What is Multiple Response System?
MRS! Newsletter Issues
MRS Meeting Notes
North Carolina's MRS Evaluations and Reports
Evaluations and Studies from Other States
MRS County Resource Information
MRS Training Information

What is Multiple Response System?

North Carolina’s Multiple Response System (MRS) is the on-going effort to reform the entire continuum of child welfare services in our state, beginning with intake and continuing all the way through permanence. A visual representation of North Carolina’s Family Support and Child Welfare System can be viewed here.**

MRS (sometimes referred to as Alternative or Differential Response in other states) began as a pilot demonstration in 2002 in ten county Departments of Social Services: Alamance, Bladen, Buncombe, Caldwell, Craven, Franklin, Guilford, Nash, Mecklenburg, and Transylvania. In 2003 MRS was expanded to 42 additional counties and in January of 2006 MRS was taken statewide with the remaining 48 counties. A map showing MRS expansion in North Carolina’s county administered and state supervised system can be found here.**

North Carolina’s child welfare system reform is based upon the application of family centered principles of partnership used throughout the seven strategic components of MRS. Each of the seven strategies has the potential for tremendous impact on North Carolina’s child welfare system. To view a chart which thoroughly explains each of the strategies, how its applications are demonstrated, and its intended impact on North Carolina’s families and social work practice, click here.*

MRS! Newsletter Issues*
September 2005 
January 2006 
April 2006  
June 2006 
January 2007 
May 2007
July 2007
October 2007
January 2008

MRS Meeting Notes*

North Carolina's MRS Evaluations and Reports*

MRS Legislative Report
MRS Evaluation Report to the North Carolina Division of Social Services 2004
MRS Evaluation Report to the North Carolina Division of Social Services 2006
MRS Evaluation Pilot 10 Fact Sheets 2007

Evaluations and Studies from Other States*

Differential Response Improves Traditional Investigations in Missouri
Differential Response in Missouri After 5 Years - Final Report
Executive Summary of Minnesota's Final Alternative Response Evaluation
Minnesota's Final Alternative Response Evaluation
The Missouri Family Assessment and Response Demonstration Impact Evaluation
St. Louis Neighborhood Network Evaluation Report
Minnesota Alternative Response Evaluation
Minnesota Alternative Response Evaluation-Second Annual Report
Minnesota Alternative Response Evaluation-Executive Summary
Criminal Arrests Stemming from Child Abuse Investigations

MRS County Resource Information*
Practice Guidelines for Family-Centered Meetings*  
MRS in North Carolina: An Overview
MRS Users Guide 2.3
MRS Case Tracking Form
Children's Services Practice Notes© Article: Multiple Response and the Family-Centered Approach to Child Protective Services
Children's Services Practice Notes© Article: Forensic Interviewing and Child Welfare
Children's Services Practice Notes© Article: Child and Family Team Meetings in Child Welfare

MRS Training Information*
2006 MRS Policy Training **
MRS is System Reform; Key Strategies for Future of Child Welfare in North Carolina:Trainer's Guide
Cornerstone III Self-Study Guide for Family Assessment 
Training Matters© Article: The Family-Centered Approach
Training Matters© Article: Supporting Partnerships Between Birth and Foster Parents

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**These documents are in Powerpoint Slide Show format. If you do not have Powerpoint installed on your computer, you may download the free viewer at www.microsoft.com.