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WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
Presentation to the 28th Annual Research & Policy Conference
on Child, Adolescent, and Young Adult Behavioral Health
Tampa, Florida
March 23, 2015
All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
DISCUSSION TOPICS
• Brief review and update on LifeSet study
• What’s next on the research agenda?
• What’s next for the program?
• Is a random assignment study right for you?
• If I had it to do over again . . . .
All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
The Agency
Youth Villages provides behavioral health services to children and adolescents
through a continuum of care in 12 states and the District of Columbia.
All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
LIFESET
LifeSet serves youth who are aging out of foster care or who otherwise find
themselves without the necessary skills to live independently – LifeSet specialists
meet one-on-one with youth to help them gain the skills they need to achieve their
goals related to housing, education, employment, relationships, and parenting.
All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
THE STUDY
A random
assignment
evaluation with a
sample size of
more than 1,300
60%
40%
received LifeSet
services
had access to usual
community services
Data gathered at baseline and one year from
participants and from administrative records
(school enrollment and completion).
All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
WHAT’S NEXT ON THE RESEARCH AGENDA?
Extension of the current study
Two-year impact analysis using
administrative data
Cost-benefit analysis based
on two-year impacts
All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
WHAT’S NEXT ON THE RESEARCH AGENDA?
Further examination of data from treatment group
83
dimensions
Critical program
elements associated
with positive outcomes
Refinement of fidelity
measures to focus on key
program components
All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
WHAT’S NEXT ON THE RESEARCH AGENDA?
Establishing further evidence for LifeSet
Another random
assignment evaluation?
Transportability
of the model
All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
WHAT’S NEXT ON THE RESEARCH AGENDA?
Ongoing outcome evaluation agenda
Implementation
evaluation in new sites
Implementation
evaluation of new
partners
Rigorous rapid cycle
evaluation of
program changes
All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE PROGRAM?
Program development in response to study findings
Education
Negative involvement
with the legal system
All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE PROGRAM?
Expansion options
• Market expansion in existing states
• Expansion into new states with YV presence
• Leading with LifeSet – expansions into states
without YV presence
• Partnerships
All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
IS RANDOM ASSIGNMENT STUDY RIGHT FOR YOU?
Favorable conditions
• More demand than supply
• Stable, mature program
• Market stability
• Strong internal and external champions
Potential red flags
• Political issues – internal or external
• Funding insecurity
• Competition from similar programs
All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
IF I HAD TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN . . .
Invest more time
and energy in
obtaining
administrative
data
Maintain closer
contact with
respondents
prior to survey
Prepare
stakeholders
Conduct RCT 101 trainings
Plan for possible outcome
scenarios
All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST
Sarah Hurley
Director of Data Science
901-251-4950
sarah.hurley@youthvillages.org
All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved