Minnesota
Context Data | Outcomes Data | State Comment | Federal Comment
Minnesota [ Context Data ]
A. Context Statistics
| General Child Population (Census Bureau) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total children under 18 years | 1,283,395 | 1,267,622 | 1,260,515 | 1,248,770 |
| Race/Ethnicity (%)1 | ||||
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
| Asian | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.2 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 4.9 | 5.4 | 5.1 | 5.2 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 0.0 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.6 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 82.0 | 81.7 | 82.4 | 81.9 |
| Two or more races | 2.9 | 2.8 | 2.5 | 2.6 |
| % Child population in poverty | 8.5 | 8.4 | 7.7 | 9.7 |
| Child Welfare Summary | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child maltreatment victims2 | 11,824 | 9,840 | 9,982 | 9,230 |
| Children in foster care on 9/30 | 8,530 | 8,167 | 8,052 | 7,338 |
| Children adopted | 614 | 567 | 626 | 644 |
B. Child Maltreatment Data [National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS)]
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overview Maltreatment Information | Number | Rate | Number | Rate | Number | Rate | Number | Rate |
| Children subject of an investigated report alleging child maltreatment | 24,840 | 19.4 per 1,000 | 23,842 | 18.8 per 1,000 | 26,344 | 20.9 per 1,000 | 25,878 | 20.7 per 1,000 |
| Total child maltreatment victims3 | 11,824 | 9.2 per 1,000 | 9,840 | 7.8 per 1,000 | 9,982 | 7.9 per 1,000 | 9,230 | 7.4 per 1,000 |
| Child fatalities | 21 | 1.6 per 100,000 | 16 | 1.3 per 100,000 | 16 | 1.3 per 100,000 | 15 | 1.2 per 100,000 |
1 Race/ethnicity data for 2001, 2002, and 2003 represent population estimates. Back
2 A child victim is defined as a child who is the subject of a substantiated or indicated maltreatment report. Back
3 Children with more than one report of substantiated or indicated maltreatment may be counted more than once. Back
| Age of Child Victims (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <1 year | 8.4 | 8.6 | 9.0 | 9.0 |
| 1-5 years | 30.2 | 28.5 | 32.5 | 32.0 |
| 6-10 years | 34.1 | 33.9 | 30.5 | 29.9 |
| 11-15 years | 22.1 | 23.0 | 23.1 | 24.2 |
| 16+ years | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.9 |
| Unknown | 0.8 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Number | 11,824 | 9,840 | 9,982 | 9,230 |
| Race/Ethnicity of Child Victims (%)4 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 7.1 | 6.9 | 6.2 | 6.8 |
| Asian | 3.7 | 2.8 | 3.2 | 2.6 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 25.1 | 24.9 | 25.0 | 23.4 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | N/A | N/A | N/A | 0.0 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 7.2 | 6.9 | 8.4 | 9.1 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 48.9 | 49.7 | 49.4 | 48.5 |
| Two or more races | 4.9 | 4.9 | 5.8 | 7.6 |
| Unknown | 3.0 | 3.9 | 1.9 | 1.9 |
| Number | 11,824 | 9,840 | 9,982 | 9,230 |
| Maltreatment Types of Child Victims (%)5 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emotional abuse | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| Medical neglect | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 1.4 |
| Neglect | 73.6 | 72.1 | 73.1 | 72.8 |
| Physical abuse | 21.9 | 22.3 | 21.5 | 19.7 |
| Sexual abuse | 7.4 | 9.2 | 9.2 | 10.3 |
| Unknown/missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Other | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 11,824 | 9,840 | 9,982 | 9,230 |
4 Percentages may total more than 100 because Hispanics may be counted by Hispanic ethnicity and race. Back
5 Percentages may total more than 100 because children can be victims of more than one type of maltreatment. Back
C. Characteristics of Children in Foster Care [Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS): Foster Care File]
| In Foster Care on 10/1 FY | Entered Foster Care in FY | Exited Foster Care in FY | In Foster Care on 9/30 FY | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
| Total Number | 7,664 | 7,424 | 7,434 | 7,328 | 10,803 | 10,012 | 10,317 | 8,495 | 9,939 | 9,269 | 9,700 | 8,485 | 8,530 | 8,167 | 8,052 | 7,338 |
| Median length of stay (months) | 14.8 | 14.6 | 14.2 | 13.7 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 2.0 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 3.2 | 12.7 | 12.7 | 12.1 | 13.0 |
