No Contest
Young people have better outcomes with home and community-based services — and at a fraction of the cost of out-of-home placement.
This report, written with Maine’s policymakers in mind, delivers a clear charge to improve how the state supports youth, ages 14 to 25, who are involved in its child welfare or juvenile justice systems. It leverages national research to call for a full continuum of care — from prevention to reintegration — that offers cost-effective, community-based and rigorously evaluated services at every step. The goal? Help these youth successfully transition to adulthood — and thrive.
The good news? There’s a better way. National studies within both child welfare and youth justice services suggest that home and community-based programs are better for kids — and cost significantly less than residential or institutional options. These same studies recommend maximizing individualized, family-centered, community-based and data-informed interventions over out-of-home placement.