Methodology
Case Openings

These reports are derived from a longitudinal database and provide information on all case openings (i.e., child protective services cases opened) during a specified year.

Notes on Source Data

IMPORTANT NOTE: The following methodology may include references to report features not available on the public site version. On the public site, masking is performed to protect the privacy of individuals served by CDSS and comply with CDSS data de-identification guidelines. Values of 1 to 10 and calculations based on values of 1 to 10 are masked ('M' or '*'). In stratified views of the data, additional values (the lowest available) are masked to prevent calculation of values 1 to 10.

The reported Service Component is the first Service Component assigned other than Emergency Response, unless the only Service Component was Emergency Response. The Service Components are [CWS/CMS codes in brackets]:

1. Permanent Placement [1695]
2. Family Reunification [1694]
3. Family Maintenance [1693]
4. Emergency Response [1692]
5. Supportive Transition [6540]

Note that while other Case reports separate No and Post-Placement Family Maintenance services, it is not logically possible for a case’s first Service Component to be a Post-Placement Family Maintenance service.

This analysis does not include cases with an Intervention Reason Type of “Incoming ICPC Request” because the sending state retains responsibility for the case.

Probation data are not available for years prior to 2012 because CWS/CMS Case functionality was not available to Probation in all counties before 2012.

A selection of "Children with Openings” for the "Case Count" variable will produce frequency counts of unduplicated children. With this option, data are unduplicated separately for the state and for each county. As a result, the sum of counties may exceed the statewide total. In addition, a selection of two or more grouped counties may produce a slight overcount: children entering more than one county during the year are counted for each county they enter. An individual selection (California or any individual county) produces a true unduplicated count. If "All Openings" is selected, reported frequencies will be at the opening-event rather than child-specific level (i.e., multiple case openings by the same child during a specified time period will be counted).

County is assigned in this analysis using the first county code from the case assignment table. Age is calculated at the date the case was opened.

Cells containing a period (".") represent a value of zero. In cells representing quotients, a period may also indicate the indeterminate form 0/0.

These reports may also be run with filters in place to restrict the data to various subgroups of other variables (e.g., Black subgroup of the Ethnic variable, Less than 1 month old subgroup of the Age variable, etc.).

Agency Type

Age Group

Ethnic Group

Census-based Ethnicity Coding

Sex at Birth

Days Case Open

First Service Component Type