Efforts by Child Welfare Agencies to Address Domestic Violence:
The Experiences of Five Communities

Laudan Y. Aron and 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.

Executive Summary

Chapters

Background and Overview
- Rationale for the Study
- Background
  - Evidence of Overlap Between Child Maltreatment and Domestic Violence
  - Witnessing Domestic Violence
- Child Welfare Services
  - Mission and Goals
  - Investigations
  - Services
  - Worker Safety and Burnout
  - Complexities
  - Working with Other Agencies
- Selecting the Five Communities for Study
Family Violence Project, Children's Services Bureau, San Diego County, California
- Introduction
- Brief Overview of Child Welfare Services
- Child Welfare Agency Approach to Domestic Violence
- Perspectives of Other Community Service Agencies and Organizations
- Outcome and Evaluation Issues
- Conclusions
Intake/Crisis/Investigative Unit, Department of Human Services, East Hawaii, Hawaii
- Introduction
- Brief Overview of Child Welfare Services
- Child Welfare Agency Approach to Domestic Violence
- Perspectives of Other Community Service Agencies and Organizations
- Outcome and Evaluation Issues
- Conclusions
Domestic Violence Unit, Massachusetts Department of Social Services
- Introduction
- Brief Overview of Child Welfare Services
- Child Welfare Agency Approach to Domestic Violence
- Perspectives of Other Community Service Agencies and Organizations
- Outcome and Evaluation Issues
- Conclusions
Oregon Department of Human Services, State Office for Services to Children and Families
- Introduction
- Brief Overview of Child Welfare Services
- Child Welfare Agency Approach to Domestic Violence
- Perspectives of Other Community Service Agencies and Organizations
- Outcome and Evaluation Issues
- Conclusions
Families First, Family Independence Agency, Michigan
- Introduction
- Brief Overview of Child Welfare Services
- Child Welfare Agency Approach to Domestic Violence
- Perspectives of Other Community Service Agencies and Organizations
- Outcome and Evaluation Issues
- Conclusions
Findings and Observations
- Approaches to Addressing Domestic Violence Issues within Child Welfare Agencies
- Starting with the Whole Agency
- Starting with a Service Focus
- Prerequisites for Success within CPS
  - Interplay Among the Five Elements for Success
  - Who Should Be Involved
- The Importance of the Larger Community
- The Domestic Violence Community
- Other Options for Collaboration
  - Community Coordination and Information Sharing
  - Treatment Services
- Community Characteristics
- Complex Policy Questions
- Identifying Cases Affected by Both Child Maltreatment and Domestic Violence
- Does Witnessing Equal Abuse?
- Mandated Treatment
- A Final Issue--Evaluation
- Conclusions

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Efforts by Child Welfare Agencies to Address Domestic Violence: The Experiences of Five Communities

Contents

Where to?

Efforts by Child Welfare Agencies to Address Domestic Violence:
The Experiences of Five Communities