Memo - NonSub Change Request - Items on Caseworker 18 Month Follow-Up

DATE: April 15, 2019

TO: Josh Brammer, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget

FROM: Christine Fortunato, Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families

RE: Request for non-substantive changes to the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being Third Cohort (NSCAW III): Data Collection (Phase II)

This memorandum requests approval for non-substantive changes to the information collection (IC) effort approved under OMB Control Number 0970-0202. The purpose of these changes is to gather more detailed information at the 18-month follow-up data collection (Wave 2) from child welfare caseworkers about parental substance use and treatment referrals. Information about parental substance use and treatment referrals are not new topics for this IC, these changes include minor follow up questions to previously approved questions. Specifically, the changes requested will allow for the collection of information on the type of substance(s) involved, potential health impacts on children, and on drug-specific treatment referrals that may have been provided to the parent. This information is intended to support a better understanding of how parental substance use may influence child well-being for families involved with the child welfare system. Information on parental substance use and treatment referrals is not currently available in national data collection efforts focused on child maltreatment and foster care placements and adoptions.

Summary of Proposed Changes

Proposed changes are restricted to two modules in the follow-up Caseworker survey, as follows:

• “Services to Parents” (SP) module

  • For caseworkers who report that a parent needed drug treatment services, one new item asking about the type of substance use.

  • For caseworkers who report that a parent was referred to services for a drug or alcohol problem, one new item asking if the parent was referred to a Medication Assisted Treatment program to treat a drug problem.

• “Services to Child” (SC) module

  • One new item asking if the child has ever been diagnosed with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS).

Requested Caseworker Instrument Revisions (additions and updates shown in red)

Follow-up Services Caseworker “Services to Parents” (SP) module

C_SP13a

[WAVE = 2: Since [FILL CONTACT DATE]], did [fill PERMANENT PRIMARY CAREGIVER] need services for a drug problem?

1 = YES

2 = NO      

IF C_SP13a = YES, THEN

What type of drug problem? Was it..

CODE ALL THAT APPLY

1 = opioid use, including heroin or prescription pain relievers such as OxyContin, Vicodin, or Percocet

2 = methamphetamine use, also known as meth, ice, crystal meth or speed

3 = cocaine use

4 = marijuana use

5 = some other drug use

C_SP66a

At any time [ WAVE = 2 : since [FILL CONTACT DATE]], did agency staff refer [fill PERMANENT PRIMARY CAREGIVER] to services for an alcohol or drug problem?

1 = YES   [ GOTO C_SP68a]

 2 = NO

       

[ IF C_SP8a = 2 AND C_SP13a = 2, AND C_SP30a = 2, GOTO C_SP76a]

C_SP67a

Why was a referral @bnot@b made?

CODE ALL THAT APPLY

1 = PERSON ALREADY RECEIVING THE SERVICE                                  

2 = SERVICE NOT AVAILABLE IN THE AREA                               

3 = PERSON INELIGIBLE FOR SERVICE                                                  

4 = SERVICES COULD NOT BE FINANCED                                              

5 = OTHER                                                                                   

                  

[ GOTO C_SP76a]

C_SP68a

What specifically was done with respect to this referral?

CODE ALL THAT APPLY

1 = SUGGESTED THAT PERSON SHOULD GET SERVICES                              

2 = PROVIDED PARENT/FAMILY WITH NAMES AND NUMBERS OF SERVICE PROVIDERS                                                                   

3 = ASSISTED PERSON WITH COMPLETING AND/OR FILING APPLICATION                                                                         

4 = MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR PERSON                                                  

5 = ACCOMPANIED PERSON TO THE APPOINTMENT                       

6 = FOLLOWED-UP TO SEE IF SERVICE WAS PROVIDED                 

7 =    OTHER                                                                              

 

C_SP69a

Was this referral specified in the case plan or safety plan?

 1 = YES

 2 = NO

       

C_SP69b Was this referral to a Medication Assisted Treatment program to treat a drug problem? This treatment includes medications prescribed by a doctor such as methadone, naltrexone, or buprenorphine to treat opioid addiction.

1 = YES

2 = NO

Follow-up Services Caseworker “Services to Child” (SC) module

Has ^CHILD ever been diagnosed with Neonatal abstinence syndrome or NAS?  This is when a baby is born with withdrawal symptoms from certain drugs he or she is exposed to in the womb before birth.?

            1 = YES

           2 = NO

Expected Benefits

We expect these requested changes to improve the collection of information about parental substance use and treatment referrals for families involved in the child welfare system. Collecting this information as part of this ongoing effort is highly relevant given the lack of nationally representative data on the extent to which parental substance use and treatment referrals may influence children’s well-being. We anticipate that the additional burden of additional three items proposed will be very minimal. Two of the three items affect only those caseworkers who report parental drug use - about 25% of the NSCAW III cases enrolled to date. The average time to complete the survey remains the same with these minor additions.

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