As a result of a federal “needs improvement” rating for placing children in foster care with relatives, Virginia’s family court sought a solution to better identify key people and relationships in a child’s life. 

The rating, assessed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, led Virginia’s Court Improvement Program team to explore innovative strategies to help children in care achieve permanency and maintain lifelong connections.

Innovative Approach

Virginia partnered with RedMane to implement the mCase Genogram solution, part of the mCase Child Welfare suite.  The Genogram module is a powerful interactive tool running on laptop and tablets that supports judges, Guardian ad Litem, and social workers in increasing permanency for children in foster care. 

The implementation was a joint initiative between Virginia’s Court Improvement Program and the Commonwealth’s Department of Social Services to increase kinship care placements for children at risk of entering foster care and for those children in foster care.   

The Genogram module allows workers to collaborate with clients in gathering critical information and understanding relationship dynamics and behavioral patterns impacting families and children from achieving case plan goals.

Better Outcomes

With the mCase’s Genogram, Virginia’s workers efficiently capture and securely share with judges the information necessary for making appropriate kinship placements. The ability to consistently capture relative information statewide:

• Minimizes trauma to children
• Improves children’s well-being
• Increases permanency for children
• Improves behavioral and mental health outcomes
• Promotes sibling ties
• Provides a bridge for older youth
• Preserves children’s cultural identity and community connections.

The result is better outcomes for children who need it most.