The purpose of this study was to complete a community risk assessment for Ventura County, California using the Hawkins and Catalano's Communities that Care model to identify the most prevalent risk factors for youth placed in group homes in Ventura County. It was also the intention of this study to identify effective protective factors in Ventura County or could be useful for improving outcomes for Ventura County youth placed group homes.

This study found risk factors that contributed to a high school graduation rate of 33% and scored consistently higher than California in placement moves for youth in group home placements for Ventura County. Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care was identified as a possible protective factor to address the results of the risk factors identified.

To identify all the risk factors facing youth in group homes, a longitudinal study would need to be conducted. Social work implications are also discussed.