Strategic Consulting

CURRENT AND RECENT PROJECTS:

(Click links to navigate to ACS websites for more information) 

CARES: Action Research is providing implementation support as the New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) expands its differential response program, called Collaborative Assessment, Response, Engagement & Support (CARES). Instead of investigating alleged child maltreatment, when there is no immediate danger to children ACS CARES staff partner with families to assess child safety and family needs, encourage families to develop their own solutions to their challenges, and identify supportive resources to help care for and protect their children. 

Fiscal models: Federal and most state financial models for child welfare reimburse public and private providers based on the number of days children spend in foster care. This payment structure creates perverse incentives by paying providers more money the longer children stay in foster care. Action Research provides research and analysis to assist efforts to align the fiscal models with the child welfare goal of moving children in foster care to permanent, loving, and safe families—preferably by reunifying with their family—as soon as possible. 

Home Away From Home: Action Research provided expert advice and data analysis to promote the recruitment, training, support, and retention of New York City foster caregivers. This support included assistance developing kin and non-kin caregiver recruitment and placement targets, examining initial placement stability, analyses of the foster home pool, and more.

Reunification: At ACS’s request and with support from the Sirus Fund, Action Research studied how New York City can improve the policies, practices, and processes concerning the reunification of children with their parents or guardians after a period in foster care. Action Research then worked with ACS to implement recommendations from the first phase of research.

Smart Placement: Entering foster care or moving from one placement to another are traumatic experiences for children. ACS aims to minimize trauma by placing children with their siblings, with foster parents who are located in their home communities and who speak their language, and without disrupting their school placements. Action Research works with ACS leadership and front line staff to meet these placement goals more often by making better use of data and fine tuning the placement process.