The Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) is a cabinet-level agency within the District of Columbia Government, dedicating itself to the safety, permanence, and well-being of children and families residing in the District. The CFSA Policy Manual was designed to support this mission, and to provide comprehensive and uniform guidelines for staff decision-making authority and accountability. All policies are ultimately statements of the agency’s interpretation of a law or guiding statements specific to an issue of concern that helps maintain standards of practice for the daily operation of the agency.

Policy Development Process

Any CFSA staff member is welcome to suggest a policy through his or her supervisor, or in the case of a stakeholder, by emailing the Policy Unit.

Policies can take several weeks to implement, depending upon the number of revisions, timing for approval of legal sufficiency, fiscal implications, and the need for endorsement by the agency’s court monitor, the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP). For more information on the policy development process, please review the Quick Reference Guide.

Program Policies include all policies related specifically to the programmatic operations of the agency, such as the Adoption and Permanent Guardianship Subsidy Policy or the In-Home Services Policy. General Administrative Policies include only those policies that directly impact the managerial and organizational standards of the agency, such as the Dress Code Policy or the Sexual Harassment Policy.

The CFSA Policy Manual also includes a listing of Administrative Issuances that serve as interim policies or guidelines for procedures and protocols. These issuances provide staff and/or contracted service providers with pertinent information concerning modifications and/or revisions to existing policies or procedures. They also establish minimum standards of practice during such time as new policies or procedures are being developed.