Rebecca Goodvin, Marna Miller - December 2017

The 2016 Washington State Legislature directed WSIPP to evaluate the “impact and cost effectiveness” of the hub home model. The hub home model (HHM), developed by The Mockingbird Society, is an approach to licensed foster care delivery wherein an experienced foster “hub home” provides activities, support, and respite care for a group or “constellation” of nearby foster homes. The Mockingbird Society has operated Washington’s only hub home program, frequently referred to as the Mockingbird Family Model, on a small scale since 2004.

WSIPP was directed to evaluate effects of the HHM on children’s safety, placement stability, and permanency, and—if possible—to address sibling connections and caregiver retention. In this final report, we evaluate these outcomes directed by law, as well as an additional outcome: runaways from care.

An interim report was published in January 2017.

In January 2018, we updated our findings with a supplemental report on benefit-cost results, incorporating effects on a broader range of outcomes, such as high school completion, arrests, and behavioral health.

Rebecca Goodvin, Marna Miller - January 2017

The 2016 Washington State Legislature directed the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) to evaluate the “impact and cost effectiveness” of the hub home model. The hub home model, developed by The Mockingbird Society, is an approach to licensed foster care delivery where an experienced foster “hub home” provides activities and respite care for a group or “constellation” of nearby foster homes. The Mockingbird Society has operated Washington’s only hub home program, frequently referred to as the Mockingbird Family Model, on a small scale since 2004.

In this interim report, we briefly describe The Mockingbird Society’s hub home model operations in Washington State and outline our evaluation approach. A final report is due to the legislature by June 30, 2017. The study will include both an outcome evaluation and benefit-cost analysis to address the cost effectiveness of the hub home model in comparison to traditional foster care delivery.

Stephanie Lee, Steve Aos, Marna Miller - July 2008

The 2007 Washington Legislature directed the Institute to estimate whether “evidence-based” programs and policies can “reduce the likelihood of children entering and remaining in the child welfare system, including both prevention and intervention programs.” In this report, we study three basic questions: Is there evidence that specific programs “work” to improve these outcomes? If so, do benefits outweigh program costs? Finally, what would be the total net gain to Washington if these evidence-based programs were implemented more widely?

To answer these questions, we systematically reviewed the “what works” literature regarding programs and policies that affect child welfare outcomes. We then estimated the monetary value of the benefits, including factors such as reduced child welfare system expenditures, reduced costs to the victims of child maltreatment, improved educational and labor market performance, and reduced crime-related costs.

Stephanie Lee, Steve Aos, Marna Miller - May 2008

The 2007 Washington State Legislature directed the Washington State Institute for Public Policy to study evidence-based, cost-effective programs and policies to reduce the likelihood of children entering and remaining in the child welfare system, including both prevention and intervention programs.
The “bottom line” goal of the study is to provide the legislature with reliable estimates of the costs and benefits of prevention and intervention programs that are designed to reduce involvement in the child welfare system.

Stephanie Lee - January 2008

The 2007 Washington State Legislature directed the Institute to study programs and policies that show evidence of reduced involvement in the child welfare system. The study intends to provide the legislature with reliable estimates of the costs and benefits of evidence-based prevention and intervention programs; this update outlines our research steps.