District Of Columbia More Details Needed On Plans To Integrate Computer Systems With The Family Court And Use Federal Funds

Reviews of the District of Columbia's (the District) Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) have identified significant problems in the child welfare system. Congress took steps to help address these problems through passage of the D.C. Family Court Act of 2001. This act reformed court practices and established procedures intended to improve interactions between the court and social service agencies in the District. The act also directed the Mayor to prepare a plan for integrating the computer systems of District agencies with those of the Family Court of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The fiscal year 2002 D.C. Appropriations Act authorized $200,000 for the completion of a plan on integrating the computer systems and $500,000 for CFSA to use for social workers to implement family court reform. The Appropriations Act also required the Mayor to prepare a plan for the use of these funds and mandated that the plan be issued on July 5, 2002. Additionally, the Appropriations Act required us to analyze the Mayor's plan within 30 days after its issuance. Because the appropriated funds will not be available until after our report is issued, the District used its own funds for the completed activities.