By ANNA ROSSOW
Capital News Service
LANSING – Fewer children are entering the Michigan foster care system despite the number of reports of child abuse the state receives remaining the same.
That results from the Department of Health and Human Services implementation of prevention and intervention support services for families, officials say.
In 2023, department Director Elizabeth Hertel unveiled its Keeping Kids Safe action agenda, a plan of more than 20 policies and protocols to ensure the safety of children. That agenda highlights five categories: prevention, intervention, stability, wellness and workforce.
Demetrius Starling, the deputy director of the department’s Children’s Services Administration, said the department tries to keep children in their family home whenever possible, as long as it is safe.
The agenda’s protocols are a large part of this mission, he said.
“We’re working with police, judges, legislators and other partners who are all dedicated to incorporating not only the voices of our youth and families with lived expertise, but also looking at ways that we can provide different investments to ensure our kid’s protection in their homes,” said Starling.
That includes family resource centers and support for families applying for economic assistance.
Starling said the department is trying to ensure families can access adequate food, housing and utilities.
According to the National Children’s Alliance, one in four girls and one in 13 boys experience abuse in the United States. Abuse can cause depression and anxiety, as well as behavioral changes, such as substance abuse and an increased risk for violence, the Washington, D.C.-based organization says.
Starling said the number of abuse complaints his agency receives has “plateaued.”
However, with new services provided under the agenda’s protocol, the number of complaints assigned for investigation decreased.
“Back in 2014, we had around 151,000 complaints, with only 83,000 that were assigned for actual investigation,” Starling said. “And in fiscal year 2024 so far, we’ve had over 165,000 complaints that have come into our centralized intake unit, but just below 68,000 that were assigned for investigation.”
Complaints are calls about allegations of child abuse, while intakes are instances when children need to be removed from their homes.
Starling also said the number of children in foster care dropped from 19,000 in 2008 to 10,000 now.
“This decrease reflects our department’s focus on providing some really profound prevention services for families in their homes, to keep children safe with their families when appropriate,” Starling said.
The process of reporting a situation where a child is at risk for abuse or neglect begins with calling the Centralized Intake Unit. The unit covers all 83 counties in Michigan
Starling said neglect complaints are often made because a family lacks access to certain resources. They may include finances or mental health services.
Lynn Sutfin, the public information officer at Health and Human Services, said the Centralized Intake Unit receives about 254,000 calls a year, with around 229,000 intakes or investigations.
She said that the unit then screens the complaint for possible investigation based on the Child Protection Law. If the referral meets the criteria for an investigation, the case will be assigned to the appropriate county office.
If it is found a child is being abused or neglected but is not at immediate risk, the agency will open a Children’s Protective Services case to assist the family, she said.
“There is also a prevention pathway available for those families that may not meet the criteria for a screened-in investigation but could use some community resources,” said Sutfin
According to data from the department, Wayne County has seen the most removals from a home between 2021-24, totaling 4,399. Of those children, 2,098 were 0-4 years old. The data shows that children 0-4 years old are the most at-risk age group.
The data also shows that children aged 15-17 had the fewest removals.
Starling said the department takes measures to ensure the safety of foster homes when children are removed from their family home.
That includes ensuring that the home prioritizes a child’s safety, making sure that foster families have everything they need and conducting thorough background checks.
“They’re placed in a place that we believe that can assure their safety and well-being until that child is able to be reintegrated back into their home, which is our first and most paramount plan,” said Starling.
“We don’t look at foster homes and foster care as long-term plans and objectives for those youth,” Starling said.
Reunification is one major goal of the foster care system, he said, and part of the reunification process is ensuring the family home is safe for a child to return to.
“The department has a heavy focus on our keeping kids safe agenda, which we believe is a proactive step to further enhance the safety and well-being of our children across the state,” Starling said.