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Child Welfare Outcomes 2000:
Annual Report
Chapter IV - State Data
Context Data | Outcomes Data | State
Comment | Federal Comment
Return to Table of Contents
Oregon [ Context Data ]
A. Key Context Statistics
|
General Population |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Total children under 18 years |
825,170 |
827,501 |
846,526 |
|
Race/ethnicity (%)1 |
|||
|
Alaska Native/American Indian |
1.4 |
1.4 |
1.5 |
|
Asian/Pacific Islander |
3.7 |
3.9 |
3.1 |
|
Black |
2.0 |
2.0 |
1.9 |
|
Hispanic |
9.7 |
10.3 |
12.7 |
|
White |
83.1 |
82.4 |
76.3 |
|
Two or more races |
N/A |
N/A |
4.2 |
|
Other |
N/A |
N/A |
0.2 |
|
% Child population in poverty |
18.6 |
17.0 |
21.8 |
|
% Child population living in metropolitan areas |
69.1 |
66.2 |
73.1 |
|
Child Welfare |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Child maltreatment victims |
10,147 |
11,241 |
11,381 |
|
Children in foster care on 9/30 |
9,242 |
9,278 |
9,193 |
|
Children adopted |
665 |
765 |
831 |
1) The 2000 Census of the United States includes two new race catagories: (1) Persons of two or more races and (2) Other. Back
B. Child Maltreatment Data (NCANDS)
|
|
Number |
Rate |
|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Maltreatment Information Overview |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
1998 |
1998 |
2000 |
|||||
|
Children subject of an investigated report alleging child maltreatment |
27,680 |
24,627 |
27,616 |
33.5 per 1,000 |
29.8 per 1,000 |
32.6 per 1,000 |
|||||
|
Child maltreatment victims2 |
10,147 |
11,241 |
11,381 |
12.3 per 1,000 |
13.6 per 1,000 |
13.4 per 1,000 |
|||||
|
Child fatalities |
17 |
18 |
21 |
2.1 per 100,000 |
2.2 per 100,000 |
2.5 per 100,000 |
|||||
|
Age of Child Victims (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Under 1 year |
12.3 |
12.5 |
12.1 |
|
1-5 years |
35.2 |
35.1 |
37.3 |
|
6-10 years |
31.0 |
29.9 |
29.0 |
|
11-15 years |
18.5 |
19.3 |
19.0 |
|
16+ years |
3.0 |
3.2 |
2.7 |
|
Unknown |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
10,147 |
11,241 |
11,381 |
|
Race/Ethnicity of Child Victims (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Alaska Native/American Indian |
2.2 |
2.3 |
2.9 |
|
Asian/Pacific Islander |
1.0 |
1.2 |
0.9 |
|
Black |
5.1 |
4.9 |
4.3 |
|
Hispanic |
8.1 |
8.9 |
8.4 |
|
White |
55.9 |
56.5 |
56.0 |
|
Two or more races |
N/A |
N/A |
- |
|
Other/Unknown |
35.8 |
35.2 |
27.5 |
|
Total %3 |
108.1 |
108.9 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
10,147 |
11,241 |
11,381 |
|
Maltreatment Type of Child Victims (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Emotional abuse |
7.5 |
6.7 |
6.4 |
|
Medical neglect |
4.2 |
4.3 |
3.6 |
|
Neglect |
22.4 |
21.1 |
21.1 |
|
Physical abuse |
14.2 |
13.2 |
12.1 |
|
Sexual abuse |
14.1 |
11.8 |
10.4 |
|
Other |
62.5 |
68.7 |
58.4 |
|
Unknown |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total %4 |
125.0 |
125.7 |
112.0 |
|
Number |
10,147 |
11,241 |
11,381 |
2) Children with more than one
report of substantiated or indicated maltreatment may be counted
more than once. Back
3) Percentages may total more than
100 percent because Hispanics may be counted both by Hispanic
ethnicity and by race. Back
4) Percentages may total more than
100 percent because children could have been victims of more than
one type of maltreatment. Back
C. Children in Foster Care
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)
|
Number of Children |
In Care on 10/1 |
Entered Care |
Exited Care |
In Care on 9/30 |
Total Served |
|
FY1998 (10/1/97-9/30/98) |
8,832 |
4,875 |
4,465 |
9,242 |
13,707 |
|
FY1999 (10/1/98-9/30/99) |
9,018 |
4,818 |
4,558 |
9,278 |
13,836 |
|
FY2000 (10/1/99-9/30/00) |
9,081 |
4,675 |
4,563 |
9,193 |
13,756 |
|
Median Length of Stay (Months) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
FY1998 (10/1/97-9/30/98) |
15.8 |
N/A |
11.4 |
17.5 |
N/A |
|
FY1999 (10/1/98-9/30/99) |
18.0 |
N/A |
12.5 |
18.5 |
N/A |
|
FY2000 (10/1/99-9/30/00) |
