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Problems, options, and costs
Appendix 2 Problems, Options, and Costs
As suggested in our brief comment following Chapter 4, we are well aware that it would be most helpful to be able to put a dollar price on each on the major new delivery options and variations, or at least to clarify the extent to which state expenditure levels account for the differences in coping pictures. All of this would need to be controlled in some way for cost levels and for severity and scale of the problems faced in the various jurisdictions. We noted that the lack of comprehensive national caseload and expenditure data systems, indeed even the lack of standardized definitions, precluded such analysis short of engaging in a major and special study with that goal. Such study would also need to take account of the differences in private sector resources in the jurisdictions compared and of the differences in missions and boundaries of the various human service programs from place to place. We offer below one table which compares the jurisdictions discussed by per capita public child welfare expenditures (state/local/federal). This table refers to estimates in a survey from the American Public Welfare Association of 1985 expenditures for six child welfare services - as defined and classified in the states. The services include: adoption, substitute care, protective services, services for juvenile delinquents, pregnancy and parenting services for young adults. These estimates have been corrected and supplemented by researchers in an effort to achieve comparability and completeness.
173
174
Kamerman and Kahn
The national expenditure distributed as follows:
totals estimated
Substitute Care Protective Services Adoption Preventive Services Juvenile Services Pregnancy and Parenting
for 1985 are $4.5 billion,
53% 25% 6% 10% 5% 1%
The population data for all but four of the jurisdictions listed are from the APWA report; the remainder are from the Census Bureau. We have Despite all the necessary caveats, calculated the per capita expenditures. the latter are intuitively correct; they are consistent with our own assessments of how problems, state funding capacity, voluntary sector roles, and political will converge in the visible public policy. While not unrelated to wealth, (see the Baseline Data table) these expenditures clearly also reflect problem levels and public commitment, as well. States generous in one area, tend to be in another. But results may reflect population and population diversity as much as expenditures (infant mortality?).
Appendix 2
175
Per Capita Federal, State and Local Child Welfare Service Expenditures, 1985*
Massachusetts Minnesota Florida Maryland New York California Arizona Colorado Washington Texas Michigan Source:
Estimated Total Expenditures $15 1,800,000 110,600,OOO 74,383,OOO 63,93 1,296 8 15,200,OOO 596,600,OOO 22.782.737 69,123,751 44,648,608 101,153,000 339,600,OOO
96 of All
Federal Expenditures 3.6 2.6 1.8 1.5 19.0 14.0 0.5 1.7 1.1 2.4 8.0
# Children under 18 (1984) 1.365.000 1,125,OOO 2,585,OOO 1.106,OOO 4,400,000 6,834,OOO 841,000 851,000 1,140,000 4,811,OOO 2,469,OOO
Data from American Public Welfare Association, Analysis
Expenditure
Dara and Child Care Expenditure
Data:
1988). See text for other sources and full explanation.
Phase II Reporr.
Per Capita $111.2 98.3 28.8 57.8 185.3 87.3 27.1 81.2 39.2 21.0 137.5 of Child
Welfare
(Washington, D.C.:
176
Kamerman
and Kahn
Baseline Data for Jurisdictions Discussed As Calculated by Center on Budget and Policy Priorities*
Massachusetts. Minnesota Florida Maryland New York. California Arizona Colorado Washington Texas Michigan Median Stute
Adequacy of State Safety Net 9 9 2 5 8 8 2 2 6 0 8
1985 Poverty Rate Rank
Per Capita Income Benefit For 3 (1987)
9.3 12.6 13.4 8.7 15.8 13.6 10.7 10.3 12.0 15.9 14.5
5 15 20 8 6 7 31 12 18 27 21
Maximum Monthly AFDC As % of Medicaid 3-Person Elig Poverty Line Limit
$510 $532
$264 $359 $497 $633 $293 $346 $492 $184 $427 $359
87.1 93.8 47.5 55.2 81.6 112.5 53.0 55.7 76.1 35.3 71.4
Infant Mortality Rate
9.1 8.8 11.3 11.9 10.8 9.5 9.7 9.4 10.7 9.8 11.4
Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Holes in the Safety Net (Washington, D.C.: 1988). Adeyuucy is the sum total of categories which meet minimal standards.
