---
kind: "range"
citation: "45 C.F.R. §§ 1355.50–1355.57"
title: "45"
from: "1355.50"
to: "1355.57"
count: 8
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/45/1355.50..1355.57"
---

# §1355.50. Purpose.


[Sections 1355.50 through 1355.59](/cfr/45/1355.50..1355.59.md) contain the requirements a title IV-E agency must meet to receive Federal financial participation authorized under sections 474(a)(3)(C) and (D), and 474(c) of the Act for the planning, design, development, installation, operation, and maintenance of a comprehensive child welfare information system.


# §1355.51. Definitions applicable to Comprehensive Child Welfare Information Systems (CCWIS).

- (a) The following terms as they appear in [§§ 1355.50 through 1355.59](/cfr/45/1355.50..1355.59.md) are defined as follows—

  Approved activity means a project task that supports planning, designing, developing, installing, operating, or maintaining a CCWIS.

  Automated function means a computerized process or collection of related processes to achieve a purpose or goal.

  Child welfare contributing agency means a public or private entity that, by contract or agreement with the title IV-E agency, provides child abuse and neglect investigations, placement, or child welfare case management (or any combination of these) to children and families.

  Data exchange means the automated, electronic submission or receipt of information, or both, between two automated data processing systems.

  Data exchange standard means the common data definitions, data formats, data values, and other guidelines that the state's or tribe's automated data processing systems follow when exchanging data.

  New CCWIS project means a project to build an automated data processing system meeting all requirements in [§ 1355.52](/cfr/45/1355.52.md) and all automated functions meet the requirements in [§ 1355.53(a)](/cfr/45/1355.53.md?p=a).

  Non-S/TACWIS project means an active automated data processing system or project that, prior to the effective date of these regulations, ACF had not classified as a S/TACWIS and for which:

  - (i) ACF approved a development procurement; or
  - (ii) The applicable state or tribal agency approved a development procurement below the thresholds of [45 CFR 95.611(a)](/cfr/45/95.611.md?p=a); or
  - (iii) The operational automated data processing system provided the data for at least one AFCARS or NYTD file for submission to the federal system or systems designated by ACF to receive the report.

    Notice of intent means a record from the title IV-E agency, signed by the governor, tribal leader, or designated state or tribal official and provided to ACF declaring that the title IV-E agency plans to build a CCWIS project that is below the APD approval thresholds of [45 CFR 95.611(a)](/cfr/45/95.611.md?p=a).

    S/TACWIS project means an active automated data processing system or project that, prior to the effective date of these regulations, ACF classified as a S/TACWIS and for which:

  - (i) ACF approved a procurement to develop a S/TACWIS; or
  - (ii) The applicable state or tribal agency approved a development procurement for a S/TACWIS below the thresholds of [45 CFR 95.611(a)](/cfr/45/95.611.md?p=a).

    Transition period means the 24 months after the effective date of these regulations.

- (b) Other terms as they appear in [§§ 1355.50 through 1355.59](/cfr/45/1355.50..1355.59.md) are defined in [45 CFR 95.605](/cfr/45/95.605.md).