19.1 |
N/A |
13.9 |
18.5 |
N/A |
|
Age of Children in Foster Care (%) |
In Care on 10/1/97 |
In Care on 10/1/98 |
In Care on 10/1/99 |
Entered Care During FY 1998 |
Entered Care During FY 1999 |
Entered Care During FY 2000 |
Exited Care During FY 1998 |
Exited Care During FY 1999 |
Exited Care During FY 2000 |
In Care on 9/30/98 |
In Care on 9/30/99 |
In Care on 9/30/00 |
|
Under 1 year |
4.2 |
4.3 |
4.8 |
13.5 |
14.9 |
15.0 |
3.0 |
3.2 |
3.0 |
4.3 |
4.9 |
4.6 |
|
1-5 years |
31.3 |
29.7 |
29.0 |
29.4 |
29.8 |
32.2 |
31.6 |
30.2 |
31.0 |
29.6 |
29.1 |
31.0 |
|
6-10 years |
28.6 |
28.9 |
28.8 |
24.4 |
25.0 |
23.3 |
26.0 |
26.6 |
24.9 |
28.5 |
28.8 |
27.2 |
|
11-15 years |
26.1 |
26.6 |
26.7 |
26.2 |
24.4 |
24.8 |
24.1 |
24.0 |
24.6 |
27.0 |
26.8 |
27.7 |
|
16-18 years |
9.4 |
10.2 |
10.2 |
6.5 |
5.7 |
4.7 |
14.2 |
14.9 |
15.1 |
10.2 |
10.0 |
9.0 |
|
19+ years |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.5 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
- |
1.1 |
1.0 |
1.3 |
0.3 |
0.4 |
0.5 |
|
Unknown |
0.0 |
0.0 |
- |
0.0 |
- |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.1 |
0.0 |
- |
0.0 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
8,832 |
9,018 |
9,081 |
4,875 |
4,818 |
4,675 |
4,465 |
4,558 |
4,563 |
9,242 |
9,278 |
9,193 |
|
Race/Ethnicity of Children in Foster Care (%)5 |
In Care on 10/1/97 |
In Care on 10/1/98 |
In Care on 10/1/99 |
Entered Care During FY 1998 |
Entered Care During FY 1999 |
Entered Care During FY 2000 |
Exited Care During FY 1998 |
Exited Care During FY 1999 |
Exited Care During FY 2000 |
In Care on 9/30/98 |
In Care on 9/30/99 |
In Care on 9/30/00 |
|
Alaska Native/American Indian |
4.6 |
5.0 |
4.6 |
4.7 |
4.0 |
5.1 |
4.0 |
4.5 |
4.9 |
4.9 |
4.7 |
4.7 |
|
Asian/Pacific Islander |
0.6 |
0.6 |
0.8 |
0.7 |
1.1 |
1.2 |
0.7 |
0.8 |
0.9 |
0.6 |
0.8 |
0.9 |
|
Black |
11.4 |
11.0 |
10.4 |
6.9 |
6.1 |
6.1 |
7.3 |
7.1 |
7.4 |
11.0 |
10.3 |
9.7 |
|
Hispanic |
6.4 |
7.1 |
7.3 |
9.0 |
8.3 |
10.6 |
7.6 |
7.9 |
9.0 |
7.1 |
7.3 |
8.2 |
|
White |
66.9 |
64.6 |
63.5 |
60.6 |
60.7 |
55.4 |
64.4 |
62.7 |
58.8 |
64.8 |
63.5 |
61.8 |
|
Two or more races |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.3 |
0.2 |
0.3 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
- |
0.0 |
0.2 |
0.3 |
0.4 |
|
Unknown |
10.0 |
11.5 |
13.1 |
18.0 |
19.6 |
21.5 |
15.8 |
16.9 |
19.1 |
11.4 |
13.1 |
14.3 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
8,832 |
9,018 |
9,081 |
4,875 |
4,818 |
4,675 |
4,465 |
4,558 |
4,563 |
9,242 |
9,278 |
9,193 |
5) In this and subsequent race/ethnicity tables, data for two or more races may be provided for 1998 and 1999 because of States' resubmissions. However, data for 1998 and 1999 may not capture all children of two or more races and therefore may not be comparable to the 2000 data pertaining to two or more races. Back
D. Children Waiting to Be Adopted
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)6
|
Overview |
9/30/98 |
9/30/99 |
9/30/00 |
|
Children waiting to be adopted |
2,781 |
3,000 |
3,150 |
|
Children whose parents' rights have been terminated (TPR) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Age of Waiting Children (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Under 1 year |
6.0 |
5.9 |
5.4 |
|
1-5 years |
46.0 |
45.6 |
46.8 |
|
6-10 years |
36.6 |
36.4 |
35.2 |
|
11-15 years |
10.8 |
11.7 |
11.9 |
|
16+ years |
0.6 |
0.4 |
0.6 |
|
Unknown |
0.0 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
2,781 |
3,000 |
3,150 |
|
Race/Ethnicity of Waiting Children (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Alaska Native/American Indian |
3.2 |
3.0 |
2.8 |
|
Asian/Pacific Islander |
0.4 |
0.5 |
0.5 |
|
Black |
11.9 |
11.2 |
10.3 |
|
Hispanic |
7.9 |
8.3 |
8.6 |
|
White |
65.1 |
61.7 |
60.3 |
|
Two or more races |
0.5 |
0.6 |
0.8 |
|
Unknown |
11.0 |
14.7 |
16.8 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
2,781 |
3,000 |
3,150 |
