1. Previous Assessments

2. Family Dynamics

3. Family Genograms

4. Support Systems

5. Community Involvement

6. Court Involvement

7. Outcomes

Aware that time was passing, Chip decided to proceed directly to the house. Not knowing the location of Silicone Boulevard, Chip switched the computer to the MAP function and located the street and house. The house's co-ordinates were entered into the car's traffic computer which was linked to the city's central information services. The Best Possible Route (BPR) was quickly identified given precise, current traffic conditions and Chip proceeded directly to the family's residence.

As he parked his old Chevy in front of the family's house, Chip noticed how unkempt the place was. The grass was sewn with weeds, the house needed a fresh coat of paint and the back yard was strewn with toys, car parts and old wooden skids.

Ascending the stairs, Chip sensed the outer shell of a system in decay. When father answered the door, Chip recognized him immediately from the picture supplied by the computer. This was Mr. Derks! Reluctantly, Mr. Derks invited him in and Chip reminded himself that some key features might have changed from the last contact and not to assume too much. The smell of alcohol drifted across the table as Mr. Derks belligerently recounted his last contact with the CAS. Chip remembered EMMA's warning about alcohol and his stomach knotted once again.

N1r. Derks refused to allow Chip to speak with Adam - the child who was reported abused. At the end of the table Mrs. Derks sat silently, staring at her husband with slow, glassy eyes. The children were huddled around the television, nervously glancing back to the kitchen as the voices raised and lowered. Father recounted how he has been off work for 8 months now, couldn't find a job and that the family had recently applied for social assistance. "The last thing I need now," Mr. Derks remarked threateningly, "is some nosey worker butting into my life!" With that, Mr. Derks shoved the kitchen table at the worker, temporarily pinning him against the wall. After several attempts to engage Mr. Derks cooperatively, it became evident that he was becoming more incensed and abusive. Chip silently triggered the alert sequence on his belt. Consumed by anger, Mr. Derks ordered Chip from the home and Chip returned to his car.

While in the car, Chip received a message from a local patrol car that they were on their way with P.C. Higgins and should arrive in about 8 minutes. Waiting in the car, Chip remembered about some recent police protocol changes and consulted (he PROTOCOL HELP SCREEN which indicated that P.C. Higgins would be in charge of this investigation because of his previous contacts with this family.

A second message arrived from Chip's supervisor, Deborah inquiring about his well-being and recommending use of the recently updated Bruise Database. Chip responded hurriedly, promising more detail once he had reconnected with the family. The police arrived with a good background knowledge of the family supplied by their information system and the file that was sent by Chip. Chip updated them and P.C. Higgins felt that Mr. Derks would respond to the police presence co-operatively, providing he hadn't consumed too much alcohol.

The police and Chip entered the home and P.C. Higgins managed to calm father down enough to allow access to Adam. Father claimed he had not hit Adam and that he didn't know what all the fuss was about. Chip spoke first with Adam to reassure him and then checked for any marks. Lifting his shirt revealed bruises and lacerations to his upper back. These marks had a straight, sharp edge to them. Chip explained his steps to. Adam and then took a picture of the bruises with a hand-held scanner. This scan was relayed to Chip's briefcase computer and Chip put on his eye monocle to review the results. The eye monocle utilized a HUD (Heads Up Display) display and presented the screen image as though it was floating in air. This allowed Chip to stay alert to the situation and operate the computer simultaneously. The Bruise Database was reviewed and matching completed. The computer responded with...

These are Type 4 bruises that have been caused by a semi-flexible material like soft wood or leather. Thc size of the bruises and the sharp edge detail indicates an 85% probability of the instrument being a LEATHER STRAP.

Chip presented this information to the police who confronted father. Within five minutes father broke down and admitted to the beatings, agreeing to leave the home and stay with his brother until the situation was sorted out. The mother, although depressed, seemed somewhat relieved

at his decision. With permission, Chip called Aunt Cynthia who agreed to come over and assist mother.