| In Foster Care on 10/1 FY | Entered Foster Care in FY | Exited Foster Care in FY | In Foster Care on 9/30 FY | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
| <1 year | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 5.6 | 5.9 | 6.5 | 8.3 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 4.8 |
| 1 year | 3.3 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 4.2 |
| 2 years | 3.6 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 3.9 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 3.9 |
| 3 years | 3.1 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 3.1 |
| 4 years | 3.2 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 2.8 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 3.3 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 3.3 | 3.4 |
| 5 years | 3.0 | 2.8 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 2.5 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 3.1 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 3.2 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 3.2 |
| 6 years | 3.4 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.9 | 2.7 | 2.4 | 2.6 |
| 7 years | 4.0 | 3.6 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.5 |
| 8 years | 4.3 | 4.1 | 3.3 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 2.9 |
| 9 years | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.3 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 3.2 | 2.9 |
| 10 years | 5.1 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 3.3 |
| 11 years | 4.9 | 5.1 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.4 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| 12 years | 5.3 | 5.2 | 5.8 | 5.5 | 4.4 | 5.1 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 5.2 | 5.7 | 5.5 | 5.4 |
| 13 years | 6.8 | 6.3 | 6.5 | 6.9 | 6.7 | 6.6 | 6.9 | 7.5 | 5.4 | 4.8 | 5.1 | 5.8 | 6.4 | 6.8 | 7.1 | 6.9 |
| 14 years | 8.4 | 8.6 | 8.3 | 8.3 | 10.9 | 10.7 | 9.7 | 9.2 | 8.9 | 8.4 | 8.2 | 8.0 | 9.1 | 8.8 | 8.6 | 8.7 |
| 15 years | 9.7 | 9.9 | 11.2 | 9.9 | 14.0 | 13.8 | 12.8 | 11.5 | 12.6 | 11.7 | 11.2 | 10.0 | 10.7 | 11.7 | 10.3 | 9.9 |
| 16 years | 10.3 | 10.5 | 11.1 | 11.9 | 13.1 | 13.9 | 12.9 | 11.6 | 12.8 | 13.6 | 12.7 | 11.1 | 10.9 | 11.6 | 12.2 | 11.2 |
| 17 years | 9.8 | 10.7 | 10.5 | 11.5 | 10.4 | 9.8 | 11.1 | 9.6 | 12.1 | 11.7 | 13.2 | 12.2 | 10.7 | 10.5 | 11.3 | 11.8 |
| 18 years | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 6.6 | 7.2 | 6.5 | 7.2 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
| 19 years | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| 20 years | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| Missing data | <.1 | <.1 | 0.1 | <.1 | <.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | <.1 |
| In Foster Care on 10/1 FY | Entered Foster Care in FY | Exited Foster Care in FY | In Foster Care on 9/30 FY | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race/Ethnicity (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 11.3 | 11.1 | 12.4 | 11.9 | 8.4 | 9.3 | 9.4 | 9.9 | 8.5 | 8.1 | 9.6 | 9.5 | 10.8 | 12.3 | 11.9 | 12.3 |
| Asian | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 3.2 | 2.8 | 3.1 | 2.6 | 3.3 | 2.9 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 1.5 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 22.5 | 21.9 | 20.9 | 21.3 | 19.4 | 18.4 | 19.4 | 19.8 | 20.0 | 18.8 | 19.0 | 19.4 | 21.5 | 21.1 | 21.2 | 21.7 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 | 0.0 | <.1 | 0.1 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 5.4 | 5.8 | 6.2 | 6.6 | 5.4 | 5.7 | 6.6 | 7.3 | 5.1 | 5.7 | 6.4 | 7.0 | 5.8 | 5.9 | 6.5 | 6.9 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 52.0 | 51.7 | 51.8 | 51.1 | 56.8 | 57.3 | 54.6 | 52.6 | 56.9 | 57.7 | 55.3 | 53.8 | 52.5 | 51.8 | 51.2 | 49.8 |
| Two or more races | 6.9 | 7.0 | 6.3 | 6.9 | 4.8 | 4.0 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 5.4 | 6.8 | 5.9 | 6.6 | 6.3 |
| Unknown | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 2.1 | 2.7 | 1.6 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 1.5 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
D. Characteristics of Children "Waiting for Adoption"6 (AFCARS: Foster Care File)
| Waiting for Adoption | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total waiting children | 1,774 | 1,661 | 1,609 | 1,570 |
