Child-Maltreatment-Research-L (CMRL) List Serve

Message ID: 10696

Date: 2019-03-01

Author:Michael E. Dineen

Subject:RE: reason for placement

Joe, One reason one might expect an overall increase is the requirements of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (signed by Obama on 7/22/2016), which stipulates the following: The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA). CARA amended sections of Child Abuse Prevention Treatment Act (CAPTA) to remove the term “illegal” as applied to substance abuse affecting the identified infant and to specifically require that Plans of Safe Care address the needs of both infants and their families/caregivers. Here are some notes that I gleaned from the Children’s Bureau’s FY2017 Child Maltreatment Report for specific states: Alaska: For FFY 2017, NCANDS syntax was revised to harvest the benefits of these SACWIS upgrades. This resulted in increased reporting on caregiver alcohol abuse and domestic violence. District of Columbia: Due to the data requirements for the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 and other District mandated initiatives related to substance-exposed newborns and parental substance use, the District changed its practice in June 2017 to screen in all reports with an allegation of one of the following: · Positive toxicology of a newborn · Controlled substance in the system of a child · Exposure to illegal drug activity in the home · Substance abuse by parent, caregiver, or guardian · Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder For Florida, the change described below would show up as a maltreatment type – probably “other”, since this is not one of the NCANDS types: In federal fiscal year (FFY) 2017 Florida initiated a new maltreatment of substance exposed newborn. The definition is as follows: Substance-exposed newborn as a maltreatment occurs when a child is exposed to a controlled substance or alcohol prenatally Iowa: Iowa is facing increased pressure on its system due to increased parental substance abuse and decreased funding for services. [No mention of whether they record reason for placement, but they seem to be aware of an increased problem of parental substance abuse.] Idaho: Allegations are screened out and not assessed when: · Allegations are that the child’s parents or caregiver use drugs, but there is no reported connection between drug usage and specific maltreatment of the child. [among many other reasons] The NCANDS category of “other” maltreatment types includes the state categories of abandonment, adolescent conflict, exploitation, alcohol addiction, drug addiction, and finding of aggravated circumstances. New Hampshire: The state continues to experience the effect of an increase in substance abuse by parents, particularly opioid drugs. New York (shows up as a non-specific maltreatment type, but not a reason for removal) Most reporting to the NCANDS maltreatment type of “other” is accounted for by the state maltreatment type parent’s drug/alcohol use. The state is not able to report the NCANDS child risk factor fields at this time. North Dakota: This increase… is believed to be related to an increase in the overall child population combined with increased caregiver drug and alcohol abuse, based on the numbers of children entering foster care due to caregiver substance abuse. Oklahoma: The number of investigations in which a newborn tested positive at birth for a substance increased from SFY 2015 to SFY 2016. In SFY 2017, this number decreased slightly. DHS will begin tracking these numbers in greater detail in SFY 2018. Tennessee: Beginning with federal fiscal year (FFY) 2016, the allegations of drug exposed child and drug exposed infant are mapped to the NCANDS maltreatment type of physical abuse. Previously, these two allegations were mapped to neglect. [They don’t say whether the reason for placement is captured] For future versions of NCANDS (beginning with the FY2018 data), new fields will be added regarding infants affected by substance abuse: The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 (P.L. 114–198) includes a CAPTA amendment that requires states to report, to the maximum extent practicable, the number of infants identified by healthcare providers as being affected by substance abuse or withdrawal symptoms resulting from prenatal drug exposure, or a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder; the number of substance exposed infants with safe care plans; and the number of infants for whom service referrals were made, including services for the affected parent or caregiver. These new requirements will be added to NCANDS, and the NCANDS Technical Team will disseminate guidance from the Children’s Bureau and work with the states to implement the new fields and codes. -Michael Dineen Michael Dineen, M.A. Statistician II National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect Cornell University 607-254-4760 office 607-280-2510 cell From: bounce-123383134-6840988@list.cornell.edu [mailto:bounce-123383134-6840988@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Joseph Ryan Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2019 11:17 AM To: CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L Subject: reason for placement Hello list members. I am wondering about the accuracy of the "reasons for placement" category reported in AFCARS. Are States confident about how these data are collected and reported? I am particularly interested in the substance abuse indicator. There seems to be consistent stories about the opioid crisis and large increases in the foster care populations around the country. The AFCARS estimates indicate small increases in substance abuse as a reason for placement. I am just curious as to whether there are any studies on how accurate this item is captured. I know several States that suggest this measure is not to be trusted. Just looking for something a bit more empirical. Any leads would be appreciated. Joe -- Joseph P. Ryan, Ph.D. University of Michigan Child and Adolescent Data Lab ssw-datalab.org

