Nevada Initiative to Reduce Long-Term Foster Care

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The evaluation of the Nevada Initiative to Reduce Long-Term Foster Care (LTFC) includes three populations. It will examine how the interventions SAFE- FC and FSE impact or relate to permanency outcomes for children most at risk for long term foster care and currently in care.

Detailed Description
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The project targets three populations of children. For populations 1 and 2, the study will evaluate an intervention known as SAFE-FC. The intervention aims to prevent long term foster care by providing tailored services and intensive engagement with all new families with children identified as unsafe (Population 1) and for cases that are currently in care and at risk of LTFC where reunification is the case goal (Population 2). Family Search and Engagement (FSE) is the intervention for Population 3; it involves intense search practices to identify possible permanency resources. For Populations 1 and 2 the study is a randomized, intent-to-treat design to measure safety and permanency outcomes. For Population 3 the evaluation will be a descriptive study to analyze relationships between the intervention approach and outcomes. Both studies aim to examine how the interventions (SAFE- FC and FSE) impact or relate to permanency outcomes for children most at risk for long term foster care.

Official Title
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Permanency Innovations Initiative- Nevada Initiative to Reduce Long-Term Foster Care

Conditions
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At Risk for Foster, In Foster Care

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: SAFE FC


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Children assessed to be unsafe via the Nevada Initial Assessment children in foster care with specific risk characteristics. Exclusion Criteria: -

Ages Eligible for Study
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Maximum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Treatment<br> | Other: SAFE FC<br>* SAFE - FC, a combination of SAFE (developed by ACTION for Child Protection) and Family Connections (developed by Ruth H. Young Center for Families and Children, University of Maryland School of Social Work) for Populations 1 and 2.<br>* Other names: SAFE - FC, a combination of SAFE and Family Connections;|
| No Intervention: Comparison<br> | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Time to stable permanence | Measured by administrative data from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) | Measured from the date of random assignment to the discharge date or to the end of the study period for cases that did not discharge | 
| Caregiver readiness for change | Measured with Readiness for Parenting Change Scale (REDI) Abbreviated (Chaffin et al, 2011) | Measured at intake, at 6 months, 12 months, 18 months, and again at case closure (participants will be followed throughout the duration of their involvement with Washoe County DSS which is on average 24 months) | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Caregiver stress | Parenting Stress Index - Short Form (PSI-SF) (Abidin, 1983) | Measured at intake, at 6 months, 12 months, 18 months, and again at case closure (participants will be followed throughout the duration of their involvement with Washoe County DSS which is on average 24 months) | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Long term foster care, child abuse and neglect