| Numbers of waiting children whose parents' rights have been terminated | 1,349 | 1,321 | 1,268 | 1,231 |
| Age (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <1 year | 2.9 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 4.2 |
| 1 year | 4.6 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 6.4 |
| 2 years | 5.4 | 4.9 | 5.7 | 5.0 |
| 3 years | 5.3 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.7 |
| 4 years | 5.1 | 4.7 | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| 5 years | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| 6 years | 5.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 3.8 |
| 7 years | 5.4 | 5.4 | 4.6 | 3.8 |
| 8 years | 6.6 | 5.3 | 4.8 | 3.7 |
| 9 years | 7.1 | 6.6 | 4.8 | 4.3 |
| 10 years | 7.0 | 6.9 | 7.1 | 4.8 |
| 11 years | 7.4 | 6.7 | 6.5 | 7.1 |
| 12 years | 6.1 | 6.7 | 6.8 | 7.1 |
| 13 years | 6.1 | 6.0 | 6.3 | 6.6 |
| 14 years | 5.0 | 6.4 | 5.8 | 7.6 |
| 15 years | 4.6 | 5.2 | 5.8 | 6.4 |
| 16 years | 4.5 | 5.2 | 5.0 | 6.1 |
| 17 years | 3.4 | 4.6 | 5.1 | 5.0 |
| 18 years | 2.3 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 2.1 |
| 19 years | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.9 |
| 20+ years | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.5 |
| Missing data | — | — | — | — |
| Race/Ethnicity (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 8.3 | 8.9 | 9.3 | 8.4 |
| Asian | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 0.5 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 31.9 | 31.7 | 34.6 | 31.1 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 6.2 | 6.6 | 6.7 | 8.8 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 43.2 | 42.5 | 38.2 | 41.9 |
| Two or more races | 9.7 | 9.8 | 10.0 | 8.9 |
| Unknown | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
6 There is no Federal definition for a child waiting to be adopted. The definition used in the table above includes children who have a goal of adoption and/or whose parental rights have been terminated. It excludes children 16 years old and older whose parental rights have been terminated and who have a goal of emancipation. A State's own definition may differ from that used here. Furthermore, some numbers in this table may be lower than the numbers reported in the prior Child Welfare Outcomes reports. Only children with terminations prior to the end of the fiscal year of interest are included in the current table. Back
E. Characteristics of Children Adopted (AFCARS: Adoption File)
| Adoptions | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total children adopted | 614 | 567 | 626 | 644 |
| Age (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <1 year | 1.6 | 1.9 | 3.4 | 3.4 |
| 1 year | 7.7 | 10.2 | 9.9 | 14.1 |
| 2 years | 9.3 | 10.4 | 12.1 | 13.2 |
| 3 years | 9.3 | 9.7 | 8.3 | 9.6 |
| 4 years | 6.4 | 10.6 | 8.0 | 8.5 |
| 5 years | 8.3 | 6.7 | 7.2 | 7.1 |
| 6 years | 8.8 | 6.7 | 6.4 | 6.5 |
| 7 years | 6.4 | 7.1 | 7.0 | 6.2 |
| 8 years | 8.8 | 7.6 | 8.0 | 6.2 |
| 9 years | 8.6 | 5.8 | 5.3 | 4.7 |
| 10 years | 6.8 | 6.0 | 4.5 | 5.3 |
| 11 years | 7.5 | 7.2 | 5.3 | 4.5 |
| 12 years | 3.9 | 4.9 | 6.1 | 4.2 |
| 13 years | 3.1 | 2.1 | 3.8 | 2.2 |
| 14 years | 2.1 | 1.1 | 2.6 | 1.4 |
| 15 years | 1.1 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 1.2 |
| 16 years | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 0.8 |
| 17 years | 0.2 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.5 |
| 18 years | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| 19 years | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 |
| 20+ years | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Missing data | — | — | — | — |
| Race/Ethnicity (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Asian | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 29.0 | 22.4 | 22.2 | 20.7 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 4.1 | 7.2 | 8.8 | 8.1 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 47.9 | 54.3 | 54.2 | 53.0 |
| Two or more races | 11.1 | 11.5 | 10.2 | 15.1 |
| Unknown | 8.0 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 3.3 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Minnesota [ Outcomes Data ]
1. Reduce Recurrence of Child Abuse and/or Neglect (NCANDS)
| 1.1 Recurrence of Maltreatment Within 6 Months (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children without a recurrence | 95.4 | 94.7 | 94.1 | 94.6 |
