The federal government's dereliction allows states to fall short on meeting minimum child welfare standards. Below is information specific to Iowa.

CFSR Results Summary: In its Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) process, HHS determines whether each state is in substantial conformity with 7 specific outcomes (pertaining to the areas of safety, permanency and family and child well-being) and 7 systemic factors (relating to the quality of services delivered to children and families and the outcomes they experience).  In the first two rounds of the CFSR, HHS has concluded that Iowa was:

Round 1 (2003)

• NOT in substantial conformity with 5 of the 7 Outcomes
• NOT in substantial conformity with 4 of the 7 Systemic Factors

Round 2 (2011)   

• NOT in substantial conformity with 7 of the 7 Outcomes
• NOT in substantial conformity with 2 of the 7 Systemic Factors

Although federal law mandates that any state found not to be operating in substantial conformity during an initial or subsequent review must begin a full review within two years after approval of the state's program improvement plan, HHS has announced that Iowa will not undergo Round 3 of the CFSR until FY 2018 (see CFSR Technical Bulletin #7 (March 2014)).

Documents from the U.S. Health & Human Services Children's Bureau

• Child and Family Services Review Reports and Results
  
  
  • Iowa Performance Improvement Plan (Round 2)
  • Final Report: Iowa Child and Family Services Review, 2011 (Round 2)
  • Iowa Performance Improvement Plan (Round 1)
  • Final Report: Iowa Child and Family Services Review, 2003 (Round 1)
• Title IV-E State Reports and Program Improvement Plans (PIPs)
  
  
  • Initial Primary (FY 2001)
  • PIP
  • Secondary Review (FY 2004)
  • Primary Review (FY 2007)
  • Subsequent Primary Review (FY 2010)
  • Subsequent Primary Review (FY 2013)
• Other Documents / Reports
  
  
  • Iowa AFCARS Assessment Review (2004)
  • Iowa section from HHS' Child Welfare Outcomes, 2009-2012, Report to Congress

Child Welfare In the News**

• Human services agenda includes tweaks and fixes of new initiatives (Souix City Journal - January 08, 2015) After accomplishing the heavy lifting required to redesign Iowa's mental health services delivery system and create the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan during recent sessions, human services issues might not be front and center during the 2015 legislative session. They won't be absent, however, because there are a number of tweaks and fixes of those recent initiatives that will be required, according to Senate Human Resources Committee Chairwoman Liz Mathis, D-Robins.
• Advocates seek legislative action to help foster care kids (Radio Iowa - November 28, 2014)"AMP (Achieving Maximum Potential) has been very successful in changing several policies and procedures to improve foster care and adoption," he says. "We began with PAL - Preparation for Adult Living - which supports youth after they leave the foster care system with a stipend that can be used on housing and basic needs as they go out on their own. Next was the law that stated siblings need to be placed together."
  
• DHS child protective worker accused of slapping, hitting two children (Includes video) (KWWL - November 19, 2014) An eastern Iowa Department of Human Services child protective worker is charged with assaulting two children in her own home.

**news summaries taken from daily newsfeed service of HHS' Child Welfare Information Gateway