Skip to main content
Log in

Demographic, Clinical, and Geographic Predictors of Placement Disruption among Foster Care Youth Receiving Wraparound Services

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Child and Family Studies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The effective delivery of wraparound depends upon the availability of a wide range of community-based services. This study seeks to determine the impact of proximity to resources on the effectiveness of a wraparound program for stabilizing foster care placements among a sample of youth. We present a methodology for deriving proximity scores for individual clients using Geographic Information Systems technology, and incorporate this score into a model for predicting placement disruption among youth in foster care receiving services within a wraparound model aimed at preventing placement disruptions. Cox Regression is used to predict length of time until placement disruption using clinical, demographic, and service proximity measures. Risk of placement disruption is predicted by trauma experiences, risk behaviors, and age, and is reduced by the presence of child strengths and proximity to resources. The impact of proximity to resources on placement disruption varies by land use type, suggesting that proximity exerts a greater impact on youth in rural and suburban areas than in urban areas where wraparound service delivery models may be able to overcome distance and other barriers. Implications for the implementation of wraparound programs as well as service system planning are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allard, S. W., Tolman, R. M., & Rosen, D. (2003). Proximity to service providers and service utilization among welfare recipients: The interaction of place and race. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 22, 599–613.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Almog, M., Curtis, S., Copeland, A., & Congdon, P. (2004). Geographic variation in acute psychiatric admissions within New York city 1990–2000: Growing inequalities in service use? Social Science and Medicine, 59, 361–376.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Anctil, T. M., McCubbin, L. D., O’Brien, K., & Pecora, P. (2007). An evaluation of recovery factors for foster care alumni with physical or psychiatric impairments: Predictors of psychological outcomes. Children and Youth Services Review, 29, 1021–1034.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arcury, T. A., Gesler, W. M., Preisser, J. S., Sherman, J., Spencer, J., & Perin, J. (2005). The effects of geography and spatial behavior on health care utilization among the residents of a rural region. Health Services Research, 40, 135–155.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Benedict, M. I., Zuravin, S., Somerfield, M., & Brandt, D. (1996). The reported health and functioning of children maltreated while in family foster care. Child Abuse and Neglect, 20, 561–571.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Billi, J. E., Pai, C. -W., & Spahlinger, D. A. (2007). The effect of distance to primary care physician on health care utilization and disease burden. Health Care Management Review, 32, 22–29.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bruns, E. J., Suter, J. C., & Leverentz-Brady, K. M. (2006). Relations between program and system variables and fidelity to the wraparound process for children and families. Psychiatric Services, 57, 1586–1593.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bruns, E. J., Walker, J. S., & The National Wraparound Initiative Advisory Group. (2008). Ten principles of the wraparound process. In E. J. Bruns & J. S. Walker (Eds.), The resource guide to wraparound. Portland, OR: National Wraparound Initiative, Research and Training Center for Family Support and Children’s Mental Health.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burchard, J. D., Bruns, E. J., & Burchard, S. N. (2002). The wraparound approach. In B. J. Burns & K. Hoagwood (Eds.), Community treatment for youth (pp. 69–90). New York: Oxford University Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Burns, B. J., Phillips, S., Wagner, H., Barth, R., Kolko, D., Campbell, Y., et al. (2004). Mental health need and access to mental health services by youths involved with child welfare: A national survey. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 43, 960–970.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, H. B., Lee, B., Prange, M. E., & McDonald, B. A. (1996). Children lost within the foster care system: Can wraparound service strategies improve placement outcomes? Journal of Child and Family Studies, 5, 39–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coulton, C. J., Crampton, D. S., Irwin, M., Spilsbury, J. C., & Korbin, J. E. (2007). How neighborhoods influence child maltreatment: A review of the literature and alternative pathways. Child Abuse and Neglect, 31, 1117–1142.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cox, D. R. (1972). Regression models and life tables (with discussion). Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series B, 34, 187–220.

    Google Scholar 

  • Curtis, S., Congdon, P., Almog, M., & Ellermann, R. (2009). County variation in use of inpatient and ambulatory psychiatric care in New York State 1999–2001: Need and supply influences in a structural model. Health and Place, 15, 568–577.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Eggertsen, L. (2008). Primary factors related to multiple placements for children in out-of-home care. Child Welfare, 6, 71–90.

    Google Scholar 

  • Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI). (2007). ArcIMS (Internet Map Server), ArcView (computer software), Redlands: CA.

  • Fortney, J. C., Owen, R., & Clothier, J. (1999). Impact of travel distance on the disposition of patients presenting for emergency psychiatric care. Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research, 26, 104–109.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Garland, A. F., Hough, R. L., McCabe, K. M., Yeh, M., Wood, P. A., & Aarons, G. A. (2001). Prevalence of psychiatric diagnoses in youth across five sectors of care. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 40, 409–418.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Guagliardo, M. F. (2004). Spatial accessibility of primary care: Concepts, methods and challenges. International Journal of Health Geographics, 3, 1–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Han, M., & Stone, S. (2007). Access to psycho-social services among pregnant and parenting teens: Generating questions using youth reports and GIS mapping techniques. Child and Youth Care Forum, 36, 213–224.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hastings, J. (2009). IDCFS SOC Program Director; personal communication.

