Evidence based programs for youth

Developing and promoting evidence-based programs that support healthy youth development. In the past 30 years, researchers have identified a number of programs that have a positive impact on kids and families.

Search Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development to identify cost-effective and proven programs. Casey invests in adapting, replicating and evaluating promising programs, especially those that can be used to keep kids from unnecessarily entering the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.

We also provide consultations to policymakers and public and private agency leaders about steps they can take to support the use of evidence-based programs. Team Decision Making TDM is a promising child welfare strategy that involves children and families, their support networks and professionals in all decisions related to child placement. Casey is funding an evaluation to identify which TDM components are essential to improving outcomes for young people. Casey is developing and testing a new platform to guide public system investment in evidence-based programs, called Evidence2Success.

In , Casey selected Providence, Rhode Island, and the Providence Children and Youth Cabinet to implement and improve the platform before making it available in additional sites. A longitudinal evaluation of the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative is examining the impact of policies and practices on the well-being of young people who are aging out of foster care. In addition, it is important to consider the level of evidence that supports the program, including.

Evidence-based registries, directories, or lists are tools that help you match the problem or gap you have identified with the pool of existing evidence-based programs. A number of government and nongovernment organizations have put together registries that list evidence-based programs as a way to disseminate information about programs and their level of effectiveness. The program directory on youth. Registries list programs and categorize them, similar to a consumer guide.

This process allows users to identify programs that best meet their needs and have a body of research behind them. Registries vary in the programs they include, how they define evidence, the depth of evidence they require, the criteria they use for classifying evidence-based programs, and their area of focus. For example, registries may focus on specific content areas, such as teen pregnancy prevention, violence prevention, or educational interventions.

Some registries provide only programs that meet a certain standard of evidence, while others report both programs with evidence of positive effects and those that have limited, mixed, or negative effects. Registries also vary in how they categorize programs. In all registries, programs with a lot of research and replication are placed in a higher category than those with less research and replication.

Because of the variability in the category definitions, it is important for users to carefully review the criteria or standards used by the registry in classifying a program.

Overall, registries are moving in the direction of using stronger standards. While registries and evidence-based program vendors and developers often provide a lot of information and may classify programs into certain categories or claim effectiveness, it is important to look closely at what the evidence is actually saying and the context in which it was studied.

Consider these questions:. The goal is not simply to select what works best, but to select what works best for you, with your resources, and in your context because evidence-based programs will not work the same for everyone.

Therefore, as previously mentioned, it is important to consider your population, your capacity e. Population Because evidence-based programs may work differently with different populations, it is important to compare the populations studied with your target population and to look at whether the program provides information to address variations in the impact of the intervention across different individuals.

Juveniles CrimeSolutions. Research is scored on being effective, promising, or showing no effects. Programs are rated using the Scientific Rating Scale. Evidence ratings are based on evaluation literature and are used to classify programs into three categories: exemplary, effective, or promising.

Program Directory Search Youth. Database is searchable by risk factor or protective factor. Department of Health and Human Services Identifies programs with evidence of effectiveness in reducing teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and associated sexual risk behaviors.