As suggested in our brief comment following Chapter 4, we are well aware that it would be most helpful to be able to put a dollar price on each on the major new delivery options and variations, or at least to clarify the extent to which state expenditure levels account for the differences in coping pictures. All of this would need to be controlled in some way for cost levels and for severity and scale of the problems faced in the various jurisdictions. We noted that the lack of comprehensive national caseload and expenditure data systems, indeed even the lack of standardized definitions, precluded such analysis short of engaging in a major and special study with that goal. Such study would also need to take account of the differences in private sector resources in the jurisdictions compared and of the differences in missions and boundaries of the various human service programs from place to place. We offer below one table which compares the jurisdictions discussed by per capita public child welfare expenditures (state/local/federal). This table refers to estimates in a survey from the American Public Welfare Association of 1985 expenditures for six child welfare services - as defined and classified in the states. The services include: adoption, substitute care, protective services, services for juvenile delinquents, pregnancy and parenting services for young adults. These estimates have been corrected and supplemented by researchers in an effort to achieve comparability and completeness.
173
174
Kamerman and Kahn
The national expenditure distributed as follows:
totals estimated
Substitute Care Protective Services Adoption Preventive Services Juvenile Services Pregnancy and Parenting
for 1985 are $4.5 billion,
53% 25% 6% 10% 5% 1%
The population data for all but four of the jurisdictions listed are from the APWA report; the remainder are from the Census Bureau. We have Despite all the necessary caveats, calculated the per capita expenditures. the latter are intuitively correct; they are consistent with our own assessments of how problems, state funding capacity, voluntary sector roles, and political will converge in the visible public policy. While not unrelated to wealth, (see the Baseline Data table) these expenditures clearly also reflect problem levels and public commitment, as well. States generous in one area, tend to be in another. But results may reflect population and population diversity as much as expenditures (infant mortality?).
Appendix 2
175
Per Capita Federal, State and Local Child Welfare Service Expenditures, 1985*
Massachusetts Minnesota Florida Maryland New York California Arizona Colorado Washington Texas Michigan Source:
Estimated Total Expenditures $15 1,800,000 110,600,OOO 74,383,OOO 63,93 1,296 8 15,200,OOO 596,600,OOO 22.782.737 69,123,751 44,648,608 101,153,000 339,600,OOO
96 of All
Federal Expenditures 3.6 2.6 1.8 1.5 19.0 14.0 0.5 1.7 1.1 2.4 8.0
# Children under 18 (1984) 1.365.000 1,125,OOO 2,585,OOO 1.106,OOO 4,400,000 6,834,OOO 841,000 851,000 1,140,000 4,811,OOO 2,469,OOO
Data from American Public Welfare Association, Analysis
Expenditure
Dara and Child Care Expenditure
Data:
1988). See text for other sources and full explanation.
Phase II Reporr.
Per Capita $111.2 98.3 28.8 57.8 185.3 87.3 27.1 81.2 39.2 21.0 137.5 of Child
Welfare
(Washington, D.C.:
176
Kamerman
and Kahn
Baseline Data for Jurisdictions Discussed As Calculated by Center on Budget and Policy Priorities*
Massachusetts. Minnesota Florida Maryland New York. California Arizona Colorado Washington Texas Michigan Median Stute
Adequacy of State Safety Net 9 9 2 5 8 8 2 2 6 0 8
1985 Poverty Rate Rank
Per Capita Income Benefit For 3 (1987)
9.3 12.6 13.4 8.7 15.8 13.6 10.7 10.3 12.0 15.9 14.5
5 15 20 8 6 7 31 12 18 27 21
Maximum Monthly AFDC As % of Medicaid 3-Person Elig Poverty Line Limit
$510 $532
$264 $359 $497 $633 $293 $346 $492 $184 $427 $359
87.1 93.8 47.5 55.2 81.6 112.5 53.0 55.7 76.1 35.3 71.4
Infant Mortality Rate
9.1 8.8 11.3 11.9 10.8 9.5 9.7 9.4 10.7 9.8 11.4
Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Holes in the Safety Net (Washington, D.C.: 1988). Adeyuucy is the sum total of categories which meet minimal standards.