Joe, One reason one might expect an overall increase is the requirements of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (signed by Obama on 7/22/2016), which stipulates the following: The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA). CARA amended sections of Child Abuse Prevention Treatment Act (CAPTA) to remove the term “illegal” as applied to substance abuse affecting the identified infant and to specifically require that Plans of Safe Care address the needs of both infants and their families/caregivers. Here are some notes that I gleaned from the Children’s Bureau’s FY2017 Child Maltreatment Report for specific states: Alaska: For FFY 2017, NCANDS syntax was revised to harvest the benefits of these SACWIS upgrades. This resulted in increased reporting on caregiver alcohol abuse and domestic violence. District of Columbia: Due to the data requirements for the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 and other District mandated initiatives related to substance-exposed newborns and parental substance use, the District changed its practice in June 2017 to screen in all reports with an allegation of one of the following: · Positive toxicology of a newborn · Controlled substance in the system of a child · Exposure to illegal drug activity in the home · Substance abuse by parent, caregiver, or guardian · Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder For Florida, the change described below would show up as a maltreatment type – probably “other”, since this is not one of the NCANDS types: In federal fiscal year (FFY) 2017 Florida initiated a new maltreatment of substance exposed newborn. The definition is as follows: Substance-exposed newborn as a maltreatment occurs when a child is exposed to a controlled substance or alcohol prenatally Iowa: Iowa is facing increased pressure on its system due to increased parental substance abuse and decreased funding for services. [No mention of whether they record reason for placement, but they seem to be aware of an increased problem of parental substance abuse.] Idaho: Allegations are screened out and not assessed when: · Allegations are that the child’s parents or caregiver use drugs, but there is no reported connection between drug usage and specific maltreatment of the child. [among many other reasons] The NCANDS category of “other” maltreatment types includes the state categories of abandonment, adolescent conflict, exploitation, alcohol addiction, drug addiction, and finding of aggravated circumstances. New Hampshire: The state continues to experience the effect of an increase in substance abuse by parents, particularly opioid drugs. New York (shows up as a non-specific maltreatment type, but not a reason for removal) Most reporting to the NCANDS maltreatment type of “other” is accounted for by the state maltreatment type parent’s drug/alcohol use. The state is not able to report the NCANDS child risk factor fields at this time. North Dakota: This increase… is believed to be related to an increase in the overall child population combined with increased caregiver drug and alcohol abuse, based on the numbers of children entering foster care due to caregiver substance abuse. Oklahoma: The number of investigations in which a newborn tested positive at birth for a substance increased from SFY 2015 to SFY 2016. In SFY 2017, this number decreased slightly. DHS will begin tracking these numbers in greater detail in SFY 2018. Tennessee: Beginning with federal fiscal year (FFY) 2016, the allegations of drug exposed child and drug exposed infant are mapped to the NCANDS maltreatment type of physical abuse. Previously, these two allegations were mapped to neglect. [They don’t say whether the reason for placement is captured] For future versions of NCANDS (beginning with the FY2018 data), new fields will be added regarding infants affected by substance abuse: The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 (P.L. 114–198) includes a CAPTA amendment that requires states to report, to the maximum extent practicable, the number of infants identified by healthcare providers as being affected by substance abuse or withdrawal symptoms resulting from prenatal drug exposure, or a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder; the number of substance exposed infants with safe care plans; and the number of infants for whom service referrals were made, including services for the affected parent or caregiver. These new requirements will be added to NCANDS, and the NCANDS Technical Team will disseminate guidance from the Children’s Bureau and work with the states to implement the new fields and codes. -Michael Dineen Michael Dineen, M.A. Statistician II National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect Cornell University 607-254-4760 office 607-280-2510 cell From: bounce-123383134-6840988list.cornell.edu [mailto:bounce-123383134-6840988list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Joseph Ryan Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2019 11:17 AM To: CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L Subject: reason for placement Hello list members. I am wondering about the accuracy of the "reasons for placement" category reported in AFCARS. Are States confident about how these data are collected and reported? I am particularly interested in the substance abuse indicator. There seems to be consistent stories about the opioid crisis and large increases in the foster care populations around the country. The AFCARS estimates indicate small increases in substance abuse as a reason for placement. I am just curious as to whether there are any studies on how accurate this item is captured. I know several States that suggest this measure is not to be trusted. Just looking for something a bit more empirical. Any leads would be appreciated. Joe -- Joseph P. Ryan, Ph.D. University of Michigan Child and Adolescent Data Lab ssw-datalab.org