Evaluation of Child Abuse and Neglect Demonstration Projects, 1974-1977, V 4 - A Comparative Description of the Eleven Projects

• NCJ Number: 73117
• Author(s): A H Cohn
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 90 pages
• Contract Number(s): HRA 106-74-120; HRA 230-76-0075
• Sponsoring Agency: National Ctr for Health Services Research
• Corporate Author: Berkeley Planning Associates
• Sale Source: National Technical Information Service
• Publication Type: Program Description (Model)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Based on an evaluation of 11 3-year child abuse and neglect service projects, this report presents a comparative, descriptive overview of the projects and their experiences to highlight the similarities and differences among the projects, which were located across the country and in Puerto Rico.

Abstract

The range or scope of project goals were similar, although the steps or means established for accomplishing these goals varied. The projects represented different ways in which child abuse and neglect service programs might be organized and the kinds of activities they might pursue. Six of the projects were housed in protective service agencies, two in hospitals, two in private agencies, and one in a tribal council. While none of the projects focused on primary preventive services, all performed certain educational and coordinative activities that contributed to primary prevention. Notable differences among projects were found in the following areas: budget, staff and caseload sizes; the diversity of activities pursued; the number of disciplines or agencies actively involved with the project; and job flexibility and design. Core staff sizes ranged from 3 to 25; the average number of individuals participating in a project ranged from 5 to 134. All projects used volunteers and spent about $15,720 per month. Treatment projects appeared to spend about 25 percent of staff time on general program management and staff training functions and an additional 20 percent on general case and followup. Finally, a study of the characteristics of families served by the projects revealed that despite specific intake or admissions criteria, projects ultimately served a variety of cases. Listings of major evaluation reports and papers and milestones in the evaluation effort, as well as commentary on project implementation and continuation efforts and future funding and management concerns, are appended. Footnotes and tables are included. For related documents, see NCJ 73114-16 of volume I-IV, NCJ 73119-23 of volume VI-XI, and NCJ 73090 of volume X. (Author abstract modified)