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Child Welfare Outcomes 2000: Annual Report
Chapter IV - State Data

Context Data | Outcomes Data | State Comment
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Rhode Island [ Context Data ]

A. Key Context Statistics

General Population

1998

1999

2000

Total children under 18 years

237,917

241,180

247,822

Race/ethnicity (%)1

 Alaska Native/American Indian

0.6

0.6

0.6

 Asian/Pacific Islander

3.2

3.2

2.7

 Black

5.5

5.5

5.5

 Hispanic

10.3

10.9

14.1

 White

80.5

79.8

72.7

 Two or more races

N/A

N/A

3.3

 Other

N/A

N/A

1.2

% Child population in poverty

22.8

14.3

15.8

% Child population living in metropolitan areas

93.1

92.2

94.3

 

Child Welfare

1998

1999

2000

Child maltreatment victims

3,448

3,485

3,361

Children in foster care on 9/30

2,844

2,621

2,302

Children adopted

222

292

260

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

9,863

9,424

11,531

41.5 per 1,000

39.1 per 1,000

46.5 per 1,000

Child maltreatment victims2

3,448

3,485

3,361

14.5 per 1,000

14.4 per 1,000

13.6 per 1,000

Child fatalities

2

4

3

0.8 per 100,000

1.7 per 100,000

1.2 per 100,000

 

Age of Child Victims (%)

1998

1999

2000

Under 1 year

6.8

6.8

9.8

1-5 years

29.1

29.0

30.0

6-10 years

31.5

32.0

30.5

11-15 years

23.5

23.0

23.9

16+ years

8.0

8.4

4.8

Unknown

1.0

0.8

1.0

Total %

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

3,448

3,485

3,361

 

Race/Ethnicity of Child Victims (%)

1998

1999

2000

Alaska Native/American Indian

1.5

1.0

1.2

Asian/Pacific Islander

2.3

2.1

1.8

Black

17.1

16.3

14.0

Hispanic

16.8

17.3

18.2

White

72.8

72.6

61.3

Two or more races

N/A

N/A

1.0

Other/Unknown

6.3

8.0

2.4

Total %3

116.8

117.3

100.0

Number

3,448

3,485

3,361

 

Maltreatment Type of Child Victims (%)

1998

1999

2000

Emotional abuse

0.7

0.6

0.2

Medical neglect

2.5

2.2

2.3

Neglect

84.7

84.6

73.9

Physical abuse

28.9

26.6

19.8

Sexual abuse

8.9

8.9

7.4

Other

3.4

3.8

6.1

Unknown

-

-

-

Total %4

129.1

126.7

109.8

Number

3,448

3,485

3,361

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)

1,907

1,623

915

2,844

3,530

FY1999 (10/1/98-9/30/99)

2,102

1,403

1,018

2,621

3,505

FY2000 (10/1/99-9/30/00)

2,181

1,409

1,348

2,302

3,590

Median Length of Stay (Months)

 

 

 

 

 

FY1998 (10/1/97-9/30/98)

15.6

N/A

7.4

14.2

N/A

FY1999 (10/1/98-9/30/99)

15.5

N/A

11.1

15.3

N/A

FY2000 (10/1/99-9/30/00)

16.6

N/A

11.7

15.1

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

5.0

5.4

4.8

11.7

14.0

12.7

6.3

6.1

4.5

4.5

4.7

4.9

1-5 years

23.2

22.5

20.4

18.8

19.1

16.0

22.8

26.8

22.7

20.9

20.5

17.7

6-10 years

21.8

20.6

19.2

17.3

15.1

15.6

19.2

21.5

16.5

19.9

17.6

17.5

11-15 years

25.8

29.7

30.4

33.1

33.2

38.4

26.2

25.9

25.9

27.5

28.4

33.7

16-18 years

20.0

18.6

21.8

18.4

17.7

17.2

22.2

17.1

26.0

22.8

24.4

22.1

19+ years

3.7

3.0

3.5

0.4

0.6

0.1

2.3

2.4

3.6

3.8

3.9

4.0

Unknown

0.5

0.0

-

0.2

0.1

-

0.9

0.2

0.9

0.6

0.6

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

1,907

2,102

2,181

1,623

1,403

1,409

915

1,018

1,348

2,844

2,621

2,302

 

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

2.1

1.6

1.2

1.5

2.2

1.2

2.2

3.1

1.0

1.7

1.4

1.3

Asian/Pacific Islander

0.8

1.3

2.0

1.7

2.4

1.3

1.0

1.5

2.1

1.2

2.0

1.7

Black

25.5

23.4

22.6

17.9

18.1

16.3

19.5

19.6

18.8

22.6

21.3

20.7

Hispanic

13.1

15.5

13.4

16.0

15.0

20.2

13.7

19.7

18.6

14.3

14.0

14.7

White

54.3

54.3

58.0

59.3

59.4

58.0

59.5

51.9

56.7

56.3

57.9

58.7

Two or more races

-

-

0.0

-

-

0.9

-

-

0.2

-

-

0.5

Unknown

4.3

3.9

2.7

3.7

2.8

2.1

4.3

4.1

2.6

3.8

3.3

2.4

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

1,907

2,102

2,181

1,623

1,403

1,409

915

1,018

1,348

2,844

2,621

2,302

 

