Empowering Communities to Serve Youth
A collaborative, child-centered, family-focused, community-based system of care that effectively meets the needs of youth and their families in the Commonwealth.
Systems of Care: Promote policies, uniform guidelines, services, funding, and practices that support systems of care in communities that can be tailored to meet the unique strengths, resources, and needs of youth, families, and communities.
Child-centered and Family-focused: Promote working in partnership with families to ensure that the assessment, design, delivery, and management of services are youth and family-driven.
Continuum of Care: Provide access to a continuum of assessment, early intervention, treatment, and transition services and supports in communities.
Integrated Services across Agencies: Integrate services and funding for youth and their families with designated care management to ensure services are coordinated across agencies and evolve to meet the changing strengths and needs of youth and their families.
Collaboration: Support open communication, active participation, and cooperation among CSA stakeholders across all sectors and at all levels on program and fiscal policy development and service development, delivery, and management.
Fiscal Accountability: Ensure fiscal accountability in that funds are spent effectively, efficiently, and equitably, maximizing the use of all local, state, federal, and private funding streams.
Inclusive Excellence: Foster a culture of inclusion, diversity, opportunity, and mutual respect for all Virginians.
The Children's Services Act (CSA) is the law enacted in 1993 that establishes a single state pool of funds to coordinate and purchase services for eligible youth and their families. Until the 2015 General Assembly renamed the Act, it was titled the "Comprehensive Services for At-Risk Youth and Families." The Office of Children's Services (OCS, Agency 200 - CSA,) is responsible for oversight and support of local governments in the implementation of this innovative, statewide system of care. Through high-quality technical assistance and training, high standards for fiscal accountability, responsible use of taxpayer funds, and use of data for continuous program evaluation and improvement, OCS strives to improve outcomes for youth and families and ensure the effective and efficient use of the Commonwealth's resources. OCS partners with a large and diverse group of state, local, public, and private stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of CSA.
The Office of Children's Services (OCS), established under §2.2-2649 of the Code of Virginia, is the administrative body of the State Executive Council for Children's Services (SEC) established under §2.2-2648 of the Code of Virginia as the supervisory council for the Children's Services Act. The SEC hires the Executive Director of OCS, a classified state employee. OCS, under the leadership of the Executive Director, is responsible for compliance with the Code of Virginia and implementing the decisions and policies of the SEC. Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following: consistent oversight for program administration and compliance with state policies and procedures; training and technical assistance to localities in the provision of effective and efficient services to youth and families; a collection of data regarding CSA-funded services; and development and distribution of management reports.
The Department of Education serves as the fiscal agent for CSA service expenditures and disburses reimbursement to local governments on behalf of OCS. The Department of Social Services provides operational support to OCS in human resources, fiscal, and information technology operations.
OCS will continue or begin the implementation of several major IT initiatives during the upcoming biennium, including:
- Using data analytics for utilization management, program evaluation, and continuous quality and program improvement.
- Completing the conversion and ongoing update and maintenance of existing IT applications to comply with operating and security requirements of the Commonwealth and industry best practices.
- Upgrading the agency website to ensure compliance with language and disability access. requirements, a crucial step to improve accessibility for all users.
- Redesigning and deploying the CSA Service Fee Directory.
- Improving the functionality of local government reporting.
- Enhancing management reports available to local governments, policymakers, and the public.
Continued growth, complexity, and security requirements of CSA IT applications have created the need for additional personnel and fiscal resources.
The Office of Children's Services (OCS) is a small agency, with a staffing level of sixteen (16) full-time equivalent (FTE) positions. Over the past several years, there has been increased attention to cross-training of expertise, sharing of responsibilities, and succession planning. Recruitment and retention of professional staff is a priority and has not been problematic although there are limited opportunities for professional advancement that exist within an agency of this size.
As possible, OCS provides financial support for professional development activities including participation in conferences, educational opportunities, and membership in professional organizations.
| Authorized Maximum Employment Level (MEL) | | 16 | | Salaried Employees | | 16 | | Wage Employees | | 0 | | Contracted Employees | | 4 |
The Office of Children's Services is physically located in leased office space located in Henrico County. Lease negotiations are coordinated by the Virginia Department of General Services. All available office space is currently occupied and alternative arrangements may be necessary to house any newly established FTEs and additional contract staff.