# §1355.52. CCWIS project requirements.

- (a) **Efficient, economical, and effective requirement.** The title IV-E agency's CCWIS must support the efficient, economical, and effective administration of the title IV-B and IV-E plans pursuant to section 474(a)(3)(C)(iv) of the Act by:
  - (1) Improving program management and administration by maintaining all program data required by federal, state or tribal law or policy;
  - (2) Appropriately applying information technology;
  - (3) Not requiring duplicative application system development or software maintenance; and
  - (4) **Ensuring costs are reasonable, appropriate, and beneficial.**
- (b) **CCWIS data requirements.** The title IV-E agency's CCWIS must maintain:
  - (1) Title IV-B and title IV-E data that supports the efficient, effective, and economical administration of the programs including:
    - (i) Data required for ongoing federal child welfare reports;
    - (ii) Data required for title IV-E eligibility determinations, authorizations of services, and expenditures under IV-B and IV-E;
    - (iii) Data to support federal child welfare laws, regulations, and policies; and
    - (iv) Case management data to support federal audits, reviews, and other monitoring activities;
  - (2) Data to support state or tribal child welfare laws, regulations, policies, practices, reporting requirements, audits, program evaluations, and reviews;
  - (3) For states, data to support specific measures taken to comply with the requirements in section 422(b)(9) of the Act regarding the state's compliance with the Indian Child Welfare Act; and
  - (4) **For each state, data for the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System.**
- (c) **Reporting requirements.** The title IV-E agency's CCWIS must use the data described in [paragraph (b)](#b) of this section to:
  - (1) Generate, or contribute to, required title IV-B or IV-E federal reports according to applicable formatting and submission requirements; and
  - (2) Generate, or contribute to, reports needed by state or tribal child welfare laws, regulations, policies, practices, reporting requirements, audits, and reviews that support programs and services described in title IV-B and title IV-E.
- (d) **Data quality requirements.**
  - (1) **The CCWIS data described in paragraph (b) of this section must—**
    - (i) Meet the most rigorous of the applicable federal, and state or tribal standards for completeness, timeliness, and accuracy;
    - (ii) Be consistently and uniformly collected by CCWIS and, if applicable, child welfare contributing agency systems;
    - (iii) Be exchanged and maintained in accordance with confidentiality requirements in section 471(a)(8) of the Act, and 45 CFR [205.50](/cfr/45/205.50.md), and [42](/cfr/45/42.md) U.S.C. 5106a(b)(2)(B)(viii) through (x) of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, if applicable, and other applicable federal and state or tribal laws;
    - (iv) Support child welfare policies, goals, and practices; and
    - (v) **Not be created by default or inappropriately assigned.**
  - (2) The title IV-E agency must implement and maintain automated functions in CCWIS to:
    - (i) Regularly monitor CCWIS data quality;
    - (ii) Alert staff to collect, update, correct, and enter CCWIS data;
    - (iii) Send electronic requests to child welfare contributing agency systems to submit current and historical CCWIS data to the CCWIS;
    - (iv) Prevent, to the extent practicable, the need to re-enter data already captured or exchanged with the CCWIS; and
    - (v) **Generate reports of continuing or unresolved CCWIS data quality problems.**
  - (3) The title IV-E agency must conduct biennial data quality reviews to:
    - (i) Determine if the title IV-E agency and, if applicable, child welfare contributing agencies, meet the requirements of paragraphs [(b)](#b), [(d)(1)](#d-1), and [(d)(2)](#d-2) of this section; and
    - (ii) Confirm that the bi-directional data exchanges meet the requirements of paragraphs [(e)](#e) and [(f)](#f) of this section, and other applicable ACF regulations and policies.
  - (4) The title IV-E agency must enhance CCWIS or the electronic bi-directional data exchanges or both to correct any findings from reviews described at [paragraph (d)(3)](#d-3) of this section.
  - (5) The title IV-E agency must develop, implement, and maintain a CCWIS data quality plan in a manner prescribed by ACF and include it as part of Annual or Operational APDs submitted to ACF as required in [45 CFR 95.610](/cfr/45/95.610.md). The CCWIS data quality plan must:
    - (i) Describe the comprehensive strategy to promote data quality including the steps to meet the requirements at [paragraphs (d)(1) through (3)](#d-1..d-3) of this section; and
    - (ii) **Report the status of compliance with paragraph (d)(1) of this section.**
- (e) **Bi-directional data exchanges.**
