Session: Multimethod Evaluation: Title IV-E Waiver Demonstration Program (Society for Social Work and Research 21st Annual Conference - Ensure Healthy Development for all Youth)

Theme: This symposium describes a multimethod evaluation of a Title IV-E Waiver Demonstration Program in a Midwestern state. This evaluation integrates formative evaluation procedures with quantitative and qualitative data from big, existing state data sets and new, directive instruments from the evaluation team to inform and enhance the Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) process in practice.  Using multiple methods for a specific aim integrates child data with multiple stakeholders.  The first paper describes the process of instrument collaboration to enhance established data with the next two papers providing examples of multiple methods to investigate one objective.

Paper #1. Combining Existing Child Welfare Data with Data collected for this Project (Imburgia)

            Thirty states have active Title IV-E Waivers that require evaluation.  Evaluations use data provided by the Child Welfare Agency (CWA) and data collected by the Evaluators.  A trusted partnership is an important part of a formative evaluation approach.  Beginning annually in 2013, our evaluation team collaborated with the CWA in an existing Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) process to develop an online survey of the perceptions of caseworkers in this CWA in a Midwestern state.  Through a growing collaborative effort, the Evaluators were able to gather more data on a wider array of topics that were important to the CWA and the evaluation of the IV-E Waiver. 

Paper #2. Impact of Teaming on Process and Outcomes (Kim & Armstrong)

Child and family team meetings have increasingly been utilized in the child welfare system to empower families and provide effective individualized services through community partnerships. Previous studies have shown that the quality of team processes is essential to promote service delivery and child outcomes. This study used two datasets collected in a Midwestern state as part of the evaluation of Title IV-E Waiver Demonstration: Quality Service Review (QSR) and community stakeholder surveys. The integrated findings of these data suggest several avenues for caseworkers to improve team formation and functioning.

Paper #3. Impact of Waiver on Concrete Services.  (Bloomquist & Imburgia)

Concrete services are goods and services beyond traditional contractual services and include rent, utilities, healthcare, and other tangible items purchased directly for a family.  This study utilized data from two Waiver Evaluation datasets, a quantitative analysis of administrative concrete service enhanced by qualitative analysis of CWA regional & executive manager interviews.  Analysis of administrative concrete service data revealed that overall costs increased over time. Analysis of the qualitative data revealed increased understanding and usage of funds for concrete services from 2014 to  2015 interviews. Thus, concrete services can be used flexibly and creatively to prevent the removal of children, expedite permanency and enhance safety and well-being. 

Importance: Over 13,000 children and their families are provided services annually through this child welfare agency. Formative and summative evaluation efforts measure progress of the Title IV-E Waiver Demonstration Program. Growth of trust and relationships between the Evaluation team and the state team has allowed for better development of tools and integration of data which translates into more effective data driven services for children and families.