Published December 14, 2003
Feds take a closer look


View the report


Michigan's Child and Family Services Review, conducted by the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, measures progress in
meeting federal foster care and adoption standards. The report is
available at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/cwrp/staterpt/mi/



The federal government reviewed Michigan's foster care and adoption
system in late 2002.

No state, including Michigan, meets all the standards outlined by
the Child and Family Services Review. But conforming with federal
guidelines eventually will become important to keep all federal
funding for foster care and adoption services.

While Michigan ultimately will have to meet federal standards to
keep all of its funding, interim goals jointly determined by federal
and state authorities could be established within the next year or
so.

Once those benchmarks are established, Michigan likely will have two
years to reach them or face fines estimated at up to $2.5 million
per year. Michigan gets about $224 million in federal money for
foster care, adoption and support services each year.

Here is a sampling of what the 2002 federal review found. Some of
the results are based on a review of 49 test cases. Others are from
a statewide assessment.

STRENGTHS

1. Statewide information system

Analysis: Michigan's system can readily identify the status,
demographic characteristics, locations and goals for the placement
of children in foster care.

2. Quality assurance program

Analysis: New licensing requirements for foster care homes and child-
placing agencies took effect in 2001. Michigan has implemented
standards to protect kids. Both state and outside agencies help
identify the system's strengths and needs.

3. Training

Michigan has a mandatory orientation program for new staff,
including an eight-week child welfare curriculum. Foster parents
must have at least 12 hours of training before placement of a child,
with six to 12 hours required each year afterward.

4. Array of services

Services to assess the needs of children and families are available
at state and local levels. Services are less available in rural or
outlying areas. Services often are not tailored to individual needs.

5. Agency responsiveness to the community

Consumers, service providers, courts, foster care parents and others
are consulted about objectives.

6. Foster and adoptive parent licensing, recruitment and retention

Michigan's standards are "reasonably in accord" with national
standards. Relatives must receive some training to become foster
parents. Criminal background checks are required.


WEAKNESSES

1. Children are, first and foremost, protected from abuse and
neglect.


National standard: 90 percent
Michigan cases meeting standard: 83.7 percent

Analysis: State was marked down for sometimes slow response in
investigating reports of child maltreatment, or failure to establish
face-to-face contact with those involved in case. State scored well
in review with relatively few children who suffer abuse.

2. Children are safely maintained in their homes whenever possible.


National standard: 90 percent
Meets standard: 83.6 percent

Analysis: Michigan scored well in providing services to prevent
children's placement in foster care, but needs improvement in
reducing risk to children. Background checks and home studies
sometimes weren't done adequately in cases where children were
placed with relatives.

3. Children have permanency and stability in their living situations.


National standard: 90 percent
Meets standard: 75 percent

Analysis: The percentage of children with more than two foster care
placements in a 12-month period (13.8 percent) is too high. The
percentage of children reunified with their families within 12
months (52.9 percent) was too low. But the state scored well on
adoptions, with 32 percent finalized within two years of a child
entering foster care.

4. The continuity of family relationships and connections is
preserved for children.


National standard: 90 percent
Meets standard: 75 percent

Analysis: Some form of community or family connection was preserved
for most children, and most were placed in or near their own
neighborhoods. Children were placed with siblings in 84 percent of
cases, but efforts to place them with siblings and relatives were
inconsistent.

5. The state helps families enhance their capacity to provide for
children's needs.


National standard: 90 percent
Meets standard: 71.4 percent

Analysis: FIA is not consistent in meeting the needs of children and
families. Needs weren't met in an estimated 27 percent of cases.
Families were not involved in the case planning process in some
instances. In 20 percent of applicable cases, caseworkers failed to
spend adequate time with children. Caseworker visits with families
were inadequate in 27.5 percent of cases.

6. Children receive appropriate services to meet their educational
needs.


National standard: 90 percent
Meets standard: 78.8 percent

Analysis: There is a lack of tutoring and special education services
available for foster children. A mail survey of FIA foster parents
found that 55 percent agreed with the statement that a "child's
caseworker was helpful" in finding services.

7. Children receive services to meet their physical and mental
health needs.


National standard: 90 percent
Meets standard: 78.8 percent

Analysis: FIA is effective in meeting physical health needs, rated
as a strength in 89 percent of cases. But mental health assessments
or services were lacking in 19 percent of applicable cases.