The Research and Evaluation Program works closely with community-based and governmental agencies to identify unmet needs, conduct research, measure program quality and evaluate program outcomes. The program also provides these groups with an array of technical assistance services.
Examples of current and recently-completed research, evaluation and technical assistance projects include:
Staff: Donna Van Alst, Trenna Shivers, Adam Staats, J.C. Klena, James Rodriguez, Shantay Mines, Ciara Gordon
- Chafee National Youth in Transition Database - Develop and implement a longitudinal study to examine outcomes for youth who age out of the NJ foster care system in accordance with federal requirements for the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999.
- Division of Youth and Family Services Data Collections Project - Create and manage a web-based client-level service utilization data collection system for the independent living, transitional living and after-care services provided through the Adolescent Services Unit at the Division of Youth and Family Services.
- Project MYSELF - Deliver a mentoring and community service program serving almost 400 former foster youth who pursue post-secondary education activities.
- Website - Create and maintain website for youth who are out of the NJ public child welfare system (www.transitionsforyouth.org)
- Newsletter - Publish periodical for youth who are preparing to or who have recently aged-out of the NJ public child welfare services.
- Summer Housing and Internship Program - Providing summer housing and internships for 10 former foster youth who are currently attending post-secondary educational programs.
- Keys to Achieving Resilient Transitions (KART) - Provides substance abuse prevention program to youth who are aging out of the public child welfare system
- Staff Middlesex County Youth Advisory Board
- Developing and coordinating the Adolescent Services Unit Training Initiative, which provides training to staff at DYFS-contracted agencies that serve the aging-out population
Staff: Terri Fox, David Williams, Adam Thacker, James Rodriguez
- Ryan White CAREware Project - Manage a client-level service utilization tracking system to support quality management and outcome evaluation activities for the Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon Ryan White Title I Program.
- Ryan White Planning Council Support - Provide staff support to Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon HIV Health Services Planning Council and related activities.
- Quality Management Project - Develop and implement quality management activities for the Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon Ryan White Title I Program.
Staff: David Williams, Terri Fox
- Coordinate concurrent planning training for DYFS staff
- Conduct evaluation examining changes in knowledge, attitudes and skills related to concurrent planning among New Jersey child welfare workers to support Concurrent Planning Contract.
Staff: Donna Van Alst, Soo-Jung Jang, James Rodriguez
- An experimental evaluation examining changes in knowledge, attitudes and self-efficacy among senior citizens participating in a substance abuse prevention intervention.
Staff: Donna Van Alst, Esther Son
- Qualitative process and outcome evaluation of an initiative to strengthen the relationship between early care and education providers and the New Jersey public child welfare system.
Staff: Donna Van Alst, JC Klena
- Evaluation of a family literacy program operated by the United Passaic Organization.
Staff: JC Klena
Grant: Miscellaneous amounts from various community-based groups
- Mapping community assets and other information for community-based groups throughout New Jersey.
Staff: Minwha Cho, Donna Van Alst, Terri Fox
Grant: Included in Weekend MSW Program Grant
- Process and outcome evaluation of the School of Social Work’s intensive weekend MSW program in collaboration with the Division of Youth and Family Services.
Staff: Chieh-Wen Liu, Mary Kay Jou, Donna Van Alst
Grant: Included in NJCSI grant
- Evaluation of training program delivered through New Jersey Child Support Institute.
Staff: JC Klena
- Assist Brooklyn-based youth services agency in conducting focus groups and compiling a youth needs assessment.
Staff: Donna Van Alst
- Conduct pre-test/post-test evaluation of training for court staff, attorneys and judges who work with children and families involved with abuse and neglect cases.
- CASA of New Jersey Project - Developing a logic model and identifying appropriate measures to support statewide evaluation efforts for program which provides volunteer advocates for children in out-of-home care
- Office of the Child Advocate - Examining and improving the quality of institutional abuse investigations conducted in New Jersey.
- Abbott Preschool Enrollment Project - Examining issues related to the under-enrollment of children in the free Abbott preschool program in Newark, NJ.
- Administration of Courts Family Friendly Court Assessment - Conducted a statewide assessment of the degree to which family courts in New Jersey are responsive to the needs of children and families they serve to inform court practices and identify training needs for family court staff and related professionals.
- Child Assault Prevention Program Evaluation - An experimental evaluation examining changes in self-efficacy among grade school children participating in a school-based child assault prevention intervention.