  • Hipp, J. R., Jannetta, J., Shah, R., & Turner, S. (2009). Parolees physical closeness to health service providers: A study of California parolees. Health and Place, 15, 679–688.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holley, H. L. (1998). Geography and mental health: A review. Society for Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 33, 535–542.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (IDCFS). (2005). System of care (SOC) program plan, CFS968-54, www.state.il.us/dcfs.

  • Kirby, J. B., & Kaneda, T. (2005). Neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage and access to health care. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 46, 15–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Laditka, J. N., Laditka, S. B., & Probst, J. C. (2009). Health care in rural areas: Evidence that hospitalization for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions in the United States may increase with the level of rurality. Health and Place, 15, 761–770.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Landsverk, J., & Garland, A. F. (1999). Foster care and pathways to mental health services. In P. A. Curtis, G. Dale, & J. C. Kendall (Eds.), The foster care crisis: Translating research into policy and practice (pp. 193–210). Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyons, J. (2004). Redressing the emperor: Improving our children’s public mental health system. Westport, CT: Praeger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mansfield, C. J., Wilson, J. L., Kobrinski, E. J., & Mitchell, J. (1999). Premature mortality in the United States: The roles of geographic area, socioeconomic status, household type, and availability of medical care. American Journal of Public Health, 89, 893–898.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McClelland, G. M. & Schneider, A. (2009). Annual report of performance of SOC program. (Report to IDCFS) Chicago, IL.

  • Mobley, L. R., Root, E., Anselin, L., Lozano-Gracia, N., & Koschinsky, J. (2006). Spatial analysis of elderly access to primary care services. International Journal of Health Geographics, 5, 1–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nemet, G. F., & Bailey, A. J. (2000). Distance and health care utilization among rural elderly. Social Science and Medicine, 50, 1197–1208.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Newton, R. R., Litrownik, A. J., & Landsverk, J. A. (2000). Children and youth in foster care: Disentangling the relationship between problem behaviors and number of placements. Child Abuse and Neglect, 24, 1363–1374.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, J. (1993). Abused children and foster care—the need for specialist resources. Child Abuse Review, 2(1), 3–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rubin, D. M., O’Reilly, A. L. R., Luan, X., & Localio, A. R. (2007). The impact of placement stability on behavioral well-being for children in foster care. Pediatrics, 119, 336–344.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Simmel, C. (2007). Risk and protective factors contributing to the longitudinal psychosocial well-being of adopted foster children. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 15, 237–249.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skarbo, T., Rosenvinge, J. H., & Holte, A. (2004). Adolescent life events and adult mental health 5–9 years after referral for acute psychiatric outpatient treatment. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 11, 401–413.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, D., Stormshak, E., Chamberlain, P., & Whaley, R. (2001). Placement disruption in treatment foster care. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 9, 200–210.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • State of Illinois Department of Child and Family Services. (2009). Procedures 301: Placement and visitation services. Retrieved October 24, 2009 from http://dcfswebresource.dcfs.illinois.gov/procedures/procedures_301/homepage.phtml?page=2#P10_85.

  • Stroul, B. A., & Friedman, R. M. (1994). A system of care for children and youth with severe emotional disturbances. (Revised edition). Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Child Development Center, CASSP Technical Assistance Center.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suter, J. C., & Bruns, E. J. (2009). Effectiveness of the wraparound process for children with emotional and behavioral disorders: A meta-analysis. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 12, 336–351.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Unrau, Y. A., Seita, J. R., & Putney, K. S. (2008). Former foster youth remember multiple placement moves: A journey of loss and hope. Children and Youth Services Review, 30, 1256–1266.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walker, J. S., & Bruns, E. J. (2008). Phases and activities of the wraparound process: Building agreement about a practice model. Portland, OR: National Wraparound Initiative, Research and Training Center on Family Support and Children’s Mental Health, Portland State University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker, J. S., Bruns, E. J., VanDenBerg, J. D., Rast, J., Osher, T. W., Miles, P., et al. (2004). Phases and activities of the wraparound process. Portland, OR: National Wraparound Initiative, Research and Training Center on Family Support and Children’s Mental Health, Portland State University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang, F., & Luo, F. (2005). Assessing spatial and non-spatial factors for healthcare access: Towards an integrated approach to defining health professional shortage areas. Health and Place, 11, 131–146.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Weiner, D. (2002). Statewide provider database (Computer Software) Chicago, IL.

  • Weiner, D. (2009). Planning and managing service system investments using provider profiles and clinical assessments. In J. S. Lyons & D. Weiner (Eds.), Strategies in behavioral health care. Kingston, NJ: Civic Research Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zima, B. T., Bussing, R., Yang, X., & Belin, T. R. (2000). Help-seeking steps and service use for children in foster care. Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research, 27, 271–285.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zinn, A., DeCoursey, J., Goerge, R., & Courtney, M. (2006). A study of placement stability in Illinois. (Chapin Hall Working Paper) Chicago, IL.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dana A. Weiner.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Weiner, D.A., Leon, S.C. & Stiehl, M.J. Demographic, Clinical, and Geographic Predictors of Placement Disruption among Foster Care Youth Receiving Wraparound Services. J Child Fam Stud 20, 758–770 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-011-9469-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-011-9469-9

Keywords

Navigation