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| Demonstration Type: | Assisted Guardianship |
| Approved: | October 14, 2005 |
| Implemented: | December 7, 2006 |
| Expected Completion Date: | November 30, 2011 |
| Interim Evaluation Report Expected: | July 31, 2009 |
| Final Evaluation Report Expected: | May 31, 2012 |
Tennessee’s assisted guardianship demonstration targets title IV-E-eligible and non-IV-E-eligible children ages 0-18 in the legal custody of the State
The State may make exceptions to the six-month requirement for children for whom reasonable efforts at reunification are not required, children for whom reunification has been ruled out as a permanency option, and for siblings of children already in subsidized guardianship. In placing children into subsidized guardianship, the State keeps sibling groups together to the fullest extent possible, and considers the reasonable preferences of children ages 12 and older in awarding guardianship to relative and kin foster caregivers.
Both relative and non-relative adults who have a significant relationship with a child in out-of-home placement (e.g., a godparent or family friend) may participate in the demonstration. To be eligible to participate in the demonstration, a prospective guardian must satisfy the following criteria:
Tennessee is implementing its guardianship demonstration in 16 counties (Shelby, Davidson, Macon, Smith, Dekalb, Cannon, Van Buren, Warren, White, Cumberland, Fentress, Overton, Putnam, Jackson, Clay, and Pickett Counties). In addition, the State will make all children statewide who have a goal of Another Planned Permanent Living Arrangement (APPLA) and who meet the demonstration’s other eligibility requirements eligible to participate in the demonstration. The State may also expand the demonstration to other counties in Tennessee or statewide after receiving approval from the Children’s Bureau.
Tennessee’s waiver demonstration provides a financial subsidy and post-permanency support services to foster caregivers who assume permanent guardianship of children in the legal custody of the State. Specific services and supports include the following:
Guardianship Subsidy Payment. Caregivers awarded guardianship under the demonstration receive a monthly guardianship subsidy equal to the State’s base monthly foster care subsidy.
Post-permanency Supports and Services. Post-permanency supports and services are offered to participating caregivers and children. These supports and services include information and referral services, family advocacy, children’s activity groups, respite care, and recreational activities.
Guardianship Casework Process. A case manager from the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services reviews with each eligible foster caregiver the permanency options available for a child placed in the caregiver’s home. If guardianship is determined to be the most appropriate permanency arrangement for the child, the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services and the foster caregiver complete a Permanent Guardianship Agreement.
Financial Assistance to Finalize Guardianship. Participating caregivers receive financial assistance of up to $1,000 to cover legal fees and other non-recurring costs associated with finalizing the guardianship.
Annual Guardianship Review. After finalization, the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services conducts an annual review of each guardianship placement to ensure that the child continues to reside in the home of the guardian and that the guardian continues to financially support the child.
Education and Training Vouchers. Under the State’s demonstration, children who enter subsidized guardianship after reaching 15 years of age are eligible to receive education and training vouchers funded through the Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (CFCIP). The State is making CFCIP-funded education and training vouchers available to all eligible children statewide who enter into either subsidized guardianship or adoption.
The evaluation of the State’s guardianship demonstration includes process and outcome components, as well as a cost analysis. Tennessee is utilizing an experimental research design to evaluate the guardianship demonstration in the State’s 16 participating counties. Using a random assignment ratio of 1:1, the caregivers of children assigned to the experimental condition are offered the assisted guardianship option while caregivers of children assigned to the control group receive the traditional placement subsidies. In addition, the State is employing a non-experimental design for all children residing outside of the 16 participating counties who have a goal of Another Planned Permanent Living Arrangement (APPLA) and meet the demonstration’s other eligibility requirements. These children are all eligible to receive an offer of assisted guardianship and comprise a special study group that is being tracked separately from children assigned to the experimental and control groups.
Upon implementation in December 2006, approximately 350 children were randomly assigned to the experimental and control conditions. In addition, around 250 APPLA children residing outside of the 16 participating counties were deemed eligible for an assisted guardianship offer at the demonstration’s onset. The State anticipates assigning an additional 196 children per year to either the experimental or control group over the five-years of the demonstration.
Process Evaluation
Tennessee’s evaluation includes a process analysis that describes how demonstration services were implemented for experimental cases and how these services differed from services provided to children in the control group. As part of this process analysis, Tennessee and its evaluation contractor are tracking several measures on the establishment of guardianships:
Outcome Study
Tennessee’s outcome evaluation is comparing the experimental and control groups for significant differences in child safety, permanency, and placement stability. Specifically, the outcome evaluation assesses the experimental and control groups for statistically significant differences in the following outcome measures:
The State’s evaluation is tracking these outcomes in relation to gender, age, and race.
The State’s cost analysis examines the costs of key elements of the services received by children in the experimental group and compares these costs with those of the usual services received by children in the control group. The cost analysis includes an examination of the use of key funding sources, including all relevant Federal sources such as titles IV-A, IV-B, IV-E and XIX of the Social Security Act, as well as State and local funds. In addition, the State is conducting a cost-effectiveness analysis where feasible to identify costs per successful outcome for the experimental and control groups.
Evaluation findings are pending continued implementation of Tennessee’s guardianship demonstration.
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