Feasibility of Long-Term Outcomes Measurement by Residential Providers

ABSTRACT

Policy makers and funders working to address best practices for residential care and treatment require evidence for the effectiveness of residential interventions, particularly related to maintenance of effects post-discharge. With support from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the US Department of Health and Human Services, the Building Bridges Initiative and providers of residential interventions partnered with Chapin Hall to study the feasibility of a method for collecting follow-up data on the functioning of young people who were recently discharged from residential treatment. This paper describes the implementation and findings regarding the feasibility of (1) identifying the location of youth 6 months post-discharge, (2) contacting the caregivers of these youth for the purpose of administering a follow-up survey, and (3) administering a brief (10-min) survey inquiring about youth functioning in key domains. The results of this research provide guidance for measuring youth progress and outcomes after residential interventions. This study also lays the groundwork for a larger post-discharge outcomes study that includes linkage to administrative data, baseline data on youth functioning, and assessment of the services received in the context of residential interventions. Data and information obtained from the feasibility study provide evidence for the viability of a brief, telephone-administered post-discharge survey with caregivers.

KEYWORDS:

• outcomes
• follow-up
• measurement
• residential care

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the support of the Building Bridges Initiative, and the Chapin Hall Center at the University of Chicago, as well as Chapin Hall project staff Jason Brennen, Larry Small, and Sarah Lazarich for their oversight of this work.

DisclaImer

The views, opinions, and content expressed do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or policies of the CMHS, SAMHSA or HHS.

Additional information

Funding

This study was made possible, in part, through support from the National Technical Assistance Network for Children’s Behavioral Health at the University of Maryland, funded by the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service (HHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) through Contract #HHSS280201500007C.