Phase II Evaluation Activities for Implementing a Next Generation Evaluation Agenda for the Chafee Foster Care Independence Program

This request if for nonsubstantive changes to the Phase II Evaluation Activities for Implementing a Next Generation Evaluation Agenda for the Chafee Foster Care Independence Program study materials, resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. This study includes formative evaluations of programs that include, but are not limited to, employment and postsecondary education for youth transitioning to adulthood from foster care. The data collection for the study consists of qualitative interviews with program leaders, program partners and stakeholders, front-line program staff, focus groups with program participants, and administrative data collection. All qualitative interviews were intended to take place over the phone or in-person and all focus groups were intended to take place in-person. Given the COVID-19 pandemic, we now need to have the option to conduct our interviews and focus groups virtually or in-person, depending on how COVID-19 develops. The primary goal of the interviews and focus groups is to understand the components of programs in the evaluation and how participants experience these programs. We also plan to include focus group participants who are youth with a history of foster care who have received Education and Training Vouchers (ETVs) in the past two years and propose adding procedures to engage staff from organizations serving foster care alumni to help with recruiting these youth. This collection falls under currently approved data collection from participants in college success programs. However, due to the nature of ETV programs, which have diverse administrative structures and often minimal consistent staff contact with youth, the addition of new recruitment procedures is necessary to reach the target population. Finally minor updates were made to titles and to the PRA statement on instruments, but no changes were made to the content.

The latest form for Phase II Evaluation Activities for Implementing a Next Generation Evaluation Agenda for the Chafee Foster Care Independence Program expires 2021-03-31 and can be found here.

Appendix A: Outreach Emails for Discussion with Program Administrators and Staff

Federal Enterprise Architecture: Community and Social Services - Social Services