The L.A. County child welfare agency received a waiver from the federal government on Title IV-E Foster Care funding. Whereas most IV-E funding is statutorily directed at foster care placements, the waiver allowed Los Angeles to use the funds for a broader portfolio, including family preservation, alternative response, and on the juvenile side, probation.
This 2011 report serves as a dashboard of measures of the system, how they have changed since waiver implementation, and how Los Angeles compares to national standards on them. Green circles indicate progress, yellow reflects little change, and red means regression.
The county made across-the-board improvement on indicators related to reducing out-of-home care and child well-being. Progress has been slower on indicators related to increasing permanency, with a 15 percent regression on reentry following reunification.
Click here to read the report.