Consent Letter

PORTlAND STATE
lJNIVERSITY

Regional Research Institute
for Human Services
Post Office Box 751
Portland, Oregon 97207-0751
1600 SW Fourth Avenue, Suite 900
PHONE:503-725-4040
FAX:503-725-4180
WEB:http://www.rri.pdx.edu

Dear:

TheRegionalResearchInstituteis affiliated
with theGraduateSchoolof SocialWork

The Regional Research Institute for Human Services at Portland State University and the
University of Massachusetts Medical School are partnering to conduct a research project in Clark
County, Washington. Your agency has been identified as one that may provide services that can
include individuals aged 14-25 who have serious mental health conditions and have been served
by the Regional Services Network (RSN) as adolescents.
We would like to interview an administrator from every such program in Clark County. We refer
to this group of services and supports as the Clark County transition system. The purpose of the
study is to describe the changes in the transition system and the interconnectedness of the
organizations it contains as a result of the Options Project which was designed to enhance the
system. We will ask the administrators questions about the degree to which their organization
shares referrals and information with other organizations in the network, their evaluation of the
quality of the program and the system, and the degree to which the program's and system's
practices are consistent with current guidelines for serving this population as they transition into
adulthood. The data collection has two parts: response to an on-line survey which takes about 20
minutes and a face to face interview which takes less than an hour. We would like to interview an
administrator who is familiar both with the workings of your program/agency and with its
relationship to other program/agencies in Clark County. That administrator will be answering
the questions as a representative of your program/agency. The name of each agency or program
that participates will appear in the report. Individuals who provide data will be given the option
to have their names included in an Appendix. Even if they choose not to have their name listed,
it may be possible for some readers to guess who from your agency was interviewed.
Participation in these interviews is voluntary.
The end product of this series of interviews is called a network analysis, which will describe
changes in the strength and direction of the relationships between all of the relevant agencies in
the Clark County area. This information will be used to help the RSN and the Clark County
Department of Community Services continue to improve services for youth with serious
emotional disturbance as they mature from ages 14to 25. Results of the study will also be made
available to your agency/program.
Lastly, the network analysis will add to the knowledge base about system reform for youth with
serious emotional disturbance in transition to adulthood. I (or other staff from the Regional
Research Institute at Portland State University) will be contacting you shortly to find out who
should complete this face-to-face interview and to make an appointment. The person nominated
for the interview will receive a $10 Starbucks gift card, whether or not he/she choses to
participate. If at any time you have questions please feel free to contact the principal
investigators of this project; Nancy Koroloff, Ph.D., at PSU (503) 725-4157 or Maryann Davis,
Ph.D. (508) 856-8718, at the University of Massachusetts. If you have questions or concerns
about the conduct of this research, you may contact the Compliance Officer at the Office of
Research and Sponsored Projects, Portland State University, 1-877-480-4400. We thank you in
advance for helping us with this important project.
Sincerely,

Nancy Koroloff
Portland State University

Maryann Davis
University of Massachusetts