Using Data to Make the Case for Policy Change in Times of Fiscal Crisis National Association of Council for Children Conference October 21, 2010 Jane Burstain, Ph.D., Senior Policy Analyst

Where to Get Data Compare your state to others: afcars afcars –Annual Child Maltreatment Report Data on child abuse and neglect –Adoption and Foster Care Analysis Reporting System Data on children in foster care and adoptions Compare your jurisdiction to others –Data from child welfare agencies –Data from courts –Data from your own caseload

Don’t Cut Services that Support Families Use data to show how your state already is a low services state Use a moving story about one of your clients to hit home the impact of failing to provide services Use data to show how providing services is cost effective

Compared to Other States, Texas Doesn’t Provide Many Child Abuse and Neglect Services Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Services: –In Texas, about 5 of every 1,000 children receive services - lowest in the nation –National average is almost nine times higher at about 44 of every 1,000 children Services to address abuse and neglect –In Texas, only about 1 in 2 victims get any services –Nationally, more than 3 in 5 victims get services Child Maltreatment U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau.

Only about 3% of Texas’ Child Welfare Budget Goes to Services to Support Families Source: Texas Department of Family and Protective Services 2010 Operating Budget

Day Care Services to Help Keep Children Safe in Their Home Saves Money Potential annual budget cut to day care: $6 million Annual number of kids who won’t get day care: 5,090 If 1 in 5 of kids who don’t get daycare can’t stay home and so come into foster care: –1,018 additional kids in foster care –Annual average cost to state for foster care alone: $9 million By cutting day care services, at a minimum, state could be spending at least an additional $3 million every year

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