Tennessee
Context Data | Outcomes Data | State Comment | Federal Comment
Tennessee [ Context Data ]
A. Context Statistics
| General Child Population (Census Bureau) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total children under 18 years | 1,397,741 | 1,396,879 | 1,394,609 | 1,394,479 |
| Race/Ethnicity (%)1 | ||||
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Asian | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 21.1 | 21.2 | 20.7 | 20.7 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 0.0 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 2.8 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 3.1 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 73.0 | 73.0 | 73.5 | 73.2 |
| Two or more races | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.6 |
| % Child population in poverty | 20.2 | 20.4 | 20.0 | 18.7 |
| Child Welfare Summary | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child maltreatment victims2 | 16,572 | 9,571 | 8,494 | 9,421 |
| Children in foster care on 9/30 | 10,144 | 9,679 | 9,359 | 9,487 |
| Children adopted | 431 | 646 | 922 | 954 |
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 | 51,917 | 37.1 per 1,000 | 50,870 | 36.4 per 1,000 | 37,525 | 26.9 per 1,000 | 46,522 | 33.4 per 1,000 |
| Total child maltreatment victims3 | 16,572 | 11.9 per 1,000 | 9,571 | 6.8 per 1,000 | 8,494 | 6.1 per 1,000 | 9,421 | 6.8 per 1,000 |
| Child fatalities | 3 | 0.2 per 100,000 | 13 | 0.9 per 100,000 | 18 | 1.3 per 100,000 | 24 | 1.7 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 | 9.9 | 10.8 | 10.3 | 12.3 |
| 1-5 years | 30.9 | 31.1 | 30.8 | 30.4 |
| 6-10 years | 29.4 | 28.7 | 27.9 | 27.4 |
| 11-15 years | 24.0 | 24.2 | 24.5 | 24.0 |
| 16+ years | 5.7 | 5.1 | 6.4 | 5.5 |
| Unknown | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| Number | 16,572 | 9,571 | 8,494 | 9,421 |
| Race/Ethnicity of Child Victims (%)4 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 |
| Asian | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.2 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 30.4 | 29.8 | 27.8 | 25.6 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | N/A | N/A | N/A | 0.1 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 1.0 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 3.1 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 64.2 | 57.0 | 60.0 | 57.4 |
| Two or more races | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Unknown | 4.0 | 16.8 | 9.3 | 13.5 |
| Number | 16,572 | 9,571 | 8,494 | 9,421 |
| Maltreatment Types of Child Victims (%)5 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emotional abuse | 2.3 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 0.6 |
| Medical neglect | 3.3 | 2.8 | 7.2 | 2.1 |
| Neglect | 42.9 | 39.5 | 45.0 | 49.3 |
| Physical abuse | 20.0 | 16.4 | 34.0 | 32.7 |
| Sexual abuse | 21.0 | 24.4 | 26.2 | 24.6 |
| Unknown/missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Other | 10.5 | 20.0 | 6.0 | 0.3 |
| Number | 16,572 | 9,571 | 8,494 | 9,421 |
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 | 9,033 | 9,101 | 8,755 | 7,470 | 5,480 | 5,667 | 6,047 | 6,305 | 4,370 | 5,089 | 5,443 | 4,288 | 10,144 | 9,679 | 9,359 | 9,487 |
| Median length of stay (months) | 17.9 | 17.4 | 16.5 | 15.8 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 11.8 | 12.0 | 11.7 | 12.3 | 16.8 | 15.6 | 13.2 | 11.4 |
| 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 | 2.7 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 7.8 | 8.6 | 9.4 | 9.3 | 2.3 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 3.3 | 3.8 |
| 1 year | 3.4 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 2.6 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4.4 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 4.2 |
| 2 years | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 4.1 |
| 3 years | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 4.1 |
| 4 years | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.9 |
| 5 years | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 1.9 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 3.5 |
| 6 years | 3.5 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 3.1 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 3.9 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 3.1 | 3.2 |