| Children with one or more recurrences | 4.6 | 5.3 | 5.9 | 5.4 |
| Number | 6,334 | 4,903 | 5,170 | 4,372 |
2. Reduce the Incidence of Child Abuse and/or Neglect in Foster Care (NCANDS and AFCARS: Foster Care File, Jan.-Sept.)
| 2.1 Maltreatment in Foster Care (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children maltreated while in foster care | 0.18 | 0.24 | 0.29 | 0.31 |
| Children not maltreated while in foster care | 99.82 | 99.76 | 99.71 | 99.69 |
| Number | 16,382 | 15,306 | 15,701 | 13,856 |
3. Increase Permanency for Children in Foster Care (AFCARS: Foster Care File)
| 3.1 Exits of Children from Foster Care (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adoption | 5.9 | 6.1 | 6.6 | 7.6 |
| Guardianship | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 0.7 |
| Reunification | 82.8 | 81.5 | 80.7 | 79.4 |
| Other | 10.5 | 11.3 | 11.9 | 12.2 |
| Missing data | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 | 0.0 |
| Number | 9,939 | 9,269 | 9,700 | 8,485 |
| 3.2 Exits of Children with a Diagnosed Disability (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adoption | 12.7 | 11.4 | 10.1 | 11.1 |
| Guardianship | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.5 |
| Reunification | 71.6 | 70.8 | 70.3 | 67.8 |
| Other | 14.9 | 17.3 | 18.8 | 20.5 |
| Missing data | <.1 | <.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 2,591 | 2,520 | 3,028 | 2,758 |
| 3.3 Exits of Children Older than Age 12 at Entry into Foster Care (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adoption | 0.0 | <.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Guardianship | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| Reunification | 85.2 | 83.3 | 82.1 | 81.5 |
| Other | 14.6 | 16.4 | 17.4 | 18.0 |
| Missing data | <.1 | 0.0 | <.1 | 0.0 |
| Number | 5,597 | 5,122 | 5,270 | 4,287 |
| 3.4 Exits to Emancipation (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children age 12 or younger at entry | 21.4 | 20.0 | 26.0 | 30.1 |
| Children older than 12 at entry | 78.4 | 80.0 | 74.0 | 69.9 |
| Missing data | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 527 | 520 | 561 | 607 |
| 3.5 Exits by Race/Ethnicity (%) | Alaska Native/Am. In. | Asian | Black (non-Hispanic) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
| Adoption | 4.7 | 5.1 | 3.7 | 4.7 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 1.6 | 8.5 | 7.3 | 7.7 | 9.2 |
| Guardianship | 0.5 | 1.3 | 2.9 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0.5 |
| Reunification | 81.3 | 79.4 | 78.3 | 78.1 | 91.7 | 88.2 | 91.0 | 90.6 | 80.3 | 80.2 | 80.0 | 77.6 |
| Other | 13.4 | 14.2 | 15.1 | 15.9 | 7.1 | 10.9 | 9.0 | 7.3 | 10.4 | 11.3 | 12.0 | 12.6 |
| Missing data | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | <.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 845 | 751 | 927 | 809 | 312 | 238 | 323 | 245 | 1,987 | 1,742 | 1,847 | 1,650 |
| |
||||||||||||
| Native Hawaiian/Other Pac. Is. | Hispanic (of any race) | White (non-Hispanic) | ||||||||||
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
| Adoption | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7.1 | 7.8 | 10.2 | 9.4 | 4.8 | 5.5 | 6.4 | 6.9 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| Reunification | 0.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 83.3 | 79.2 | 78.9 | 82.1 | 84.0 | 82.7 | 80.8 | 79.6 |
| Other | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8.6 | 12.0 | 9.7 | 7.9 | 10.5 | 10.9 | 12.0 | 12.7 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 | 0.0 | <.1 | 0.0 |
| Number | 0 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 510 | 524 | 616 | 593 | 5,655 | 5,351 | 5,365 | 4,564 |
| |
||||||||||||
| Unable to Determine | Two or more Races | Missing Data | ||||||||||
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
