CHILD WELFARE
Evaluation of the Washington, DC Differential Response Program. The first phase evaluation of the DC program was completed in December 2014 and consisted of an follow-up of families provided with DR family assessments. The evaluation was expanded in 2015 to include a process evaluation and a revised outcome study. A final report was submitted in January 2016.
Evaluation of the Maryland Alternative Response Implementation. In July 2013, Maryland began implementation of its Alternative Response Program. The program was implementated in five phases, ending with Baltimore City in July 2014. IARA conducted a process/implementation and an outcome evaluation through through mid 2015 and produced a final evaluation report and recommendations.
Follow-up Evaluation of the Ohio Alternative Response Pilot Project, . The final report of the Ohio AR evaluation was submitted in April 2010. An continuing follow-up of families will continue through 2013.
National Differential Response QIC. This is a joint project of American Humane Association, Walter R McDonald & Associates and IAR, which runs for five years from 2009-2014. IAR is providing consultation and technical assistance to the AHA and WRMA which are the lead organizations on this project. The purpose of the QIC is to generate knowledge on effective practice models of DR in CPS and support infrastructure needed by agencies serving families involved with CPS. After an initial phase of assessing existing models, gaps and needs, the QIC will select a research focus and support experimental research by funding project sites and dissertation activities. A cross-site evaluation will be conducted to build knowledge and inform the field. Activities will be conducted in partnership with the Children's Bureau through a cooperative agreement.
Evaluation of the Ohio Alternative Response Pilot Project. The final report of the Ohio AR evaluation report was submitted in April 2010 on this differential response pilot project. The evaluation report can be found under Papers and Reports on this website. The evaluation has been extended, and a follow-up of families and examination of outcomes related to child and family welfare will continue through 2013.
Evaluation of the Nevada Differential Response Pilot Project. The Differential Response project was implemented in February 2007 in two parts of the Las Vegas metro area in Clark County, and in early 2008 it was expanded to include Washoe and Elko counties and two additional service areas in Clark County. The Nevada DR model is a public-private partnership involving state and county agencies and community Family Resource Centers. The evaluation was multi-faceted. Its object was to determine effects of Differential Response on children and their families and to learn how the program could be shaped and improved to significantly impact the broader child protection system in the state. See Papers and Reports section for evaluation report.
Evaluation of the Indiana Child Welfare Waiver Demonstration. This was an extension of Indiana's Title IV-E Waiver Project. The extension began in July 2005 and ran through June 2010. The Indiana demonstration was a statewide flexible funding project that tested the effectiveness of home and community-based services as an alternative to out-of-home foster and group care. Indiana's initial 60-month waiver demonstration ran from January 1998 through December 2002. IAR's evaluation reports on the initial and extended waiver project can be found in the Papers and Reports section of this website.
Evaluation of the Minnesota Permanency Demonstration. The Minnesota Permanency Demonstration (MNPD) was a Title IV-E Waiver demonstration. The purpose of the MPD was to create a single-benefit system for children moving from foster care to a permanent home with a single level of benefits that followed the child from foster care to an adoptive or permanent legal custody. Formerly, families that adopted or assumed legal custody faced reductions in financial support. IV-E funding was used to support a single, continuous source of benefits replacing those made under Adoptive Assistance and Relative Custody Assistance. The demonstration project operated for five years from 2005 through 2010 in six Minnesota counties. The evaluation report can be found in the Papers and Reports section of this website.
Evaluation of the Minnesota Parent Support Outreach Demonstration. The Parent Support Outreach Project (PSOP) demonstration was conducted in 38 Minnesota counties. PSOP workers approached families with reports of child abuse and neglect that were not accepted for further follow-up by the Child Protection System (CPS). Before this project, famlies with unaccepted reports were not contacted. Under PSOP, families with preschool children were contacted and offered assistance on a voluntary basis. The evaluation sought to determine whether service needs of families were addressed, whether the knowledge of families of service sources was improved, and whether future child safety as well as child and family welfare were improved because of the intervention. See the Papers and Reports section for the evaluation report.
