1. Inspiration  Ideas  Improvement Practice Improvement Unit District Practice Improvement Specialists District Automation Liaisons Inspiration An agent that prompts action or invention Ideas Plans, schemes, or methods Improvement Advancement to a better state or quality Self-Evaluation Youth and Family Input New Practice Knowledge (Research) Federal and State Law (CFSR) COA Standards External Evaluations and Stakeholder Input CQI Teams Individual Staff Workgroups Surveys and Focus Groups Best/Promising Practices NRCs/Professional Literature Safe, Happy, Healthy Children Less Child Maltreatment Fewer Children in Out-of-Home Care More Quality Foster Homes in Children’s Home Communities And Many More……

2. The Practice Improvement Unit & Specialists Can….. Practice Improvement Unit District Practice Improvement Specialists District Automation Liaisons Inspiration An agent that prompts action or invention Ideas Plans, schemes, or methods Improvement Advancement to a better state or quality Gather Data and Stakeholder Input Analyze Data Communicate/Distribute Data and Information Review New Practice Knowledge (Research) Conduct Surveys and Focus Groups Research Best/Promising Practices Consult NRCs/Professional Literature Facilitate Workgroups Coordinate and Integrate Practice Improvement Efforts Monitor Plan Implementation Identify and Resolve Barriers to Plan Implementation Measure and Communicate Progress

3. Practice Improvement Specialist Position Description Coordination of the Child and Family Services Review, Program Improvement Plan, case review, and Continuous Quality Improvement in local districts. Coordinating and participating in the on-site CFSR and Practice Improvement Case Reviews: locating case files, oversight of review logistics, consultation on case reviews, negotiation of final ratings with the Division’s CFS Manager Analyzing case review findings and AFCARS and NCANDS data for District PIP development Development and monitoring of the District’s Program Improvement Plan Reporting of the District’s progress on PIP task completion and goal attainment Supporting District management and staff to resolve barriers to completion of the PIP, in consultation with the Division’s CFS Manager Coordinating or conferring with the Division’s CQI Program Development Specialist to ensure practice improvement efforts are addressed as appropriate through the CQI process Assisting in the coordination of all practice improvement efforts in the Districts

4. Time to Reunification Percentage of Children Reunified in Less than 12 Months Statewide Exit Cohorts The national CFSR Standard is 76.2% or more AZ has exceeded the national CFSR standard since 2002 By June 2005, AZ dropped from a peak of 8.92% above the national standard to 5.61% above the standard.

5. Time to Reunification Percentage of Children Reunified in Less than 12 Months District Exit Cohorts Year Ending June 2005 The national CFSR Standard is 76.2% or more Districts IV and VI are excelling in this outcome area

6. Time to Adoption Percentage of Children Adopted in Less than 24 Months Statewide Exit Cohorts The national CFSR Standard is 32.0% or more AZ has exceeded this national CFSR standard since 2004 By June 2005, AZ dropped from a peak of 5.91% above the national standard to 2.88% above the standard. Of cases read for the Practice Improvement Case Review since January, 2005, 20% were rated strength on timeliness of adoption.

7. Time to Adoption Percentage of Children Adopted in Less than 24 Months District Exit Cohorts Year Ending June 2005 The national CFSR Standard is 32.0% or more District I is exceeding the national standard by more than 8%.

8. Foster Care Re-entry Percentage of Children who Re-enter Within 12 Months of a Prior Exit Statewide Entry Cohorts The national CFSR standard is 8.6% or less AZ needs to reduce re-entry by another 0.38% in the year ending March 2006 to avoid a CFSR PIP for this outcome.

9. Foster Care Re-entry Percentage of Children who Re-enter Within 12 Months of a Prior Exit Statewide Entry Cohorts Year Ending June 2005 The national CFSR Standard is 8.6% or less. District V is excelling in this area.

10. Placement Stability Percentage of Children Who Had No More than Two Placements Statewide Children in Care During Year and Less than 12 Months The national CFSR standard is 86.7% or more AZ needs to increase placement stability by another 1.32% in the year ending March 2006 to avoid a CFSR PIP for this outcome. AZ has continually increased the percentage of children with placement stability since 2003.

11. Placement Stability Percentage of Children Who Had No More than Two Placements Children in Care During Year and Less than 12 Months The national CFSR Standard is 86.7% or more. District VI is the only District exceeding this national standard.