Walter R. McDonald & Associates Inc.(WRMA)'s greatest strength is the extensive hands-on, nationwide experience of its senior professional staff, and the resulting, exceptionally high quality managerial and technical consulting services that these professionals are able to provide.

National Study of Child Protective Services Systems and Reform Efforts   The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation in the Department of Health and Human Services, in cooperation with the Children's Bureau of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, has contracted with WRMA to direct a study of State and county child protective services (CPS) systems. The study is designed to inform the Federal Government about the current structure and landscape of CPS systems and operations in the United States and what system improvements are underway, laying the groundwork for possible future activities in this area. The two-year study has five components: phone and mail surveys of State agencies and local CPS departments on the administration and delivery of CPS services; analysis of State laws and policy documents; site visits to local communities to gather in-depth information; preparation of a "white paper" on CPS systems improvements; and convening a symposium on CPS. A final paper will synthesize the results of all project activities. To date, the WRMA project team has completed the literature review of state laws and policies, written the data collection plan, created the data collection instrumentation, and completed data collection from a national survey of 383 counties with over 80 percent response. The project team has also made site visits to a select number of communities, completed development of the study's analytical plan, and started the analysis of data from the various data collection activities. Subcontractors to WRMA in this effort include the American Humane Association (AHA), Westat, Inc., and KRA, Inc. The study will be completed by winter 2002.

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