COMPASS

COMPASS is the acronym for Children's Outcomes Measured in Protection and Safety Statistics. COMPASS presents the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Division of Children and Family Services child welfare statistics and outcome measures.

COMPASS includes the outcomes established in the second round of the Federal Children and Family Reviews and the state developed performance accountability measures. In the future, we will be adding additional data on the children and families served by the Division of Children and Family Services. COMPASS uses the most current data available.

Federal Measures

COMPASS presents the measures, indicators and composites along with appropriate state and federal standards both as percentages and as the total number of children associated with each measure and indicator. Because there are no federal standards for the federal permanency measures, the national 75th percentile established in federal fiscal year 2004 is displayed. The trend for each indicator and composite is also presented. For details, please select the links in the side bar. Federal Measures

The following federal measures and composites are derived from the monthly generated AFCARS (Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System) and NCANDS (National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System) reports fromNebraska Health and Human Services N-FOCUS system:

Absence of Maltreatment Recurrence Indicator
Absence of Maltreatment in Foster Care Indicator
Timeliness and Permanency of Reunification Composite
Exit Cohort Reunification in Less Than 12 Months Median Time to Reunification Entry Cohort Reunification in Less Than 12 Months Re-entries to Foster Care in Less Than 12 Months (Permanence of Reunification)
Timeliness of Adoptions Composite
Exits to Adoption in Less Than 24 Months Median Time to Adoption Children in Care for 17 Months or Longer Who Are Adopted By the End of the Year Children in Care for 17 Months of Longer Who Are Legally Free for Adoption within 6 Months Children Who Are Legally Free for Adoption Who Are Adopted within 12 Months
Permanency for Children and Youth in Foster Care for Long Period of Time Composite
Exits to Permanency Prior to the Child's 18th Birthday for Children in Care for 24 Months of Longer Exits to Permanency for Children Free for Adoption Children Emancipated Who Were in Foster Care for 3 Years or More
Placement Stability Composite
Two or Fewer Placement Settings for Children in Care for Less Than 12 Months Two or Fewer Placement Settings for Children in Care for 12 to 24 Months Two or Fewer Placement Settings for Children in Care for 24 Months or More

Regions

The measures are published for the five different DHHS Service Areas and for the twelve Judicial Districts of Nebraska. The measures for the counties for each Judicial Districts are also presented. The Western Service Area combines the areas formerly known as Southwest and Western.