Hasbro Early Assessment Project

University of Michigan 1

University of Michigan 2

Auspices

• Supported by: – Hasbro Children’s Foundation—

intervention component– University of Michigan Office of the Vice-

President for Research—evaluation component

• Conducted by:– Family Assessment Clinic—started in 1985 – Child Protection Team—started in 1971

University of Michigan 3

Target Population for Early Multidisciplinary Assessments

• Families with at least one child 7 or younger (Hasbro Children’s Foundation)

• First time substantiated CPS cases• Serious cases—because assessments are

intrusive on families and labor intensive for staff– Court intervention required– CPS cooperation required

University of Michigan 4

Hypotheses related to safety & permanency

• Multidisciplinary assessments of first time substantiated CPS cases will lead to better case outcomes.– Children whose families receive this service

will be in less restrictive placements.– Permanent plans will be made sooner in

cases that receive this service.– Families that receive this service will have

fewer re-referrals & fewer terminations of parental rights.

University of Michigan 5

Research Design

• Pilot was conducted in 2 counties with manageable social problems & resources

• Target population—50 children• Comparison cases--50 children from families

matched on type of maltreatment, family composition, race.

Research Design

• Outcomes from:– MIS system—safety & permanency– Worker of record appraisal – Caretakers of children—child wellbeing

University of Michigan 6

University of Michigan 7

Primary outcome measures

• MIS data– Placement at follow-up– Time to permanent plan– Re-reports – TPR

• Worker of record information– Whether recommendations carried out– Worker satisfaction with services

University of Michigan 8

Outcome measures from caretakers

• Child functioning–Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist -

CBCL–Friedrich Child Sexual Behavior

Inventory-CSBI–Briere’s Trauma Symptom Checklist

for Young Children-TSC-YC

University of Michigan 9

Intervention• Review all background information.• Interview all parties: children, caretakers.• Children receive at least 2 interviews.• Medical exams on all children 7 & under &

older children as indicated. • Psychological testing/consultation when

indicated.• Parent-child interactions when indicated.• Psychiatric consultation when indicated.• Medical consultation & medical specialties.

University of Michigan 10

Intervention, continued.• Substance abuse, domestic violence, criminal

history assessed.• Educational consultation when indicated.• Collateral contacts when indicated.• Consultation meeting to address questions

and make additional recommendations.• Feedback given to the family. • Follow-up consultation available to referring

agency.• Court testimony when needed.

University of Michigan 11

Placement Status at Follow-up

Own home

Relative Foster care

Adoption Total

Early assessment

N=3775.5%

N=5 10.2%

N=3 6.1%

N=48.4%

N=49

Compari-son

N=1634.8%

N=10 21.7%

N=11 23.9%

N=9 19.6%

N=46

Total N=53 N=15 N=14 N=13 N=95

Chi square(3, N=95)=16.4; p<.001

University of Michigan 12

Permanency of placement

Permanent Impermanent

Total

Early assessment

N=46 93.9%

N=3 6.1%

N=49

Compari-son

N=3576.1%

N=1123.9%

N=46

Total N=81 N=14 N=95

Chi square(1, N=95)=6; p<.01

University of Michigan 13

Other system findings

• Case open at follow-up.– Early assessment=33% Comparison=33%

• Court involvement at follow-up.– Early assessment=33% Comparison=33%

• Termination of parental rights.– Early assessment=30.1% Comparison=52.1%– Chi square(1,N=91.)=4.5; p=.035

• Re-reports to CPS– Early assessment=44% Comparison=68.8%

University of Michigan 14

Worker Appraisal of Early Assessments• Very satisfied=32%• Satisfied=24%• Neutral=8%• Unsatisfied=20%• Very unsatisfied=0%• Unsatisfied cases were almost all ones

with children under four with allegations of sexual abuse.

• 218 phone calls to get worker responses on 25 cases (range 2-28)

University of Michigan 15

Recommendations• 101 recommendations on 25 families• Carried out=45 (45%) • Not carried out=29 (29%) • Don’t know/uncertain=27 (27%)• Reasons for not carrying out:

– Disagreed with recommendation.– Family circumstances changed.

• Reason for not knowing– High worker turnover.– Records incomplete.

University of Michigan 16

Conclusions

• Early assessment holds promise for serious reports to CPS.

• Need to replicate findings.• Importance of the early assessment seen

as genuinely useful by the public child welfare workers.

• Need to adapt the early assessment to the child welfare system.

Federally Funded Comprehensive Family

Assessment ProjectsA Model for Comprehensive Family Assessments in the Alabama Department of Human Resources https://www.childwelfare.gov/management/funding/funding_sources/sitevisits/alabama.cfm#page=summary

A Model for Comprehensive Family Assessments in the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services

https://www.childwelfare.gov/management/funding/funding_sources/sitevisits/illinois.cfm#page=summary

A Model for Comprehensive Family Assessments, Ramsey County, MN

https://www.childwelfare.gov/management/funding/funding_sources/sitevisits/minnesota.cfm#page=summary

University of Michigan 17

Federally Funded Projects, contd.

• Contra Costa County (CA) Child and Family Services Bureau Comprehensive Family Assessments for Positive Family Outcomes

• Almance County (NC) Department of Social Services Developing, Implementing, and Evaluating Comprehensive Family Assessments

University of Michigan 18

Federally Funded Projects, contd.• Funded 2007-2012.• These federally funded projects represent

different models for CFAs. • The public child welfare case worker plays

a key role in all.• All involve partnering with a university-

based research unit, mostly in schools of social work.– Process and outcome evaluations.– So far, little in terms of outcomes.

University of Michigan 19

Resources

• Comprehensive Family Assessment Guidelines for Child Welfare

• http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/cb/family_assessment.pdf

• Children’s Bureau website on CFA https://www.childwelfare.gov/management/funding/funding_sources/familyassessment.cfm

• Faller, K.C., Ortega, M.B., & Pomeranz, E. (2008). Can Early Assessment Make a Difference in Child Protection? Results from a Pilot Study. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 2(1), 71-90.University of Michigan 20

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

University of Michigan 21