Out-Of-Home Care Referrals Up 41% In Southern Florida; Assessment Recommends System Changes To Respond

Between May 2013 and July 2014, the number of children entering the child welfare system in Florida’s Southern Region (encompassing Miami-Dade and Monroe counties) increased by 41%, from 1.02 per 100 investigations in May 2013 to 12.75 per 100 investigations in July 2014. The resulting removal rate in the Southern Region has created much higher demand for in-home and out-of-home child welfare services compared to the statewide averages. In the Southern Region, the number of children receiving in-home services increased by 63% and the number receiving out-of-home care increased nearly . . .