Acceptability and effectiveness of Ohio <scp>START</scp> : A child welfare service delivery model

Abstract Objective This study aimed to explore the potential effects of a child welfare service delivery model called Ohio START (Sobriety, Treatment, And Reducing Trauma), a certified affiliate of the national START (Sobriety, Treatment, and Recovery Teams) model, which supports families through case closure. Background Few family‐based interventions targeting parental substance use disorder and child maltreatment among child welfare systems‐impacted families have been evaluated. Methods Participants ( N = 198) completed surveys on family protective factors (i.e., social support, concrete support, family functioning, parenting knowledge, attachment) and sociodemographics. Six to 12 months following pretest completion, parents completed the post‐START evaluation (i.e., duplicate surveys from enrollment, satisfaction survey [open−/closed‐ended items]). Results Descriptive statistics showed high levels of family protective factors pre‐ and post‐START. Paired‐samples t tests showed statistically significant increases in family functioning, t (74) = −2.09, p = .040, and total family protective factors post‐START compared with pre‐START, t (74) = −2.20, p = .031. However, no statistically significant increases were observed in other subscales. Thematic content analysis of open‐ended survey items revealed the following themes: concrete resources, positive relationships with staff, family reunification, and willingness to participate in START again. Conclusion Results suggest the potential for START to promote resilience among this population. Implications Findings have implications for further investment in family‐based models for this population that integrate peer supporters and use identified family strengths.