Evaluation of Michigan's Foster Care Case Management System

Abstract

Objective: In 1997, Michigan's Family Independence Agency piloted casemanagement procedures designed to expedite permanency and improve services to children in foster care. Method: A 3-year evaluation examined outcomes in nine pilot and nine comparison counties to determine if children in the pilot counties achieved permanency, either returned home or another permanent arrangement, more rapidly than those in the comparison counties. Preceding implementation, pilot and comparison counties employed the same case management procedures and had similar records of achieving permanency for children entering foster care. Results: After implementation, pilot counties attained permanency for a significantly greater proportion of children entering foster care than did comparison counties. This difference was observed for subgroups defined by child ethnicity, initial placement type, and child age, although the differences were not always significant. Conclusion: Pilot counties were more likely to reunify children postimplementation than were comparison counties, and these children were no more likely to reenter foster care.