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

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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

322

339

399

Children whose parents' rights have been terminated (TPR)

100

87

238

 

Age of Waiting Children (%)

1998

1999

2000

Under 1 year

1.2

1.5

0.8

1-5 years

40.4

34.8

28.3

6-10 years

41.3

36.6

32.8

11-15 years

15.2

25.1

33.8

16+ years

1.6

2.1

3.0

Unknown

0.3

-

1.3

Total %

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

322

339

399

 

Race/Ethnicity of Waiting Children (%)

1998

1999

2000

Alaska Native/American Indian

2.2

0.9

1.3

Asian/Pacific Islander

0.3

1.2

1.5

Black

27.0

32.2

27.6

Hispanic

14.9

13.3

19.3

White

50.6

45.1

47.1

Two or more races

-

-

-

Unknown

5.0

7.4

3.3

Total %

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

322

339

399

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

1.8

1.4

2.3

1-5 years

52.3

45.2

51.5

6-10 years

34.2

37.3

30.4

11-15 years

9.5

14.4

14.6

16+ years

2.3

1.7

1.2

Unknown

-

-

-

Total %

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

222

292

260

 

Race/Ethnicity of Adopted Children (%)

1998

1999

2000

Alaska Native/American Indian

0.9

2.1

0.4

Asian/Pacific Islander

1.8

0.7

0.8

Black

29.7

25.7

25.8

Hispanic

6.3

12.7

15.4

White

36.0

45.5

53.8

Two or more races

-

-

1.5

Unknown

25.2

13.4

2.3

Total %

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

222

292

260

 

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Rhode Island [ 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

87.4

87.8

87.6

Children with one or more recurrences

12.6

12.2

12.4

Total %

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

1,751

1,781

1,634

 

Bar chart describing Percentage of Children With One or More Recurrences of Maltreatment within 6 months data from Table 1.1 above.

 

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

1.6

2.3

1.7

Children not maltreated while in foster care

98.4

97.7

98.3

Total %

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

3,400

3,292

3,177

 

Bar chart describing Percentage of Children Maltreated While in Foster Care data from Table 2.1 above.

 

3. Increase Permanency for Children in Foster Care
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)

3.1 Exits from Foster Care (%)

1998

1999

2000

Adoption

12.8

20.7

12.6

Guardianship

1.9

1.9

3.1

Reunification

59.2

62.7

59.3

Other

12.1

8.9

14.5

Missing data

14.0

5.8

10.4

Total %

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

915

1,018

1,348

 

Pie Charts describing data from Table 3.1 above.

 

3.2 Exits of Disabled Children (%)

1998

1999

2000

Adoption

11.9

30.2

13.5

Guardianship

-

0.5

4.2

Reunification

51.2

39.6

51.4

Other

14.4

18.7

18.1

Missing data

22.5

11.0

12.7

Total %

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

160

182

259

 

3.3 Exits of Children Over Age 12 at Entry (%)

1998

1999

2000

Adoption

-

0.3

0.5

Guardianship

1.1

0.6

0.7

Reunification

53.8

68.3

58.3

Other

20.3

18.2

25.8

Missing data

24.8

12.5

14.7

Total %

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

359

319

563

 

3.4 Exits to Emancipation (%)

1998

1999

2000

Children age 12 or younger at entry

16.7

11.6

17.1

Children older than 12 at entry

80.6

83.7

81.7

Missing data

2.8

4.7

1.2

Total %

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

36

43

82

 

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

10.0

21.9

7.7

11.1

26.7

-

24.7

22.5

18.9

7.2

23.9

11.2

Guardianship

-

9.4

15.4

-

-

-

5.1

2.5

5.1

3.2

0.5

2.4

Reunification

85.0

56.2

61.5

44.4

66.7

82.1

46.1

58.0

53.9

73.6

65.2

61.8

Other

-

9.4

7.7

33.3

6.7

14.3

13.5

12.0

14.6

3.2

6.0

12.7

Missing data

5.0

3.1

7.7

11.1

-

3.6

10.7

5.0

7.5

12.8

4.5

12.0

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

20

32

13

9

15

28

178

200

254

125

201

251

 

White

Unable to Determine

Two or More Races

Missing Data

 

1998

1999

2000

1998

1999

2000

1998

1999

2000

1998

1999

2000

Adoption

9.7

17.6

11.5

20.5

33.3

14.3

-

-

-

-

-

-

Guardianship

0.7

1.9

2.6

-

-

2.9

-

-

-

-

-

-

Reunification

59.7

64.2

59.0

56.4

57.1

65.7

-

-

100.0

-

-

-

Other

13.8

9.1

15.4

12.8

7.1

11.4

-

-

-

-

-

-

Missing data

16.0

7.2

11.4

10.3

2.4

5.7

-

-

-

-

-

-

Total %

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

-

-

100.0

-

-

-

Number

544

528

764

39

42

35

-

-

3

-

-

-

 

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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.