| 7 years | 3.6 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.1 |
| 8 years | 4.1 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 3.3 | 2.6 | 2.9 | 2.1 | 3.1 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.6 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 3.3 |
| 9 years | 3.6 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 2.9 |
| 10 years | 4.2 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 2.9 | 2.3 | 2.7 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
| 11 years | 3.8 | 4.6 | 4.1 | 4.6 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.8 |
| 12 years | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 2.2 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.5 |
| 13 years | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 6.3 | 6.2 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 5.8 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 4.5 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 5.9 | 5.6 |
| 14 years | 7.3 | 7.7 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 10.3 | 9.2 | 9.3 | 8.1 | 5.4 | 4.4 | 5.4 | 4.2 | 7.6 | 7.1 | 7.4 | 7.5 |
| 15 years | 9.9 | 9.6 | 10.6 | 9.1 | 12.9 | 13.2 | 12.2 | 11.0 | 8.0 | 8.4 | 7.5 | 5.6 | 9.7 | 10.7 | 9.7 | 10.1 |
| 16 years | 12.7 | 12.6 | 12.6 | 11.8 | 15.6 | 16.1 | 14.7 | 12.6 | 11.3 | 10.7 | 10.7 | 6.9 | 12.5 | 12.7 | 13.2 | 12.4 |
| 17 years | 13.3 | 13.4 | 12.9 | 12.2 | 13.1 | 13.0 | 13.2 | 10.5 | 17.9 | 15.3 | 17.5 | 20.6 | 14.4 | 14.1 | 14.4 | 13.7 |
| 18 years | 3.2 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 18.9 | 18.1 | 12.8 | 9.4 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 2.8 |
| 19 years | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.2 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.5 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 |
| 20 years | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Missing data | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| In Foster Care on 10/1 FY | Entered Foster Care in FY | Exited Foster Care in FY | In Foster Care on 9/30 FY | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race/Ethnicity (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 |
| Asian | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 40.0 | 38.1 | 36.2 | 35.1 | 30.4 | 28.1 | 27.4 | 27.1 | 31.5 | 30.9 | 29.8 | 27.8 | 38.4 | 36.0 | 34.2 | 33.1 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 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 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 1.6 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 2.9 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 2.2 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 4.2 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 2.8 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 56.7 | 57.5 | 58.6 | 59.0 | 64.5 | 65.3 | 66.2 | 65.2 | 64.8 | 63.6 | 64.2 | 65.1 | 57.4 | 58.8 | 60.2 | 60.4 |
| Two or more races | 1.2 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 2.0 |
| Unknown | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 2.3 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 1.5 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 | 0.0 |
D. Characteristics of Children "Waiting for Adoption"6 (AFCARS: Foster Care File)
| Waiting for Adoption | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total waiting children | 2,032 | 2,287 | 2,346 | 1,974 |
| Numbers of waiting children whose parents' rights have been terminated | 374 | 478 | 441 | 463 |
| Age (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <1 year | 1.5 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.2 |
| 1 year | 3.9 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.3 |
| 2 years | 5.5 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4.8 |
| 3 years | 5.7 | 6.3 | 5.5 | 4.6 |
| 4 years | 5.9 | 6.3 | 5.6 | 5.0 |
| 5 years | 6.4 | 5.9 | 5.7 | 4.6 |
| 6 years | 6.2 | 6.3 | 5.4 | 5.0 |
| 7 years | 6.5 | 6.1 | 5.5 | 4.8 |
| 8 years | 7.5 | 6.1 | 4.9 | 4.5 |
| 9 years | 8.1 | 6.8 | 6.4 | 4.3 |
| 10 years | 7.7 | 7.8 | 6.8 | 5.5 |
| 11 years | 7.4 | 7.0 | 7.1 | 6.4 |
| 12 years | 6.8 | 7.4 | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| 13 years | 6.3 | 6.9 | 8.0 | 7.6 |
| 14 years | 5.5 | 6.0 | 7.2 | 8.7 |
| 15 years | 3.4 | 5.9 | 6.6 | 7.9 |
| 16 years | 3.1 | 3.1 | 5.5 | 8.2 |
| 17 years | 1.8 | 2.1 | 2.9 | 6.0 |
