Research and Evaluation
Health
Clinical Trial of the P.L.A.Y. Project
Principal Investigators: Richard Solomon; Laurie Van Egeren
Additional CERC members: Miles McNall
Funder: National Institute of Mental Health
MSU Partners: Community Evaluation and Research Center
Community Partners: Ann Arbor Center for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics; Easter Seals
Project Description: The P.L.A.Y. Project is an intensive parent-focused intervention designed to increase functioning in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. This project is a pilot study of community implementation and effectiveness comparing socio-emotional and language outcomes in children and stress outcomes in parents in two Easter Seals sites providing the P.L.A.Y. Project intervention with two Easter Seals sites where children receive the community standard of care.
Please contact Laurie Van Egeren for more information
Evaluation of EightCAP, Inc. Early Head Start Program
Principal Investigator: Jessica Barnes
Funder: EightCap, Inc.
MSU Partners: Community Evaluation and Research Center; Department of Statistics and Probability
Community Partners: EightCap, Inc.
Project Description: Early Head Start (EHS) is a comprehensive program that focuses on enhancing the child's development and supporting the family during the critical first three years of the child's life. The EightCAP, Inc. child development program serves pregnant women, infants and toddlers ages 0 - 3 in Gratiot, Isabella, Montcalm and Ionia counties. This program offers weekly visits to the home and monthly group meetings for the parent(s) and child(ren). EHS focuses on family support, medical and nutritional care, and emotional well-being for enrolled children. EHS also networks with other agencies to ensure the family is aware of available resources. The purpose of the evaluation is to determine how effectively the program meets its goals of (a) promoting the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional growth of infants/toddlers; (b) supporting parents/parent figures in their role as primary caregivers and educators of their children; (c) strengthening community supports for families with young children; and (d) developing highly trained, caring staff to deliver EHS services.
Please contact Jessica Barnes for more information
Michigan Evaluation of School-Based Health (MESH)
Principal Investigator: Miles McNall
Additional CERC members: Brian Mavis; Celeste Sturdevant Reed; Laura Bates; Lauren Lichty; Jason Forney
Funder: Michigan Department of Community Health
MSU Partners: Community Evaluation and Research Center; University-Community Partnerships
Community Partners: Michigan Department of Community Health; School-Community Health Alliance of Michigan; Henry Ford Health System; Oakwood Health Care System; University of Michigan Health System; Health Delivery, Inc.; Center for Family Health; county health departments in Ingham, Chippewa, and Van Buren/Cass counties; and 18 Michigan public schools from Sault Ste. Marie to Jackson
Project Description: More than 60 school-linked health centers are providing a range of primary, preventative, and early intervention services to more than 100,000 children at all grade levels throughout Michigan. To date, there has been no statewide evaluation to assess the impact of these centers on the health outcomes and health care costs of the children they serve. The MESH project is studying the impact of school-based health centers on the health outcomes, healthcare costs, and school attendance of children in public schools throughout Michigan.
Please contact Miles McNall for more information
Systems Change in After-School Programs to Affect Childhood Obesity Rates
Principal Investigators: Miles McNall; Laurie Van Egeren
Funder: Mayor's Time, through a grant from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
MSU Partners: Community Evaluation and Research Center
Community Partners: Mayor's Time; United Dairy Association; Detroit Public Health Department
Project Description: This evaluation examines the implementation and programmatic and systemic outcomes for a health and nutrition curriculum provided to organizations within the Mayor's Time network of youth-serving organizations, most of which are community- or faith-based. The evaluation is looking at organizations' use of the curriculum and increases in provision of health-focused activities, changes in students' attitudes and knowledge about making healthy food choices, and systemic changes in normative structures, resources, regulations, and operations across the Mayor's Time system.
Please contact Miles McNall for more information
