Attachment 17 MIHOPE-K Semi-structured interview research statement

Attachment 17: MIHOPE Research Statement for Semi-Structured Interviews

I nformation About Qualitative Interviews in the

Mother and Infant Home Visiting Program Evaluation

Thank you for doing an interview as part of the Mother and Infant Home Visiting Program Evaluation (MIHOPE). As you were told, this is a research project about the effects of home visiting services. My organization, along with a few others, is conducting the study for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to learn about services for parents with young children.

The purpose of the interview is to learn more about your experiences with [LOCAL HOME VISITING PROGRAM]. We will also discuss other aspects of your life during the time when your child was very young. The information you share will help us understand your experiences. It will also provide information to help us interpret findings from the study.

What are the benefits and risks to me completing these activities?

The information you provide today might help improve services for parents with young children. There are some risks to doing these activities. We will ask you some sensitive questions. There is also a small risk that your information will be seen outside the study team. However, the study team follows strict rules to protect your privacy. We will keep your information private unless there is concern that you or someone else may be harmed. For example, if someone from the study team sees or learns about evidence of child abuse or neglect, they would tell someone. In this case, we may report this to Child Protective Services.

How will my information be protected?

We would like to audio-record our discussion. This is being done so members of the study team can listen to it later and transcribe what you said. Only researchers on the study team will listen to the recording or see the transcripts from our discussion. Researchers who listen to the recording or who view the transcripts must agree not to try to identify you. You can indicate if there is something you don’t want to be recorded.

The research team follows strict rules to keep your information private. Any information collected for the study will be used only for research purposes. All information about you will be marked with a code number and not your name. No reports will describe you in a way that you can be identified. We use secure computers and data storage systems to protect data from being seen by anyone other than the researchers. All study staff are trained to protect privacy. All study staff sign the MDRC Confidentiality Pledge.

The study also has a Certificate of Confidentiality from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which we will use to resist any requests for information that could identify you. The government may see your information if it audits the study, but it would keep your information confidential. 

Whom can I call with questions?

If you have questions at any time about the study or about your rights as a participant in the research, please call MDRC toll-free at 1-877-311-6372.

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The described collection of information is voluntary and will be used to learn how home visiting programs benefit families. 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 collection is 0970-0402 and it expires on 11/30/2021.