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Comprehensive Assessment Tool (CAT)

Scientific Rating:
NR
Not able to be Rated
See scale of 1-5
Child Welfare Relevance Rating:
NR
Not able to be Rated
See scale of 1-3

Note: The CAT program was not responsive to the CEBC's inquiry. The following information was obtained from publicly available sources.

Brief Description

The Comprehensive Assessment Tool (CAT) program has been reviewed by the CEBC in the area of: Casework Practice, but lacks the necessary research evidence to be given either a Scientific Rating or a Child Welfare Relevance Rating.

  • Child Welfare Outcomes: Not Specified
  • Types of Maltreatment: Does not target any specific kind of maltreatment
  • Target Population: Not Specified

The Comprehensive Assessment Tool (CAT) is an assessment system consisting of tools for supporting risk management by child welfare caseworkers. The assessment tools cover response determination, initial safety and referral, placement, continuing services and case closure. Users can upload completed forms to a secure website. The developer provides analysis of the measures and reports to aid caseworkers in making decisions and also offers training and technical assistance. The CAT is designed to be implemented on a countywide basis.

Education and Training Resources

Publicly available information indicates there is some training available for this program.
See contact info below.

Training Contact:
  • Jonathan Wilwerding, Research Associate
    Sphere Institute
    phone: (650) 558-3980

Relevant Published, Peer-Reviewed Research

This program has been reviewed and it was determined that this program lacks the type of published, peer-reviewed research that meets the CEBC criteria for a scientific rating of 1 – 5. Therefore, the program has been given the classification of "NR - Not able to be Rated." It was reviewed because it was identified by the topic expert as a program being used in the field, or it is being marketed and/or used in California with children receiving services from child welfare or related systems and their parents/caregivers. Some programs that are not rated may have published, peer-reviewed research that does not meet the above stated criteria or may have eligible studies that have not yet been published in the peer-reviewed literature. For more information on the "NR - Not able to be Rated" classification, please see the Scientific Rating Scale.

Currently, there are no published, peer-reviewed research studies for Comprehensive Assessment Tool (CAT).

References

Bagdasarian, S., Furman, W., & Franke, T. (2008). Implementing California's Differential Response model in small counties. Protecting Children, 23(1/2), 40-56.

Contact Information

Name: Jonathan Wilwerding
Agency/Affiliation: Sphere Institute
Website: www.sphereinstitute.org/cat.html
Email:
Phone: (650) 558-3980

Date Reviewed: June 2009