| Adoption | 0.6 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 14.1 | 14.1 | 13.0 | 17.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Guardianship | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 3.4 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Reunification | 89.4 | 88.2 | 94.4 | 92.3 | 73.1 | 70.2 | 75.2 | 72.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Other | 8.7 | 10.5 | 5.6 | 5.9 | 11.5 | 12.3 | 10.8 | 9.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Missing data | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 161 | 220 | 196 | 169 | 469 | 440 | 416 | 454 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
4. Reduce Time to Reunification Without Increasing Re-entry (AFCARS Foster Care File)
| 4.1 Time to Reunification (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 12 mos. | 84.9 | 87.0 | 89.9 | 88.3 |
| At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos. | 8.2 | 7.8 | 7.9 | 8.9 |
| At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos. | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.4 |
| At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos. | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.5 |
| 48 or more mos. | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.8 |
| Missing data | 3.4 | 2.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 8,232 | 7,551 | 7,826 | 6,738 |
| 4.2 Children Re-entering Foster Care (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children entering care for the first time | 61.2 | 60.7 | 59.5 | 62.9 |
| Children re-entering care within 12 mos. of a prior episode | 27.7 | 27.7 | 28.1 | 26.4 |
| Children re-entering care more than 12 mos. after a prior episode | 8.6 | 9.6 | 10.0 | 9.8 |
| Missing data | 2.6 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 0.9 |
| Number | 10,803 | 10,012 | 10,317 | 8,495 |
5. Reduce Time in Foster Care to Adoption (AFCARS Foster Care File)
| 5.1 Time to Adoption (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 12 mos. | 7.4 | 6.3 | 6.6 | 6.3 |
| At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos. | 22.9 | 29.9 | 28.4 | 36.2 |
| At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos. | 23.9 | 28.6 | 31.7 | 24.5 |
| At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos. | 17.3 | 15.6 | 15.4 | 17.3 |
| 48 or more mos. | 28.5 | 19.3 | 17.9 | 15.7 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 585 | 569 | 637 | 649 |
6. Increase Placement Stability (AFCARS Foster Care File)
| 6.1 Number of Placements by Time in Care (%) | In Care less than 12 Months | In Care at Least 12 Months but less than 24 Months | In Care for 24 Months or Longer | Missing Time in Care | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
| Children with 2 or fewer placements | 85.4 | 86.2 | 87.5 | 89.1 | 54.4 | 54.4 | 56.7 | 60.3 | 38.9 | 37.5 | 36.9 | 34.9 | 100.0 | 99.6 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Children with 3 or more placements | 14.6 | 13.8 | 12.5 | 10.9 | 45.6 | 45.6 | 43.3 | 39.7 | 61.1 | 62.5 | 63.1 | 65.1 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 11,762 | 11,170 | 11,742 | 9,994 | 2,484 | 2,292 | 2,254 | 2,218 | 3,896 | 3,718 | 3,722 | 3,581 | 325 | 256 | 34 | 30 |
7. Reduce Placements of Young Children in Group Homes or Institutions (AFCARS Foster Care File)
| 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 (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group homes | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 3.1 |
| Institutions | 22.4 | 19.7 | 16.4 | 14.0 |
| Other settings | 73.0 | 75.6 | 79.4 | 82.9 |
| Missing data | <.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 4,600 | 4,287 | 4,586 | 4,117 |
Minnesota [ State Comment ]
Erin Sullivan Sutton, Director
Child Safety and Permanency Division
Minnesota Department of Human Services
The following are Minnesota's comments on the State's data presented in Child Welfare Outcomes 2003: Report to Congress.
