Massachusetts HD 5598: A communication the Juvenile Justice Policy and Data Board (see Section 89 of Chapter 119 of the General Laws) submitting its annual report, entitled: Improving Massachusetts' Child Requiring Assistance System

Bill Text

December 2022
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Juvenile Justice Policy and Data Board
https://www.mass.gov/juvenile-justice-policy-and-data-board

Improving Massachusetts'
Child Requiring Assistance
System
AN ASSESSMENT OF THE CURRENT SYSTEM AND
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT 10 YEARS POST
“CHINS” REFORM

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Table of Contents
Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 8
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 14
The Child Requiring Assistance (CRA) System ............................................................................................. 15
Children in Need of Services (CHINS) to CRA Legislative Reforms (2012) .................................................. 23
FY22 CRA Filings Data .................................................................................................................................. 24
Findings ....................................................................................................................................................... 30
Methodology ............................................................................................................................................... 30
Finding #1: The goals of the 2012 reforms to the CHINS system have not been fully realized .................. 33
Finding #2: There is no shared understanding of what the current CRA system is for, leading to
misinformation at every level ..................................................................................................................... 44
Finding #3: The system operates with significant differences in different parts of the state .................... 45
Finding #4: There are disparities in how the CRA system is used and who is referred to it ...................... 48
Finding #5: Barriers to accessing services outside the court process push families to the CRA system –
despite the potential harms of court involvement and limited response options available to the Juvenile
Court ........................................................................................................................................................... 51
Finding #6: The CRA process can be a helpful “fail safe” for families, including for youth with complex
needs that require multiple agency involvement ....................................................................................... 63
Finding #7: There is limited data from the CRA system that can be used to evaluate the system and
understand the needs of the youth in it ..................................................................................................... 65
Recommendations ...................................................................................................................................... 66
Establishing a CRA System Purpose ............................................................................................................ 67
Theme #1: Shift a Significant Portion of CRA Cases from the Court Room to the Community ............... 69
Recommendation #1: Expand the number and functions of Family Resource Centers across the state .. 69
Recommendation #2: Substantially increase diversion of cases from court to FRCs by revising the CRA
filing process ............................................................................................................................................... 72
Recommendation #3: Educate families and child-serving professionals about all options available for
support ........................................................................................................................................................ 76
Recommendation #4: Explicitly address sources of bias (both individual and systemic) that may be
leading to disproportionate referrals to the CRA system of certain demographics of youth, including
Black and Latino youth ................................................................................................................................ 77
Theme #2: Increase Availability of School and Community-Based Services that Specifically Meet the
Needs of Youth Currently in the CRA System ............................................................................................ 79
Recommendation #5: Support community-based programs aimed at supporting youths’ behavioral and
mental health needs, as well as those that promote prosocial activities .................................................. 79

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Recommendation #6: Executive branch agencies should collaborate to identify program models that
better meet the needs of youth struggling in out-of-home placements.................................................... 82
Recommendation #7: Address truancy by promoting effective student engagement practices that