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

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 Rhode Island was:

Round 1 (2004)

• NOT in substantial conformity with 7 of the 7 Outcomes
• NOT in substantial conformity with 6 of the 7 Systemic Factors

Round 2 (2010)   

• 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 subequent review must begin a full review within two years after approval of the state's program improvement plan, HHS has announced that Rhode Island 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
  
  
  • Rhode Island Performance Improvement Plan (Round 2)
  • Final Report: Rhode Island Child and Family Services Review, 2010 (Round 2)
  • Rhode Island Performance Improvement Plan (Round 1)
  • Final Report: Rhode Island Child and Family Services Review, 2004 (Round 1)
• Title IV-E State Reports and Program Improvement Plans (PIPs)
  
  
  • Initial Primary (FY 2001)
  • Primary Review (FY 2004)
  • Subsequent Primary Review (FY 2007)
  • PIP
  • Secondary Review (FY 2010)
  • Primary Review (FY 2013)
• Other Documents / Reports
  
  
  • Rhode Island AFCARS Assessment Review (2003)
  • Rhode Island section from HHS' Child Welfare Outcomes, 2009-2012, Report to Congress

Child Welfare Litigation*

• Cassie M. v. Chafee
  Children’s Rights, along with Rhode Island attorney John Dineen, then-Rhode Island Child Advocate Jametta Alston, and the law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, filed this case against the governor of the state of Rhode Island, the secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, and the director of the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families (“DCYF”). The case was filed on behalf of all children who are or will be in the legal custody of DCYF due to a report or suspicion of abuse or neglect, alleging violations of their constitutional rights to substantive due process and familial association, and their statutory rights to adequate case plans and foster care maintenance payments.

*litigation summary taken from information provided by the website of Children's Rights

Child Welfare In the News**

• EMA Director Jamia McDonald, in new position, tasked with starting turnaround of RI's troubled child welfare agency
  Providence Journal - January 16, 2015
  "My top priority is creating a stronger Rhode Island for our children and families to be safe and healthy," Governor Raimondo said in a statement. "Another priority is fostering innovation in state government. It is no secret that our team is inheriting several significant management and budget challenges at DCYF.
  
• General Assembly bill would expand requirements to head Rhode Island DCYF
  Providence Journal - January 09, 2015
  Key Rhode Island lawmakers are backing a change in the minimum requirements for the director of the state's troubled Department of Children, Youth and Families, and more specifically: elimination of the requirement that the director have a master's degree in social work.
• Janice DeFrances (Director of Department of Children, Youth and Families.): DCYF has improved despite budget cuts
  Providence Journal - January 09, 2015
  Every day, the state Department of Children, Youth and Families deals with thousands of Rhode Island's most vulnerable families through its child welfare, children's behavioral health and juvenile justice programs.
  
• Senate task force tells R.I. Department of Children, Youth and Families to be more hands-on
  Providence Journal - December 12, 2014
  A Senate task force charged with looking at problems at the Department of Children, Youth and Families and two nonprofit networks through which it provides services is recommending that the department monitor the networks more closely and be more involved with the families it serves.
  
• DCYF fiscal advisers testify before R.I. Senate panel on need for more funding
  Providence Journal - December 03, 2014
  Senate task force heard testimony Tuesday about the need for more funding and better management of the contracts that the state's child welfare agency has with its two nonprofit networks.
  

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