Minnesota has demonstrated improved performance on outcome measures of time to reunification within 12 months, re-entries into foster care within 12 months, time to adoption within 24 months, stability of placements within 12 months, and placements of young children in group homes and institutions from FY 2000 to FY 2003. Recurrence of maltreatment within six months showed improvement between FY 2002 and 2003, as did the incidence of child abuse or neglect in foster care.
Section B (Maltreatment Information Overview): The number of children who were the subject of an investigated report alleging child maltreatment increased between 2000 and 2003, while the number of children determined to be victims of maltreatment declined. Minnesota implemented an Alternative Response to assessing reports of child maltreatment during this same time period from 2000 to 2003. This family-centered, strengths-based approach to assessment does not result in findings of maltreatment. The trend of declining victims of maltreatment is reflective of the changes in child protection assessment practice brought about by the implementation of Alternative Response.
Section C (Children in Foster Care): Minnesota continues to work with our county partners to produce accurate and timely reports of children in foster care needed for state and federal reports. Duplicate counts of children appear to be largely the issue for the discrepancy of numbers of children in care on September 30, 2002 and October 1, 2002. A Statewide Client Index was made available in mid-2002 and fully implemented by 2003 which will assist in reducing these reporting errors in future reports.
Minnesota has realized consistent decline in the number of children entering foster care over the period from 2000 to 2003. An effort was launched as a strategy in the state's program improvement plan to reduce the placement re-entry rate and the re-entry rate did decline between 2002 and 2003. There is a statewide collaborative effort with the Minnesota Supreme Court to gain consensus in the court system on the importance of safety and permanency requirements. Alternative Response, Minnesota' family-centered, strengths-based approach to assessing reports of child maltreatment, addresses problems in families before foster care may become necessary.
Outcome Measure 3.4 (Exits to Emancipation): Youth over the age of 18 exiting foster care are most often those that have been receiving continued services. Youth age 18 or older are most often emancipated from foster care as the reason for discharge, although three-fourths of youth over the age of 18 who are not emancipated are reunified with their parents/primary caretakers. Minnesota youth who are in placement prior to age 18 may request continuing placement services to age 21. In addition, services are available to youth over age 18 with disabilities who may, along with their families, request continued placement services.
Outcome measures 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3 (Exits to Permanency): These measures reflect increases in the number of children exiting foster care to adoption for all children and for children who were over age 12 at the time they entered foster care. For all children, children with disabilities and children over age 12 at the time they entered foster care, reunification is the preferred permanency outcome, and is, in fact, the most often achieved. In Minnesota, the number of all children exiting foster care for reasons other than adoption, guardianship or reunification, includes children exiting to a permanent transfer of legal and physical custody to a relative. From 2000 to 2003, the percent of children exiting foster care to permanent transfer of legal and physical custody to a relative increased from 0 percent to 5.4 percent.
Minnesota [ Federal Comment ]
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
The following is a discussion of Minnesota's performance on the national outcomes established for the Report to Congress. The discussion focuses on the State's performance in 2003 and on change in performance over time. Change over time was determined by calculating the percent change in performance from 2000 to 2003. A percent change that was less than 5.0 in either direction (i.e., positive or negative) was considered to represent "no change in performance."
Outcome 1. Reduce recurrence of child abuse and/or neglect
In 2003, 5.4 percent of the children who were victims of maltreatment during the first 6 months of the year experienced another maltreatment incident within a 6-month period (measure 1.1). Although this percent is less than the national median of 7.1 percent, it represents a decline in performance on the measure from 2000 to 2003 (+17.4 percent change).
Minnesota's relatively low percentage of maltreatment recurrence in 2003 corresponds to a relatively low rate of child maltreatment victims. In 2003, the rate of child maltreatment victims in Minnesota was 7.4 child victims per 1,000 children in the State population, which is less than the national median of 10.6 child victims per 1,000 children in the population. The 2003 child victim rate represents a decrease from 2000, when the rate was 9.2 child victims per 1,000 children in the population.
