Washington, DC CFSA transforms its systems with Microsoft Dynamics 365 and AI

Washington, DC Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) needed a tailored solution for managing administrative responsibilities to streamline intake, investigations, and case work—and support quicker, better-informed decisions.

The agency worked with Microsoft to build a unified, AI-enabled, automated platform using Microsoft Dynamics 365, Power Apps, and Azure AI.

CFSA expects to save one to four hours per case on intake and investigations, enabling faster decisions to help children while lessening burnout for caseworkers. Adding new features will cost 20 times less and happen in three weeks, not four months.

Every day, the Washington, DC Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) handles 100-plus calls concerning children’s safety. The agency’s 25-year-old system, FACES, relied on custom code and siloed data sources. Caseworkers spent hours searching for case histories. “I’d copy and paste client and court information into one Word document, because it could take hours to go back and forth searching for what I needed,” says Jayna White, subject matter expert at DC CFSA.

“Our workers were overwhelmed with redundant administrative work, contributing to burnout,” says Tanya Torres Trice, Interim Director at DC CFSA.

The case-centric system also delayed decision making and led to incomplete case information. “Repetitive data entry and searching old records resulted in spending less time with children in need,” says Samira Alikadiyeva, Lead Product Owner, DC CFSA.

“Instead of copying and pasting, I enter information once and it shows up everywhere I need it. We can map our days faster, reduce human error, and get case plans in motion sooner.”

Jayna White, Subject Matter Expert, DC CFSA

Building agile, automated workflows

In collaboration with the Microsoft Industry Solutions Delivery (ISD) team, CFSA launched STAAND (Stand Together Against Abuse and Neglect in DC) to drive impact in child welfare. The ISD team is the consulting organization at Microsoft that helps customers realize value faster on AI investments. A person-centric, AI-enabled platform, STAAND was built using Microsoft Dynamics 365, Power Apps, Azure services, Copilot Studio, and Microsoft AI. The ISD team analyzed the existing data model and mapped workflows and interdependencies for eight functional areas, working closely with CFSA to ensure optimum usability.

“We selected the Microsoft platform to build STAAND for an unknown future, knowing Microsoft will continue to innovate and create more potential in the Power Platform for us,” says Marina Havan, Chief Information Officer, DC CFSA.

STAAND provides one platform for case information. Automation from Power Apps accelerates tasks like referral intake and child safety assessments across data sources and sister agencies. In the future, AI agents will support natural language search, caseworker system training, and mobile dictation and transcription. Dashboards will help caseworkers plan daily priorities on the devices they already use.

CFSA and Microsoft shifted from a fixed-scope contract model to an agile, time-and-materials approach. “The Microsoft ISD Team took that journey with us—and that’s why STAAND works,” says Suresh Chandran, STAAND Program Director at DC CFSA. The Microsoft Customer Success Unit provided technical expertise and hands-on support, including implementation, issue resolution, and system optimization.

The update process is streamlined. “Adding a functionality button would’ve taken four months and cost at least 20 times more in the past; today, we can go live with new features in three weeks," says Chandran.

“Our caseworkers can spend more time in communities with children and families, and to decompress. This new platform supports our staff, boosts morale, and improves retention.”

Tanya Torres Trice, Interim Director, Washington, DC CFSA

Saving time, improving retention, and increasing impact

STAAND introduces a portal that enables teachers and doctors to submit reports online and track status updates, to eliminate hours of phone calls and delays. Automation powered by Azure Functions and Power Automate routes data between agencies, accelerating processes like Medicaid eligibility checks. “We expect to save 45 minutes per report on intake,” says Havan.

Deployed in June 2025, STAAND testing shows major improvements. “Instead of copying and pasting, I enter information once and it shows up everywhere I need it,” says White. “We can map our days faster, reduce human error, and get case plans in motion sooner.” Alikadiyeva, agrees, adding, “Consolidated, person-centric information saves time and enhances safety. It helps us reduce trauma by minimizing redundant interactions with families.”

CFSA expects to save investigators one to four hours total per case. “Now, when a child's name is entered into STAAND, the system makes it available to all caseworkers,” says Alikadiyeva. “This integration reduces paperwork, improves collaboration, and speeds onboarding.”

Trice concludes, “Our caseworkers can spend more time in communities with children and families, and to decompress,” she says. “This new platform supports our staff, boosts morale, and improves retention.”

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