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

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 North Dakota was:

Round 1 (2002)

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

Round 2 (2009)   

• NOT in substantial conformity with 6 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 subequent review must begin a full review within two years after approval of the state's program improvement plan, HHS has announced that North Dakota will not undergo Round 3 of the CFSR until FY 2016 (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
  
  
  • North Dakota Performance Improvement Plan (Round 2)
  • Final Report: North Dakota Child and Family Services Review, 2009 (Round 2)
  • North Dakota Performance Improvement Plan (Round 1)
  • Final Report: North Dakota Child and Family Services Review, 2002 (Round 1)
• Title IV-E State Reports and Program Improvement Plans (PIPs)
  
  
  • Initial Primary (FY 2002)
  • Primary Review (FY 2005)
  • Subsequent Primary Review (FY 2008)
  • Subsequent Primary Review (FY 2011)
• Other Documents / Reports
  
  
  • North Dakota AFCARS Assessment Review (2003)
  • North Dakota section from HHS' Child Welfare Outcomes, 2009-2012, Report to Congress

Child Welfare In the News**

• Foster care homes lacking in McKenzie County
  McKenzie County Farmer - December 09, 2014
  Currently, there are only two licensed foster care homes in the entire county, with the hopes to add one more in the near future. Even with three foster care homes, that leaves an extensive deficit when it comes to caring for children that end up in the state's hands.
  
• Forum editorial: Good plan for social services
  Fargo Forum - December 08, 2014
  Gov. Jack Dalrymple's 2015-17 budget includes a provision whereby the state would assume some - and eventually most, if not all - of the costs of county-based social services. Given the changing nature of social service delivery, the governor's plan is overdue.
  

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