Outcome 2. Reduce the incidence of child abuse and/or neglect in foster care
In 2003, 0.31 percent of the children in foster care in Minnesota were found to be maltreated by a foster parent or facility staff member (measure 2.1). Although this percent is less than the national median of 0.39 percent, it represents a decline in performance from 2000 to 2003 (+72.2 percent change).
Outcome 3. Increase permanency for children in foster care
In 2003, 87.7 percent of children exiting foster care (measure 3.1) were discharged to a permanent home, which is close to the national median of 86.3 percent. Also, 79.4 percent of children exiting foster care who had a diagnosed disability (measure 3.2) were discharged to a permanent home, which is about equal to the national median of 79.5 percent. In comparison, 82.0 percent of the children exiting foster care who were older than age 12 when they entered foster care (measure 3.3) were discharged to a permanent home, which exceeds the national median of 72.2 percent.
With regard to ensuring that children emancipated from foster care (either through legal action or because they reach the age of majority) do not spend most of their formative years in foster care, in 2003, 30.1 percent of the children reported as emancipated from foster care entered foster care when they were age 12 or younger (measure 3.4). Although this percent is close to the national median of 29.6 percent, it represents a decline in performance from 2000 to 2003 (+40.7 percent change).
There were no real differences with regard to exits to permanency as a function of children's race or ethnicity (measure 3.5). (This was assessed only when a particular race or ethnicity accounted for at least 10 percent of the exits from foster care.) White (non-Hispanic) children exiting foster care were as likely to be discharged to a permanent home (87.3 percent) as were Black (non-Hispanic) children exiting foster care (87.3 percent) or Alaska Native/American Indian children exiting foster care (84 percent). However, the percent of Black (non-Hispanic) children in the foster care population (21.7 percent) in 2003 was more than four times the percent of Black (non-Hispanic) children in the State's child population (5.2 percent). The percent of Alaska Native/American Indian children in the foster care population in 2003 (12.3 percent) was more than eight times the percent of those children in the State's child population (1.4 percent).
Outcome 4. Reduce time in foster care to reunification without increasing re-entry
In 2003, 88.3 percent of all reunifications in Minnesota occurred within 12 months of a child's entry into foster care (measure 4.1), which exceeds the national median of 72.0 percent. In addition, only 1.3 percent of reunifications occurred after the child had been in foster care for at least 36 months, which is less than the national median of 3.5 percent.
Although Minnesota had a relatively high percentage of reunifications in 2003 that occurred within 12 months of a child's entry into foster care, the State also had a relatively high percentage of re-entries into foster care. In 2003, 26.4 percent of the children entering foster care in Minnesota were re-entering within 12 months of a prior episode (measure 4.2), which is considerably larger than the national median of 9.5 percent. There was no change in performance on this measure from 2000 to 2003. In addition, 9.8 percent of the children entering foster care in 2003 were entering more than 12 months after a prior foster care episode. Consequently, 36.2 percent of all children entering foster care in 2003 had been in foster care at a prior time.
The high rate of foster care re-entry may be explained by the fact that 22.5 percent of all children entering foster care in 2003 in Minnesota were age 16 and older at the time of entry. The cross-State analyses of data pertaining to re-entry found a substantial positive correlation between State foster care re-entry percentages and the percent of children entering foster care who were age 16 and older.
Outcome 5. Reduce time in foster care to adoption
In 2003, 42.5 percent of all finalized adoptions in Minnesota occurred within 24 months of a child's entry into foster care (measure 5.1). This percent not only exceeds the national median of 23.9 percent, but also represents a substantial improvement in performance from 2000 to 2003 (+40.3 percent change).
Outcome 6. Increase placement stability
In 2003, 89.1 percent of the children in foster care in Minnesota who were in care for less than 12 months experienced no more than two placement settings (measure 6.1), which exceeds the national median of 84.2 percent. Also in 2003, 60.3 percent of the children in foster care for at least 12 months but less than 24 months experienced no more than two placement settings, which is about equal to the national median of 59.1 percent.
Outcome 7. Reduce placements of young children in group homes and institutions
In 2003, 17.1 percent of the children entering foster care who were age 12 or younger were placed in a group home or institution (measure 7.1). Although this percentage exceeds the national median of 8.3 percent, it represents a performance improvement from 2000 to 2003 (-36.7 percent change).