Risk factors for the Office of Children's Services (OCS) for the FY2024-2026 biennium include the following:
- It is inherently difficult to precisely forecast Children Services Act (CSA) costs at the state and local levels due to the nature of the program. Costs are driven by multiple factors, many beyond state and local control, including the number of eligible youth requiring services; severity of presenting needs; availability, type, and duration of services; service rates; client eligibility for and general availability of alternative funding sources; and local practice and policy changes. Over the past three years, CSA expenditures have increased significantly been level after several years of level expenditures.
- Increases tied to statutory and policy changes at other state agencies (i.e., service rate increases at VDSS and DMAS) and inflationary pressures in the cost of private day special education, as well as other service lines, are expected to drive increased costs in the FY2024-2026 biennium. Costs related to these services are linked to federal (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, IDEA) or state law (i.e., increased foster care maintenance rates triggered by state employee salary increases); and policy and practice tieing CSA service rates to Medicaid provider reimbursement rates.
For Fiscal Years (FY) 2025 and 2026, the agency budget is funded with $436.3 million ($378.6 million, 87% in general funds, and $57.6 million in non-general funds (13%)). The primary activities funded through this appropriation ($433,4 million or 99.3%) reimburse local governments for the state share of the costs of services provided under the CSA program and local administrative support ($2.5 million).
Out of the FY2025-2026 appropriations (Item 268, Program 45300) of Chapter 2, $31.2 million of the general fund and $48.2 million of non-general funds are transferred to the Department of Medical Assistance Services to support the state's share of Medicaid funding of residential treatment and treatment foster care management. Out of the overall general fund appropriation, $2.7 million is reserved to provide local government administrative funding ($2.5 million) and to support the uniform assessment of youth, a uniform web-based reporting system for local data, comprehensive data analytics, and training activities. The Virginia Department of Education is the fiscal administrative entity for these funds found in Item 268 of the Appropriation Act.
The remaining funds ($3.3 million) represent the administrative budget of the Office of Children's Services (Chapter 2, Item 269 (Program 49900) and funds specifically allocated in Program 45300 to support targeted functions (e.g., training and support for IT systems). OCS maintains a Memorandum of Understanding with the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) to provide continued support for human resources, certain information technology and fiscal functions.
| 2025
General Fund | 2025
Nongeneral Fund | 2026
General Fund | 2026
Nongeneral Fund | | Initial Appropriation for the Biennium | 380,648,359 | 57,632,329 | 380,648,359 | 57,632,329 | | Changes to Initial Appropriation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The Office of Children's Services does not collect revenues.
The following statistics provide a snapshot of key CSA program outputs during the FY 2023 and 2024 program years.
Customers and Partners The Office of Children's Services anticipates the customer base to increase slightly to return to pre-COVID- 19 levels.
Major Products and Services The primary products/outputs of the Children's Services Act/Office of Children's Services (OCS) include:
1. State share reimbursement. Local governments receive state general fund reimbursements for eligible services purchased (and paid) for youth and families with local funds. All CSA-funded services carry a local matching requirement, averaging 33.7% of the overall expenditures reimbursed. Local governments coordinate a wide array of services for eligible youth and families including, but not limited to, foster care and related services, private day and residential special education services, and behavioral health services. In the 2024 program year (reported as of 8/26/2024), CSA supported services to 15,264 youth.
2. Training and technical assistance. A comprehensive array of technical assistance activities and robust training opportunities are provided to maximize the capacity of local governments and other stakeholders to implement best practices and maintain compliance with federal and state laws, regulations, and policies, as they apply to effective services and appropriate use of funds. An annual training plan is approved by the State Executive Council for Children's Services in accordance with the requirements of the Appropriation Act,
3. Program audit, evaluation, and utilization management. OCS implements a comprehensive audit program; collects, integrates, analyzes, and reports data regarding local program demographics, utilization, finances, and performance; and provides oversight to ensure appropriate review of purchased services.
