Background
On July 13, 2021, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors passed a motion authored by Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell to pilot blind removal.
Supervisor Mitchell stated, “This pilot and this whole conversation may be uncomfortable for some. However, from my perspective, the data compels us to seek out every practice that will help us guard against bias and, ultimately, the overrepresentation of children of color in our child welfare system."
Purpose
Blind Removal aims to reduce racial disproportionality by removing racial demographics from the removal decision-making process after an investigation of alleged child abuse or neglect.
Family separation dates back to the extensive period of slavery, from 1619 to 1865. Many Black families continue to feel the threat of separation today vis-a-vis the child welfare system. Consider the history, context, and intersectionality of the child welfare system and its impact on communities and families of color. This system and its professionals are often acting in response to the persistent consequences of racial injustice and structural inequality.
Findings
Study findings describe blind removal implementation in two DCFS regional offices, West Los Angeles (West LA) and Compton-Carson.
Implementing blind removal revealed how race plays a role in decision making. The structure of blind removal coupled with increased awareness of race in decision making catalyzed practice changes.
Descriptive analyses of administrative data demonstrate that Child Protection Hotline referrals to both offices declined over a five-year three-month period but racial disproportionality persisted, particularly for Black children and their families.
Parallel analyses showed that fewer children were removed from their families by each office over the same period, yet racial disproportionality persisted with Black children overrepresented in removals in both offices and Latinx children overrepresented in the West LA office during most quarters.
Recommendations
We reiterate many of the recommended and overdue reforms outlined in the 2021 Path to Racial Equity report authored by Alliance for Children’s Rights.
1) Promote Upstream Enhancements Targeting the Root Cause
2) Dedicate Resources to Cultural Transformation
3) Implement Widespread Evaluation of Existing and Prospective Racial Equity Efforts
Disproportionality remains a prominent feature of the Los Angeles County child welfare system. This reality is exacerbated by the countless disproportionate harms impacting Black individuals, families and communities across this country due to systemic racism and intersectional harms. By implementing the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors’ directive to pilot blind removal, DCFS took novel and bold steps to document its internal processes and chart a new course for Black families involved with the child welfare system. These efforts build on past and present efforts, such as ERDD and SAFE Reductions (4DX), in addition to mandatory supporting and the Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI) Initiative in LA County.
Event Videos
On March 8, 2024, the UCLA Pritzker Center for Strengthening Children and Families hosted a gathering at Mudtown Farms operated by the Watts Labor Community Action Committee (WLCAC) to announce the release of our report, Beyond Blind Removal. Special thank you to Los Angeles County 2nd District Supervisor, Holly J. Mitchell, Brandon Nichols, Dr. D'Artagnan Scorza, Dr. Tamara Hunter, and Dr. Tyrone Howard for sharing insights on racial disproportionality in foster care.
There is more work to be done. It demands color consciousness and the collective willingness to operate an anti-racist child welfare system that is culturally transformed through colossal shifts in practice and in policy. In closing, the work requires that we collect the lessons learned herein and continue to make changes that go well beyond blind removal.