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Lawmakers press DCBS on how it measures prevention-program success
Summary
Assistant Director Jennifer Thornhill told the subcommittee that success is assessed by the share of children who remain at home at six and 12 months post-discharge, placement types, and comparing cost per family to average foster care costs; officials cautioned that rising out-of-home care numbers complicate interpretation.
Committee members pressed DCBS on how it measures the effectiveness of prevention programs. Jennifer Thornhill said the primary metrics are the percentages of children who remain at home at six and 12 months after discharge and the types of placements for those who do not remain at home. She added that DCBS compares cost per family to the average cost per child in foster care as a financial benchmark.
Thornhill and Secretary Stack warned that rising out-of-home-care costs and an increasing number of children in care can create cyclical effects that make it difficult to gauge overall program success. The officials told members that program success varies depending on the specific services delivered and that interpreting results requires careful consideration of changing baselines and external factors.
