Eckerd Rapid Safety Feedback®

Eckerd Connects’ Eckerd Rapid Safety Feedback^®  (ERSF) was developed to stem the tide of child abuse deaths in Hillsborough County, Florida after an unprecedented nine child homicides in less than three years under the previous system of care operator.

Eckerd Connects, already the lead agency in Pasco and Pinellas counties, competed and was selected to be the lead agency of Hillsborough in 2012. Eckerd Connects then conducted a 100 percent review of the 1,500 open in-home and out-of-home child welfare cases in the county, as well as extensive research on the nine abuse death cases. From this review, Eckerd Connects identified common risk factors seen in highest risk situations, as well as critical case practice issues that, when completed to standard, could reduce the probability of serious injury or death.

Since then, Eckerd Rapid Safety Feedback^® has been recognized for its success by organizations such as the US Federal Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities and the House Ways and Means Human Resources Subcommittee. Eckerd Connects is available to consult with state and county child welfare systems on ways to replicate Eckerd Rapid Safety Feedback^® for their location.

How it Works

Each of the high probability cases is reviewed by Eckerd Connects quality assurance staff utilizing the Eckerd Rapid Safety Feedback^® tool, which focuses on critical case practices. Eckerd Connects uses a technology company, Mindshare, to provide software that produces real time data and agency performance dashboards.

“Eckerd (Connects) has led the way in using data to better protect children, and I am encouraged that more states are doing the same.” Chairman Vern Buchanan, House Ways and Means Human Resources Subcommittee

High risk cases are reviewed quarterly until case closure, removal of the children from the home, or when the youngest child turns three. If any safety concerns are identified during the review, Eckerd Connects quality assurance staff meets with the case manager and supervisor within one business day to develop a plan to ensure any safety concerns are quickly mitigated and to provide immediate coaching and support for case management staff. Agreed upon tasks are then tracked to completion by Eckerd Connects quality staff using an automated process that ensures accountability.

Improvements in practice from the first three years of implementation include:

•  36% improvement in the sharing of critical case information among the various providers (mental health, substance abuse, domestic violence and others) that are assisting the family in the completion of their case plan. This information is used to document the extent of positive behavior change in the family, necessary to ensure child safety.
• 35% improvement in the effectiveness of supervisory reviews and follow-up by case managers on critical tasks that need to be completed, such as safety plans, home studies, and collateral contacts with case stakeholders.
• 25% improvement in the effectiveness of safety plans. For example, plans are more actionable, verifiable and less reliant on parental promises of changed behaviors.
• 22% improvement in the quality of the contacts that case managers have with the families and their children. For example, discussions are focused on real case issues and behavior changes the family is making.

National Recognition

Eckerd Rapid Safety Feedback^® is being recognized nationally for its promising results:

• In 2020, The Global Center for Nonprofit Excellence selected Eckerd Connects as the first recipient of the Nonprofit Excellence Award for Eckerd Connects’ Eckerd Rapid Safety Feedback® minimizing child abuse deaths in the foster care system.
• In 2016, Eckerd Connects, formerly Eckerd Kids, testified in front of the US House of Representatives Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Resources.
• Eckerd Rapid Safety Feedback^® has been nationally recognized by the US Federal Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities (CECANF). Download their Report.
• Eckerd Connects has been invited to present information about Eckerd Rapid Safety Feedback^® by national child welfare entities such as Casey Family Programs, Child Welfare League of America, The American Enterprise Institute and the National Association of Social Workers.
• Since 2014, the program has been noted in multiple publications such as The Chronicle of Social Change.
• Eckerd Rapid Safety Feedback^® has been identified as a best practice by the Los Angeles County’s Blue Ribbon Panel Commission on Child Protection.
• Eckerd Rapid Safety Feedback^® has been recognized as a leader by US Representative Vern Buchanan.

Replication Opportunities

Currently the states of New Hampshire, and Ohio are working with Eckerd Connects to develop a system-tailored approach to their child welfare and protection needs. Eckerd Connects can provide the Eckerd Rapid Safety Feedback^® System to your jurisdiction. This would include:

• The research necessary to identify the cases to be reviewed
• Identifying critical case practices that need to be performed to standard in the case to ensure child safety
• A technology solution provided by Mindshare under contract with Eckerd Connects to automatically select the cases and provide a data repository for the reviews and follow-up activities generated by the reviews
• Training for staff who will be executing the system
• Quarterly model fidelity reviews conducted by Eckerd Connects to ensure the system is being used properly

For more information please contact Suzanne Barlow at (727) 461-2990 or sbarlow@eckerd.org.