[Read
more]
This is a five-year project funded by the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services, Childrens Bureau. The project created
supervisory training and supervisor/worker team-building training
to all public child welfare employees in the state of Iowa. (2003-2008)
This is a three-year project funded by the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services, Childrens Bureau. The project is a training
program for public child welfare supervisors to improve outcomes
for older youth in transition from foster care to independent living.
(2006-2009).
Evaluation
of Iowa's Title IV-B Waiver for Subsidized Guardianship
This
project is evaluating the implementation, outcomes, and cost-effectiveness
of Iowa's subsidized guardianship program. Youth meeting the
eligibility criteria based on age and permanency status were randomly
assigned to an experimental group that had the option of subsidized
guardianship or a control group that did not have this option. The
project is supported by the Iowa Department of Human Services and
the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services. (2007 - 2009).
[Read
more]
Nationally, minority juveniles
in secure detention are greatly over-represented compared to their proportion
in the general population. In Iowa, a third of youth held in juvenile
detention facilities are minority even though they make up only eight
percent of the state's youth population. The DMC Resource Center works
statewide with communities to address issues related to the high rate
of minority confinement and contact, including community involvement,
developing local youth programs, and assisting in the collection and analysis
of DMC related data. In 2004 the DMC Resource Center also began work on
over-representation in the child welfare system. For more information
see the MYFI section of the DMC Resource
Center. (2002-2006)
This is a three-year project
funded by the U.S. Department of Education to support development of a Systems of Care Network within the Clinton Community School District
in Eastern Iowa. The project is designed to meet the needs of all
elementary students and their families along a continuum of need. Four
targeted elementary schools are offering enhanced developmentally-appropriate
and culturally-sensitive services through a solution-focused counseling
program, teacher training and other capacity building initiatives. The
NRCFCPconducted the evaluation of the project and is worked with project
staff to improve services. Click here
for a recent presentation of the project or click
here for a recent report from focus groups conducted with parents,
students and school staff. (2004-2007)
[2007
Report]
This project of the Iowa Department of Health, funded through the federal
510 Abstinence Education program, is implementing five education pilots
demonstrating the use of abstinence education to prevent adolescent pregnancy.
(2003-2007) Previous reports can be found at: Recently
Completed Projects; and recent reports are available
here: 2006 Report 2005 Report 2004
Final Report or 2004 Executive Summary.
This statewide evaluation includes
prevention, intervention and community programs addressing reduction of teen pregnancy. The NRC has been evaluating these programs
since 1997. Annual reports since 2003 are available by clicking on the
report year below:
(2007 Report)
The Iowa Compassion Capital
Fund Demonstration project was intended to build the capacity of Iowa
faith-based organizations (FBOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs)
seeking to better serve Iowans in need. The project is a part of a federal
initiative in response to an executive order from the President of the
United States to strengthen the capacity of FBOs/CBOs (FBCOs) in order
to better address the needs of America’s local communities. The
program evaluation focused on the extent to which the project:
- Enhanced and expanded the knowledge base of Iowa’s small,
grassroots FBCOs;
- Provided sub-grant awards to FBCOs through an open competitive
RFP;
- Provided a system of training and technical assistance (T/TA)
in the areas of leadership development, organizational development, programs
and services, funding, and community engagement
- Encouraged and facilitated replication with developing grassroots
FBCOs; and
Four out of every 5 youth (ages12-18) in our nation
with a drug or alcohol problem are not receiving treatment. The SCY Project
is intended to address this unmet need. The evaluation is part of the Institute for Strengthening Communities and includes a web-based MIS with a host of on-line family assessments
(e.g., FACES, Issues Checklist) which is coordinated with assessments
using the Global Assessment of Individual Needs (GAIN). High rates of
recruitment and retention have also been achieved (click
here for draft R & R Manual). An ongoing assessment of local community
collaboration through network analyses of local agencies designed to facilitate
a strengthened community systems of care for identification, screening
and assessment, referral and treatment of youth is integrated into the
project. To view a recent presentation on the project at the Joint Meeting
on Adolescent Treatment Effectiveness in Washington, DC, [click
here] (2002-2007)
The focus of the evaluation was
to document processes and measure effectiveness of the family development
model as it has been implemented in Broward County Florida. The outcomes
of strategies employed by staff and families, the process by which outcomes
were achieved and understanding of how the model has worked, where it
may be refined, and what lessons have been learned that can inform replication
in other Centers is provided in the report. A second focus of the evaluation
was to measure and make recommendations for improving community collaboration
to reduce fragmentation and foster a more coordinated, comprehensive service
delivery system enhancing program effectiveness. [Final
Report].
Funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the State
of Iowa Court Improvement Project is conducting a demonstration project
in six communities around the state. The project is working with these
communities to facilitate a decision-making process to select and implement
alternative dispute resolution in child welfare cases. NRC is conducting
an independent process and outcome evaluation. (2001-2004)
Funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, this
project of the Community Corrections Improvement Association of Linn County
is conducting a peer mentoring program to address high risk behaviors
among middle school-aged youth. NRC is conducting an independent evaluation
of this project. (2002-2004)
[2002 Report]
This evaluation examines the effectiveness of the Iowa CareGivers Association
CNA Mentoring Program specifically as a means of worker retention. NRC
is conducting an independent evaluation of this project. (2002-2004)
This project provides a look at the relationships between the agencies
that make up the Scott County DMC Provider Network and how they change
over time. These activities are part of the technical assistance
offered through the NRC as the DMC Resource Center in Iowa. (2003-2004)
The Iowa Compassion Capital Fund
Demonstration Project was implemented in Iowa as Compassion Iowa (CI).
