Barbara Needell, MSW, PhD Emily Putnam-Hornstein, MSW (lead author)

1. Predictors of Child Welfare Contact Between Birth and Age Five:An Examination of California’s 2002 Birth Cohort Barbara Needell, MSW, PhD Emily Putnam-Hornstein, MSW (lead author) Center for Social Services Research University of California at Berkeley The Performance Indicators Project is a collaboration of the California Department of Social Services and the University of California at Berkeley, and is supported by the California Department of Social Services and the Stuart Foundation Presentation designed by Bryn King

2. Using Birth Records (and other Administrative Data Sources) to Examine Opportunity and Equality • Birth records and other administrative datasets may contain valuable information—with variables that are associated with substantial differences in outcomes • Findings based on linkages of administrative data sources may assist in targeting vulnerable populations • The study presented today is an example of how linked administrative data can inform our work --what other data linkages might be useful?

3. California's 2002 Birth Cohort Study • Utilized population-level birth data to describe those children who may be at greatest risk of maltreatment during the first five years of life • Constructed a unique dataset by linking California’s administrative child welfare data to statewide vital birth records • Employed a cohort study design to track contacts with child protective services (CPS) for children born in 2002 • Analyzed twelve variables captured in the birth record to determine predictive capability for later CPS contact

4. Understanding the Variation Hidden Beneath Summary Data • Seeing the forest for the trees: • Of the 531,035 children born in California in 2002, 14% (N=74,182) were found to have been referred for possible maltreatment before age 5. • There was tremendous variation in rates of CPS contact among a number of birth variables, including: birth weight; level of prenatal care; maternal birth place, age and education; paternity information; Medi-Cal coverage; and race/ethnicity.

5. Rate of CPS Involvement:Birth Weight overall rate of 140/1,000

6. Rate of CPS Involvement:Prenatal Care overall rate of 140/1,000

7. Rate of CPS Involvement:Maternal Birth Place overall rate of 140/1,000

8. Rate of CPS Involvement:Maternal Age at Birth overall rate of 140/1,000

9. Rate of CPS Involvement:Maternal Education overall rate of 140/1,000

10. Rate of CPS Involvement:Paternity Information overall rate of 140/1,000

11. Rate of CPS Involvement:Medi-Cal Coverage at Birth overall rate of 140/1,000

12. Rate of CPS Involvement:Maternal Race / Ethnicity overall rate of 140/1,000

13. Risk of CPS Contact (and 95% CI) by Race and Medi-Cal Coverage at Birth

14. Conclusion • Summary statistics (e.g., 14% of California’s children are reported to CPS before age 5) can mask extraordinary important variation. • Strong interactions may occur among variables of interest (e.g., race and poverty). • We must dig below the surface, and be wary of “facts” that hide the information we really need to understand the populations we serve. • Birth records can be a useful source of information to view events and outcomes from a public health perspective.

15. Barbara Needell bneedell@berkeley.edu 510 290 6334 CSSR.BERKELEY.EDU/UCB_CHILDWELFARE