Invited Reaction Paper to Issues in Differential Response Timely and Needed Perspectives on Differential Response in Child Protective Services

This article is an invited commentary and analysis of the authors ’ completed systematic evaluation of Child Protective Services (CPS) differential response (DR) models. I write this commentary based on 25 years of public child welfare experience followed by 13 years as a social work professor and researcher. In their review of DR, the authors ’ identify critical and unresolved issues in DR implementation and program evaluation as well as recommendation to improve DR within CPS. In the course of the authors’ evaluation, they completed interviews with key informants in states that have implemented DR; an important contribution to CPS literature. Concepts, issues, and controversies in the DR literature are discussed in view of CPS practice models and history of policy making. Keywords child protective service, differential response, alternative response, child maltreatment The widespread recognition of need for and provision of Child Protective Services (CPS) began in New York with the 1884 Mary Ellen Wilson case. Each state established child welfare systems with services delivered through county offices. How-ever, it was not until the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatmen