Ethnic/Racial Disproportionality and Disparity: A National Perspective

1. Ethnic/Racial Disproportionality and Disparity:A National Perspective Barbara Needell, MSW, PhD Center for Social Services Research University of California at Berkeley New York, NY October 16, 2007 The Performance Indicators Project at CSSR is supported by the California Department of Social Services and the Stuart Foundation Presentation developed by Emily Putnam-Hornstein, MSW

2. National Efforts: • Casey Alliance/CSSP • GAO Report • APHSA/NAPCWA Workgroup • CFP Breakthru Series • AECF Race Matters Toolkit • California Disproportionality Project • Other state efforts

3. Casey-CSSP Alliance for Racial Equity GOAL:“to significantly reduce racial and ethnic disproportionality and disparity in jurisdictions agreeing to partner with the Alliance by 2015…” STRATEGY:Leverage resources, expertise & experience to bring about change: 1. Legislation, policy change and finance reform 2. Research, evaluation & data-based decision-making 3. Youth, parent & community partnership 4. Public will and communication 5. Human service workforce development 6. Practice change (site-based implementation) WORK TO DATE: Research commissioned, partnerships with multiple jurisdictions, dissemination of report findings, publication of assessment tools, etc.

4. 2007 GAO Report • Report recommendations: • Matters for Congressional Consideration • “…Congress may wish to consider amending federal law to allow federal reimbursement for legal guardianship similar to that currently provided for adoption.” • Recommendations for Executive Action • “…(encourage) states to regularly track state and local data on the racial disproportionality of children in foster care and use these data to develop strategies…” • “…encourage states to make increased use of HHS's National Resource Centers as a source of technical assistance on this issue.” • “…further assist states in understanding the nature and extent of disproportionality…actions should include completing and making publicly available information on disproportionality that the agency is developing under its Culturally Competent Practice Knowledge Initiative…

5. APHSA/NAPCWA Workgroup Strategy Culture Policy Legal System Communications Training and Education Resources Practice Economic Issues Technology People • Disproportionality and Organizational Assessment Tool • Assess the current conditions that are contributing to disproportionality • Understand these factors within three spheres of influence: societal, system, and individual • Facilitate further exploration of these factors to effect change Societal Individual System

6. Casey Family Programs: Breakthrough Series Collaborative Vision: Child welfare systems that are free of structural racism and benefit all children, families & communities Guiding Assumptions Framework for Change Framework Components Multiple disadvantages: social, political, economic, attitudinal Factors include: poverty, racism, organizational culture, service strategies, and resources No significant differences in rates of child maltreatment (suggesting influence of race in institutional response and decision making) Identify key areas where reducing and ultimately eliminating racial disparities through policy, programming, practice and training are likely Adopt principles to guide action rather than adopting prescriptive approaches Create supportive agency mission Develop cross-system leadership Support families in context Improve community capacity Educate staff and stakeholders Design culturally sensitive services Use and share Data

7. Race Matters: Toolkit Contents

8. California Disproportionality Project Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF) Proposal to Casey Alliance for Racial Equity Agreement to fund a California effort using system improvement funds Casey Family Programs (CFP) Meeting to discuss project…decide on a “Breakthrough Series Collaborative Model” CA Dept. of Social Services (CDSS) Interviews and meetings with California stakeholders to develop Framework and Self-Assessment rating tool Planning team to finalize Framework, rating tool, and scope of project (November 2007) Hire staff, engage counties, formal and informal system partners, and begin work! (Early 2008) California Disproportionality Project Pilot testing in Pomona/LA and Fresno CA Social Work Ed. Council (CalSWEC) 2003 Training Symposium Child & Family Policy Institute (CFPIC) Project connected to State Interagency Team’s Workgroup to ensure statewide involvement/impact State Interagency Workgroup Technical consultation… Center for Social Services Research (CSSR)

9. CA Disproportionality Project & Family to Family: Rating Tool Strategic Elements: • Building Authentic Tribal and Community Partnerships • Collecting and Using Data • Raising Awareness and Providing Training • Leading by Example • Engaging Birth Families and Youth as Authentic Partners • Engaging the Broader Child Welfare System • Preventing, Diverting, and Ensuring Equity for Child Welfare Involvement • Achieving Practice and Decision-Making that Does Not Result in Racial Disproportionality and Disparities • Ensuring Least Restrictive, Appropriate, and Supported Placements • Hiring, Promoting, and Supporting Staff

10. A sampling of state efforts over the last few years… • Minnesota: • Legislative mandate to study why African American children in Minnesota are disproportionately represented in out-of-home placements • Michigan: • State commissioned task force to study the disproportionate representation of African-American and other children of color in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems • Texas: • Mandate that the Department of Family and Protective Services analyze data regarding child removals and other enforcement actions to determine whether actions were disproportionately initiated against any racial or ethnic group. • Florida: • Lawmakers enacted the “One Church, One Child of Florida Corporation Act” to utilize the resources of Black churches to expedite the adoption of adoptable Black children out of Florida’s foster care system.

11. Definitions… • Disproportionality: when a group makes up a proportion of those experiencing some event that is higher or lower than that group’s proportion of the population • Disparity:a comparison of one group (e.g, regarding disproportionality, services, outcomes) to another group

12. 2004National Estimates:Ethnicity and Path through the Child Welfare System (Missing Race & Multi-Race Children Excluded)

13. 2004National Estimates:Ethnicity and Path through the Child Welfare System (Missing Race & Multi-Race Children Excluded)

14. 2004National Estimates:Ethnicity and Path through the Child Welfare System (Missing Race & Multi-Race Children Excluded)

15. 2004National Estimates:Ethnicity and Path through the Child Welfare System (Missing Race & Multi-Race Children Excluded)

16. 2004 National Estimates: Disparity Index Black Disproportionality 36.3% = 2.4 15.1% White Disproportionality 42.7% = 0.7 60.3% Disparity Index 2.40 = 3.4 0.70 Please note that the #’s shown above do not match the GAO disproportionality rates exactly due to minor rounding differences.

17. How do large states stack-up? It depends…

18. 2004National Entry Data:Racial Disparity Indices (group compared to white) New York Illinois California United States Texas Florida Underrepresented 1.00 Overrepresented

19. 2004National In Care Data:Racial Disparity Indices (group compared to white) New York Illinois California United States Texas Florida Underrepresented 1.00 Overrepresented

20. Barbara Needell bneedell@berkeley.edu 510.642.1893 510.290.6334 (pcs) GO BEARS!!!! CSSR.BERKELEY.EDU/UCB_CHILDWELFARE Needell, B., Webster, D., Armijo, M., Lee, S., Cuccaro-Alamin, S., Shaw, T., Dawson, W., Piccus, W., Magruder, J., Exel, M., Conley, A., Smith, J. , Dunn, A., Frerer, K., & Putnam Hornstein, E., (2007). Child Welfare Services Reports for California. Retrieved [month day, year], from University of California at Berkeley Center for Social Services Research website. URL: <http://cssr.berkeley.edu/UCB_CHILDWELFARE/>