The Regional Partnership Grant (RPG) Program: Enhancing Collaboration, Promising Results

Abstract

This article reviews the accomplishments of the 53 Regional Partnerships Grants (RPGs), representing the broadest federal program ever launched to increase the well-being, permanency, and safety outcomes of children who were in or at risk of being placed in out-of-home placement as a result of a parent's or caregiver's methamphetamine or other substance abuse. While not designed as a cross-site evaluation, the collaborative achievements from data collected on a cohort of 7,100 RPG participant families, including 12,227 children and 8,321 adults, suggest improved linkages, strengthened collaboration, and improved outcomes among child welfare agencies, treatment agencies, family courts, and other service providers.

KEYWORDS:

• child welfare
• child maltreatment
• substance abuse
• children
• families
• collaboration

Notes

This article is based on the work of an extraordinary group of people who have designed and staffed this innovative model project. They are the real pioneers in the field, working on behalf of families affected by substance use disorders. The authors acknowledge Catherine Nolan and Elaine Voces Stedt of the Administration for Children and Families for their thinking and leadership as Federal Partners. This study is supported by the Administration on Children, Youth and Families Children's Bureau, under contract HHSP23320072911YC. This study represents the work of the authors, and does not reflect the opinions of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families.

^aA primary caregiver is defined as the person who has consistently assumed responsibility for the housing, health and safety of the child(ren) and who carries out and/or oversees the tasks related to the daily lives of the child(ren), which includes caring for their physical, educational, social, emotional and other needs.

^bIncludes step mother/father, adoptive mother/father, foster mother/father, presumptive father, grandmother/grandfather, aunt, uncle, significant other, or other relationship not otherwise specified.

^cAdult was prior perpetrator of substantiated/indicated maltreatment that occurred before and was not associated with their involvement in the RPG program.

^dMethamphetamine use or production identified as a contributing factor to the risk of child maltreatment.

^a N = 3,318 for RPG and 630 for comparison adults. For comparison groups in which RPG enrollment is not applicable, grantees use other program, child welfare or court case opening, as appropriate.

1. More extensive descriptive statistical findings are available upon request.