Extended Evaluation of the Alternative Response Project for the Children's Division of the Minnesota Department of Human Services. 2006. A continuation of the Alternative Response (AR) demonstration evaluation. The AR demonstration tested a new way of responding to reports of child abuse and neglect. The original evaluation of AR was conducted during the demonstration period from 2001 through 2004 (see the 2004 report in our Papers and Reports section). This evaluation extended through early 2006 (see the 2006 report in out Papers and Reports section).
A Report on Chronic Child Abuse and Neglect. 2006. This is a synthesis of IAR work requested by the Center for Community Partnerships in Child Welfare. The report focuses on families frequently encountered by state child protection systems. Empirical findings from a number of projects are reviewed and re-examined to determine whether families likely to become chronic CPS cases can be recognized at a point where effective measures may prevent it.
Evaluation of the Minnesota SDM Family Risk Assessment Instrument. 2004. This project tested the validity and reliability of the Minnesota Structured Decision Making (SDM) Family Risk Assessment Instrument. CPS workers use the instrument during investigations and family assessments of reports of child maltreatment to rate the probability that the family will be reported again for child maltreatment. The study also examined the effects of risk assessments on services to families and variations in validity and reliability for ethnic and racial subpopulations in Minnesota.
Evaluation of the Alternative Response Project for the Children's Division of the Minnesota Department of Human Services. 2001 - 2004. The project was piloted in 20 Minnesota counties and involved a non-traditional and flexible response to reports of child abuse and neglect that was family-friendly and strength-based. County staff continued to investigate and take action when children were seriously threatened. The evaluation involved a study of the impacts of the program on children and families, a process study and cost-effectiveness analysis.
Evaluation of the Mississippi Title IV-E waiver demonstration. 2000-2003. The demonstration was piloted in eight counties in the west-central and southern part of the state. The evaluation included an impact study and a process study in addition to a cost-benefit analysis. The demonstration focused on child safety, well-being and permanency and seeks to provide individualized assessment and to broaden the services available to children and families.
Statewide Juvenile/Family Court Survey for the Missouri Office of State Courts Administrator. 2004-2005. This study was designed to determine the extent that Juvenile and Family Courts in each of Missouri's 44 judicial circuits conformed to the requirements of the Juvenile Court Improvement Project regarding child abuse and neglect cases (see IAR's past JCIP evaluation reports in our Papers and Reports area). This study was a replication of a similar survey conducted in 1995 and had three components: mailed surveys of court personnel and Childrens Services staff, observations of court hearings, and reviews of case files.
Evaluation of the Title IV-E Waiver Demonstration for the state of Indiana. 1997-2003. The evaluation included process and impact studies as well as cost-benefit and cost neutrality analyses. Central goals of the project included reductions in the number and costs out-of-home placements, reductions in returns of children to protective status, and connecting families to services within their communities. The project was statewide in scope.
Evaluation of the second phase of the Missouri Juvenile Court Improvement Project (JCIP), 2003. The first phase JCIP took place in Missouri Circuit 2 (Adair, Knox and Lewis Counties) and in Circuit 23 (Jefferson County), and was also evaluated by IAR. Under JCIP certain reforms in procedures for child abuse and neglect cases are being tested: fixed times for juvenile court hearings, permanency planning within twelve months of the time the court takes protective custody of the children, and insuring that the content of hearings adheres to standards. The study will measure the effectiveness of the courts in carrying out the reforms and the consequences of the changes on the children, families and the court itself.
Evaluation of the Missouri Juvenile Court Improvement Project, 1997-2000. a study of Missouri's juvenile court improvement project that established time-frame and critical-event requirements in dealing with child abuse/neglect cases. The court project was integrated with the existing Family-Centered Out-of-Home project of the Missouri Division of Family Services. The study followed cases and tracked court procedures in two Missouri court circuits over a three-year period. Compliances of the courts with project goals and a variety of issues surrounding reform were examined. Outcomes for children served through the project were compared to those of a matched group of children during a baseline period prior to the pilot project. Contractor: Missouri Office of State Courts Administrator.
Evaluation of the Ohio Independent Living Program, 1999-2000. A needs assessment and program evaluation involving youths and pregnant teens/teen parents in the state's child welfare system. Contractor: Ohio Department of Human Services.
