RD369 - Annual Report on the Differential Response System


Executive Summary:
As directed by §63.2-1504 of the Code of Virginia, the Department of Social Services (Department) implemented a Child Protective Services Differential Response System (DRS) on May 1, 2002. The Department also was directed to evaluate and report on DRS by submitting annual reports to the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions and the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services. The Department has entered into an interagency agreement with Virginia Tech to assist in evaluation of the Differential Response System. This is the seventh annual report on the status of the Department’s implementation of DRS.

The Differential Response System provides two different response options to reports of suspected child abuse and neglect.

1. The Investigation response track is the traditional Child Protective Services (CPS) response. If the local agency determines that abuse or neglect occurred, a disposition of “founded” is made, and the name(s) of the caretaker(s) responsible for the abuse or neglect is placed in the state’s Central Registry. Local departments offer services, when needed, to reduce the risk of further abuse or neglect.

2. The Family Assessment response track is for valid CPS reports where there is no allegation that is required to be investigated or immediate concern for child safety. A family assessment identifies family strengths and service needs. Local departments offer services, when needed, to reduce the risk of abuse or neglect. No disposition is made and no names are entered into the Central Registry.

Virginia’s Online Automated Services Information System (OASIS) is a primary source of data for the evaluation. Most data in this report are from referrals received by local agencies from January through December 2005. State fiscal year data from the Department’s Referrals and Findings Reports are also used for some analyses.

Data from two additional sources are used for the study of screened out complaints. The first source is 440 case reviews of reports that local agencies did not accept as valid CPS complaints. The second source is a survey the Department conducted of local agency CPS coordinators focused on how local agencies make validity decisions and handle invalid complaints.

[The entire summary can be viewed in the full report.]