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Children's Bureau Demonstration Initiative: Improving Child Welfare Outcomes Through Systems of Care

In 2003, the Children's Bureau released a request for proposals (RFP) to build home- and community-based systems of care to improve outcomes for children, youth, and families at risk of child maltreatment, children and youth who have been identified as victims of maltreatment but have not been removed from their home, or children and youth in State custody (foster care). The initiative is an outgrowth of the State Child and Family Services Reviews, which showed that serious deficiencies exist in most State child welfare agencies in terms of ensuring children's safety, finding them permanent homes, and promoting their well-being.

Grants were awarded to nine organizations to demonstrate systemic changes in the way States and Tribes provide services to children, youth, and families. In addition, the National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center for Child Welfare Systems of Care Grantees was created to support the grantees through programmatic and evaluation technical assistance, research, and training.

The following resources provide more information on the initiative and grantees.

Background on the initiative
Includes selected text from the 2003 RFP and other information.

National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center for Systems of Care resources
Publications produced by the Center and other resources resulting from the initiative.

Children's Bureau systems of care grantees
Descriptions and contact information for the grantees.

Grantee Information Exchange
Provides Children's Bureau systems of care grantees with individualized programmatic and evaluation technical assistance to support their efforts to design and build systems of care that will improve safety, permanency, and well-being for families and children.

Updated on November 19, 2008