Re: DRG's and Child Welfare

[rlott@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Ms. Blanchard,

     I am interested in your dissertation.  I would like to know more about the
types of rehabilitation programs you studied, how you studied them (and how you
got your study participants), how you measured progress and closure, and how you
did your statistical analysis.  We are interested in the things that work for
rehabilitation and any good research is very welcome.  I would assume at least
some of the other members of the list would also be interested in some more
information about your work.

                    Roger Lott,
                    Center on Children, Families, and the Law
                    University of Nebraska-Lincoln










Cynthia Blanchard <cblanche@icdc.com> on 05/14/99 07:51:03 AM

Please respond to CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                


                                                              
                                                              
                                                              
 To:      Child Maltreatment Researchers                      
          <CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu>         
                                                              
 cc:      (bcc: Roger C Lott/CCFL/UNL/UNEBR)                  
                                                              
                                                              
                                                              
 Subject: Re: DRG's and Child Welfare                         
                                                              








You stated that placing children in foster care is a last resort.  However,
this is not how the funding works.  States are partially reimbursed for each
child in foster care--no maater how many are placed while services are capped.
AFSA also reimburses states for each child adopted.  Thus, we say that we want
to prevent placements and to facilitate family reunification when children are
placed, but our funding does the opposite.

I am completing my dissertation on services to families of children in foster
care and the relationship to family reunification.  I have found that almost no
services had any statistical significance with family reunification.  I also
found what many others have found--that the majority of children placed come
from families who are poor and minorities.  We need more services which are
effective, particularly in the area of substance abuse, both to prevent
placement and for reunification.  However, the child welfare system cannot
address the larger issues which lead to poor and minority children being
placed.

I do agree that children need a permanent plan and absolutely should not
languish in foster care.  However, I do not see AFSA, with its emphasis on
adoption, as the only solution.  We need to do more to prevent placements and
to reunify families when children are placed.

Cynthia Blanchard
cblanche@icdc.com