  - (1) The CCWIS must support efficient, economical, and effective bi-directional data exchanges to exchange relevant data with:
    - (i) Systems generating the financial payments and claims for titles IV-B and IV-E per [paragraph (b)(1)(ii)](#b-1-ii) of this section, if applicable;
    - (ii) Systems operated by child welfare contributing agencies that are collecting or using data described in [paragraph (b)](#b) of this section, if applicable;
    - (iii) Each system used to calculate one or more components of title IV-E eligibility determinations per [paragraph (b)(1)(ii)](#b-1-ii) of this section, if applicable; and
    - (iv) **Each system external to CCWIS used by title IV-E agency staff to collect CCWIS data, if applicable.**
  - (2) To the extent practicable, the title IV-E agency's CCWIS must support one bi-directional data exchange to exchange relevant data, including data that may benefit IV-E agencies and data exchange partners in serving clients and improving outcomes, with each of the following state or tribal systems:
    - (i) Child abuse and neglect system(s);
    - (ii) System(s) operated under title IV-A of the Act;
    - (iii) **Systems operated under title XIX of the Act including—**
      - (A) Systems to determine Medicaid eligibility described in [42 CFR 433.111(b)(2)(ii)(A)](/cfr/42/433.111.md?p=b-2-ii-A); and
      - (B) Medicaid Management Information Systems as defined at [42 CFR 433.111(b)(2)(ii)(B)](/cfr/42/433.111.md?p=b-2-ii-B);
    - (iv) Systems operated under title IV-D of the Act;
    - (v) Systems operated by the court(s) of competent jurisdiction over title IV-E foster care, adoption, and guardianship programs;
    - (vi) **Systems operated by the state or tribal education agency, or school districts, or both.**
- (f) **Data exchange standard requirements.** The title IV-E agency must use a single data exchange standard that describes data, definitions, formats, and other specifications upon implementing a CCWIS:
  - (1) For bi-directional data exchanges between CCWIS and each child welfare contributing agency; and
  - (2) **For data exchanges with systems described under paragraph (e)(1)(iv) of this section.**
- (g) **Automated eligibility determination requirements.**
  - (1) A state title IV-E agency must use the same automated function or the same group of automated functions for all title IV-E eligibility determinations.
  - (2) A tribal title IV-E agency must, to the extent practicable, use the same automated function or the same group of automated functions for all title IV-E eligibility determinations.
- (h) **Software provision requirement.** The title IV-E agency must provide a copy of the agency-owned software that is designed, developed, or installed with FFP and associated documentation to the designated federal repository within the Department upon request.
- (i) **Submission requirements.**
  - (1) Before claiming funding in accordance with a CCWIS cost allocation, a title IV-E agency must submit an APD or, if below the APD submission thresholds defined at [45 CFR 95.611](/cfr/45/95.611.md), a Notice of Intent that includes:
    - (i) A description of how the CCWIS will meet the requirements in [paragraphs (a) through (h)](#a..h) of this section and, if applicable [§ 1355.54](/cfr/45/1355.54.md);
    - (ii) A list of all automated functions included in the CCWIS; and
    - (iii) A notation of whether each automated function listed in [paragraph (i)(1)(ii)](#i-1-ii) of this section meets, or when implemented will meet, the following requirements:
      - (A) The automated function supports at least one requirement of this section or, if applicable [§ 1355.54](/cfr/45/1355.54.md);
      - (B) The automated function is not duplicated within the CCWIS or systems supporting child welfare contributing agencies and is consistently used by all child welfare users responsible for the area supported by the automated function; and
      - (C) The automated function complies with the CCWIS design requirements described under [§ 1355.53(a)](/cfr/45/1355.53.md?p=a), unless exempted in accordance with [§ 1355.53(b)](/cfr/45/1355.53.md?p=b).
  - (2) Annual APD Updates and Operational APDs for CCWIS projects must include:
    - (i) An updated list of all automated functions included in the CCWIS;
    - (ii) A notation of whether each automated function listed in [paragraph (i)(2)(i)](#i-2-i) of this section meets the requirements of [paragraph (i)(1)(iii)(B)](#i-1-iii-B) of this section; and
    - (iii) A description of changes to the scope or the design criteria described at [§ 1355.53(a)](/cfr/45/1355.53.md?p=a) for any automated function listed in [paragraph (i)(2)(i)](#i-2-i) of this section.
- (j) **Other applicable requirements.** Regulations at 45 CFR [95.613 through 95.621](/cfr/45/95.613..95.621.md) and [95.626 through 95.641](/cfr/45/95.626..95.641.md) are applicable to all CCWIS projects below the APD submission thresholds at [45 CFR 95.611](/cfr/45/95.611.md).

