NCJ Number
70838
Date Published
1980
Length
240 pages
Annotation
This report presents an evaluation of the Family Crisis Program in Nassau County, N.Y., which provides rehabilitative therapeutic services to families involved in violence.
Abstract
The Family Crisis Program is an outgrowth of the Child Abuse Community Centers Program which operated from 1974 to 1977 to provide service to abused and neglected children and their families in Nassau County. The program was designed to continue to serve the needs of the child protective services population, and additionally, to serve families involved in some other forms of family violence. The evaluation addressed the following main issues: comparison of problems and service needs between child protective services clients and those involved in other forms of family violence; history of the projects, descriptions of the operations and services, and illustrative case histories; and analysis of the cost-effectiveness of specialized service delivery to child protective services clients. The report found that the major contributory problems and implied service needs of child abuse and neglect families are essentially the same as those involved in other forms of violence (spouse abuse and parent abuse). The program is seen as a major source of services for cases involving sexual abuse since 14 percent of referrals to the projects involve sexual abuse, and 20 percent of the referred clients are diagnosed as having a severe psychiatric disorder. In addition, effective interagency communication is lacking. This situation has contributed to a lack of mutual understanding of agency orientation, pressures and problems; a lack of exploration of common goals; and a lack of clarification concerning specific responsibilities. Footnotes, tables, and a bibliography of 14 references are provided. Letters, data collection forms, interview guides, and coding formats are appended. (Author abstract modified)