Measure
This measures the results of investigations from a referral for abuse and neglect completed by Office of Hotline and Investigations (OHI).
How This Is Measured
This indicator reports the results of the decision made for an OHI investigation. An investigation can be for multiple children, or one child only, as well as for multiple responses of one reason only. Abuse and neglect may be substantiated for one allegation or child and unfounded for another.
The status of the investigation indicates the result of the investigation.
- Inconclusive: an investigation finding that concludes that there is insufficient evidence to substantiate the report but there still exists some conflicting information that indicate the abuse or neglect may have occurred
- Incomplete: an investigation finding for referrals in which there were barriers to being able to complete every aspect of the investigation. This could include obtaining confirmation during the investigation that the family was a resident of another state outside DC, the parent refusing the social worker access to the home to complete a home assessment, or inability to locate the family.
- Substantiated: an investigation finding that concludes the allegation of maltreatment or risk of maltreatment is supported or founded by state law or policy
- Unfounded: an investigation finding that concludes there is not sufficient evidence under state law to conclude or suspect that the child was maltreated or is at-risk of being maltreated.
- Child Fatality: Death of a child that raises concern of possible abuse or neglect. This includes situations where there is suspicion that a caregiver’s actions or lack of supervision contributed to or caused the child’s death (e.g., suffocation of an infant in an unsafe sleep environment, drowning due to lack of supervision, or deaths of a child related to head trauma or internal injuries that appear suspicious). CFSA learns of child fatalities through various sources, including but not limited to the CFSA Hotline, CFSA employees, DC Health, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the news media. This data is reflective of the notifications through the CFSA hotline only.
Filters at the bottom of the dashboard allow you to filter the data by the following factors:
- Year: The display can show the current and past two fiscal years
- Month: The default view shows the data with each month in a quarter summed up. By applying the month filter, the data by month can be obtained.
- Setting Where Abuse Occurred: data can be viewed looking at institutional abuse, non-institutional abuse, or all
- Institutional abuse: allegations of neglect and/or abuse (including some allegations of sexual abuse) reported in the following locations within the District: foster homes; congregate care facilities; residential hospital facilities; emergency care facilities, including runaway shelters and youth shelters; boarding schools and traditional day schools (except DC Public Schools); licensed daycare facilities or homes, or the Youth Services Center (Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services juvenile detention center).
- Non-institutional abuse: allegations of neglect and/or abuse by the child’s caretaker that are reported to have occurred within the District.
Practice Update as of April 2024:
To address the backlog of investigations and ensure a more efficient process of investigation completion, the Agency launched a temporary administrative process called Project Safety in April 2024. This process was introduced to reduce the administrative burden on social workers and allow them to prioritize safety and client-centered responsibilities. Under Project Safety, once it has been assessed that there are no safety concerns present and the Agency will not be substantiating any allegations, an investigation may be presented for closure with limited documentation requirements by the social worker. If approved for safe closure following a rigorous, high-level review of present information by at least one OHI Administrator (or in their absence the OHI Deputy Director or Agency Director), a summary note outlining investigatory activities and findings will be considered sufficient documentation for closure. Currently, Project Safety closures are included in the same category as incomplete closures and comprise the integrity of this data. Some continue to be closed incomplete due to other reasons. CFSA hopes that by FY 2026 Q2 data and moving forward, the Project Safety closures will be reported distinctly from the other incomplete closures.