# §1355.53. CCWIS design requirements.

- (a) **Except as exempted in paragraph (b) of this section, automated functions contained in a CCWIS must—**
  - (1) Follow a modular design that includes the separation of business rules from core programming;
  - (2) Be documented using plain language;
  - (3) Adhere to a state, tribal, or industry defined standard that promotes efficient, economical, and effective development of automated functions and produces reliable systems; and
  - (4) Be capable of being shared, leveraged, and reused as a separate component within and among states and tribes.
- (b) CCWIS automated functions may be exempt from one or more of the requirements in [paragraph (a)](#a) of this section if:
  - (1) The CCWIS project meets the requirements of § [1355.56(b)](/cfr/45/1355.56.md?p=b) or [(f)(1)](/cfr/45/1355.56.md?p=f-1); or
  - (2) ACF approves, on a case-by-case basis, an alternative design proposed by a title IV-E agency that is determined by ACF to be more efficient, economical, and effective than what is found in [paragraph (a)](#a) of this section.

# §1355.54. CCWIS options.


If a project meets, or when completed will meet, the requirements of [§ 1355.52](/cfr/45/1355.52.md), then ACF may approve CCWIS funding described at [§ 1355.57](/cfr/45/1355.57.md) for other ACF-approved data exchanges or automated functions that are necessary to achieve title IV-E or IV-B programs goals.


# §1355.55. Review and assessment of CCWIS projects.


ACF will review, assess, and inspect the planning, design, development, installation, operation, and maintenance of each CCWIS project on a continuing basis, in accordance with APD requirements in [45 CFR part 95](/cfr/45/part95.md), [subpart F](/cfr/45/subpartF.md), to determine the extent to which the project meets the requirements in §§ [1355.52](/cfr/45/1355.52.md), [1355.53](/cfr/45/1355.53.md), [1355.56](/cfr/45/1355.56.md), and, if applicable, [§ 1355.54](/cfr/45/1355.54.md).


# §1355.56. Requirements for S/TACWIS and non-S/TACWIS projects during and after the transition period.

- (a) During the transition period a title IV-E agency with a S/TACWIS project may continue to claim title IV-E funding according to the cost allocation methodology approved by ACF for development or the operational cost allocation plan approved by the Department, or both.
- (b) A S/TACWIS project must meet the submission requirements of [§ 1355.52(i)(1)](/cfr/45/1355.52.md?p=i-1) during the transition period to qualify for the CCWIS cost allocation methodology described in [§ 1355.57(a)](/cfr/45/1355.57.md?p=a) after the transition period.
- (c) A title IV-E agency with a S/TACWIS may request approval to initiate a new CCWIS and qualify for the CCWIS cost allocation methodology described in [§ 1355.57(b)](/cfr/45/1355.57.md?p=b) by meeting the submission requirements of [§ 1355.52(i)(1)](/cfr/45/1355.52.md?p=i-1).
- (d) **A title IV-E agency that elects not to transition a S/TACWIS project to a CCWIS project must—**
  - (1) Notify ACF in an APD or Notice of Intent submitted during the transition period of this election; and
  - (2) Continue to use the S/TACWIS through its life expectancy in accordance with [45 CFR 95.619](/cfr/45/95.619.md).
- (e) A title IV-E agency that elects not to transition its S/TACWIS project to a CCWIS and fails to meet the requirements of [paragraph (d)](#d) of this section is subject to funding recoupment described under [§ 1355.58(d)](/cfr/45/1355.58.md?p=d).
- (f) A title IV-E agency with a non-S/TACWIS (as defined in [§ 1355.51](/cfr/45/1355.51.md)) that elects to build a CCWIS or transition to a CCWIS must meet the submission requirements of [§ 1355.52(i)(1)](/cfr/45/1355.52.md?p=i-1):
  - (1) During the transition period to qualify for a CCWIS cost allocation as described at [§ 1355.57(a)](/cfr/45/1355.57.md?p=a); or
  - (2) At any time to request approval to initiate a new CCWIS and qualify for a CCWIS cost allocation as described at [§ 1355.57(b)](/cfr/45/1355.57.md?p=b).

