Focus Groups-Other

ATTACHMENT M
FOCUS GROUP RECRUITMENT LETTER

M-1

Jacqueline Kauff
Senior Researcher

600 Maryland Ave. S.W., Suite 550
Washington, DC 20024-2512
Telephone (202) 484-9220
Fax (202) 863-1763
www.mathematica-mpr.com
202-484-5266

OMB NO. 0930-XXXX
Expiration Date XX/XX/XXXX

(DATE)
NAME
ADDRESS 1
ADDRESS 2
CITY, STATE, ZIP
Dear (NAME):
Mathematica Policy Research (Mathematica) is conducting an evaluation of the SSI/SSDI
Outreach, Access and Recovery (SOAR) initiative. The goal of the evaluation is to describe the
ways in which states have implemented SOAR and to gather information about the initiative’s
initial outcomes. Results from the evaluation will contribute to federal, state, and local
stakeholders’ understanding of how SOAR works and areas where SOAR could be modified to
better serve clients. The evaluation is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Service, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
In (MONTH, YEAR), two members from the Mathematica team will conduct site visits to
states that have implemented SOAR. During the visit, we will conduct focus groups with case
managers, social workers, and other individuals who have received the SOAR training. The
purpose of these focus groups is to understand SOAR participants’ perceptions of the training
and to gather information about the experiences that individuals have had using the skills taught
by SOAR. The focus groups will require approximately 90 minutes and will be conducted at a
time and location that is convenient for all participants.
Within the next few weeks, a member of the Mathematica study team may contact you by
telephone to request your participation in a focus group. Your participation is voluntary and not
required by your employer or the federal agency sponsoring this project. If you participate, we
will not report your individual responses to the questions that are generated during the focus
group. Only summary information that does not identify individual participants will be reported.
Please feel free to contact me at 202-484-5266 or [email protected] if you have
any questions or concerns. Thank you in advance for your cooperation and contribution to this
important effort!
Sincerely,
Jacqueline Kauff
Project Director

M-2

LETTER TO:
FROM:
Jacqueline Kauff
DATE:
PAGE:
3
Public Burden Statement: An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for
this project is 0930-xxxx. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 90
minutes per respondent, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and
maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding
this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this
burden, to SAMHSA Reports Clearance Officer, 1 Choke Cherry Road, Room 7-1044, Rockville, Maryland, 20857.
All aspects of your participation in this study are voluntary; you will not be penalized in any way by refusing to
participate at all or in part.

M-3

ATTACHMENT N
FOCUS GROUP CONFIRMATION LETTER

N-1
An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

Jacqueline Kauff
Senior Researcher

600 Maryland Ave. S.W., Suite 550
Washington, DC 20024-2512
Telephone (202) 484-9220
Fax (202) 863-1763
www.mathematica-mpr.com
202-484-5266

OMB NO. 0930-XXXX
Expiration Date XX/XX/XXXX

(DATE)
NAME
ADDRESS 1
ADDRESS 2
CITY, STATE, ZIP
Dear (NAME):
We appreciate your willingness to participate in a focus group about SOAR. The focus
group will be held at (LOCATION) at (TIME) and will require 90 minutes.
We greatly appreciate your participation in this focus group. The information that you
provide will help us understand whether the SOAR training is likely to help improve the lives of
homeless individuals.
Please feel free to contact me at 202-484-5266 or [email protected] if you have
any questions or concerns or if you are unable to attend the focus group at the scheduled date and
time.
Thank you again for your contribution to this important effort!
Sincerely,

Jacqueline Kauff
Project Director

Public Burden Statement: An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for
this project is 0930-xxxx. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 90
minutes per respondent including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and
maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding
this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this
burden, to SAMHSA Reports Clearance Officer, 1 Choke Cherry Road, Room 7-1044, Rockville, Maryland, 20857.
All aspects of your participation in this study are voluntary; you will not be penalized in any way by refusing to
participate at all or in part.

N-2
An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer