Children and Family Futures offers training and technical assistance to help systems work together in the implementation of screening and assessment protocols. We support tribes, states, counties, and community agencies to determine of appropriate tools to assist in the successful engagement and retention of families in services that lead to positive treatment outcomes.

Research findings and practical experience have established that no single checklist yields the necessary information caseworkers need to make decisions about child safety. Rather, an array of screening instruments and practice principles have been identified that can provide timely information to guide safety decisions. The use of universal screening, multi-dimensional assessment, therapeutic use of drug testing, and strong cross-system collaboration means that families are more engaged in services, enter treatment faster, receive a wide range of needed supports, remain in treatment longer, and are more likely to avoid removal of their children or reunify more quickly when removal does occur.