The Center for the Study of Violence Against Children (CSVAC)

Comprehensive Assessment and
Training Services Project (CATS)

Overview

The Comprehensive Assessment and Training Services (CATS) project provides timely, multidimensional, comprehensive assessments of families and children identified by the Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) that meet specific eligibility criteria. This assessment provides an evaluation of the child and family strengths and vulnerabilities within five major domains: 1) family/social; 2) emotional/behavioral/psychological/physiological; 3) attachment; 4) life history/traumatic events; 5) developmental/cognitive/academic. For each of these domains, quantitative and qualitative data are gathered using overlapping methodologies; structured observations, structured interviews, psychometric testing and a content analysis of the medical, legal and DCBS record. A multidisciplinary team of psychiatrists, pediatricians, social workers and psychiatric nurses then synthesizes the data into findings, conclusions and recommendations. The final evaluation is distributed to the DCBS worker and the judge who has jurisdiction of the case prior to the dispositional hearing.

Once the report is completed, CATS and others identified by the service region administrators oversee the initial implementation of the recommendations, direct the initial treatment and assist in the development of the case plan. The CATS Clinic operates as a “living laboratory” where the latest assessment and treatment technology is tested and refined. The new technology is then transferred into the field to many different consumers. This may require significant training of the family members (biological, kinship care or adoptive) in addition to training the DCBS staff in how to continue to intervene in ways most likely to lead to stabilization and improvement of family. Training to meet the child and family needs is provided by CATS, DCBS and other regionally identified staff and partners. Individual and group therapy is provided to adoptive families and children that have been identified in the assessment process as having significant issues related to attachment and unresolved trauma.

Development of the CATS project

During Stage One, the principal investigators from the College of Social Work and the College of Medicine-Department of Psychiatry met with key persons from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS), Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, Family Care Center (Lexington), and other parties to develop the CATS Project mission and objectives. At this time, the members of the CATS team and CHFS traveled to innovative assessment clinics in Houston, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana and Chicago, Illinois to investigate benchmark programs. Key insights and approaches from these programs were brought back to Kentucky for analysis, discussion and the formulation of a mission statement and program goals.

Mission

The mission of the CATS project is to develop, implement and evaluate timely, comprehensive and multidimensional assessment and training services to assist the Cabinet for Health and Family Services in case planning.

Goals

The goals of the CATS project are:

To improve the timeliness of assessments
To improve the comprehensiveness of assessments
To improve quality of assessments by utilizing an analytical model of decision-making
To improve the utility of assessment data
To expedite the treatment process for at-risk children and their families
Develop a treatment protocol for adoptive parents and their children that targets problems with attachment
To enhance judicial decision-making via the provision of more complete data and specific recommendations for action.

Directions to the Clinic