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The Office of Analytics and System Improvements (ASI) is responsible for all quality assurance and program evaluation activities, data analysis and reporting, and child fatality and near fatality case practice reviews.  ASI manages the department’s organization-wide continuous quality improvement effort and prepares annual reports on the department's work and progress.

ASI provides quantitative and qualitative information for the department to measure and support organizational performance. This information is used to report on the outcomes of service delivery to children and families and to comply with state and federal requirements.  ASI strives to produce information useful to front-line staff, management, administration, and stakeholders.

ASI oversees the Office of Quality, the Office of  Applied Research and Evaluation, the Fatality and Executive Review Unit, the Federal Reporting Unit, and the Child and Family Service Review (CFSR) Unit.

Office of Quality

The Office of Quality supports and promotes the department’s commitment to continuous quality improvement (CQI). It assesses the overall quality of case practice and services by identifying strengths and areas that need improvement. The Office of Quality examines performance and, by applying CQI processes, conducts Qualitative Reviews, monthly ChildStat reviews, and case record reviews. It provides data analysis and interpretation support and assists development and implementation of county-level program improvement plans. The Office of Quality monitors CQI results and evaluates interventions.

Continuous Quality Improvement

Qualitative Review
The Qualitative Review process assesses system performance and identifies strengths and areas for improvement.

ChildStat
Encourages self-assessment and self-diagnostic processes through a case conferencing model.

Office of Applied Research and Evaluation

The Office of Applied Research and Evaluation (ARE) provides DCF quantitative and qualitative data to measure and support organizational performance, comply with state and federal requirements, and to report on outcomes of services for children and families.  ARE strives to produce information that can be used by front-line staff, management, administration, and stakeholders.

ARE conducts CQI activities and collaborates with leadership throughout DCF to ensure the reliability and validity of data used to inform decision making, and understand the impact of our work with NJ’s children and families.

ARE spearheads the department’s Manage by Data Fellows program.This nationally-recognized program develops agency staff, teaching them to use data to improve outcomes for children and families. The Fellows use data to tell the story of the children and families DCF serves. They also build analytical and presentation skills and they design targeted solutions to local challenges. It is at the center of our department-wide commitment to operate as a data-driven, learning organization. Hundreds of staff members have graduated from the program. DCF views every Fellows graduate as a department mentor and ambassador. After graduating from the program, Fellows coach and mentor others as part of their daily work with colleagues, communities, and families.

SafeMeasures
Used throughout the department, SafeMeasures is a case management reporting tool for monitoring performance and tracking staff caseloads. The comprehensive child welfare reporting package includes analytical capabilities; expertise geared to front-line staff and supervisors; training and implementation support; and ongoing on-line support.

Office of Applied Research and Evaluation Related Links
The Commissioner's Monthly Report contains selected data points on who we are serving and how well we are serving them.  Reflecting our work across the department, the Commissioner's Monthly Report helps guide our efforts.

The New Jersey Child Welfare Data Hub is a collaborative effort between the New Jersey Department of Children and Families and the Institute for Families at the Rutgers University School of Social Work. The Data Hub seeks to improve the lives of children and families by disseminating New Jersey child welfare data.

Fatality and Executive Review Unit

The Fatality and Executive Review Unit is responsible for unusual incident reports, Executive Directed Case Reviews, and Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) reports. It ensures child fatalities, fatalities from domestic violence, and unusual incidents involving children in residential facilities are reviewed and any systemic issues or trends are discovered and addressed.

The New Jersey Child Fatality and Near Fatality Review Board reviews fatalities and near fatalities of children in order to identify their causes, relationship to governmental support systems, and methods of prevention.

The New Jersey Domestic Violence Fatality and Near Fatality Review Board allows the community to honor victims of domestic violence-related fatalities and learn from their deaths in an effort to improve systemic and community responses to domestic violence.

Federal Reporting Unit

The Federal Reporting Unit is tasked with reporting on the state’s child welfare system to the federal government. This unit also serves as the liaison between the Center for the Study of Social Policy and DCF for reporting Sustainability and Exit Plan measures.  The Federal Reporting Unit partners with the Child and Family Services Review Unit to coordinate New Jersey's CFSR process as well as the Child and Family Services Plan and the Annual Progress and Services Report. Additionally this unit coordinates the Staffing and Oversight Review Subcommittee, which is a subcommittee of the New Jersey Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect. 

The Federal Reporting Unit coordinates New Jersey's Child and Family Services Plan and Annual Progress and Services Report submissions.

The Staffing and Oversight Review Subcommittee reviews and makes recommendations on CP&P staffing levels and staff recruitment, hiring, and retention.

Child and Family Service Review Unit

The Child and Family Service Review (CFSR) Unit coordinates New Jersey's 2017 CFSR. The CFSR ensures conformity with federal child welfare requirements and helps states identify strengths and areas needing improvement within their agencies and programs. The CFSR unit serves as the primary liaison between New Jersey and the Children’s Bureau for the CFSR. The unit is responsible for submission of the State Wide Assessment, coordinating training and conducting round three of the CFSR. Following the review, the unit, in collaboration with the Federal Reporting Unit and the Children’s Bureau coordinates the formation of the Department’s, two year, Program Improvement Plan, and ensures New Jersey completes all action steps and benchmarks, and achieves improvement in all measures specified in the federal government’s performance improvement plan.

The Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) is an evaluation of a state's child welfare system to determine how well the system performs in promoting outcomes for the safety, permanency, and well-being for children. Click here for more information.
 

Office of Quality Archived Reports

Qualitative Review - 2014 Annual Report 
Qualitative Review - 2013 Annual Report 
Qualitative Review - 2012 Annual Report 
Qualitative Review - 2011 Annual Report 
2010 Qualitative Review Pilot Final Report - February 2011 
DCF Investigations Review Report 2014 
Measure 55: Measuring housing, educational, and employment status for older youth exiting care - October 2015  
Measure 54: Measuring services for youth ages 18 to 21 - October 2015 
Review of Services for Older Youth Exiting Care - October 2013 
NJ Child Protective Services Investigative Practice 2013 Assessment 
New Jersey State Central Registry 2011 Assessment 

New Jersey Child Welfare Data Hub

New Jersey child data is available through the data portal.