4. Information technology. OCS provides web-based information technology to support uniform assessment of youth, collect client-based demographic and service information, and support the financial reporting and reimbursement processes.
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| • | Support implementation of a unified system of care that ensures equal access to quality services for eligible youth and families across the Commonwealth. Sections 2.2-2648, 2.2-2649 and Chapter 52 of Title 2.2 (§ 2.2-5200 et seq) of the Code of Virginia.Summary and Alignment A comprehensive system of care ensures that eligible youth and families have access to high-quality services; youth are served in the least restrictive environments possible; funds and resources are effectively used in a flexible, coordinated, and sustainable way that is critical to the success of efforts to improve the coordination and impact of interventions; and services are evidence-based, culturally competent, trauma-informed, and client driven. | |
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Objectives |
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| » | To provide timely and meaningful utilization review of residential placements per Memoranda of Agreement with local CSA programs. The Office of Children's Services is committed to providing high quality customer service to support local governments in their provision of effective services to youth and families. • Provide timely clinical review and recommendations to local CPMTs regarding residential services. |
| » | To maximize the number of youth served in community and family-based settings. This objective supports the stated mission of the CSA to provide services that are community-based, recognizing the importance of serving youth within families and within their home community to the greatest extent possible. • Provide training and resources on best practices related to community-based services.
• Identify localities with lower than average annual metrics on community-based services and offer tailored technical assistance.
• Continue fiscal incentives for the use of community-based services (differential local CSA match rates).
• Actively contribute to cross-system efforts to increase the use of evidence-based and trauma-informed practices across service populations. |
| » | To promote the engagement of families in service planning and support of the family perspective in CSA processes. This objective supports the mission of CSA and is a hallmark principle of systems of care, i.e., that services must be family-focused. Families must be highly involved in all aspects of service planning, including the identification of appropriate goals and strategies to achieve those goals. Family representation on local CSA FAPT and CPMTs is also supported. • Provide training and technical support in topics including High Fidelity Wraparound and family engagement. Publish a Family Guide to CSA and an accompanying video.
• Maximize family member participation on local FAPT/CPMT committees through collaboration with local CSA programs, the State and Local Advisory Team (SLAT) and family support organizations (e.g, NAMI of Virginia).
• Provide complimentary registrations for FAPT/COMT parent representatives to the annual statewide CSA Conference. |
| » | To maximize the use of Intensive Care Coordination (ICC)/High Fidelity Wraparound (HFW) for children and youth who are in, or are at risk of placement in, residential settings to prevent unnecessary residential placements and to ensure that residential placements are of the shortest duration necessary to deliver effective treatment. The use of intensive care coordination is recognized as a key component of an effective system of care and, as an evidenced-informed practice, produces positive impact on youth outcomes while reducing the cost of services. • Provide training for CSA Coordinators, FAPTS, CPMTs, ICC/HFW coordinators, family support partners, and supervisors on ICC/HFW. |
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| • | Improve the operational effectiveness of CSA administration. Sections 2.2-2648, 2.2-2649 and Chapter 52 of Title 2.2 (§ 2.2-5200 et seq) of the Code of Virginia.Summary and Alignment The Office of Children's Services (OCS) is established by § 2.2-2649 of the Code of Virginia to serve as the administrative entity of the State Executive Council for Children's Services (SEC) to ensure that its policies and decisions are implemented. OCS holds responsibility for oversight of program administration and compliance with state policies and procedures. | |
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Objectives |
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| » | To enhance knowledge, skills, and abilities of partners responsible for implementation of CSA at the local level. This objective supports OCS in its statutory responsibilities to enable local CSA programs to deliver efficient and effective services that are responsive to the strengths and needs of youth and families and which assist localities in effective operation of their CSA programs. • Conduct annual statewide conference at which a majority of localities are represented.
• Conduct an annual new CSA Coordinator Academy, inviting all local CSA Coordinators hired in the previous year.
