MOU with Community Based Organizations

Attachment 8: Memorandum of Understanding with CBOs

Memorandum of Understanding between ICF International and Agencies Participating in the Resilience and Transgender Youth Project

The purpose of this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is to serve as a written understanding between ICF and your agency, [insert legal name of agency], regarding work with ICF to recruit transgender youth for one-on-one interviews and the provision of physical space where research staff will be able to conduct the interviews. This MOU provides the framework for cooperation between ICF and your agency, the details of which are delineated below by responsible party.

Agency Agreements

Your agency agrees to collaborate as follows:

Training Participation – All staff at your agency who will be participating in any activity related to this project will attend training on the study procedures, confidentiality measures and human subject protections. This training will be provided by ICF staff and will be about two hours in length.

Recruitment – In recruiting potential study participants, your agency agrees to:

• Lead efforts to recruit potential study participants for an in person interview;

• Screen interested transgender youth between the ages of 15 and 24 that attend or engage in activities that your agency provides; at least [each agency has unique target to be inserted here] eligible transgender youth will be scheduled for interviews;

• Use only the IRB approved materials, language, and palm cards provided by ICF in all efforts to recruit participants for the interview.

• Distribute recruitment materials throughout your agency and during appropriate activities for this project and make the effort to reach a diverse sample (diversity in age, gender identity, and race/ethnicity) according to the targets provided by ICF.

• Provide to ICF and research staff a weekly email update on the progress of recruitment.

Screening – In conducting screening activities, your agency agrees to:

• Provide private space where all participants can complete the screening process with the agency staff.

• Provide private space where the eligibility screener can be conducted in-person with the youth.

• Conduct the screening in-person, not by asking the youth to fill out the screener on their own, and then determine whether the youth is eligible for study participation.

• Provide screening updates as part of the email check-into ICF and research staff on a weekly basis.

Interviews – In conducting activities related to one-on-one interviews, your agency agrees to:

• Schedule all interviews during the time frame mutually agreed upon with ICF.

• Provide updates on scheduled interviews with ICF and research staff.

• Contact youth via phone, email or text message (based on the youth’s preferences) the afternoon before and the day of the interview to remind them of the interview appointment.

• Provide private space needed for interviews to be confidentially conducted by ICF and research staff and take any steps possible (sign on door, etc.) to assure that no interruptions will take place.

• Designate staff to be available during the interview times in the event that a youth being interviewed would like information on available services, has an urgent referral need, or if a youth under 18 years of age discloses abuse.

Data Security – In protecting and securing data, your agency agrees to be responsible for:

• Keeping eligibility screeners, contact forms, and interview schedules in a locked file cabinet.

• Completed screeners, contact forms, and interview schedules, will be kept under lock and key at the CBO locations.

• Shredding eligibility screeners, contact forms, interview schedules at the end of the recruitment period. The interview schedule forms will only contain a first name last initial, and the phone numbers for youth who request a reminder call or text.

• Information from the eligibility screener will never be connected with participant data in order to ensure participants’ data remains anonymous.

Confidentiality Procedures – To ensure confidentiality for and protect the privacy of potential study participants, your agency agrees to:

• Have each staff involved in the study in any way to sign a confidentiality agreement following the CBO training provided by ICF. The training will include a section specifically reviewing the confidentiality standards related to the study.

Communication – To maintain ongoing communication with ICF and research staff during this project, your agency agrees to:

• Designate a lead contact at your agency.

• Participate in regular—at minimum weekly—contact between lead agency staff and ICF and research staff.

• Review progress on recruitment, screening, scheduling of interviews, and adherence to recruitment and screening protocols with ICF and research staff on each weekly call during active recruitment and data collection.

• Participate in further training, if needed, to ensure compliance with the study protocol.

Compensation – To compensate your agency for expenses associated with assisting with the study, your agency will receive a payment in the amount of up to [dollar amount TBD based on # of agencies that participate]. The funds will be paid in full by August 27, 2016. A copy of your agency’s I-9 form and other required paperwork must be completed and sent to ICF in order for the payment to be made. In addition to the agreed upon assistance with study activities described above, the work must be completed to the best of your agency’s ability.

ICF Agreements

ICF agrees to collaborate with your agency on the transgender youth project as follows:

Provision of Training – In the provision of training, ICF agrees to:

• Provide training on all aspects of data collection and study protocols to be implemented by your agency prior to the start of any agency activities.

• Provide guidance on maintaining limited access to information contained in all electronic or hard copy recruitment and screening logs, as well as destroying physical copies of data reporting materials once they have been securely transferred to ICF.

• Provide documentation that will be used for collecting IRB approved participant consent needed by respondents for participation in this study’s activities.

• Provide protocols for adequate protection and storage of materials containing data that your staff may collect during the recruitment process.

Data Security – To protect the data, ICF agrees to:

• Provide protocols for data security for all study-related data collected by your staff. The only data your staff is handling are those related to recruitment.

• Review and recommend actions to ensure protection and secure storage of materials containing data that staff may collect for this project.

Recruitment – In support of recruitment efforts, ICF agrees to:

• Provide IRB compliant palm cards to be used by your agency in the recruitment of potential study participants.

Screening – For activities associated with screening, ICF agrees to:

• Share all instruments developed by research staff to be used during screening activities for potential study participants.

• Provide protocols for the storage of screening data.

Interviews – For activities related to the one-on-one interviews, ICF agrees to:

• Provide requirements for private space and other materials needed to confidentially conduct the interviews.

• Conduct all of the one-on-one interviews using a trained employee.

• Assume responsibility for protocols and procedures associated with protecting data collected during one-on-one interviews.

Confidentiality Procedures – ICF will determine the appropriate confidentiality protocols and procedures to protect study participant privacy at your agency. These procedures will be in full accordance with IRB requirements and approval.

Communication – ICF will request regularly scheduled communications with staff at your agency during the span of the project.

Compensation – ICF agrees to compensate your agency for expenses associated with assisting with the study. Your agency will receive a mini-grant in the amount up to [$TBD]. The mini-grant will be paid in full by August 27, 2016. ICF will request a copy of your agency’s I-9 form and other required paperwork must be completed in order for the payment to be made. In addition, ICF will review the described tasks and activities to ensure that they have been completed to the best of your agency’s ability.

Recognition of MOU Agreements

I certify that I have read the ICF International Memorandum of Understanding. On behalf of my agency, I hereby acknowledge the intent to comply with the terms and procedures stated in this document.

ICF International Project Manager:

Date:

Name and title of the authorizing representative of agency:

Name of agency:

Signature:_________________________________ Date:___________________

Telephone Number: