automation may be leveraged to support ongoing reconciliation and monitoring of submission of eligible reports to the CACI, including the development of monthly reports

- the determination of additional data points and automation solutions that may be needed to improve ongoing efforts to strengthen the accuracy and completeness of CACI reports.

The CDSS continues to partner with the DOJ regarding the development of an ongoing reconciliation processes. Currently, the estimated time of completion for developing monthly reports to support ongoing reconciliation processes is January 1, 2024.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Pending

Per Social Services' response, it has not fully implemented this recommendation.

6-Month Agency Response

CDSS has partially implemented this recommendation and is currently engaged in ongoing discussions with the County Welfare Directors Association and county child welfare agencies to explore:

- how existing data and automation may be leveraged to support ongoing reconciliation and monitoring of submission of eligible reports to the CACI, including the development of monthly reports

- the determination of additional data points and automation solutions that may be needed to improve ongoing efforts to strengthen the accuracy and completeness of CACI reports.

CDSS is also engaged in ongoing discussions with the DOJ regarding CACI form submission, correction, and resubmission processes to inform the development of ongoing reconciliation processes. Estimated Time of Completion for developing monthly reports to oversee ongoing reconciliation processes is June 30, 2023.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending

Per Social Services' response, it will not fully implement this recommendation until June 2023.

60-Day Agency Response

CDSS has partially implemented this recommendation and is currently engaged in ongoing discussions with the County Welfare Directors Association and counties to explore how existing data and automation may be leveraged to support ongoing reconciliation and monitoring of submission of eligible reports to the CACI, including the development of monthly reports, and where additional data points and automation solutions may be needed to further ongoing efforts to strengthen the accuracy and completeness of CACI reports. CDSS is also engaged in ongoing discussions with the DOJ regarding CACI form submission, correction, and resubmission processes to inform the development of ongoing reconciliation processes. Estimated Time of Completion for developing monthly reports to oversee ongoing reconciliation processes is June 30, 2023.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

Per Social Services' response, it will not fully implement this recommendation until June 2023.

All Recommendations in 2021-112

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.