6) Waiting children are children who have a goal of adoption and/or whose parentsÂ’ rights have been terminated. Children 16 years and older with TPR, but with a goal of emancipation, have been excluded from the waiting children and TPR populations. Back
E. Children Adopted
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)
|
Age of Adopted Children (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Under 1 year |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.1 |
|
1-5 years |
53.4 |
47.1 |
51.0 |
|
6-10 years |
34.1 |
39.9 |
34.2 |
|
11-15 years |
11.4 |
11.4 |
13.6 |
|
16+ years |
0.8 |
1.4 |
1.1 |
|
Unknown |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
665 |
765 |
831 |
|
Race/Ethnicity of Adopted Children (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Alaska Native/American Indian |
2.1 |
- |
4.3 |
|
Asian/Pacific Islander |
1.5 |
- |
0.5 |
|
Black |
10.8 |
- |
11.6 |
|
Hispanic |
10.1 |
12.0 |
12.0 |
|
White |
74.3 |
- |
71.0 |
|
Two or more races |
- |
- |
0.2 |
|
Unknown |
1.2 |
88.0 |
0.4 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
665 |
765 |
831 |
Oregon [ Outcomes Data ]
1. Reduce Recurrence of Child Abuse and/or Neglect
(NCANDS)
|
1.1 Recurrence of Maltreatment Within 6 Months (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Children without a recurrence |
- |
- |
- |
|
Children with one or more recurrences |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total % |
- |
- |
- |
|
Number |
- |
- |
- |
2. Reduce the Incidence of Child Abuse and/or Neglect in Foster
Care
(NCANDS, AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database Jan —Sept)
|
2.1 Maltreatment in Foster Care (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Children maltreated while in foster care |
- |
- |
- |
|
Children not maltreated while in foster care |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total % |
- |
- |
- |
|
Number |
- |
- |
- |
3. Increase Permanency for Children in Foster Care
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)
|
3.1 Exits from Foster Care (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Adoption |
15.1 |
17.0 |
18.3 |
|
Guardianship |
5.1 |
3.6 |
3.9 |
|
Reunification |
65.0 |
63.0 |
60.0 |
|
Other |
7.4 |
7.3 |
8.5 |
|
Missing data |
7.5 |
9.0 |
9.2 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
4,465 |
4,558 |
4,563 |
|
3.2 Exits of Disabled Children (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Adoption |
16.6 |
21.7 |
23.1 |
|
Guardianship |
4.1 |
2.1 |
3.1 |
|
Reunification |
54.3 |
49.0 |
43.9 |
|
Other |
13.6 |
13.3 |
14.2 |
|
Missing data |
11.5 |
13.9 |
15.8 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
1,537 |
1,568 |
1,488 |
|
3.3 Exits of Children Over Age 12 at Entry (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Adoption |
0.2 |
0.4 |
0.3 |
|
1.7 |
1.9 |
2.2 |
- |
|
61.0 |
57.7 |
49.5 |
54.4 |
|
23.0 |
22.4 |
25.8 |
14.3 |
|
14.0 |
17.6 |
22.2 |
29.2 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
1,042 |
1,054 |
1,046 |
|
3.4 Exits to Emancipation (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Children age 12 or younger at entry |
35.0 |
41.6 |
42.2 |
|
Children older than 12 at entry |
65.0 |
58.4 |
57.8 |
|
Missing data |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
117 |
101 |
147 |
|
3.5 Exits by Race/Ethnicity (%) |
Alaska Native/A.I. |
Asian/P.I. |
Black |
Hispanic |
|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
|
Adoption |
4.4 |
9.3 |
13.1 |
- |
10.5 |
10.0 |
19.6 |
30.2 |
26.0 |
9.1 |
11.9 |
15.4 |
|
|
Guardianship |
9.4 |
4.9 |
9.0 |
- |
- |
2.5 |
5.8 |
4.0 |
5.9 |
3.2 |
1.7 |
1.5 |
|
|
Reunification |
61.7 |
65.9 |
57.2 |
81.2 |
65.8 |
65.0 |
56.3 |
46.9 |
46.3 |
74.0 |
75.0 |
68.7 |
|
|
Other |
7.2 |
7.8 |
5.4 |
12.5 |
7.9 |
15.0 |
9.2 |
12.3 |
10.3 |
8.3 |
4.2 |
6.1 |
|
|
Missing data |
17.2 |
12.2 |
15.3 |
6.2 |
15.8 |
7.5 |
9.2 |
6.5 |
11.5 |
5.3 |
7.2 |
8.3 |
|
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
|
Number |
180 |
205 |
222 |
32 |
38 |
40 |
327 |
324 |
339 |
339 |
360 |
409 |
|
|
|
White |
Unable to Determine |
Two or More Races |
