Arizona Department of Child Safety—Department Should Adopt Common Implementation Practices from Other Jurisdictions As It Moves Forward with Implementing a New Differential Response System

This report addresses the use of a differential response system and set screening criteria to manage reports of child abuse and neglect. A differential response system provides a method other than investigation for responding to child abuse and neglect reports through the provision of family services. Arizona formerly used a differential response system called Family Builders that ended in 2004. Under legislative direction, the Arizona Department of Child Safety (Department) developed recommendations in 2015 for implementing a new differential response system. As it moves forward, the Department should continue working with the Legislature to develop statutory changes allowing for differential response. It should also adopt common practices other jurisdictions have used to implement their differential response systems.