• Provide technical assistance to address locality needs as identified by localities, through local audits and/or through data analysis
• Implement a strong audit program to assist localities in identifying areas for improvement. |
| » | To maximize efficient and effective use of federal and state fiscal resources. The Office of Children's Services is responsible for oversight of fiscal and program operations and the assurance of fiscal accountability. The appropriate use of resources ensures that funds are available to provide necessary services to youth and families. This objective supports oversight for program administration and compliance with state policies and procedures. • Provide an array of public facing reports so that local CSA programs, local governments, and the public can monitor the use of CSA resources and relevant outcome metrics.
• Monitor local program use of fiscal resources through periodic reviews by the OCS Business Office and through regular and ad hoc program audits.
• Monitor and report trends in fund usage and service patterns via data integration and analytics applications. |
| » | To provide timely and accurate reimbursement of the state's share of cost for CSA funded services to local governments. The Office of Children's Services strives to provide effective customer service and to ensure that local governments receive the fiscal support necessary to operate local CSA programs effectively and efficiently. • Maintain effective information technology applications for tracking fiscal operations.
• Continually monitor performance of OCS fiscal operations. |
| » | To utilize data and data analytics to improve outcomes and inform state and local decision makers regarding the use of funds and the delivery of effective services. This objective supports accountability for use of funds and continuous quality improvement in CSA programs. • Collect, integrate, analyze, and report client-specific expenditure, assessment, and demographic data related to the CSA population of youth and families.
• Implement a "real-time," public-facing data dashboard containing expenditure, demographics, utilization, and outcome data at both the state and local levels. |
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| • | Manage a strong financial infrastructure and continue to maximize all available resources. Sections 2.2-2648, 2.2-2649 and Chapter 52 of Title 2.2 (§ 2.2-5200 et seq) of the Code of Virginia.Summary and Alignment Virginia’s taxpayers, who provide the funding for the delivery for services to youth and families, expect the state to professionally monitor service expenditures, appropriately budget for state supported programs, and reimburse local governments the appropriate state contribution of expenditures in a timely and efficient manner. | |
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Objectives |
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| » | To provide timely and accurate reimbursement of the state's share of cost for CSA funded services to local governments. The Office of Children's Services strives to provide effective customer service and to ensure that local governments receive the fiscal support necessary to operate local CSA programs effectively and efficiently. • Maintain effective information technology applications for tracking fiscal operations.
• Continually monitor performance of OCS fiscal operations. |
| » | To maximize efficient and effective use of federal and state fiscal resources. The Office of Children's Services is responsible for oversight of fiscal and program operations and the assurance of fiscal accountability. The appropriate use of resources ensures that funds are available to provide necessary services to youth and families. This objective supports oversight for program administration and compliance with state policies and procedures. • Provide an array of public facing reports so that local CSA programs, local governments, and the public can monitor the use of CSA resources and relevant outcome metrics.
• Monitor local program use of fiscal resources through periodic reviews by the OCS Business Office and through regular and ad hoc program audits.
• Monitor and report trends in fund usage and service patterns via data integration and analytics applications. |
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| • | Support informed decision-making through utilization of data to improve child and family outcomes and public and private performance in the provision of services to at-risk youth and families. Sections 2.2-2648, 2.2-2649 and Chapter 52 of Title 2.2 (§ 2.2-5200 et seq) of the Code of Virginia.Summary and Alignment OCS is responsible for the development and implementation of uniform data collection standards and uniform performance measures; distribution of management reports; and reporting on the nature and cost of all services provided to the population of at-risk children within the scope of responsibility of the State Executive Council (§ 2.2-2648 of the Code of Virginia). | |
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Objectives |
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| » | To inform state and local decision-making regarding use of funds and delivery of effective services. This objective supports the Office of Children's Services in executing its responsibilities for ensuring the provision of efficient and effective services. • Collect, integrate, analyze, and report client-specific expenditure, assessment, and demographic data related to the CSA population of youth and families. |
| » | To utilize data and data analytics to improve outcomes and inform state and local decision makers regarding the use of funds and the delivery of effective services. This objective supports accountability for use of funds and continuous quality improvement in CSA programs. • Collect, integrate, analyze, and report client-specific expenditure, assessment, and demographic data related to the CSA population of youth and families.
• Implement a "real-time," public-facing data dashboard containing expenditure, demographics, utilization, and outcome data at both the state and local levels. |
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