Tamara Perkins, Senior Research Associate at NPC Research, has been working on a variety of community research and evaluation projects for 18 years. She has a broad base of experience in project oversight and management, instrument development, data collection, human subjects protections, quantitative and qualitative data analysis, grant writing, and collaborating with people and programs in Tribal communities.
Over the past 10 years, Tamara has primarily worked on evaluations of Tribally based behavioral health prevention and treatment programs. These include a Native American youth suicide prevention program serving the 43 federally recognized Tribes in the Pacific Northwest, multiple Native Connections suicide prevention projects, a Tribal Zero Suicide project, a Tribal Behavioral Health Integration project, a Tribal teen pregnancy prevention program, an urban Indian substance abuse treatment program with wraparound services to support families in recovery, a midwestern Tribal Child Traumatic Stress Initiative project, and a Tribal Opioid Response Consortium initiative that has served more than 30 Tribes in the Pacific Northwest. In these capacities she works closely with program staff to design evaluations that are useful to Tribal staff and community members; develop and implement paper and online surveys; create and manage databases; and conduct interviews and focus groups. She also cleans, analyzes, and summarizes qualitative and quantitative data, making sure that interpretations are based in the realities and understandings of the community. Tamara works with program staff to ensure that the short briefs, presentations, and/or longer reports she drafts are user-friendly, as well as visually relevant and beautiful.
Prior to joining NPC Research, Dr. Perkins worked in the field of cross-cultural and language training. She also taught at Lewis and Clark College, and worked both for the Multnomah County Department of Human Services and for a Portland-based urban Indian organization providing substance abuse treatment, mental health counseling, family wellness, and health services for American Indian and Alaska Native families.
Dr. Perkins is a member of the Data Visualization Society. She received her Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of California, San Diego.
More information on Tamara Perkins
Projects, Publications, and Presentations
On this page you can access all the reports, publications, and projects relevant to specific staff and available to the public from NPC Research. In one of the fields below, enter a title, choose a type (project, publication, or presentation) from the drop-down menu, or choose a topic area from the drop-down. The results will sort automatically. Click on bold type for more information on any item of interest.
| Title | Type | Category |
|---|---|---|
|
Perkins, T., Mackin, J.R., Ho, T., Partipilo, C.
(05/01/2020)
3-Site Healing of the Canoe Survey Results, 2018-2019
Report / |
presentation | Community Health, Youth Development |
|
Perkins, T., Mackin, J.R., Ho, T., Partipilo, C.
(April 2020)
Healing of the Canoe Survey Results: Detailed Aggregate Report 2018-2019
Portland, OR: NPC Research
Report / |
publication | Community Health, Youth Development |
| Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Service Native Youth Suicide Prevention Program Evaluation | project | Community Health, Youth Development |
| Northwest Portland Area Tribal Opioid Response (TOR) | project | Substance Abuse Prevention, Other |
| Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Native Connections Program Evaluation | project | Community Health, Other |
| The Confederated Tribes of Umatilla Indian Reservation Youth Yellowhawk Tribal Health Clinic Native Connections Project | project | Community Health, Youth Development, Other |
| Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Tribal Youth Program (TYP) Evaluation | project | Community Health, Youth Development |
| Finigan, M. W., Perkins, T., Sullivan, J. E. & Kandrevas, J. A. (September 2015) Is there a role for extended-release naltrexone in drug courts? Results of a pilot study. Drug Court Review, IX (1), 23-42. | publication | Substance Abuse Treatment |
| The Confederated Tribes of Umatilla Indian Reservation Youth Yellowhawk Tribal Health Clinic Circles of Hope Youth Suicide Prevention Project | project | Community Health |
| Clackamas County Adult Drug Court, Trauma-Informed Program, Enhancement Project | project | Criminal Justice, Drug Courts/ Problem-Solving Courts, Substance Abuse Treatment |
| Carey, S. M., Herrera Allen, T., Perkins, T., & Waller, M.S. (November 2013) A detailed cost evaluation of a juvenile drug court that follows the juvenile drug court model (16 strategies). Juvenile and Family Court Journal: Online, 64(4), 1–20. | publication | Criminal Justice, Drug Courts/ Problem-Solving Courts, Juvenile Justice |
| Wilkins, N., Thigpen, S., Lockman, J., Mackin, J., Madden, M., Perkins, T., Schut, J., Van Regenmorter, C., Williams, L., & Donovan, J. (June 2013) Putting program evaluation to work: A framework for creating actionable knowledge for suicide prevention practice. Translational Behavioral Medicine, 3(2), 149–161. | publication | Community Health |
| The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Tribal Personal Responsibility and Education Prevention Project | project | Community Health |
|
Mackin, J. R., Perkins, T., & Furrer, C. J.