| 18 years | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.5 |
| 19 years | <.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 20+ years | <.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Missing data | — | — | — | — |
| Race/Ethnicity (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.2 |
| Asian | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.5 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 45.8 | 43.4 | 39.6 | 40.6 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 1.9 | 1.8 | 3.1 | 2.9 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 49.6 | 51.6 | 53.7 | 51.9 |
| Two or more races | 2.3 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 3.7 |
| Unknown | <.1 | 0.3 | <.1 | 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 | 431 | 646 | 922 | 954 |
| Age (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <1 year | 0.5 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 1.0 |
| 1 year | 5.1 | 6.7 | 4.0 | 4.8 |
| 2 years | 5.1 | 7.6 | 5.7 | 5.8 |
| 3 years | 8.8 | 6.0 | 7.8 | 6.3 |
| 4 years | 10.4 | 7.9 | 8.4 | 8.0 |
| 5 years | 5.8 | 7.1 | 7.9 | 8.0 |
| 6 years | 8.8 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 7.1 |
| 7 years | 6.5 | 7.7 | 7.3 | 6.5 |
| 8 years | 9.5 | 7.3 | 6.7 | 6.8 |
| 9 years | 9.0 | 7.6 | 6.1 | 7.2 |
| 10 years | 6.7 | 7.9 | 7.7 | 6.6 |
| 11 years | 5.8 | 6.3 | 5.7 | 6.7 |
| 12 years | 5.1 | 6.2 | 5.9 | 5.9 |
| 13 years | 3.9 | 4.6 | 3.6 | 5.2 |
| 14 years | 3.5 | 1.5 | 5.9 | 3.5 |
| 15 years | 2.1 | 2.8 | 3.8 | 4.2 |
| 16 years | 1.2 | 2.6 | 2.3 | 2.8 |
| 17 years | 1.9 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 2.4 |
| 18 years | 0.2 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 1.2 |
| 19 years | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 20+ years | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Missing data | — | — | — | — |
| Race/Ethnicity (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 |
| Asian | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 38.3 | 31.0 | 35.5 | 30.2 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 3.0 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 4.3 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 56.1 | 57.0 | 53.8 | 57.0 |
| Two or more races | 1.4 | 7.3 | 6.3 | 8.1 |
| Unknown | 1.2 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.2 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Tennessee [ 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 | — | — | — | 96.6 |
| Children with one or more recurrences | — | — | — | 3.4 |
| Number | — | — | — | 3,992 |
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 | — | — | — | — |
| Children not maltreated while in foster care | — | — | — | — |
| Number | — | — | — | — |
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 | 8.1 | 12.7 | 16.5 | 22.0 |
| Guardianship | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| Reunification | 72.1 | 71.1 | 70.9 | 58.9 |
| Other | 16.0 | 14.1 | 11.1 | 18.6 |
| Missing data | 3.6 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.1 |
| Number | 4,370 | 5,089 | 5,443 | 4,288 |
| 3.2 Exits of Children with a Diagnosed Disability (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adoption | 24.4 | 43.4 | 50.0 | 50.4 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.6 |
| Reunification | 52.0 | 41.8 | 37.8 | 27.1 |
| Other | 20.0 | 13.5 | 11.1 | 21.9 |
| Missing data | 3.6 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 |
| Number | 225 | 392 | 458 | 494 |
| 3.3 Exits of Children Older than Age 12 at Entry into Foster Care (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adoption | <.1 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 1.4 |
| Guardianship | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 | 0.3 |
| Reunification | 73.6 | 74.4 | 78.8 | 61.3 |
| Other | 22.0 | 22.3 | 18.6 | 36.9 |
| Missing data | 4.2 | 3.0 | 2.1 | 0.1 |
| Number | 2,599 | 2,793 | 2,779 | 1,832 |
| 3.4 Exits to Emancipation (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children age 12 or younger at entry | 17.8 | 12.7 | 11.1 | 15.7 |
| Children older than 12 at entry | 82.2 | 87.3 | 88.9 | 84.3 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 596 | 581 | 488 | 658 |
| 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 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30.8 | 0.0 | 4.8 | 22.2 | 0.0 | 7.8 | 13.9 | 20.0 | 26.1 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.7 |
