Title

Targeted Case Review

Intro

As required by the Minnesota African-American Family Preservation and Child Welfare and Disproportionality Act, the unit conducts targeted case reviews to support compliance with the requirements of the act. This includes, but is not limited to, compliance:

  • Efforts to Prevent Placement
  • Safety Planning
  • Engaging Non-Custodial Parents and Relatives Engagement
  • Court documentation
  • Ensuring frequent visitation
  • Cultural competency training requirements
  • Other child welfare policy requirements

Throughout the year, the unit staff conducts ongoing reviews of a representative sample of county cases to ensure compliance with the requirements of the act, identify trends in patterns of practice, and identify opportunities for technical assistance to improve practice.

Cases are selected through a detailed, random sampling process and stratified to ensure fidelity and objectivity in the review results. The findings and results of his reviews are compiled into summary reports. These summary reports are shared internally with department staff and with the African American Child and Family Well-Being Advisory Council.

Unit staff also share the results with county agency staff and leadership to discuss and learn about effective practice strategies that lead to strengths and strong county performance, and to offer technical assistance to support improvements in practice and policy administration where identified and needed.

These case reviews are separate from those that may be conducted after a report is received through the MAAFPACWDA Feedback and Compliance portal. If you feel an individual case involving an African American child should be reviewed due to concerns of noncompliance with MAAFPACWDA or other child welfare requirements, you are encouraged to file a report with DCYF through the MAAFPACWDA Feedback and Compliance Portal at MAAFPCWDA Feedback and Compliance | Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families