Community Partnerships for Protecting Children, 1997-1999. Technical assistance provided to a national demonstration project facilitated designed to transform child protection systems through outcome-focused, community-based collaboratives. Contractor: The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation.
Evaluation of the Missouri Juvenile Court Improvement Project, 1997-1999. A process and outcome evaluation of the JCIP in two Missouri juvenile court circuits. Contractor: Missouri State Office of Courts Administrator.
Building Blocks for Homeless Children, A Process and Outcome Evaluation, 1998-1999. An evaluation of a Salvation Army program designed to promote the education of homeless children in St. Louis County. Contractor: Salvation Army of St. Louis.
Evaluation of Missouri's Multiple-Response Demonstration for CA/N Families, 1995-1998. Impact evaluation of a flexible approach to child abuse and neglect families. Utilized a quasi-experimental design with pilot and comparison areas and data on both baseline and demonstration periods. Contractor: Missouri Division of Family Services, Children's Services Unit.
Interagency Data Integration and Development Project, 1997. Involved 12 data files (including services, case histories and state and Medicaid expenditures) on children served by Departments of Mental Health and Social Services were integrated. Contractors: Missouri Department of Social Services and Missouri Department of Mental Health.
CSSP Child Welfare Decision-Making Study, 1993-1995. A three-year comprehensive examination of decision-making at key points in child welfare systems. Conducted for the Center for the Study of Social Policy, Washington, D.C.
Interrupted Lives: A Study of Children in Out-of-Home Placement, 1990. An examination of a pilot family preservation program. Conducted for Citizen's for Missouri's Children and The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation.
Where's My Home? A Study of Children in Out-of- Home Placement, 1989. An examination of the causes and consequences of placements of CA/N children in foster care and residential facilities. Conducted for Citizen's for Missouri's Children and The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation.
Children in Poverty, Present and Future: State Options for Reducing Child Poverty, 1989. Examination of the causes of the rising child poverty rate and assessment of the effectiveness and feasibility of possible programmatic and policy options to reduce poverty among children. Conducted for the Children Services Commission of Missouri.
Missouri CA/N Needs Assessment and Services Evaluation, 1985. A statewide and county-by-county study of the needs for services of child abuse victims and their families, an assessment of the quality and adequacy of available services, and a cost analysis of needed but unprovided services. Contracting Agency: Missouri Division of Family Services.
CHILD CARE
Minnesota Childcare Rate Survey Analysis. Analysis of the data collected from childcare providers in Minnesota concerning rates charged for childcare. This analysis is used to set levels of state subsidies of childcare. IAR developed and is implementing a web-based data collection system to replace data collection via telephone surveys of childcare providers.
Process Evaluation of the Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral System, 1999-2000. Study of the implementation of the state CCR&R system and support network. Contractor: Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning.
Evaluation of Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral System Capacity-Building Initiative, 1998-1999. An assessment of a statewide initiative to expand child care capacity correlated to state welfare reform efforts. Contractor: Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning.
Survey of Kansas Child Care Providers, 1998, 1995, 1993. Statewide surveys of providers designed to establish statistically reliable state and regional baseline data on capacity and cost. Contractor: Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services.
Low-Income and Welfare Women: The Job Market and the Need for Child Care and Other Supports, 1996. Summary and synthesis of research. National Research Council, Board on Children and Families.
Child Care and AFDC Recipients in Illinois: Patterns, Problems and Needs, 1991. Multi-method assessment of child care needs, practices and problems among welfare recipients. Included analysis of implications on self-sufficiency and welfare reform. Contractor: Illinois Department of Public Aid, Child Care and Development Services.
DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, MENTAL HEALTH, & SUBSTANCE ABUSE
Evaluation of the St. Louis City Jail Diversion Project. Evaluation of a project to divert mentally ill pretrail offenders to a service track through which they were provided with mental health services and, if needed, substance abuse treatment. The project was funded by a SAMHSA grant (through 2010).
