Examining Processes to Holistically Engage Systems of Care in Court- and Library-based Strategies to Prevent Unnecessary Out-of-Home Care (OOHC) and Promote Rapid Family Reunification

Abstract: This project uses co-design and an evaluation integrated process for addressing DCBS’ three priority areas that is replicable and scalable in highly variable county- and regional-level systems of care in Kentucky and beyond at one pilot site: the 17-county The Lakes DCBS service region, which is characterized by resource deserts and racial disproportionality in poverty and child welfare involvement rates and where the UKCPH team has extensive partnerships with ongoing projects. Our premise is that ensuring access to collaborative cross-system resources and services is the responsibility of the whole community, not just formal services and supports. Cross-system coordination in diverse Kentucky regions is essential in bridging the gap between available prevention resources in each regional context and people who might benefit from them in reducing the unnecessary use of OOHC and promoting rapid family reunification in appropriate cases where removal is necessary. Our approach leverages the team’s expertise in cross-systems network analysis and community engagement co-design as well as our established partnerships in The Lakes to collaborate with New Allies in facilitating and implementing this pilot while producing meeting documentation and collecting network data for process and outcome evaluation.