The American Humane Association, in partnership with Walter R. McDonald & Associates, Inc. and the Institute of Applied Research, has been selected to receive a federal cooperative agreement with the Children's Bureau to develop the National Quality Improvement Center (QIC) on Differential Response in Child Protective Services.
Differential response, also referred to as dual track, multiple track or alternative response, is an approach that allows child protective services to respond differently to accepted reports of child abuse and neglect, based on factors such as the type and severity of the alleged maltreatment, the number and sources of previous reports, and the willingness of the family to participate in services.
After an initial phase of assessing existing models, gaps and needs, the QIC will select a research focus and together with nationally selected research and demonstration project sites, will conduct multi-year experimental design, in addition to supporting doctoral dissertation activities.
