Casey Family Programs provides a range of implementation, information synthesis, data analytic, research and evaluation services to public child welfare systems and leaders intended to support decision-making, bolster system integration, build capacity and support sustainability. These efforts help child welfare professionals improve their programs and practices. Our staff provide in-depth analyses and information on both new and established practices and policies by engaging in the work directly, supporting jurisdiction staff engaging in the work, and connecting jurisdictions to local universities and other foundations who can help support their work.

Casey Family Programs also manages a Human Subjects Review Committee (HSRC) process, which provides broad oversight, resources and education around risk and compliance issues relating to all research, evaluation and related activities involving the collection and use of information from human participants.

Research Services

Our Research Services team focuses on evaluating strategies around safely reducing the need for foster care; improving the education, employment and mental health outcomes of youth in foster care; supporting communities in which vulnerable families reside; and building jurisdictional evaluation capacity to support continuous improvement and reform. We do this through evaluating specific interventions, programs, policy changes and system reform initiatives; synthesizing knowledge about best practices from research findings; conducting analyses of existing national and state databases; developing and evaluating measurement tools for use in child welfare research and practice; and disseminating research findings to policymakers, agency leaders, practitioners, parents, youth and alumni of foster care.

Learn more about this work by exploring our research reports.

Data Advocacy

Our Data Advocacy team works with child welfare systems to build capacity to use data to drive prioritization and decision-making. The team analyzes data to track progress and drive change in child welfare outcomes.  It also provides analyses to support all aspects of Casey Family Programs’ consulting, direct service, and policy work. Our staff consult with states interested in improving the use of data through improved reporting and visualizations, performance monitoring, increased technical capacity, and use of advanced analytic techniques to identify barriers to system improvements.

Knowledge Management

Casey Family Programs’ Knowledge Management team partners with internal and external experts from across the country to summarize, analyze, and make accessible child welfare knowledge and innovation. We also share insights, strategies and experiences of child welfare leaders and create user-friendly, action-oriented resources to inspire innovation, adaptation and spread.

Explore our responses to child welfare leaders’ Questions from the Field.

Technical Assistance Unit

Our Technical Assistance Unit engages with state and county child welfare jurisdictions to support improvements in their systems. The team provides a comprehensive, culturally responsive and outcomes-driven array of support and services, including consultation, leadership support, coaching, capacity-building, and adaptation and development of tools that enhance practice and policy.