Evaluation of the St. Louis City Juvenile Drug Court Multi-Systemic Therapy Project. The St. Louis City Juvenile Drug Court received a SAMHSA grant for a three year (through 2008) demonstration of the value of multi-systemic therapy (MST) for youths participating in the juvenile drug court. MST is a comprehensive approach to therapy that seeks to involve family members of youths in the treatment process. The evaluation involved comparisons of outcomes with a group of former participants as well as before-after measures of the behavior, attitudes and emotional responses of participants.
Evaluation and Research for the St. Louis Drug Court, 2004-2007. An evaluation of the implementation of the St. Louis Drug Court enhancement grant. The enhancement grant was awarded by the Department of Justice and had three parts: 1) Training of drug court service providers in cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational enhancement therapy and utilization of these approaches for drug court clients, 2) Developing a mentoring program for drug court clients, and 3) Introduction of a system of health assessment and referral to treatment of drug court clients while they were in drug court.
Evaluation and Research for the St. Louis Drug Court, 2003. A three-part project involving 1) an analysis and assessment of the Court's management information system, 2) a cost-benefit analysis utilizing a quasi-experimental design that compares drug court graduates and a matched control group of probabtion completers and 3) an evaluation of the Young Person's Track that provides a combination of alcohol and drug education, cognitive restructuring exercises, life skills training, special field trips, employment training, preparation and placement and relapse prevention.
Needs assessment for mental health and substance abuse treatment services and ancillary support services, 2001. An examination of met and unmet service needs for adults and youths and the relative integration of consumers into the service system. Contractor: Mental Health Board of the City of St. Louis.
Evaluation of Sheltered Workshops, 1998. Programmatic and financial re-evaluation of segregated work settings for persons with developmental disabilities with assessment of integrated system options. Contractor: Productive Living Board of St. Louis County.
Evaluation of Independent Supported Living Programs, 1996-1997. A multi-method evaluation of residential services to persons with developmental disabilities. Contractor: Productive Living Board of St. Louis County.
Evaluation of Supported and Sheltered Employment, 1994. Examined satisfaction of consumers, caregivers, and employers, and assessed economic impact on workers with developmental disabilities and their families. Contractor: Productive Living Board for St. Louis County Citizens with Developmental Disabilities.
Needs Assessment and Family Satisfaction Study of MRDD Services, 1993-1994. Assessed service and support needs of persons with developmental disabilities and their families. Jointly contracted by the Missouri Division of MRDD, the St. Louis Office of MR/DD Resources and the Productive Living Board of St. Louis County.
Transition-to-Work Demonstration Project, 1992-1994. Design for transition planning system and school-to-work program with natural supports. Funding provided by the Productive Living Board and Missouri Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities.
Needs Assessment for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, 1994. Assessed met and unmet service needs. Included prevalence estimates of adult psychiatric disorders and substance abuse disorders. Contractor: City of St. Louis Mental Health Board.
Service Needs and Knowledge of the Service System at Transition, 1991-1992. A study of the transitioning of special education students into the adult service system and the world of work. Contractor: the Special School District of St. Louis County and the Productive Living Board of St. Louis County.
Facility Analysis of the Utah State Training School, 1990. Utilization analysis with recommendations for future usage of state institution through period of planned downsizing. Contractor: Utah Division of Services to Persons with Disabilities.
Characteristics and Service Needs of the Disabled Population in Utah, 1990. The study projected the size, categorical and functional characteristics, and service needs of the population eligible for state services through the end of the decade. Contractor: Utah Division of Services to Persons with Disabilities.
Analysis of State Information Systems with Data on the Disabled Population, 1990. Analysis of similarities, dissimilarities and coordination potential of databases of different agencies serving persons with developmental disabilities. Key agencies included MRDD, special education, and children's health services. Contractor: Utah Division of Services to the Persons with Disabilities.
Staff Recruitment and Retention in Community-Based Agencies Serving Persons with Developmental Disabilities, 1990. A study of community agencies in Iowa and a review of state-level alternatives for reshaping the service delivery system. Contractor: Iowa Governor's Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities.
Assessment of Staffing Needs and Management Practices at Iowa DHS Institutions, 1989-1990. Involved six state institutions for persons who are developmentally disabled and mentally ill, and two institutions for juvenile offenders. Contractor: Iowa State Legislature, Legislative Fiscal Bureau.
