Following Youth After Out-of-Home Placement: Navigating a Data Collection Obstacle Course

Abstract

As part of a state-wide study of group home care, approximately 500 youth were followed for eight months after discharge from participating group homes. This article discusses challenges of such post-discharge data collection and presents methods and tools for following this highly mobile population. Methods include determining a specific sequence of protocol, designing a concise transferrable form for following youth, and holding regular meetings with all involved staff to problem-solve and develop/revise protocol. Suggestions are made for following this population by youth serving agencies as well as other researchers attempting longitudinal data collection with youth experiencing out-of-home placement.

Keywords:

• longitudinal data collection
• youth
• out-of-home placements

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grant MH057448 from the National Institute of Mental Health.

Notes