December 7, 2006

Extended Follow-up Study of Minnesota's Family Assessment Response

This Family Assessment Response survey was conducted by the Institute of Applied Research St. Louis, Missouri. In the latter part of 2000, the state of Minnesota began piloting a new, more flexible model of child protection called Alternative Response. A comprehensive evaluation that we completed in 2004 found that this new approach to reports of child maltreatment reduced subsequent recurrence among families for whom it was intended without compromising the safety of children. Moreover, and despite an increase in initial investment costs to pay for additional services and staff time, subsequent costs were reduced because fewer of the children and families reappeared in the system. In addition, feedback from families and social workers showed that both groups preferred the alternative response when it was possible. By the end of 2005, all counties in the state had implemented the new model, which was re-christened Family Assessment Response.