# §1355.57. Cost allocation for CCWIS projects.

- (a) **CCWIS cost allocation for projects transitioning to CCWIS.**
  - (1) All automated functions developed after the transition period for projects meeting the requirements of [§ 1355.56(b)](/cfr/45/1355.56.md?p=b) or [§ 1355.56(f)(1)](/cfr/45/1355.56.md?p=f-1) must meet the CCWIS design requirements described under [§ 1355.53(a)](/cfr/45/1355.53.md?p=a), unless exempted by [§ 1355.53(b)(2)](/cfr/45/1355.53.md?p=b-2).
  - (2) The Department may approve the applicable CCWIS cost allocation for an automated function of a project transitioning to a CCWIS if the automated function:
    - (i) Supports programs authorized under titles IV-B or IV-E, and at least one requirement of [§ 1355.52](/cfr/45/1355.52.md) or, if applicable [§ 1355.54](/cfr/45/1355.54.md); and
    - (ii) Is not duplicated within the CCWIS or systems supporting child welfare contributing agencies and is consistently used by all child welfare users responsible for the area supported by the automated function.
- (b) **CCWIS cost allocation for new CCWIS projects.**
  - (1) Unless exempted in accordance with [§ 1355.53(b)(2)](/cfr/45/1355.53.md?p=b-2), all automated functions of a new CCWIS project must meet the CCWIS design requirements described under [§ 1355.53(a)](/cfr/45/1355.53.md?p=a).
  - (2) An automated function of a CCWIS project described in [paragraph (b)(1)](#b-1) of this section may qualify for a CCWIS cost allocation if the automated function:
    - (i) Supports programs authorized under titles IV-B or IV-E, and at least one requirement of [§ 1355.52](/cfr/45/1355.52.md) or, if applicable [§ 1355.54](/cfr/45/1355.54.md); and
    - (ii) Is not duplicated within the CCWIS or systems supporting child welfare contributing agencies and is consistently used by all child welfare users responsible for the area supported by the automated function.
- (c) **CCWIS cost allocation for approved activities.** The Department may approve a CCWIS cost allocation for an approved activity for a CCWIS project meeting the requirements of paragraph [(a)](#a) or [(b)](#b) of this section.
- (d) **Project cost allocation.** A title IV-E agency must allocate project costs in accordance with applicable HHS regulations and other guidance.
- (e) **CCWIS cost allocation.**
  - (1) A title IV-E agency may allocate CCWIS development and operational costs to title IV-E for the share of approved activities and automated functions that:
    - (i) Are approved by the Department;
    - (ii) Meet the requirements of paragraphs [(a)](#a), [(b)](#b), or [(c)](#c) of this section; and
    - (iii) Benefit federal, state or tribal funded participants in programs and allowable activities described in title IV-E of the Act to the title IV-E program.
  - (2) A title IV-E agency may also allocate CCWIS development costs to title IV-E for the share of system approved activities and automated functions that meet requirements (e)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section and:
    - (i) Benefit title IV-B programs; or
    - (ii) **Benefit both title IV-E and child welfare related programs.**
- (f) **Non-CCWIS cost allocation.** Title IV-E costs not previously described in this section may be charged to title IV-E in accordance with [§ 1356.60(d)](/cfr/45/1356.60.md?p=d) .