(December 2011)
The power of protection: A population-based comparison of Native and non-Native youth suicide attempters.
American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Research, 19(2), 20–54. doi: 10.5820/aian.1902.2012.20.
Full article / |
publication | Community Health |
| The Confederated Warm Springs Indian Reservation Elder Abuse Prevention Project | project | Community Health |
| Life Is Sacred Native Youth Suicide Prevention Project | project | Community Health |
| Finigan, M. W., Perkins, T., Zold-Kilbourn, P., Parks, J., & Stringer, M. (2011) Preliminary evaluation of extended-release naltrexone in Michigan and Missouri drug courts. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 41(3), 288-293. | publication | Criminal Justice, Drug Courts/ Problem-Solving Courts, Substance Abuse Treatment |
| Evaluation of the Portland Metro Council of Camp Fire’s School-Based Program | project | Youth Development |
| Methamphetamine and Suicide Prevention Initiative – Oregon Tribal Projects Evaluation | project | Community Health, Substance Abuse Prevention |
| Alcohol and Drug Treatment Follow-Up Study | project | Substance Abuse Treatment |
| Preliminary Evaluation on the Use of Vivitrol in Drug Court | project | Drug Courts/ Problem-Solving Courts, Substance Abuse Treatment |
| De la Mano Frente al Cancer (Hand in Hand Confronting Cancer) Program Evaluation | project | Community Health |
|
Mackin, J. R., Perkins, T., & Furrer, C. J.
(2009, April)
Native Youth Suicide Prevention Program Enhanced Evaluation: The Power of Protection.
Presented at the American Association of Suicidology Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA.
Presentation / |
presentation | Community Health |
| Methamphetamine Users in Missouri Drug Courts: Program Elements Associated with Success | project | Drug Courts/ Problem-Solving Courts, Substance Abuse Treatment |
|
Carey, S. M., & Perkins, T.
(2008, April)
Methamphetamine and the latest research on promising practices for drug courts.
Powerpoint presented at the annual meeting of the Missouri Association of Drug Court Professionals, Osage Beach, MO.
Powerpoint / |
presentation | Criminal Justice, Drug Courts/ Problem-Solving Courts, Substance Abuse Treatment |
|
Carey, S. M., & Perkins, T.
(April 24, 2008)
Methamphetamine and the latest research on promising practices for drug courts.
Powerpoint presented at the annual meeting of the Missouri Association of Drug Court Professionals, Osage Beach, MO.
Powerpoint / |
publication | Criminal Justice, Drug Courts/ Problem-Solving Courts, Substance Abuse Treatment |
|
Perkins, T., & Mackin, J. R.
(December 2007)
Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake Employment Enhancement Program at Baltimore City Drug Treatment Court, Process Evaluation.
Portland, OR: NPC Research.
Report / |
publication | Criminal Justice, Drug Courts/ Problem-Solving Courts, Substance Abuse Treatment |
| Baltimore City Drug Court Employment Enhancement Projects – Adult Program | project | Criminal Justice, Drug Courts/ Problem-Solving Courts, Substance Abuse Treatment |
| Family Circle Program Evaluation | project | Early Childhood and Family Well-Being, Substance Abuse Treatment |
| Baltimore City Drug Court Employment Enhancement Projects – Juvenile Program | project | Criminal Justice, Drug Courts/ Problem-Solving Courts, Youth Development |