Publications

Early childhood trauma increases the risk of academic difficulties. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of early contact with child protection services (CPS) and to determine whether early exposure to maltreatment investigations was associated with important academic outcomes. The authors focused specifically on standardized test scores (math and reading), grade retention, and special education status in third grade. The sample was diverse and included all children born between 2000 and 2006 and enrolled in Michigan’s public schools (N = 732,838). By the time these students reached third grade, approximately 18% were associated with a formal CPS investigation. In some school districts, more than 50% of third graders were associated with an investigation. African American and poor students were more likely to be investigated for maltreatment. Children associated with maltreatment investigations scored significantly lower on standardized math and reading tests, were more likely to be identified as needing special education, and were more likely to be held back at least one grade. These findings indicate that involvement with CPS is not an infrequent event in the lives of young children and that within some school districts, maltreatment investigations are the norm. Child welfare and educational systems must collaborate so that the early academic struggles experienced by victims of maltreatment do not mature into more complicated difficulties later in life.

Ryan, J. P., Jacob, B. A., Gross, M., Perron, B. E., Moore, A., & Ferguson, S. (2018). Early Exposure to Child Maltreatment and Academic Outcomes. Child Maltreatment, 23(4), 365–375.

Families that experience domestic violence and parental substance misuse are disproportionately involved with the child welfare system. Prior research suggests that child protective services (CPS) caseworkers are more likely to substantiate maltreatment allegations when domestic violence and parental substance misuse are identified during the investigation, pointing to one possible mechanism for this disproportionate involvement. While previous studies have relied on nationally representative data sets, the current study used administrative records from a large Midwestern child welfare agency that accounts for state-level variation in child welfare policy and practice. A total of 501,060 substantiation decisions made between 2009 and 2013 were examined to assess the influence of caseworker-perceived domestic violence and parental substance misuse on the decision to substantiate reported maltreatment. Results from multilevel modeling suggest that the identification of domestic violence and parental substance misuse during an investigation significantly increased the probability that an allegation would be substantiated. The implication of these findings for child welfare practice are considered in light of the fact that many child welfare agencies do not consider exposure to domestic violence and parental substance misuse in and of themselves to constitute child maltreatment.

Victor B.G., Grogan-Kaylor, A., Ryan, J.P., Perron, B.E., & Gilbert, T.T. (2018). Domestic violence, parental substance misuse and the decision to substantiate child maltreatment. Child Abuse & Neglect, 79, 31-41.

The current study examined the prevalence and associations of a need for domestic violence services among child welfare–involved mothers and fathers with substance use disorders. Data were drawn from 2,231 child welfare–involved parents in Illinois with an identified substance use disorder. Approximately 42% of mothers and 33% of fathers with a substance use disorder had a concurrent need for domestic violence services. The sample was stratified by gender and logistic regression models were fit to determine the adjusted odds of an identified need for domestic violence services. For both mothers and fathers, the strongest association was an additional need for mental health services. Age, education status, alcohol use, marijuana use, and a reported history of physical violence victimization were also associated with a need for domestic violence services among mothers, while race, age, marital status, annual income, alcohol use, cocaine use, and a reported history of physical violence perpetration were associated with a need for domestic violence services among fathers. The findings of this study make clear that domestic violence is a commonly co-occurring service need for child welfare–involved parents with identified substance use disorders, and that associations with this need vary by gender.

Victor B.G., Resko, S.M., Ryan, J.P., & Perron, B.E. (2018). Identification of domestic violence service needs among child welfare-involved parents with substance use disorders: A gender-stratified analysis. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 1-23.

In Education Week, Brian Jacob and Joseph Ryan discuss how abuse and neglect affects achievement in schools. Generally, principals and teachers are not notified of child welfare investigations, even if there is a formal confirmation of abuse or if the child is removed from the home—but the effects do make themselves known. While the study looked only at Michigan, it is in line with other studies that suggest about 20 percent of children experience this sort of trauma. And as the Every Student Succeeds Act requires states to track the educational progress of vulnerable students like those in foster care, more states may begin to look at the rates of abused children in their own districts. The results of the study may make policymakers and educators rethink the structure of initiatives such as retaining students who cannot read proficiently by the end of grade 3. Falling behind may be a warning sign that these students need counseling or other emotional support, not just academic enrichment.

Sparks, S. (2018, March 27). Principals: More of your students might be abused or neglected than you think.

This report presents findings from a unique partnership between the University of Michigan and the State that allowed us to match the universe of child maltreatment records in Michigan with educational data on all public school children in the state. We find that roughly 18 percent of third-grade students have been subject to at least one formal investigation for child maltreatment. In some schools, more than fifty percent of third graders have experienced an investigation for maltreatment. These estimates indicate that child abuse and neglect cannot simply be treated like a secondary issue, but must be a central concern of school personnel.

Jacob, B.A., & Ryan, J.P. (2018). How life outside of school affects student performance in school (Evidence Speaks Reports, Vol 2, #44).