| Reunification | 72.7 | 87.5 | 90.9 | 69.2 | 75.0 | 66.7 | 55.6 | 80.0 | 70.1 | 68.2 | 67.4 | 52.4 |
| Other | 18.2 | 0.0 | 9.1 | 0.0 | 18.8 | 28.6 | 16.7 | 20.0 | 17.6 | 15.8 | 11.1 | 20.8 |
| Missing data | 9.1 | 12.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.3 | 0.0 | 5.6 | 0.0 | 4.4 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.2 |
| Number | 11 | 8 | 11 | 13 | 16 | 21 | 18 | 5 | 1,378 | 1,571 | 1,623 | 1,190 |
| |
||||||||||||
| 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 | 10.4 | 15.4 | 14.8 | 25.0 | 8.2 | 11.7 | 14.7 | 19.8 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | <.1 | 0.1 |
| Reunification | 0.0 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 69.8 | 69.9 | 77.8 | 61.7 | 73.0 | 72.5 | 72.4 | 61.4 |
| Other | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11.5 | 12.6 | 4.3 | 13.3 | 15.6 | 13.5 | 11.5 | 18.5 |
| Missing data | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8.3 | 2.1 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 2.9 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 0.1 |
| Number | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 96 | 143 | 162 | 180 | 2,833 | 3,237 | 3,496 | 2,791 |
| |
||||||||||||
| Unable to Determine | Two or more Races | Missing Data | ||||||||||
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
| Adoption | 0.0 | 13.6 | 4.4 | 3.6 | 21.4 | 22.4 | 35.2 | 38.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Reunification | 85.0 | 72.7 | 86.7 | 89.3 | 71.4 | 69.4 | 52.3 | 51.9 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 |
| Other | 0.0 | 9.1 | 6.7 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 11.4 | 9.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Missing data | 15.0 | 4.5 | 2.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 20 | 22 | 45 | 28 | 14 | 85 | 88 | 81 | 1 | 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. | 61.3 | 62.5 | 65.0 | 72.4 |
| At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos. | 23.4 | 23.4 | 22.7 | 19.2 |
| At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos. | 6.9 | 7.7 | 6.5 | 4.5 |
| At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos. | 3.5 | 3.1 | 2.4 | 1.8 |
| 48 or more mos. | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 1.8 |
| Missing data | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.3 |
| Number | 3,150 | 3,617 | 3,857 | 2,527 |
| 4.2 Children Re-entering Foster Care (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children entering care for the first time | 83.1 | 81.9 | 81.2 | 82.8 |
| Children re-entering care within 12 mos. of a prior episode | 10.1 | 11.0 | 11.1 | 9.5 |
| Children re-entering care more than 12 mos. after a prior episode | 6.8 | 7.0 | 7.7 | 7.6 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 |
| Number | 5,480 | 5,667 | 6,047 | 6,305 |
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. | 3.1 | 1.7 | 2.4 | 2.8 |
| At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos. | 7.4 | 12.1 | 9.3 | 11.0 |
| At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos. | 17.3 | 13.7 | 16.4 | 18.2 |
| At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos. | 19.5 | 16.3 | 16.8 | 17.8 |
| 48 or more mos. | 52.4 | 56.1 | 55.1 | 50.2 |
| Missing data | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 353 | 644 | 899 | 944 |
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 | 61.1 | 61.0 | 64.9 | 72.3 | 47.4 | 40.4 | 35.3 | 39.1 | 55.0 | 49.0 | 39.8 | 31.4 | 34.5 | 50.0 | 57.1 | 83.3 |
| Children with 3 or more placements | 32.4 | 36.8 | 32.5 | 26.8 | 49.6 | 58.8 | 64.2 | 60.4 | 42.4 | 50.4 | 59.6 | 68.2 | 0.0 | 4.5 | 2.4 | 4.8 |
| Number | 6,334 | 6,726 | 7,110 | 6,998 | 2,950 | 2,981 | 2,990 | 2,706 | 5,172 | 5,039 | 4,660 | 4,029 | 58 | 22 | 42 | 42 |
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 | 5.9 | 4.6 | 2.3 | 0.9 |
| Institutions | 7.6 | 4.2 | 2.2 | 1.6 |
| Other settings | 86.4 | 91.2 | 95.5 | 97.5 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 1,987 | 2,296 | 2,526 | 3,191 |
Tennessee [ State Comment ]
Thomas Riche, Deputy Commissioner
Tennessee Department of Children's Services
The following are Tennessee's comments on the State's data presented in Child Welfare Outcomes 2003: Report to Congress.
