Corey Shdaimah, Daniel Thurs Distinguished Professor of Social Justice and is co-author of a paper with lead author PhD alumna Stacey Shipe and colleagues paper published in Children and Youth Services Review .
Their article explored alternative response (AR) a family-centered, preventative approach for child protection systems. The study first examined family and case factors predicted re-investigation and then explored which organizational factors influence caseworker and agency implementation of AR using administrative data from child protection reports, AR families (N = 9,959) and traditional response (TR) families (N = 13,974) were followed for 18 months to determine re-investigation rates using multilevel modeling where families were nested in county of residence. Four focus groups with 14 participants were conducted to discuss the quantitative findings, organizational culture, and implementation of AR. AR families had lower odds of re-investigation; males and younger children also had lower odds. Families with multiple children, prior investigations, receipt of Medicaid, and medium/high risk had higher odds of re-investigation. AR caseworkers provided insights regarding the intersection of family factors, organizational culture and support, and agency implementation of AR. Although participants supported AR, their ability to implement it was influenced by agency support and availability of resources to carry out the basic requirements of the policy. A clear distinction in responses emerged between those who held dual cases versus those holding only AR cases.
Shipe, S., Uretsky, M.C., LaBrenz, C.A., Shdaimah, C.S., & Connell, C.M. (2022). When families, organizational culture, and policy collide: A mixed method study of alternative response. Children and Youth Services Review, 139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106564.