Understanding and Expanding the Reach of Home Visiting (HV-REACH) Project

NCT06694376 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: MPR5132047QRAA18D00BQ/75ACF121F80023
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 154
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Mathematica, funded by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will collect descriptive information for the Understanding and Expanding the Reach of Home Visiting (HV-REACH) project. The study team will conduct qualitative case studies in up to seven purposively selected centralized intake systems that refer families to Early Childhood Home Visiting programs. Centralized intake systems are a single entry point that use outreach and screening to identify families with needs and provide referrals to the home visiting program that best fits those needs. Existing centralized intake systems use a range of methods, and their definitions and applications can vary widely. The goal of the case studies is to provide an in-depth understanding of the features of centralized intake systems, how they reach potentially eligible families, and how they support and expand the enrollment of families in early childhood home visiting (ECHV) programs. Understanding and explaining how staff think different features of these systems influence family and staff experiences of outreach, screening, referral, and enrollment processes can potentially lead to opportunities for program improvement efforts, technical assistance, or changes to centralized intake system processes. For instance, ACF and their partner, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), can use information about different centralized intake systems to develop policy and program guidance. In addition, the public-including current centralized intake systems, staff from localities considering implementing them, and technical assistance providers who work with centralized intake systems-can use information from the case studies about (1) successfully implementing or enhancing existing centralized intake systems, or (2) utilizing new outreach or referral pathways to expand enrollment to families not consistently reached. For example, staff from localities considering implementing centralized intake systems can understand different staffing and governance structures that might work in their contexts. Researchers can also use the information to plan future studies of centralized intake systems that examine the outcomes of these systems. Data collection will begin in fall 2024. The study team will conduct virtual or in-person site visits, with semi-structured interviews and document collection, to understand different features of these systems and family and staff experiences with outreach, screening, referrals, and enrollment processes.

Conditions

Home Visiting; Centralized Intake Systems

Keywords

Home visiting; MIECHV; Early care and education; Centralized intake systems

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (7)

• Centralized Intake Administrator Screening Talking Points or Screening Email with Questions

  Study-developed email outreach will gather information about whether a nominated centralized intake system organization is eligible to participate in the study.

  2 months

• Centralized Intake Administrator and Other Staff Interview Protocol

  Study-developed interview protocol will learn from centralized intake administrators and other staff about how centralized intake systems operate; how they coordinate with home visiting programs to screen, refer, and enroll families for home visiting programs; and about opportunities to improve staff or family experience with centralized intake systems.

  5 months

• Document Review Request

  Study-developed document review request will be used to gather documents through which we will learn about types of materials and documentation that centralized intake systems use related to outreach, screening, referrals, and enrollment processes and pathways.

  5 months

• Home Visiting Program Director and Other Staff Interview Protocol

  Study-developed interview protocol will learn from home visiting program directors and other staff about how centralized intake systems operate; how they coordinate with centralized intake systems to screen, refer, and enroll families for home visiting programs; and about opportunities to improve staff or family experience with centralized intake systems.

  5 months

• Home Visitor and Other Staff Interview Protocol

  Study-developed interview protocol will learn about how home visitors contribute to and support family referral and enrollment processes, and about opportunities to improve the home visitor or family experience with centralized intake systems.

  5 months

• Family Interview Protocol

  Study-developed interview protocol will learn about experiences of parents or caregivers, and perceptions of centralized intake systems in terms of eligibility, wait times, referrals, communication, and relationships with centralized intake or home visiting program staff.

  5 months

• Participant Characteristics Form

  Study-developed survey instrument will collect information about centralized intake administrators', home visiting program directors', home visitors', and parent/caregivers' race and/or ethnicity, age, and gender identity. We will also ask parent/caregivers to provide information to provide information about number of children, child ages, and primary language. Responses will be anonymous.

  5 months

Study Arms (1)

Single-group study

The study has one group/cohort, which will include up to 154 people. The study team will conduct one round of semi-structured interviews with up to 42 administrators or other staff at the centralized intake system organization(s), 28 home visiting program directors and other staff responsible for overseeing outreach and enrollment, 42 home visitors and other staff responsible for conducting outreach and enrollment, and 42 families who were referred to home visiting through the selected centralized intake systems. All respondents will also complete a form to provide information about their demographic characteristics.

Other: No intervention

Interventions

No intervention OTHER

No intervention.

Single-group study

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Community sample. From the seven selected sites: centralized intake administrators and other staff at centralized intake system organization, home visiting program directors or other staff responsible for overseeing outreach and enrollment, home visitor at home visiting program or other staff responsible for conducting outreach and enrollment, and families who are referred to home visiting through the centralized intake system.

You may qualify if:

• Centralized intake administrator or other staff at selected centralized intake system organization
• Program director at home visiting program or other staff responsible for overseeing outreach and enrollment at home visiting program associated with selected centralized intake system
• Home visitor at home visiting program or other staff responsible for conducting outreach and enrollment at home visiting program associated with selected centralized intake system
• Families referred to home visiting through selected centralized intake system at home visiting program associated with selected centralized intake system

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.: lead
• Department of Health and Human Services: collaborator
• Brazelton Touchpoints Center: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Mathematica

Washington D.C., District of Columbia, 20002-4221, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Roberts, R. N., Akers, A. L., & Behl, D. D. (1996). Family-level service coordination within home visiting programs." Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 16(3), 279-301. https://doi.org/10.1177/027112149601600303.

  BACKGROUND

Related Links

• Provides information cited in Detailed Description section
• Provides information cited in Detailed Description section
• Provides information cited in Detailed Description section

Central Study Contacts

Jess Harding, PhD

CONTACT

(609) 945-6641; JHarding@mathematica-mpr.com

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: CASE ONLY
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 15, 2024
• First Posted: November 19, 2024
• Study Start: January 1, 2025
• Primary Completion: August 29, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 29, 2026
• Last Updated: November 19, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-10

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)