Multi-Disciplinary Diagnostic Program Offers Best Outcomes for Children and Families Determining what is the best possible outcome for children and families involved with the child welfare system may be one of the most difficult tasks anyone or any group of people may be challenged to do…but it can be done. It requires care, understanding, compassion, expertise, and intuition.  The Child Abuse Council’s Multi-Disciplinary Diagnostic Assessment Program, through its Multi-Disciplinary Diagnostic Team (Team) of independent professionals, makes it possible to achieve the best outcome for children and families involved with the child welfare systems in Iowa (DHS) and Illinois (DCFS). The program engages a local Team to assist referring caseworkers with service planning for families by conducting an independent and holistic psychosocial assessment. Each Team is comprised of community professionals - licensed social workers, clinical psychologists, the referring caseworker, and the program coordinator. The Team is uniquely formed based on the needs of the family and the specific concerns to be addressed. The Team is given the opportunity to meet with families in their own homes in order to observe and assess their interactions and lifestyles in the family’s most natural settings. Assessments also include clinical interviews and psychological testing for family members to acquire a sense of their individual personalities, level of functioning, mental health status, and/or parenting abilities. Once the objective assessments are completed, the Team meets to formulate a list of recommendations that provide the best possible outcomes for each family member and the family as a whole. A final report is then provided to the referral agent for use in making court recommendations for the family. The Multi-Disciplinary Diagnostic Assessment Program has been providing services for over twenty years and has been instrumental in the process of securing safe, healthy, and supportive futures for hundreds of Quad-city children. In addition, during the past three years, the Child Abuse Council has helped two out-of-state families, who were connected to families within our community. An example of how the Team supported these efforts was when the program was given the opportunity to provide assessments for two school aged children from Washington, who were temporarily living with their paternal grandfather in Knox County. Acting on behalf of the Department of Social and Health Services, Division of Children and Family Services for the State of Washington, our Team was asked to assess the grandparents and the children in order to make recommendations for permanency for the children. The Team concluded that the children’s safety and well-being could best be served in their grandparents’ home. The information included in the assessment report provided the State of Washington with the necessary tools to move forward with adoption and permanency for the children.  The Team also contributed in securing a positive outcome for a couple from Henry County, who were in the process of welcoming into their home three young cousins. The children had visited this area throughout their lives. The State of Utah Division of Child and Family Services asked the Team to establish if the couple’s home would be an appropriate new home for the children’s needs for stability, safety, and well-being. Although only involved with the couple, it resulted in a positive outcome for everyone.  The Child Abuse Council is proud to provide this unique program that positively impacts children’s journeys toward a future of love, acceptance, happiness and safety. For more information on the Child Abuse Council’s Multi-Disciplinary Diagnostic Assessment Program please the contact Child Abuse Council at 309-764-7017.