Residential Group Homes: An Outcome Evaluation of Treatment Effectiveness
Principal Investigator:
Ruth McRoy, Ph.D.
Duration: 95 - 97
The Center For Social Work Research facilitated a research project in conjunction with two twenty-four hour residential treatment facilities: The Helping Hand Home for Children and The Settlement Home for Children, both located in Austin, Texas. The project examined and evaluated the factors related to the outcome of treatment for a sample of children and adolescents (ages 4 to 18), who had been placed in either of the two facilities.
The study components included:
- an extensive review of the literature,
- data collection and analysis,
- individual case reviews,
- post-discharge monitoring of client success,
- subsequent follow-up with study participants' caseworkers,
- development of a case record database,
- development of formal proposal presentations to funding sources for further examination of issues, and
- a final report and dissemination of information obtained through presentation and publication.
The short-term goal of the research project was to evaluate treatment success for the two residential treatment facilities and to make recommendations for care. The long-term goal of the research project was for both agencies to self-evaluate based on the developed protocol and to follow through with subsequent recommendations. The findings of the project were submitted to each sponsoring agency.
Sponsor:
Helping Hand Home for Children
The Settlement Home for Children
Keywords: child welfare, families, children, youth