Missing Data |
|||||||||
|
|
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
|
Adoption |
17.3 |
18.6 |
19.5 |
10.4 |
10.2 |
14.9 |
28.6 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
Guardianship |
4.9 |
3.7 |
3.6 |
5.2 |
4.0 |
4.3 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
Reunification |
62.7 |
60.6 |
57.6 |
74.0 |
72.5 |
69.3 |
71.4 |
- |
100.0 |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
Other |
8.3 |
8.0 |
9.8 |
2.4 |
4.0 |
5.2 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
Missing data |
6.8 |
9.1 |
9.5 |
7.9 |
9.2 |
6.3 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
- |
100.0 |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
Number |
2,875 |
2,860 |
2,682 |
705 |
771 |
870 |
7 |
- |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
|
4. Reduce Time to Reunification Without Increasing
Re-entry
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)
|
4.1 Time to Reunification (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Less than 12 mos. |
66.6 |
64.6 |
64.3 |
|
At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos. |
21.4 |
22.9 |
23.0 |
|
At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos. |
6.6 |
7.4 |
7.4 |
|
At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos. |
2.6 |
2.7 |
2.8 |
|
48 or more mos. |
2.8 |
2.3 |
2.6 |
|
Missing data |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total (%) |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
2,901 |
2,873 |
2,739 |
|
4.2 Children Who Entered Foster Care (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Children entering care for the first time |
77.0 |
77.7 |
80.8 |
|
Children re-entering care within 12 mos. of a prior episode |
11.7 |
11.6 |
10.7 |
|
Children re-entering care more than 12 mos. after a prior episode |
11.4 |
10.7 |
8.5 |
|
Missing data |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total (%) |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
4,875 |
4,818 |
4,675 |
5. Reduce Time in Foster Care to Adoption
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)
|
5.1 Time to Adoption (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Less than 12 mos. |
1.2 |
0.5 |
0.7 |
|
At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos. |
8.0 |
8.1 |
10.8 |
|
At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos. |
25.8 |
22.8 |
27.3 |
|
At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos. |
34.2 |
24.1 |
29.4 |
|
48 or more mos. |
30.8 |
44.4 |
31.8 |
|
Missing data |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total (%) |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
675 |
775 |
836 |
6. Increase Placement Stability
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)
|
6.1 Number of Placements by Time in Care (%) |
Year |
Children With 2 or Fewer Placements |
Children With 3 or More Placements |
Missing Data |
Total % |
Number |
|
Less than 12 mos. |
1998 |
88.5 |
11.5 |
- |
100.0 |
5,781 |
|
At least 12 mos., but <24 mos. |
1998 |
65.0 |
35.0 |
- |
100.0 |
3,063 |
|
At least 24 mos., but <36 mos. |
1998 |
52.1 |
47.9 |
- |
100.0 |
1,628 |
|
At least 36 mos., but <48 mos. |
1998 |
40.9 |
59.1 |
- |
100.0 |
1,282 |
|
48 or more mos. |
1998 |
33.0 |
67.0 |
- |
100.0 |
1,929 |
|
Missing data |
1998 |
100.0 |
- |
- |
100.0 |
24 |
7. Reduce Placements of Young Children in Group
Homes or Institutions
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)
|
7.1 Most Recent Placement Settings of Children Who Entered Care During the Fiscal Year and Were Age 12 or Younger at the Time of This Placement (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Group homes |
0.7 |
0.9 |
1.2 |
|
Institutions |
3.8 |
4.5 |
4.1 |
|
Other settings |
95.4 |
94.5 |
94.7 |
|
Missing data |
0.0 |
0.1 |
0.0 |
|
Total (%) |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
3,696 |
3,764 |
3,748 |
Oregon [ State Comment ]
Ramona L. Foley, Administrator
Office for Services to Children and Families
Oregon Department of Human Resources
503-945-5651
