Creating a continuum of care for chronically underserved children.
BACKGROUND
Grandfather Home for Children, a nonprofit residential treatment center in North Carolina, serves children with histories of abuse who exhibit sexual behavior problems and acute physical aggression. In June 2000, it launched an initiative to create placement resources for children who had been identified as chronically underserved-foster care, adoption services, and other appropriate community services.


METHODS
A total of 638 children served by Grandfather Home for Children were included in this study. The data were collected during a six-year period (October 1999-September 2005). The data to assess the agency's goals was collected through the agency's general performance indicators that are gathered on a quarterly and yearly basis, based on the agency's fiscal year. Performance improvement activities included substantive changes in administrative, staffing, training, and information systems.


RESULTS
Between 1999 and 2005 the agency's initiative achieved a 342% increase in the number of children it was able to serve, a 33% decrease in the average length of stay for children in care and a 721% increase in the percentage of children served in their home community, and 100% of the foster children had two or fewer placements.


CONCLUSIONS
The initiative to create a continuum of care has enabled the agency to successfully provide step-down opportunities and serve more children in the least restrictive environment for a shorter period of time with fewer placement changes than observed in comparative statistics at both the federal or state level.
McKee
Jeanne
J
Grandfather Home for Children, Banner Elk, North Carolina, USA. J.McKee@grandfatherhome.org
Storrs
Jodi
J
Humphrey
Stewart
S
D000293:Adolescent; D001363:Awards and Prizes; D002648:Child; D003153:Community Health Services; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D005581:Foster Home Care / Q000379:methods*; D016304:Hospitals, Private; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D008605:Mental Health Services; D009657:North Carolina; D009936:Organizational Innovation