Scaling Up Housing Services Within the Child Welfare System: Policy Insights From Simulation Modeling.
Child Maltreat
; 25(1): 51-60, 2020 02.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-31096774
OBJECTIVES: Housing insecurity and homelessness contribute to risk of maltreatment among one in five of the nearly 3.5 million children annually investigated for maltreatment in the United States. The Family Unification Program (FUP)-a federal initiative-connects inadequately housed families involved in child welfare with long-term rental subsidies to avoid foster placement. However, FUP remains understudied and underutilized with funding levels that serve only a fraction of eligible households. The present study uses system dynamics modeling to inform decision-making by testing policies for scaling FUP. METHOD: Simulations model delivery of FUP within child welfare from a feedback perspective. Calibrated on national data, models replicate trends in child welfare involvement from 2013 through 2016, and analyses forecast rates through 2019. Experiments test policies that enhance FUP. Outcomes track system-wide rates of family separation and returns on investment of expanded housing interventions. RESULTS: Dramatic expansions of FUP benefit more families and improve marginal return on investment. Yet, scale-up fails to reduce system-wide rates of family separation or generates substantial cost-savings. CONCLUSIONS: Simulations demonstrate structural challenges for scaling FUP. Constant demand for affordable housing constrains sustainable improvements in child protection. Child welfare responses to homelessness require innovations that reduce demand for housing services through prevention and earlier intervention.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Asistencia Pública
/
Vivienda Popular
/
Personas con Mala Vivienda
/
Maltrato a los Niños
/
Protección a la Infancia
/
Servicios de Protección Infantil
Tipo de estudio:
Prognostic_studies
Aspecto:
Implementation_research
Límite:
Child
/
Child, preschool
/
Humans
/
Male
País/Región como asunto:
America do norte
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Child Maltreat
Asunto de la revista:
PEDIATRIA
Año:
2020
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Estados Unidos
Pais de publicación:
Estados Unidos