Background: Women are underrepresented in the current substance abuse research; however, women are a particularly vulnerable population when it comes to opioid use and abuse. Pregnant women are even more so, because of the potential that exists for in utero exposure (IUE) to substances. Objectives: To identify trends in IUE to opioids in order to ensure that resources are allocated effectively to address the current opioid epidemic and to assist the populations most affected by it. Methods: This study draws on 15 years’ worth of clinical assessment data collected from 3598 child welfare-involved mothers to assess for trends in IUE to substances over time. Data from the last 5 year period (N = 852) are then analyzed to identify recent demographic correlates associated with IUE to opioid substances. Results: A substantial increase in the rates of IUE to opioids over the past 15 years is observed among child welfare-involved mothers. Moreover, we find that race is a significant correlate of IUE to opioids. Conclusion: Study findings are consistent with other recent research that demonstrates racial differences in the populations that are most affected by the opioid epidemic; however, more research is needed to determine how these racial differences in rates of IUE to opioids affect child welfare outcomes.

Bushman, G., Ryan, J.P., Victor, B.G., & Perron, B.E. (2017). In utero exposure to opioids: An observational study of mothers involved in the child welfare system. Substance Use & Misuse, 1-8.

Black and male youths are overrepresented at every stage of juvenile justice processing. The current study investigated racial, gender, and age disparities in the probability of a formal adjudication using administrative data (N = 12,070) from a large, urban county in the Midwest. The authors extend previous work by considering the joint effect of race, gender, and age on formal adjudications in the juvenile justice system. The findings indicate that being black, male, and in the middle of the juvenile court’s age jurisdiction were associated with an increase in the probability of receiving a formal adjudication, after controlling for prior referrals and the type and severity of the underlying offense. The magnitude of racial and gender disparities differed across age and was greatest for the least serious offenses. Through the application of graphical analyses, the authors identify youths most at risk of disparate treatment.

Evangelist, M., Ryan, J.P., Victor, B.G., Moore, A., & Perron, B.E. (2017). Disparities at adjudication in the juvenile justice system: An examination of race, gender, and age. Social Work Research, 41, 199-212.

Foster care involvement due to parental substance use is a common problem with many challenges associated with service delivery. Using administrative data from a Midwestern state between the years 2009 and 2015 (N = 17,420), this study examines characteristics of substance-abusing families at the time of entry into the foster care system and estimates the risk of reentry subsequent to reunification. Bivariate findings and survival analysis for reentry suggests substance-using parents are more likely to be involved in additional allegations associated with foster care involvement. These results highlight the need for improved services integration and coordinated delivery among service systems.

Mowbray, O., Victor, B.G., Ryan, J.P., Moore, A., & Perron, B.E. (2017). Parental substance use and foster care reentry. Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, 17, 352-373.

Substance use disorders are a major problem for child welfare systems. The abuse of and dependence on alcohol and drugs by parents increases the risk of child maltreatment and interferes with efforts to locate a permanent home for children in foster care. The current study focuses on an intervention designed to increase the probability of reunification for foster children associated with substance using families. We focus specific attention on the timing of the intervention, in particular the timing of comprehensive screening and access to substance abuse services in relation to the temporary custody hearing. A diverse group of children (n = 3440) that were placed in foster care and associated with a parent diagnosed with a substance use disorder were randomly assigned to either a control (services as usual) or experimental group (services as usual plus a recovery coach for parents). Binomial logistic regression models indicated that early access to substance use services matters (within two months of the temporary custody hearing) but only when parents were connected with a recovery coach. Additional findings indicated that the recovery coach model eliminated racial disparities in reunification. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Ryan, J.P., Perron, B.E., Moore, A., Victor, B.G., & Park, K. (2017). Timing matters: A randomized control trial of recovery coaches in foster care. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 77, 178-184.

Caregiver substance use and mental health problems have long been discussed as concerns in promoting positive child welfare outcomes. Yet the absence of longitudinal data focused on racial/ethnic differences in service needs and substance use has limited child welfare systems in their ability to address potential disparities. This study examines racial/ethnic trends in service needs and patterns of substances used among child welfare-involved caregivers over a 15-year period (2000–2015) from a large, urban county located in the Midwestern United States. Substance use service needs showed an increase over time among White non-Hispanic individuals, and declined over time for all racial/ethnic minority groups. Mental health service needs increased over time, with White non-Hispanic individuals experiencing the largest increase. Co-occurring service needs showed a moderate increase for all groups. Trends associated with service needs across the lifespan were relatively similar across racial and ethnic groups, with needs peaking between ages 30 and 35. When examining specific substances used, cocaine use decreased over time for all individuals. However, marijuana use increased substantially for Black/African American individuals, while opioid use increased substantially for White non-Hispanic individuals. These results highlight key areas where trends among child welfare-involved caregivers differ from population-based trends and suggest that improved coordination between child welfare agencies, mental health and substance use treatment providers may be a key step in reducing the disparities observed.

Mowbray, O., Ryan, J.P., Victor, B.G., Bushman, G., Yochum, C., & Perron, B.E. (2017). Longitudinal trends in substance use and mental health service needs in child welfare. Children and Youth Services Review, 73, 1-8.