Vol. 8, No. 1• November 2003
In Brief: North Carolina's Multiple Response System
What Is MRS?
It is the Multiple Response System, an effort to make child welfare services in North Carolina more family-centered, consistent, and effective. In MRS, county DSS’s focus on these key strategies:The Seven Strategies of MRS
- Strengths-based, structured intake process
- Choice of two approaches to reports of child abuse, neglect, or dependency
- Coordination between law enforcement agencies and child protective services for the investigative assessment approach
- Redesign of in-home family services
- Child and family team meetings*
- Shared parenting meetings*
- Collaboration between Work First and child welfare programs
*Involve foster parents most directly
The 51 MRS Counties
Since August 2002:
Alamance, Bladen, Buncombe, Caldwell, Craven, Franklin, Guilford, Mecklenburg, Nash, and Transylvania
Since September 2003:
Alexander, Ashe, Brunswick, Caswell, Catawba, Chatham, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Currituck, Davidson, Davie, Duplin, Durham, Gates, Graham, Halifax, Harnett, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Johnston, Lee, Lincoln, Macon, Martin, Moore, New Hanover, Orange, Pasquotank, Person, Polk, Scotland, Swain, Union, Wake, Warren, Watauga, Wilson, Yancey
Not yet part of MRS:
All other counties. MRS will be the standard in child welfare in all counties in 2005.To access a map of North Carolina depicting the MRS counties as of October 24, 2003, click here.
To Learn More, Look Online
<http://www.dhhs.state.nc.us/dss/childrensservices/mrs/index.htm>Copyright � 2003 Jordan Institute for Families
