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Study Shows Contact with CPS Too High and Disproportionate by Race and Ethnicity

A recent report from the Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences found that for many children in the United States, especially Black children, encounters with the child welfare system are commonplace. The study looked at the prevalence of contact with Child Protective Services (CPS) across the 20 most populous counties in the U.S., including Maricopa County. The peer-reviewed study found that contact with Child Protective Services is much more common than previously thought.

  • 1 in 3 children will ever have a CPS investigation,
  • 1 in 8 will ever experience confirmed maltreatment
  • 1 in 17 will ever be placed in foster care, and
  • 1 in 100 will ever have parental rights terminated

The study also found that the risk of CPS contact was unequally distributed by race and ethnicity. Black children had consistently higher rates of investigations. Including Maricopa County, Black children had risks of investigation that exceeded 60%. Black children also experienced very high rates of later-stage involvement in nearly all counties. Rates routinely exceeded 20% for confirmed maltreatment, 10% for foster care placement, and 2% for termination of parental rights. Maricopa County was cited as having comparatively extreme rates of foster care placement and termination of parental rights for all children, leading to very high rates of both events for all racial and ethnic groups except Asian/Pacific Islanders. The county had the second-highest risk rate for placement in foster care and the highest risk for terminating the parental rights of Black children.

Learn more about racial and ethnic disproportionality in Arizona’s child welfare system.

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Statement: Congress Turns Its Back on Families with Harmful Budget Bill

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives provided final passage of the federal budget bill, ushering in the largest cuts to health care and food assistance in our nation’s history. A statement from our Executive Director, January Contreras: “Just as economic uncertainty is rising, Congress is pulling…

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Congress is Voting on a Budget and Your Voice is Needed

The federal budget bill is moving through Congress, bringing threats to the health and safety of children and families. This bill cuts billions from health care coverage and food assistance without acknowledging the true consequences of these cuts. This is simply going too far, too fast.  Make…

Children and Family Victories this Legislative Session and in the Arizona Budget

Arizona’s Governor and a bipartisan group of legislators came together to pass the state budget, which starts on July 1. The Arizona State Legislature also ended the legislative session. Children’s Action Alliance (CAA) applauds Arizona’s investment in early childhood, education, health, and family…