Project Purpose: The outcome study seeks to determine whether families who receive enhanced services have improved outcomes over families in the program before the enhancements and comparison group families that received treatment as usual. Outcomes of interest include:
- Termination of parental rights
- Time in foster care up to four years subsequent to drug court entry
- Self-reported estimates of employment from entrance to exit
- Increases in socio-emotional behavioral, developmental and/or cognitive functioning
- Criminal recidivism
Project Design:
- The study involves a comprehensive process evaluation including annual interviews conducted with team members over a 5-year period designed to: document the process of enhancing existing programs, creating new procedures and practices, and forging new roles and responsibilities for existing staff and program partners.
- The outcome study will use a quasi-experimental design that builds on a previous NPC evaluation. Comparison group members from the previous study as well as new parents not referred for various reasons will be compared to participants who receive new enhancements.
- A cost evaluation will also be conducted using the TICA approach.
Funding Source: Grantee Clark County, Washington, is providing a subcontract to NPC with funds from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Start Date: October 2017
Project Team
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