Section C (Children in Foster Care): As a result of AFCARS files being created as point-in-time files the possibility will always exist for a difference in the number of active cases on the last day of one reporting cycle and the number of active cases in care on the first day of the next reporting cycle. Tennessee's child welfare system includes both child welfare and juvenile justice programs. As a result, AFCARS numbers may be influenced by some juvenile justices cases that were a part of the child welfare program for only a brief period of time during one reporting year and not the next. Also, any child welfare cases that reach the age of 18 before the start of an AFCARS period are excluded from the next report period. Any juvenile justice cases reaching the age of 19 prior to the start of a new period are also excluded from the next report period.
Section D (Children Waiting to be Adopted): The low percentage of cases reporting termination of parental rights are the result of Tennessee having to pull data for AFCARS Adoptions from a source outside of our SACWIS system. State requirements on confidentiality of finalized adoption cases prevented data entry into our SACWIS system due to the system's inability to restrict the data from unauthorized persons. As a result of collecting AFCARS adoption data manually staff did not enter the TPR data into the SACWIS system, for use in the AFCARS Foster Care file, with a great deal of accuracy.
Tennessee's SACWIS system was updated in January 2005 to include AFCARS Adoption data elements. Beginning with the current AFCARS period, April - Sept 2005, both AFCARS Foster Care and Adoption files will be generated by our SACWIS system. With restricted access available to adoption workers, and all AFCARS data elements corning from one system, it is our belief that termination of parental rights will be reported more completely and more accurately than they have been in the past in the AFCARS Foster Care file.
Due to several system reforms undertaken by the Department in recent years, DCS has made improvements in a number of areas. Based on our state's calculations using our submitted March 2005 AFCARS file we show our percentages for outcome 3.3 to be 25.2 percent, in line with the national median, and our percentage for outcome 5.1 to have decreased to 30.5 percent from the 50.2 percent reported in FY 2003. Clearly our department has made great strides in both areas since FY 2003.
Outcome 7 (Reduce Placements of Young Children in Group Homes or Institutions): We continue to maintain a percentage on outcome 7.1 lower than the national median. Based on our state's calculations using our submitted March 2005 AFCARS file we show our percentage to be 1.1 percent. Due to requirements in the federal consent decrees, the department had to move these children into home settings and only use a group home or institution for children 12 and under in the most dire of circumstances.
All the CPS data contained within the report is sourced from NCANDS and was reported to them from our offices: 2000 and 2001 data would, at best, have been generated through hand counts of records. Their accuracy should be seriously questioned as it would be impossible to duplicate the numbers. These two years would have had the total counts submitted to NCANDS through the agency file: 2002 data came from an "Annual Report" created with one of the first CPS data extracts pulled from TNKIDS. This report was done for the purpose of simply giving a general evaluation where CPS stood at the time. While these results were system data, it was not prepared and analyzed using true NCANDS parameters and only the totals were reported in the Agency File. While not meeting exact NCANDS parameters, the victim data is a very reasonable indicator of how true NCANDS data would have measured out. The 2003 data is the result of the first true Child File detail level report submitted to NCANDS from Tennessee. The data are qualified and analyzed according to a documented process. As such, it should be considered the benchmark for future report years.
