The Improving Child Welfare Outcomes Through systems of care demonstration initiative was created to answer one central question for the field: Does a system of care approach have merit in helping achieve positive outcomes for children and families involved with the child welfare system and its partner agencies? In 2003, nine grantees received up to $500,000 per year for five years to help the Children's Bureau answer that question.
Grantees in 2003 included: Family-to-Family System of Care (CA), Jefferson County Systems of Care (CO), Family-Centered Systems of Care (KS), Caring Communities Demonstration Project (NV), The CRADLE in Bedford-Stuyvesant (NY), Improving Child Welfare Outcomes Through Systems of Care (NC), Medicine Moon Initiative to Improve Tribal Child Welfare Outcomes (ND), Improving Permanency Outcomes Project (OR), and Locally Organized Systems of Care in Pennsylvania (PA). More information on each grantee can be found on the Children's Bureau systems of care grantees page.
The following resources provide more information on the guidelines and requirements of the demonstration initiative.
Child and Family Services Reviews: Practice Principles
Children's Bureau (2007)
These practice principles promoted by the Child and Family Services Reviews are the same that the Systems of Care demonstration initiative is striving to follow in its efforts.