​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Every state child welfare agency works in conjunction with federal oversight to implement a variety of services for the benefit of children and families. State child welfare services include prevention efforts, services to identify and protect abused and neglected children and a service array to treat families and children affected by abuse and neglect. Services are implemented according to formal state plans in compliance with federal requirements around federal funding sources.

State plans may include both specific points of compliance with federal law or specific tasks to coordinate service delivery. Plans are based on current service data, analysis of state need and federal feedback. State plans meet requirements specific to program and service funding source.

Additionally, the division participates in regular federal reviews of child welfare services and produces regular reports on its services to children and families.

Federal IV-B State Plan

Kentucky's child and family five-year service plan complies with and is funded under Title IV-B of the Social Security Act, primarily devoted to child abuse prevention and child protective services.

The department's current five-year plan was approval in October 2014 and for the period 2015 - 2019. Each year the department submits an annual report on progress toward its plan goals to sustain or improve child welfare services, prevent child maltreatment, support families receiving state services and achieve permanency in a timely manner for children in foster care.

Title IV-E State Plan

Kentucky is pursuing a waiver demonstration project to improve Kentucky’s child welfare system and better serve its families and children. 

As part of this project we have developed a Title IV-E Waiver Demonstration Application and supporting Logic Model. 

Waiver Demonstration Projects have been implemented and require Semi-annual Progress Reports as well as an Interim Evaluation Report.

Title IV-E State Plan:  Kentucky's plan of compliance to meet federal requirements for IV-E eligibility. Title IV-E funds service children in foster care and adoption services.

Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act State Plan
Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act State Plan 

Kentucky's state plan forfunds awarded under the Child Abuse and Prevention Act is required by the act. Funding supports prevention activities or activities designed to improve the state's handling of child protective services cases.

Child and Family Services Reviews

Child and Family Services Reviews, authorized by 1994 amendments to the Social Security Act and administered by the Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are a federal-state collaboration to to assess state capacity to promote positive outcomes for children and families in the child welfare system.

A federal-state review team conducts the reviews and evaluates state performance for safety, permanency and well-being. The reviews examine state programs from two perspectives: outcomes of services provided to children and families and systemic factors affecting agency ability to help children and families achieve positive outcomes.

Review teams collect information from a variety of sources to make decisions about state performance. These sources include a statewide assessment by state members of the review team; data; onsite reviews of a sample of case records and case-related interviews with children, parents, foster parents, caseworkers and other knowledgeable professionals; and interviews with state and community stakeholders.

CFSR Round 3 Final Report