Friday, 14 January 2005 - 10:00 AM

This presentation is part of: Child Welfare Services

An Alternative Model for Allocating Family Safety Child Protection Resources in Florida

As Florida moves toward a community-based care model for the provision of child protective services, consideration is being given toward modification of the formula (from an equity standpoint) by which funds are distributed to regional service providers. One goal was to develop an equity model that would minimize (or eliminate) the potential influence of variables that could be manipulated by service providers and subsequently (and inappropriately) increase expenditures while potentially reinforcing bad practice trends. Utilizing existing secondary data sources this paper summarizes the development and function of a model that has three general components. These include: 1) a measure of the amount of children receiving in-home services; 2) a measure of the number of children receiving out-of-home care; and, 3) a measure of the prevalence or likelihood of children coming to the attention of child welfare authorities for maltreatment across Florida counties and service districts/regions. The third measure is unique to child welfare allocation models in the United States. Here, considerable attention was directed toward exploring the inclusion of variables known (within the professional literature) to be significant correlates with child maltreatment. A series of regression models (stepwise and addition) with a variety of data fields were constructed and three variables demonstrated (in a well-fitted model) statistical significance (adjusted R square= .958; F=497.95, p<.001) in their ability to predict the likelihood of children coming (or not coming) to the attention of child welfare authorities across Florida counties. These variables include: the total child population; the number of children ages 5 to 17 who speak a language other than English and speak English less than very well; and, the number of children in single-parent households. This paper will review in detail the mechanisms by which weights were assigned to the three general components for the final allocation model and other features of the model (including the mechanism for establishing an equity threshold). The attempt was to develop a dynamic, understandable, and economic model that could be responsive to legislative/policy priorities as well as the availability of funding, and modified (if desired) should valid data regarding service outcomes and other independent variable influences (beyond community-based care agencies control) upon service demands and cost become realized in the future. It is thought the model to be presented accomplishes this feat.

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