Tennessee [ Federal Comment ]
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
The following is a discussion of Tennessee'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, 3.4 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), which is less than the national median of 7.1 percent. Change in performance on this measure from 2000 to 2003 cannot be assessed because 2003 was the first year that data were available for the measure.
Tennessee's relatively low percentage of children experiencing maltreatment recurrence in 2003 corresponds to a relatively low child maltreatment victim rate in the State. In 2003, the child maltreatment victim rate in Tennessee was 6.8 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. Also, the 2003 child victim rate is lower than the rate in 2000 of 11.9 child victims per 1,000 children in the population.
Outcome 2. Reduce the incidence of child abuse and/or neglect in foster care
Tennessee's performance with regard to achieving outcome 2 cannot be assessed because the State does not provide data to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) for calculating the measure for this outcome (measure 2.1). To ensure consistency across States, the Report to Congress provides only data submitted through NCANDS.
Outcome 3. Increase permanency for children in foster care
In 2003, 81.2 percent of children exiting foster care in Tennessee (measure 3.1) were discharged to a permanent home, which is less than the national median of 86.3 percent. Also, 63.0 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 is less than the national median of 72.2 percent. However, 78.1 percent of children exiting care in 2003 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 2003, 15.7 percent of the children reported as emancipated from foster care (either through legal action or because they reach the age of majority) entered foster care when they were age 12 or younger (measure 3.4). This percent not only is less than the national median of 29.6 percent, but represents an improvement in performance from 2000 to 2003 (-11.8 percent change).
Some children in Tennessee who are reported as emancipated from foster care appear to be discharged from foster care prior to their 18th birthday. In 2003, for example, 433 children exiting foster care were age 18 or older at the time of exit. However, 658 children were reported as exiting to emancipation.
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 (81.3 percent) as were Black (non-Hispanic) children exiting foster care (79.2 percent). However, the percent of Black (non-Hispanic) children in the foster care population (33.1 percent) exceeded the percent of Black (non-Hispanic) children in the State's child population (20.7 percent).
Outcome 4. Reduce time in foster care to reunification without increasing re-entry
In 2003, 72.4 percent of reunifications in Tennessee occurred within 12 months of a child's entry into foster care (measure 4.1). This percent is about equal to the national median of 72.0 percent, and represents an improvement in performance from 2000 (18.1 percent change). In addition, 3.6 percent of reunifications occurred after the child had been in foster care for at least 36 months, which also is about equal to the national median of 3.5 percent.
In 2003, 9.5 percent of the children entering foster care were re-entering within 12 months of a prior episode, which is equal to the national median of 9.5 percent (measure 4.2). Tennessee's performance on this measure improved from 2000 to 2003 (-5.9 percent change). However, an additional 7.6 percent of the children entering foster care were entering more than 12 months after a prior foster care episode. Consequently, 17.1 percent of all children entering foster care in 2003 had been in foster care at a prior time.
Outcome 5. Reduce time in foster care to adoption
In 2003, 13.8 percent of finalized adoptions in Tennessee occurred within 24 months of a child's entry into foster care (measure 5.1). Although this percent is less than the national median of 23.9 percent, it represents an improvement in performance on the measure from 2000 to 2003 (+31.4 percent change).
Outcome 6. Increase placement stability
In 2003, only 72.3 percent of the children in foster care for less than 12 months experienced no more than two placement settings (measure 6.1), which is less than the national median of 84.2 percent. Also in 2003, 39.1 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 less than the national median of 59.1 percent.
Outcome 7. Reduce placements of young children in group homes and institutions
In 2003, only 2.5 percent of the children entering foster care who were age 12 or younger were placed in a group home or institution (measure 7.1). This percentage not only is less than the national median of 8.3 percent, but represents an improvement in performance from 2000 (-81.5 percent change).
