Partnership for Multimethod Evaluation in Child Welfare: Title IV-E Waiver Demonstration Program

• Published in: Child welfare Vol. 95; no. 5; p. 59
• Main Authors: Hall, James A, Hensel, Devon J, Imburgia, Teresa M, Danh, Marie, Pierce, Barbara J, Jaggers, Jeremiah W, Kim, Jangmin, Armstrong-Richardson, Eprise, Bloomquist, Kori R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Child Welfare League of America, Inc 01.09.2016
• Subjects: Child welfare; Laws, regulations and rules; Methods; United States
• ISSN: 0009-4021

The purpose of this paper is to describe the development and implementation of a longitudinal evaluation of a statewide intervention (Title IV-E Waiver Demonstration Program) in a statewide child welfare agency using multiple methods for data collection and analysis. This longitudinal evaluation design was developed using guidelines from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) regarding outcomes, process, and cost. The specific design and data collection procedures were developed over time by the evaluation team in collaboration with the state child welfare agency. Data were collected using electronic surveys with various samples, interviews with regional and executive managers, data downloaded from the state's Management Information System, and regional case evaluations. State child welfare agencies are constantly evaluated by the communities in which they are located. However, these evaluations are typically reactive without positive feedback. In our evaluation of the Title IV-E Waiver Demonstration Project, a trusting partnership developed between the state child welfare agency and our university-based evaluation team, which resulted in more efficient use of data by the child welfare agency and in research by the evaluation team on key issues.