Project Abstract
Colorado’s 5-Year Family First Prevention Services Plan was approved in October 2022. At this time, programs rated as “promising” or “supported” by the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse (the Clearinghouse) require ongoing rigorous evaluation to build evidence towards a “well-supported” designation. In addition, practices that have no current level of designation (i.e., not yet rated), as well as practices that have been reviewed, but received a rating of “does not currently meet criteria,” require rigorous evaluation building from the ground up. The Colorado Lab serves as the coordinator of Family First rigorous evaluation efforts on behalf of the State of Colorado, specifically, the Colorado Department of Human Services. In this role, the Colorado Lab provides ongoing strategic guidance to meet the evidence-based aspects of Family First requirements and ensure strategic investments in evidence-building for services/programs positioned to meet the needs of Colorado’s children, youth, and families.
The Colorado Lab currently coordinates and oversees evidence-building for four evaluations and will coordinate and oversee additional evaluations as new ones are prioritized as part of Colorado’s prevention strategy. Click on the titles below to learn more.
- Evaluation Team: Dr. Suzanne Kerns, Kempe Center
- Evaluation Timeframe: March 1, 2022 to February 28, 2024
- Step to Building Evidence: Steps 1, 2, and 3
- Key Deliverables: (1) Initial Report June 30, 2023 on implementation; (2) Final Report March 31, 2024 on reach, implementation, and outcomes such as: arrests/re-arrests during treatment, out-of-home placements, if the youth is in school or working; and (3) Brief Report March 3, 2024 on how to approach building evidence for a hybrid/telehealth adaptation of a service already rated by the Clearinghouse.
- Lab contact: Dr. Elysia Clemens, PhD, LPC
- Evaluation Team: Meghan McCormick, MDRC
- Evaluation Timeframe: April 1, 2022 to June 30, 2026
- Step to Building Evidence: Step 5
- Key Deliverables: Annual reports will be submitted by MDRC on January 31 of each year detailing study progress. Outcomes report for 15-month follow-up data is due January 31, 2025. Outcomes report for the 36-month follow-up data is due January 31, 2027
- Lab contact: Dr. Elysia Clemens, PhD, LPC
TF-CBT is designated as a “promising” practice by the Clearinghouse. The Center for Policy Research (CPR) is designing and executing a rigorous evaluation of school-based TF-CBT in Colorado, with the goal of building evidence toward a “well-supported” designation. The quasi-experimental design capitalizes on the robust school-based mental health landscape to (a) build evidence for TF-CBT as a high-potential service for inclusion in Colorado’s Family First strategy and (b) contribute to field-building around school-based mental health service delivery as a leverage point for Colorado’s prevention continuum. The study will assess the impact of TF-CBT on child well-being (behavioral and emotional functioning, social functioning).
- Evaluation Team: Lanae Davis, MPS and Anne Byrne, MS, CPR
- Evaluation Timeframe: Planning Period January 1, 2022 to October 30, 2022; Execution Period November 1, 2022 to June 30, 2024
- Step to Building Evidence: Step 4
- Key Deliverables: (1) Planning Period: Evaluation Plan approved by October 30, 2022; (2) Quarterly reports will be submitted by CPR detailing study progress and summarizing preliminary results. (3) Outcomes report for 6-month follow-up data is due March 30, 2024.
- Lab Contact: Dr. Courtney Everson, PhD
- Evaluation Team: Dr. Heather N. Taussig, University of Denver; Dr. Sarah J. Racz, University of Maryland
- Evaluation Timeframe: September 2022 to June 2023
- Step to Building Evidence: Step 4
- Key Deliverables: (1) Brief progress memo by January 30, 2023 on activities conducted in fall 2022; and (2) Findings report on suicidality by March 30, 2023.
- Lab Contact: Dr. Courtney Everson, PhD
Agencies:
Colorado Department of Human Services, Office of Children, Youth and FamiliesResearch Partners:
Center for Policy Research
The Kempe Center
MDRC
- Category: In Progress
- Tags: #childrenandyouth, CDHS