Office of Applied Research and Evaluation
The Office of Applied Research and Evaluation is an independent research office within DCF that leads the Department’s efforts to assess program implementation and effectiveness, understand service utilization and participant satisfaction, synthesize the best available evidence, and assess constituent need in order to provide  insights that inform policy decisions and program enhancements.  

• Research: The Office of Applied Research and Evaluation uses a range of research methods from advanced statistical analyses to surveys, focus groups and interviews to assess the needs of constituents, communities, staff and stakeholders and to allocate DCF resources appropriately.   
• Program Evaluation: Program evaluations provide the evidence-base necessary for informed decision-making and for strategic planning through rigorous methodologies and partnership with program participants and stakeholders, the Office of Applied Research & Evaluation assesses the reach, implementation and effectiveness of its programs, ensuring they are grounded in evidence-based practices, reach the people who need them most, achieve their intended outcomes, and are responsive to constituents’ needs.  
• Data Translation and Dissemination: Through the translation of research findings into digestible products, scientific advising, and promotion of data literacy, the Office of Applied Research & Evaluation advances data use and transparency at DCF. By bridging research and practice, the Office helps to ensure that insights gleaned from research and program evaluations are accessible and shared widely with program and policy decision-makers, DCF staff and stakeholders to drive improvement planning processes.  

Office of Data Management and Reporting  
The Office of Data Management & Reporting designs and maintains critical data infrastructure used for collecting, managing, analyzing and reporting data to support DCF’s organizational performance. The Office manages the quality, flow and accessibility of data across DCF through data infrastructure development, data governance and management, and data application modernization.  

• DCF Information Management Strategy Roadmap: The Office of Data Management & Reporting is responsible for implementing the Department of Children and Families' Information Management Strategy Roadmap. This strategic initiative encompasses essential areas such as Data Governance, AI Governance, and Data Modernization, ensuring that DCF remains a leader in technological innovation. By offering strategic expertise, the Office guides the modernization of critical business applications, including the Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System (CCWIS), reinforcing its commitment to pioneering solutions. 
• Data Management: The Office of Data Management & Reporting is responsible for building and maintaining enterprise-level data systems that bolster DCF programs and operations. With a focus on excellence in data collection methods, the office ensures that services delivered throughout the Department and its network of community-based partners are both consistent and efficient. A Cloud-based Enterprise Data Warehouse is being positioned to support high quality data, seamless data integration, insightful reporting, and robust business intelligence.  
• Business Intelligence: The Office of Data Management & Reporting develops and sustains business intelligence products that provide program offices and Department researchers with easy access to vital information through dynamic dashboards and visualizations. The NJ Child Welfare Data Hub highlights a collaborative effort with the Institute for Families at Rutgers University School of Social Work to share New Jersey child welfare data with the public. Furthermore, the DCF Commissioner’s Monthly Report offers a transparent view of service reach and effectiveness. 
• Regulatory Reporting Requirements: The Office of Data Management and Reporting ensures DCF's compliance with state and federal reporting mandates and efficiently handles data requests from the public, other child welfare jurisdictions, the legislature, and under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA). The office maintains the highest standards of transparency and integrity in all reporting practices. 

The Office of Quality ensures that evidence generated at DCF is transformed into actions that enhance the services and supports provided to New Jersey residents. The Office oversees improvement cycles, conducts quality assurance activities across the Department’s programmatic divisions, and undertakes safe systems reviews of fatalities and other critical incidents, offering insights to inform system enhancements.  

• Collaborative Quality Improvement: DCF is committed to using evidence to drive service excellence through its Collaborative Quality Improvement model. Through systematic evaluation and targeted improvement strategies, the Office of Quality facilitates improvement cycles focused on identifying strengths and challenges within service delivery, identifying root causes, and planning improvements. Collaborative Quality Improvement fosters collaboration among DCF stakeholders by leveraging evidence-driven insights to inform decision-making and cultivate a culture of continuous learning and improvement.  
• Fatality and Critical Incident Review: The Office of Quality conducts in-depth reviews of fatality and other critical incidents using a safety science framework. The Safe Systems Review is an analytical approach that examines systemic factors contributing to critical incidents and provides learning opportunities to prevent future occurrences. These efforts ensure DCF's programs remain responsive and effective, aligning with the needs of New Jersey's children and families. By integrating these reviews into its quality assurance framework, DCF fosters a culture of safety and excellence. 
• Quality Assurance: The Office of Quality ensures high standards of service delivery across the Division of Child Protection & Permanency through a comprehensive quality assurance process. The Office analyzes electronic records to assess alignment with best practices and assigns Quality Scores that summarize the quality of casework activities in areas such as engagement, assessment, safety and risk, supervision, and planning. The Office also partners with The Center for Prevention Science at Rutgers University on the YaFIT project to gather systematic feedback from families and youth involved with the Division. Evidence collected through these quality assurance processes is integrated into the Division’s Collaborative Quality Improvement process and published on DCFs public website, promoting transparency promoting transparency and continuous improvement.