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. 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 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 is multi-faceted. Its object is to determine effects of Differential Response on children and their families and to learn how the program can be shaped and improved to significantly impact the broader child protection system in the state.
Evaluation of the Ohio Alternative Response Pilot Project, . Beginning in May 2007 Ohio began planning for a project to implement the Minnesota Alternative Response (AR) model in 10 pilot counties. Planning, selection of pilot counties and training took place through June 2008. Pilot counties began serving families under the AR approach in July 2008 and the project will continue through December 2009. The evaluation is modeled on the Minnesota evaluation (see reports in the Papers and Reports section of this website). The entire project, including planning, implementation, training, ongoing support and evaluation, is a joint effort of the American Humane Association, the Institute of Applied Research, and local and state Minnesota consultants.
Evaluation of the Indiana Child Welfare Waiver Demonstration. This is an extension of Indiana's Title IV-E Waiver Project. The extension began in July 2005 and will run through June 2010. The Indiana demonstration is a statewide flexible funding project that is testing 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 final evaluation report on that project, which was submitted in September 2003, can be found in the Papers and Reports section of this website.
Evaluation of the Minnesota Permanency DemonstrationThe Minnesota Permanency Demonstration (MPD) is a Title IV-E Waiver demonstration. The purpose of the MPD is to create a single-benefit system for children moving from foster care to a permanent home with a single level of benefits that follow 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 will be used to support a single continuous source of benefits replacing those made under Adoptive Assistance and Relative Custody Assistance. The demonstration project will operate for five years from 2005 through 2010 in six Minnesota counties. The evaluation will include a process analysis, an outcome/impact study and a cost-effectiveness analysis.
Evaluation of the Minnesota Parent Support Outreach Demonstration. The Parent Support Outreach Project (PSOP) demonstration is being conducted in 38 Minnesota counties. PSOP workers approach families with reports of child abuse and neglect that were not accepted for further follow-up by the Child Protection System (CPS). Under CPS currently, famlies with unaccepted reports are not contacted. Under PSOP, families with preschool children are contacted and offered assistance on a voluntary basis. The evaluation will seek to determine whether service needs of families are addressed, whether the knowledge of families of service sources is improved, and whether future child safety as well as child and family welfare improve because of the intervention.
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 will be provided with mental health services and, if needed, substance abuse treatment. The project is funded by a SAMHSA grant (through 2009).