Its purpose was to build and enhance the capacity of Iowa faith-based
organizations (FBOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) seeking
to better serve Iowans in need. Direct technical assistance, professional
training and sub-grant awards were used to improve organizational capacity
in the five critical areas: leadership development, organizational development,
programs and services, funding, and community engagement. The evaluation
plan included description of how the project was implemented and operated,
how the original design was followed and the extent of adaptations to
the proposed strategies. Documentation established a written record of
the approach which others may then adopt with fidelity, or adapt to meet
local needs. To access the final report click
here.
Working with the Neighborhood
Centers of Johnson County (IA), the NRCFCP is evaluating this project
funded by the Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF), Child
Care Bureau (CCB) through the Early Opportunity Learning Act (ELOA). The JCELI targets educational and health outcomes for young
children from birth to age 5 and prepares them for a successful school
experience through a community education campaign, provider training and
support, and early childhood services and interventions. (2004-2006).
To access the final evaluation report click
here.
[Read more]
This
project of the Iowa Department of Health implemented four education pilots
and two community pilots demonstrating the use of abstinence education
to prevent adolescent pregnancy. (1998-2003). The 2005
evaluation report contains the most recent research and evaluation
related to the Iowa adolescent pregnancy prevention and abstinence-only
education projects.
[Read more]
The NRC is collaborating with
the Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County to conduct a community assessment and produce a community development
plan for the Broadway Street Neighborhood. With major funding from Southgate
Development, Inc., door-to-door interviews of approximately 400 neighborhood
residents are currently underway.
[Read more]
The Network Guide documents a variety of exemplary approaches and describes
how these approaches work. Lessons learned are provided for identification,
implementation, use, reporting and improvement of outcomes of family development
programs. (2002-2003)
[Read more]
Funded
by the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) of the Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), this project engaged
the community in a consensus building and planning process to evaluate
the feasibility of implementing the Wraparound service model for African
American adolescents with co-occurring mental disorders and substance
abuse disorders. (2002-2003)
[Read more]
Funded by the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) of the Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), this project
engaged the community in a consensus building and planning process to
develop a
Wraparound Model and evaluate the feasibility of implementing the
Wraparound service model for Latino children and adolescents with co-occurring
mental disorders and substance abuse disorders. (2002-2003)
Funded through SAMHSA, this project assessed the Iowa SCY system of care
network of agencies and the effect that the startup of the SCY project
had on the relationships within the network of service providers. (2002
Report). The SCY project also produced a manual for maximizing recruitment
and retention of study participants [click
here] who engaged in the practice called Strengths Oriented Family
Therapy or SOFT.
Funded by the Department of Health and Human Services through a grant
to the Iowa Community Action Association, this project has developed an
automated system for measuring outcomes of Community Action Agencies.
The system is operational in all CAAs in the state of Iowa. Technical
assistance in learning how to use the database was provided by the NRC.
(1999-2002)
Funded by the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration this
evaluation includes process and outcomes measures of community consensus
building to implement an exemplary intervention practice. (2000-2002)
This project provided technical assistance to community collaboratives
in Boone and Dallas counties in developing outcome measures and reporting
systems. (2001-2002)
Funded by the Federal Drug Free Communities grant, this evaluation includes
network analysis of collaboration building and outcome measures of community
based programs providing intervention services. (2001-2002)
As part of the federally funded Des Moines Success Program, the Life Options
Program is continuing in the Des Moines Community School District. This
program model, developed by Michael Carerra, seeks to prevent adolescent
pregnancy by providing high-risk youth with a variety of educational,
health, and recreational supports. (2000-2002)
Funded by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, this study evaluated
the implementation and outcomes of the Community Corrections Improvement
Association. (1999-2001)
Empirical assessment of the reliability and validity
of the California Family Development Matrix Model. (1999-2001)
Funded by the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Maternal
and Child Health, Healthy Start sought to improve health outcomes for
infants and mothers in a targeted high-risk area in the city of Des Moines.
Healthy Start implemented three primary components: case management, service
facilitation (through transportation, childcare, and translation services),
and consortium development. The evaluation included tracking of key performance
indicators over time, analysis of case specific data, consumer satisfaction,
network analysis of interagency collaboration, and cost analysis. (1997-2001)
Funded by the Iowa Department of Human Services, this project is providing
technical assistance to more than 25 community collaboratives around the
state in developing outcome measures and reporting systems. (1999-2000)
The Des Moines Public Schools, with funding from multiple community foundations,
implemented the Life Options model at an alternative school. This program
model, developed by Michael Carerra, seeks to prevent adolescent pregnancy
by providing high-risk youth with a variety of educational, health, and
recreational supports. A quasi-experimental design was implemented to
compare youth in the Life Options program with a group of youth from other
schools in the community. (1997-2000)
This demonstration project, funded by the Department of Health and Human
Services' Adoption Opportunities Program, was conducted by the Iowa Department
of Human Services in collaboration with Family Resources, Inc. and Four
Oaks, Inc., two private nonprofit agencies in Iowa. The project used mediation
to resolve conflicts in child welfare cases in situations involving out
of home placement, permanency hearing, and termination of parental rights.
(1997-2000, Report)
For more information on Research
& Evaluation contact:
Brad Richardson, Research Director
Research Scientist & Adj. Assoc. Professor
(319) 335-4924
brad-richardson@uiowa.edu
Kellee Thorburn McCrory, MPH
Iowa Center for Evaluation Research
National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice
University of Iowa School of Social Work
100 Oakdale Campus #W206
Iowa City, IA 52242-5000
Kellee-McCrory@uiowa.edu |
