Purpose and Research Questions: The purpose of this project was to evaluate the services provided by the Children’s Relief Nursery (CRN). The evaluation addressed five research questions:
1. How do we know the program works?
2. What happens when families leave the Relief Nursery?
3. What can we learn about our parent-infant therapeutic classrooms?
4. What can we learn about respite care?
5. How can we more clearly articulate and understand the Portland Relief Nursery model?
Project Design: The CRN provides parenting, therapeutic child care, and other supportive services to families who are at risk for losing custody of their children or who are experiencing other risk factors for poor child outcomes. Using a mixed-methods design (e.g., administrative data, parent interviews, surveys, key stakeholder interviews), this project evaluated outcomes associated with services received from the Relief Nursery, and took an in-depth look at how specific services (e.g., parent-infant therapeutic classrooms) reduce childhood trauma.
Funding Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Start Date: October 2007
NPC Project Team
Principal Investigator and Project Director