Efforts by Child Welfare Agencies to

Address Domestic Violence:

The Experiences of Five Communities

Laudan Y. Aron

Krista K. Olson

The Urban Institute

March 1997

The research reported here was prepared under contract with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with additional support from the Office of Community Services and the National Institute of Justice.

For their guidance and contributions, we thank Martha R. Burt, our Project Director at the Urban Institute; Jerry Silverman, our Project Officer at ASPE; and Frances Gragg and Dana Schultz of Westat who helped us with several site visits. Finally, we thank the many individuals who shared their insights and wisdom with us during the site visits. This study would not have been possible without their contributions. Any errors or omissions are those of the authors.

Table of Contents

Executive Summary i

I. Background and Overview 1

Rationale for the Study 1

Background 2

Evidence of Overlap Between Child Maltreatment and Domestic Violence 3

Witnessing Domestic Violence 5

Child Welfare Services 6

Mission and Goals 7

Investigations 9

Services 10

Worker Safety and Burnout 11

Complexities 11

Working with Other Agencies 13

Selecting the Five Communities for Study 14

II. Family Violence Project, Children's Services Bureau, San Diego County, California 16

Introduction 16

Brief Overview of Child Welfare Services 18

Child Welfare Agency Approach to Domestic Violence 19

Perspectives of Other Community Service Agencies and Organizations 24

Outcome and Evaluation Issues 29

Conclusions 29

III. Intake/Crisis/Investigative Unit, Department of Human Services, East Hawaii, Hawaii 32

Introduction 32

Brief Overview of Child Welfare Services 33

Child Welfare Agency Approach to Domestic Violence 34

Perspectives of Other Community Service Agencies and Organizations 39

Outcome and Evaluation Issues 45

Conclusions 45

IV. Domestic Violence Unit, Massachusetts Department of Social Services 48

Introduction 48

Brief Overview of Child Welfare Services 49

Child Welfare Agency Approach to Domestic Violence 50

Perspectives of Other Community Service Agencies and Organizations 63

Outcome and Evaluation Issues 67

Conclusions 68

V. Oregon Department of Human Services, State Office for Services to Children and Families 71

Introduction 71

Brief Overview of Child Welfare Services 72

Child Welfare Agency Approach to Domestic Violence 73

Perspectives of Other Community Service Agencies and Organizations 82

Outcome and Evaluation Issues 87

Conclusions 88

VI. Families First, Family Independence Agency, Michigan 91

Introduction 91

Brief Overview of Child Welfare Services 92

Child Welfare Agency Approach to Domestic Violence 95

Perspectives of Other Community Service Agencies and Organizations 101

Outcome and Evaluation Issues 108

Conclusions 109

VII. Findings and Observations 112

Approaches to Addressing Domestic Violence Issues within Child Welfare Agencies 113

Starting with the Whole Agency 114

Starting with a Service Focus 116

Prerequisites for Success within CPS 118

Interplay Among the Five Elements for Success 120

Who Should Be Involved 122

The Importance of the Larger Community 127

The Domestic Violence Community 128

Other Options for Collaboration 131

Community Coordination and Information Sharing 132

Treatment Services 135

Community Characteristics 136

Complex Policy Questions 137

Identifying Cases Affected by Both Child Maltreatment and Domestic Violence 138

Does Witnessing Equal Abuse? 140

Mandated Treatment 142

A Final Issue--Evaluation 144

Conclusions 145