{"id":71,"date":"2013-02-05T20:18:47","date_gmt":"2013-02-05T20:18:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.vermont-yit-program.com\/?page_id=71"},"modified":"2013-02-07T22:12:02","modified_gmt":"2013-02-07T22:12:02","slug":"faqs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.vermont-yit-program.com\/evaluation\/faqs\/","title":{"rendered":"Evaluation FAQs"},"content":{"rendered":"[spoiler title=”What is the evaluation?” open=”0″ style=”1″]The Young Adults in Transition (YIT) evaluation is a required part of Vermont receiving the YIT funding from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). It provides information about your local system of care achievements, young adult and family outcomes, and mental health and substance abuse service needs. The overall evaluation mission is to provide information that is useful to young adults, their families and adult allies, service providers, regional steering committees, and Vermont.[\/spoiler]\n[spoiler title=”What are the differences between the four evaluation studies?” open=”0″ style=”1″]There are four specific studies that make up the YIT evaluation. Regional partners are responsible for collecting data for the Common Study and Services and Costs Study.<\/p>\n

1. Common Study (Data collected by regional SOC staff)<\/h4>\n

This study collects descriptive information on all young adults, ages 16 to 21, served by their region\u2019s funded system of care at the entry (or re-entry) into services. Eligible young adults are those between the ages of 16 and 21 who meet the Act 264 definition of Severe Emotional Disturbance (SED) or who are considered at risk for SED (see Study Inclusion Criteria Checklist). Because there is some identifying information we are required to collect, we need to obtain consent from young adults and if under 18 their parents or guardians as well for them to participate. The consenting and collection of data for the Common Study is designed to take approximately 20 minutes per client. The first Common Study interview must be conducted within seven days of intake into a region\u2019s funded system of care, follow-up interviews are conducted every 6 months while the youth is receiving services, and then a discharge interview is conducted when they leave services.<\/p>\n

We also work with the regions to identify eligible study participants and obtain permission for the UVM evaluation team to contact them further to elicit participation in the Vermont and National studies (see below). While introducing the Common Study to the young adult (and their parent\/caregiver if young adult is under 18 years of age), we would also like region staff to obtain permission for us to contact them to describe the next two studies (Vermont and National) in more detail. We have a protocol and forms for each region to guide this process.<\/p>\n

2. Vermont Study (Data collected by the VCHIP team)<\/h4>\n

This is a voluntary study for young adults receiving services from their region\u2019s funded system of care and their caregivers (or adult allies). The goal is to review how the system of care promotes positive young adult development and meets the needs of young adults who have experienced mental health, substance use, or other social problems. Interviews will be conducted close to the start of services, at 6 months, and at 12 months. The interviews will take approximately one hour and are conducted by the VCHIP team.<\/p>\n

3. National Study (Data collected by the VCHIP team)<\/h4>\n

This is a voluntary study for young adults with SED and their caregivers (or adult allies) at five points in time: at the start of services, and then at 6 months, 12 months, 18 months, and 24 months. The interviews are more in-depth than the Vermont study (lasting about two-three hours), covering a broader number of life areas and obtaining greater detailed information. These data will also be aggregated and combined with the National sample of System of Care service recipients. The interviews for the National study are also conducted by the VCHIP team.<\/p>\n

4. Services & Costs Study (Data collected by regional SOC staff and VCHIP review of MSR data)<\/h4>\n

This study collects costs information about the services received by all young adults participating in the National Study only. Regions are responsible for working with the VCHIP team to use existing sources of services and costs data to collect this information. If the current services and costs data do not provide the necessary information, then use measures provided by SAMHSA.<\/p>\n

Additional data will be collected by the evaluators using existing databases from a variety of Vermont agencies with participants\u2019 permission.[\/spoiler]\n[spoiler title=”Who is in charge of the evaluation?” open=”0″ style=”1″]The Vermont Child Health Improvement Program (VCHIP) at the University of Vermont (UVM) was hired to conduct the evaluation of Vermont\u2019s YIT grant. There are three evaluators (collectively working about 2.0 FTE on this project): Thomas Delaney, Jody Kamon, and Jesse Suter. Tom and Jody work for VCHIP and Jesse works at the Center on Disability and Community Inclusion at UVM. Ellen Talbert is the evaluation coordinator at VCHIP. Stasia Savasuk is a part-time interviewer collecting data in southern Vermont. Interviews with young adults and caregivers (or adult allies) will be conducted by Tom, Jody, Jesse, and Stasia. The evaluators are members of the statewide YIT Operations and Outreach Team and seek guidance from the E-Team, an advisory group of young adults, family members, and adult allies.[\/spoiler]\n[spoiler title=”What questions will the evaluation try to answer?” open=”0″ style=”1″]\n

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  1. Who are the young adults and families served?<\/li>\n
  2. What services do young adults and families receive?<\/li>\n
  3. What do those services cost?<\/li>\n
  4. How much do outcomes improve for young adults and families over time?<\/li>\n
  5. How do services get coordinated over time to help young adults and families?<\/li>\n
  6. What do young adults and families say about their experience with systems of care?<\/li>\n
  7. What factors help to sustain the system of care after federal funding ends?<\/li>\n
  8. How can Vermont better support Community Mental Health Centers and other programs and agencies that provide behavioral health interventions for young adults?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n[\/spoiler]\n[spoiler title=”What specific information will be collected to answer these questions?” open=”0″ style=”1″]\n
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    1. Common Study: Descriptive information (e.g., age, gender, race \/ ethnicity), Diagnoses, Enrollment information, Overall functioning, Substance use, Living situation, Perspective about services.<\/li>\n
    2. Vermont Study: Strengths, Emotional and behavioral problems (ASEBA), Trauma symptoms, Substance use, Healthcare coverage, utilization, and related behaviors, Caregiver strain.<\/li>\n
    3. National Study: Strengths, Emotional and behavioral problems (ASEBA), Trauma symptoms, Substance use, Healthcare coverage, utilization, and related behaviors, Caregiver Strain, Education, Living situation, Delinquent or legal behaviors, Perspective about services including satisfaction.<\/li>\n
    4. Services & Cost Study: Only for young adults that are in the National Study<\/strong>: Information on most system of care related services received. For each service provided, need to document dates of services, type of service, location, cost, and the source of payment.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n[\/spoiler]\n[spoiler title=”What more can you tell us about the Services and Costs study?” open=”0″ style=”1″]The latest information we have received from SAMHSA has clarified that the Services and Costs study includes collecting information on a wide range of services being received only by young adults participating in the National Study. For many regions this will be approximately 3-8 young adults per year (Burlington has about 20 per year).<\/p>\n

      What Services to Include:<\/h4>\n

      Your data collection efforts for the Services and Costs Study should include services provided by the following organizations, both public and private:<\/p>\n