The following resources describe lessons learned from system reform efforts at the State and local level.
Building a Full Prevention Continuum for Families in New York City
Hansell (2020)
Children’s Bureau Express, 21(1)
Summarizes the successes New York City has had in reforming its child welfare system into a prevention services system that offers a continuum of services to children and families.
Building a Trauma-Informed Child Welfare System: A Blueprint (PDF - 13,834 KB)
Supreme Court of Texas, Permanent Judicial Commission for Children, Youth and Families & Statewide Collaborative on Trauma-Informed Care (2019)
Presents what was learned from four workgroups in Texas tasked with developing a roadmap to help the State realize a child welfare system that is trauma informed and trauma responsive.
Fostering Futures: Child Welfare System Integration
Medical College of Wisconsin
Describes a Fostering Futures project in Wisconsin to integrate trauma-informed principles into the child welfare systems at the State, Tribal, and county levels. The website reviews outcomes and lessons learned.
How Is New Hampshire Building a 21st Century Child Strengthening and Family Well-Being System?
Casey Family Programs (2020)
Shares a question-and-answer session with the associate commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services on how the State has transformed its child welfare system into one that strengthens child and family well-being.
How the Missouri Practice Model Transformed the State’s Child Welfare System
Ellis (2018)
Child Law Practice Today, January/December
Outlines the key philosophies and practices of the Missouri Practice Model, a child- and family-centered, evidence-based approach that focuses on keeping families together, trauma-informed care, the five domains of well-being, team decision-making, and other factors.
Implementation of California’s Continuum of Care Reform [Webinar]
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau (2017)
Children’s Bureau Express, 18(8)
Offers a webinar to help child welfare agencies implement California’s Continuum of Care Reform (CCR) core services in their own jurisdictions. CCR is a series of reforms that ensures child welfare services are provided with the goal of maintaining a stable and permanent family.
Lessons From the Field: Evaluating a Two-Generation Approach to Breaking the Cycle of Poverty
Annie E. Casey Foundation (2018)
Summarizes implementation experiences and lessons learned from the Family Economic Success - Early Childhood Education project, which aims to help low-income families by providing services to children and parents simultaneously.
Lessons Learned From Child Welfare Class Action Litigation: A Case Study of Tennessee’s Reform (PDF - 867 KB)
Center for the Study of Social Policy (2019)
Presents a case study of Tennessee, where child welfare reform happened as a result of class action litigation against the system.
Primary Prevention Puts Families First in the District of Columbia
Craver (2020)
Children’s Bureau Express, 21(1)
Explores changes at the District of Columbia’s Child and Family Services Agency to transform the system from one focused primarily on foster care placement into one focused on strengthening families.
Recruiting Foster Parents and Strengthening Child Welfare in Oklahoma: A Case Study
Annie E. Casey Foundation (2019)
Examines improvements to Oklahoma’s foster care system, describes how the State plans to sustain its system changes, and discusses factors that have worked to support its success.
Transforming Justice: Bringing Pennsylvania’s Young People Safely Home From Juvenile Justice Placements
Pilnik, Schwartz, Lindell, Feierman, & Sorenson (2019)
Juvenile Law Center
Explores Pennsylvania’s reliance on youth placement in juvenile justice facilities and that system’s reform. The resource provides lessons learned from jurisdictions that have successfully reformed their juvenile justice system and reduced their reliance on youth incarceration.