65.9

64.1

63.2

At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos.

9.0

17.2

19.8

At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos.

2.0

4.1

5.6

At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos.

1.8

1.4

3.0

48 or more mos.

1.8

2.2

1.8

Missing data

19.4

11.0

6.6

Total (%)

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

542

638

800

 

Bar chart describing reunification percentages data in Table 4.1 above.

 

4.2 Children Who Entered Foster Care (%)

1998

1999

2000

Children entering care for the first time

48.4

65.0

66.7

Children re-entering care within 12 mos. of a prior episode

18.2

21.6

20.8

Children re-entering care more than 12 mos. after a prior episode

8.3

8.7

11.1

Missing data

25.1

4.7

1.4

Total (%)

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

1,623

1,403

1,409

 

Bar chart describing re-entries into Foster Care within 12 months from data in Table 4.2 above.

 

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.

5.1

9.5

7.6

At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos.

23.1

20.4

30.0

At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos.

13.7

26.5

24.1

At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos.

20.5

12.3

16.5

48 or more mos.

29.1

14.7

20.6

Missing data

8.5

16.6

1.2

Total (%)

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

117

211

170

 

Bar Chart describing Percentage of Adoptions Occurring in Less Than 24 or greater than 48 Months of Entry data from Table 5.1 above

 

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
1999
2000

72.7
76.7
72.6

27.3
22.6
27.4

0.1
0.7
-

100.0
100.0
100.0

1,712
1,593
1,653

At least 12 mos., but <24 mos.

1998
1999
2000

47.0
58.1
55.1

47.0
37.9
44.9

5.9
3.9
-

100.0
100.0
100.0

761
762
742

At least 24 mos., but <36 mos.

1998
1999
2000

35.2
34.4
45.5

54.4
53.1
54.3

10.4
12.5
0.2

100.0
100.0
100.0

327
480
409

At least 36 mos., but <48 mos.

1998
1999
2000

27.8
29.5
28.5

48.9
56.5
70.4

23.2
14.0
1.1

100.0
100.0
100.0

237
207
284

48 or more mos.

1998
1999
2000

31.4
25.3
26.1

54.4
59.3
73.5

14.2
15.5
0.4

100.0
100.0
100.0

478
459
494

Missing data

1998
1999
2000

66.7
100.0
100.0

33.3
-
-

-
-
-

100.0
100.0
100.0

15
4
8

 

Bar chart describing foster care placements over time percentages data from Table 6.1 above.

 

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

19.8

16.6

15.8

Institutions

0.6

1.3

1.2

Other settings

79.6

82.1

82.9

Missing data

-

-

-

Total (%)

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

470

469

726

 

Rhode Island [ State Comment ]

Jay G. Lindgren, Jr., Director
Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families
401-528-3548

The State of Rhode Island applauds this national effort to measure key child welfare outcomes. We realize that this is truly a work-in-progress for the Federal Government as well as the states. We are very proud of our accomplishments in implementing the Rhode Island Children's Information System (RICHIST), including being the third state to complete a national SACWIS Assessment Review. All of this is helping us as we work to become a more “fact-based” learning organization.

The data submitted to AFCARS for our children in foster care include not only traditional child welfare youth, but also juvenile justice, children's mental health, and developmentally disabled youth.

Outcome Measure 1: Recurrence of Maltreatment within 6 Months
We assume our relatively high rates of recurrence reflect in part Rhode Island's priority on responding aggressively to reports of abuse or neglect. By statute every individual in Rhode Island is a mandatory reporter of suspected abuse or neglect. We are very aggressive in investigating child abuse reports that have been disclosed by the victim after the initial child abuse investigation has begun but which relate to incidents of child abuse and neglect prior to the initial opening of an investigation. These reports appear to be incidents of repeat abuse because the report date occurs after the initial report is received.

Outcome Measure 2: Maltreatment in Foster Care
Comments on Outcome Measure 1 (above) also should be considered in relation to this measure. Rhode Island data include indicated allegations of abuse and neglect at the state juvenile detention and correctional facility. Rhode Island data also include indicated allegations of corporal punishment by foster parents which is prohibited by Rhode Island law.

Outcome Measure 3: Increase Permanency
Rhode Island continues to work on improving data quality. The percentage of missing data on a year-to-year basis must be considered when looking at these trends.

 

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