Enhancing Employment Opportunities for Persons with Developmental Disabilities, 1986-1987. A comprehensive, state-wide needs assessment and feasibility study. This study won the 1987 Job Placement Division Research Award of the National Rehabilitation Association. Contractor: Missouri Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities, Department of Mental Health.
Prevention of Developmental Disabilities, 1986. An assessment of existing and state-of-the-art practices related to the prevention of mental retardation and developmental disabilities. Contracting Agency: Missouri Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities.
POVERTY, WELFARE, AND EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING
Evaluation of Illinois' Career Advancement Project, 1990-1994. A five-year, longitudinal evaluation of an Illinois' welfare reform demonstration project. Contractor: Illinois Department of Public Aid, Bureau of Program Evaluation.
Evaluation of the JTPA Program in Southeastern Missouri, 1993-1994. A comprehensive program study that included a surveys of former participants and area employers. Contractor: Private Industry Council of Southeast Missouri.
Study of Family-Friendly Job Benefits and Working Women, 1993. A survey of 2,500 businesses focusing on benefits that impact the full participation of women in the labor force. Contractor: Missouri Council on Women's Economic Development and Training.
Food Stamp Employment and Training Program Evaluation, 1989-1993. Outcome and process studies of the income maintenance system, and assessment of inter-agency collaborative efforts. Included the design of a model for a JOBS-FSET demonstration program. Contractor: Missouri Division of Family Services.
Children in Poverty, Present and Future: State Options for Reducing Child Poverty, 1989. Examination of the causes of the rising child poverty rate and assessment of the effectiveness and feasibility of possible programmatic and policy options to reduce poverty among children. Conducted for the Children Services Commission of Missouri.
Food Stamp Employment and Training Planning Study, 1987-1988. An impact evaluation of the income maintenance system with development of long-term program options and models including integration opportunities with JTPA and JOBS. Contracting Agency: Missouri Division of Family Services.
Women and Employment: Barriers, Jobs and Programs, 1987. A comprehensive study (in four volumes) of the barriers that women face in obtaining work and in advancing on the job. Contractor: Council on Women's Development and Training, Missouri Department of Economic Development.
Iowa Food Stamp Employment and Training Program Evaluation and Planning Study, 1987. A research and planning project for the state's Food Stamp Employment and Training Program. Contracting Agency: Iowa Department of Human Services, Bureau of Economic Assistance.
JTPA Marketing Study, 1986. A statewide study with follow-up work shops to facilitate development of more effective and efficient methods for marketing Job Development and Training Act programs throughout the state. Contracting Agency: Division of Job Development and Training.
DJDT Organizational Analysis and Staffing Needs Study, 1986. This project involved an evaluation with recommendations of the organizational structure and staffing needs of the Division of Job Development and Training. Contracting Agency: Missouri Department of Economic Development.
JTPA Administrative Practice and Cost Analysis, 1986. Assessment of factors impacting administrative costs, including socio-demographic environment, organizational structure, operational approach, subcontracting, and program performance and outcomes. Contracting Agency: Missouri Department of Economic Development.
JTPA Follow-up Study, 1985-1986. An impact assessment of the JTPA program with a long-term follow-up of participants. Contracting Organization: St. Louis Private Industry Council/City of St. Louis.
Employment and Training Program Review and Evaluation, 1980-1984. The Institute served as the research arm of the Missouri State Employment and Training Council's Review and Evaluation Committee. Research involved both intra- and inter-organizational analyses, an assessment of programmatic linkages among state and regional agencies, analyses of program outcomes and impact, and regulatory compliance. Contracting Agency: Missouri Division of Job Development and Training.
Cost-Benefit Analysis of Providing Employment Services to Ex- Offenders, 1981. A cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness study was conducted on a pilot project which targeted employment and training services on ex-offenders in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Contractor: St. Louis Opportunity Clearinghouse and the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment.
Evaluation of a Family Violence Program, 1981. An outcome and process evaluation a program for victims of spousal abuse and family violence. Contractor: Redevelopment Opportunities for Women.