Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Audit Dashboard

The Department of Children and Family Services (CFS) Dashboard tracks key metrics for ACSSA's Department of Children and Family Services Status Updates on the Joint Committee on Legislative Audit's recommendations. The goal is to provide simple, clear measures.

A chart view is available for each measure by clicking on the plus sign to the left of the measure. The view automatically shows the last 24 months, however, additional time periods can be used by adjusting the slider bar below the chart. 

How Often This Dashboard Is Updated
This dashboard is updated regularly so viewers can clearly interpret changes over time. Most measures are refreshed monthly and reflect data as of the last day of each month, providing a consistent view of recent performance. The update frequency is noted in the methodology notes for each metric.

Understanding the Metrics and Methodology
We have updated our methodology notes to make it easier to understand how these metrics are calculated, how targets were established, and what data they draw from.

The dashboard for most metrics is powered by data that has been extracted from CWS/CMS via one of three tools. 

• Reports developed by Evident Change available through SafeMeasures 
• Internally developed reports that query CWS/CMS utilizing Business Objects 
• Reports developed by the California Child Welfare Indicators Project (CCWIP) 

Data sources for individual metrics are noted in the methodology section. 

We are also working to ensure that all charts display consistent reporting periods, with data going back to July 2019 to correspond to the start of the audit review period.

How to Read Changes Over Time
When reviewing trends, please keep in mind that some improvements may reflect both operational changes and normal variation in the data. Where relevant, we will periodically add brief notes on key initiatives or process changes expected to influence these metrics, so that changes in the curves can be understood in the context of our ongoing work.