Oregon?s comments on the State data to be included in Child Welfare Outcomes 2000: Annual Report are the following:
In the 'Context Data, Section B, the numbers of 'children subject of an investigated report? are estimated. Beginning in 2000, child maltreatment victim counts are duplicate victim counts, in compliance with NCANDS DCDC definitions. New edits in Oregon's automated system will reduce the number of 'unknown/other' in race/ethnicity in future submissions. Oregon has a high percentage of victims in the 'Other? maltreatment type category, reflecting 'threat of harm' victims. Oregon does not participate in NCANDS DCDC, but Outcome measures 1.1 and 2.1, calculated with Federal guidance, are available.
Oregon's definition of 'exit from foster care' was previously inconsistent with the Federal definition: Children who had physically left foster care were not counted, even though they were still in State custody. The data were re-run for all of the prior AFCARS periods to correct the definition. The figures in the 'Context Data: Sections C and D' and in the 'Outcome Data' were impacted: the number and length of stay of children in foster care and the percentages of children in AFCARS trial home visits and in runaway status all increased.
For a child in runaway status or on an AFCARS trial home visit, we are currently correcting the date of current placement to be the begin date of the foster care placement that ended in the run/AFCARS trial home visit (ACYF-PIQ-9S-01. Question 35).
Unlike the data in Section C, internal analyses of Oregon's AFCARS data using identifying information found no difference between the number of children in care on September 30 versus October 1. It is noted that many states show the same pattern as Oregon in the 1999 report.
The low percentage of 'waiting children' whose parents' rights have been terminated is currently being corrected. Approximately 70 percent of waiting children are legally free.
Oregon [ Federal Comment ]
The following discussion focuses on Oregon?s performance with regard to each of the outcomes assessed in the Child Welfare Outcomes Annual Reports to Congress. Information from the State?s Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) Final Report is used to provide a context for interpreting the State?s performance. In using CFSR information to interpret performance, it is important to note that the Oregon CFSR was conducted in 2001 and the national data used during the review to assess performance regarding national standards was from 1999. However, the discussion on State performance relevant to the national standards in the Federal Comment section focuses on data from 2000, as provided in the State Data Pages. In addition, because data reported in the State Data Pages do not address child well-being issues, the last section of this discussion provides information from the CFSR Final Report relevant to the State?s performance in meeting children?s educational and physical and mental health needs.
Outcome 1. Reduce recurrence of child abuse and/or
neglect
Oregon?s performance with regard to outcome 1 cannot be
assessed in the Federal Comment section because the State does not
provide data to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System
(NCANDS) for calculating this outcome. Only data from NCANDS are
presented for this outcome in the Report to Congress. However, for
the CFSR, the State provided data for this outcome measure using an
alternative source. These data are presented in Oregon?s CFSR
Final Report.
Outcome 2. Reduce incidence of maltreatment in foster
care
Oregon?s attainment of outcome 2 cannot be evaluated in the
Federal Comment section because the State does not provide data to
NCANDS for calculating this measure. Only data from NCANDS are
presented for this outcome in the Report to Congress. However, for
the CFSR, the State provided data for this outcome measure using an
alternative source. These data are presented in Oregon?s CFSR
Final Report.