Having examined the other children, Chip returned to his car, called up the familiar paperless forms on screen, loaded the existing relevant information and then inputted the new data. A completed copy of the required report was sent to the agency to reopen the case and a second, medical referral was transferred to Dr. Brown's system which assigned a high priority medical assessment appointment for Adam, that afternoon at 5:15 p.m. Chip recalled that during the interview with father Mr. Derks disclosed that he had a medical condition that Chip was not familiar with. Connecting to a medical database, Chip discovered that the condition is an allergy to alcohol with related symptoms of swelling, increased heartbeat, difficulty

breathing and possible mood swings. He noted this information in the record, hypothesized about its impact and sent a supplementary note to Dr. Brown.

While on the computer a reminder arrived concerning a 4:30 meeting at the agency. Chip was anxious to get back to the office to see the new people and renew old acquaintances. It seemed so rare now that he was offered a chance to return to home base. Chip recalled the stories of CA.S veterans who actually remember face-to-face meetings every week! A second message was received, this time from Cynthia his wife, who sounded very disturbed. It seems she had lost her 1D card for the car and had been searching for it all day Oops! Chip sent back a quick response to tell her to stop looking because he was fairly certain he knew where SHE put it. Chip smiled to himself, knowing that even with all this high tech wizardry, nothing has survival value like plain, old fashion instinct.

This scenario was originally developed for a workshop on computers in child welfare at the recent OACAS annual conference. It describes a situation that is quite plausible within the near future. Much of the hardware technology incorporated in this material is currently in existence. Advances in knowledge, engineering and software development in combination with increased

standardization and resources would be necessary to realize this scenario. The discriminating reader will recognize that not all these changes may be desirable. Information technology is a powerful force that offers both benefits and costs. As an example, advances in information technology may increase the isolation felt by some protection workers through reducing face-to-face collegial contact. Paradoxically; it will also increase the ability of workers to connect via computer with a staggering array of people and information.

Information technology may also affect organizational structures, flattening them somewhat, reducing middle management and creating lateral networks of professionals linked to relevant others and databases (Naisbitt, 1984). This more egalitarian structure may become increasingly mobile, well resourced and requiring Iess centralized physical plant. Access to databases and automated assistance available remotely may fundamentally change the nature and dynamics of supervision as it now exits. It is paramount that we begin to imagine the empowering applications that this technology will provide and prepare to harness its capabilities and limit its threats to child welfare. An association has recently been formed to promote the professional use of computers in human services. This organization is called the Association for the Advancement of Computer Technology in Human Services (AACTHS). Its purpose is to encourage networking and information sharing among professionals interested in this area. As a multi-disciplinary group, it is dedicated to promoting an increased awareness of ethical issues associated with computers in human services and strives to increase literacy and competency among human service professionals in information technology. Persons interested in this association are invited to contact Professor Rob MacFadden. Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor St. West, Toronto MSS 1A1. The author wishes to thank Mr. Casey Pieterson, Peel C.A.S., for reviewing the material and making suggestions and to Mr. George Leck, Simcoe C.A.S. for encouraging its submission. The following sources are recommended for reading in the area of computers in human services.

Bronson, D., Pelz, D., Trzcinski, E. Computerizing Your Agency's Information System. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications, 1988.

Geiss, R., Viswanathan, N. (Eds.) The Human Edge. New York: Haworth Press, 1986.

Glastonbury, B., LaMendola, W., Toole, S. Information Technology in the Human Services. Chichester, ENG: John Wiley & Sons, 1988.

MacFadden, R.J. "The Microcomputer Millennium: Transforming the Small Social Agency." Social Casework, vol. 67, No.3, March 1986.

Naisbitt, J. Megatrends. New York: Warner Books Inc., 1984.

Schoech, D. Jennings, H., Schkade, L., Hooper-Russel, C. "Expert Systems: Artificial Intelligence for Professional Decisions." Computers in Human Services, Vol. 1, N0.1, Spring 1985, pp. 81-115.

Schwartz, M. (Ed.). Using Computers in Clinical Practice. New York: Haworth Press, 1984.