Outcome 3. Increase permanency for children in foster
care
In fiscal year (FY) 2000, 82.2 percent of children leaving foster
care were discharged to permanent homes, which is less than the
national median of 84.7 percent. (It is not possible to assess
State?s performance with regard to the attainment of
permanency for children with a diagnosed disability or for children
who were older than age 12 at the time of entry into foster care
because of missing “reason for discharge” data.) In
addition, 42.2 percent of children exiting foster care through
emancipation were age 12 or younger at the time of entry, which is
substantially greater than the national median of 24.2 percent.
These data suggest that the State is not consistently effective in
establishing permanency for children in foster care. Information
from the CFSR Final Report identifies the following agency
practices as potential barriers to achieving permanency for
children: (1) establishing a goal of long-term foster care rather
than adoption or guardianship in some cases when reunification
efforts have not been successful, (2) basing decisions regarding
permanency goals on available resources rather than on the
child?s needs, (3) postponing permanency planning until a
child?s treatment needs are addressed, and (4) failure to
routinely implement concurrent planning in cases in which
reunification is questionable.
Outcome 4. Reduce time to reunification without increasing
re-entry
In FY 2000, the percentage of all reunifications occurring within
12 months of children?s entry into foster care was 64.3,
which is lower than both the national standard of 76.2 percent and
the national median of 68.0 percent. Information from the CFSR
Final Report identifies the following as potential barriers to
achieving reunifications in a timely manner: (1) inconsistencies in
the quality of assessments of parents? service needs; (2)
gaps in the service array, particularly substance abuse treatment
and domestic violence services; and (3) the scarcity of culturally
appropriate services.
Also in FY 2000, 10.7 percent of children entering foster care were re-entering within 12 months of discharge from a prior foster care episode. This percentage is higher than the national standard of 8.6 percent and the national median of 10.3 percent. Information from the CFSR Final Report identifies the following as potential reasons for foster care re-entries: (1) the practice in some cases of reunifying families without reassessing risk factors to determine if there has been a substantial change in the risk of harm to the child, and (2) the lack of post-reunification services and monitoring.
Outcome 5. Reduce time in foster care to adoption
In FY 2000, the percentage of all finalized adoptions occurring
within 24 months of the child?s entry into foster care was
11.5, which is lower than the national standard of 32.0 percent and
the national median of 19.7 percent. Information from the CFSR
Final Report identifies the following as potential barriers to
achieving adoptions in a timely manner: (1) a failure to implement
concurrent planning on a routine basis; (2) agency-related delays
in completing the paperwork necessary for home studies, subsidy
applications, and termination of parental rights referral packets;
(3) court delays due to continuances and crowded court dockets; and
(4) the financial disparities between foster care payments and
adoption subsidies.
Outcome 6. Increase placement stability
In FY 2000, the percentage of children who experienced no more
than 2 foster care placements during their first 12 months in
foster care was 87.6, which is higher than the national standard of
86.7 percent and the national median of 84.3 percent. The State did
not meet the national standard for this measure during the 2001
CFSR based on 1999 data reported to the Adoption and Foster Care
Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS). However, Oregon revised its
1999 data for AFCARS and, as a result of this revision, the
placement stability data meet the national standard in both FY 1999
and FY 2000. Information from the CFSR Final Report identifies the
following as potential reasons for the State?s performance on
this outcome: (1) frequent use of relatives as placement resources,
(2) provision of sufficient support services to foster parents, and
(3) diligent efforts to match children and foster family homes.
Outcome 7. Reduce placements of young children in group homes
and institutions
In FY 2000, the percentage of children age 12 or younger placed in
a group home or institution was 5.3, which is lower than the
national median of 9.0 percent. Information from the CFSR Final
Report suggests that the State?s performance on this measure
may be attributed in part to the State?s commitment to
placing children in family-based care situations.
Child well-being outcomes
With respect to child well-being, information from the CFSR Final
Report indicates that the agency is generally effective in meeting
children?s physical health needs, but is less consistently
effective in meeting their educational and mental health needs. The
Final Report identifies the following as potential barriers to
meeting these needs: (1) frequent school changes for children in
foster care; (2) lack of training for agency staff to assess
children?s educational needs and make appropriate referrals;
and (3) a scarcity of services to address complex mental health
needs, particularly in rural areas, often resulting in long waiting
lists for services.
