Youth

Identifying and Serving LGBTQ Youth: Case Studies of Runaway and Homeless Youth Program Grantees. B. Site Selection and Characteristics

In selecting study sites, we aimed to identify federally funded RHY programs that provide a range of services, operate in different regions of the country, and have experience serving LGBTQ youth. We used three main criteria to identify potential case study sites:

A. The RHY Program and Other Federal Responses to

Identifying and Serving LGBTQ Youth: Case Studies of Runaway and Homeless Youth Program Grantees. A. The RHY Program and Other Federal Responses to Youth Homelessness

Because homeless youth can be involved in many public systems (such as child welfare, juvenile justice, and homeless assistance), many policies and programs can affect them. With respect to shelter, housing, and outreach services for RHY, key elements of the federal policy and program context include the RHY Program structure, U.S. Department of H

Identifying and Serving LGBTQ Youth: Case Studies of Runaway and Homeless Youth Program Grantees. I. Introduction

Research suggests that young people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning their sexuality (LGBTQ) face a disproportionate risk of homelessness.

Identifying and Serving LGBTQ Youth: Case Studies of Runaway and Homeless Youth Program Grantees. Issues for Policymakers and Practitioners

The case study findings point to four issues related to serving LGBTQ RHY for policymakers and practitioners to consider:

Identifying and Serving LGBTQ Youth: Case Studies of Runaway and Homeless Youth Program Grantees. Research Needs

We asked staff in case study agencies to identify the kinds of information and research that might help them understand the characteristics and experiences of LGBTQ RHY more completely and provide effective services to this population. Staff recommended future research in six general areas:

Identifying and Serving LGBTQ Youth: Case Studies of Runaway and Homeless Youth Program Grantees. Approaches to Serving LGBTQ RHY

All agencies visited implement some organizational strategies that focus on LGBTQ youth, including adopting nondiscrimination and nonharassment policies and protecting the confidentiality of information shared by youth. Agencies differ in the extent to which they have implemented other organizational strategies, such as establishing a safe and aff

Identifying and Serving LGBTQ Youth: Case Studies of Runaway and Homeless Youth Program Grantees. Assessment and Perceptions of Needs and Capacities of LGBTQ RHY

Agency staff conduct assessments during initial intake sessions and subsequent meetings with youth to determine immediate needs, detail personal circumstances, and identify risk factors or barriers that may need to be addressed through longer-term services. Assessment tools used by some agencies inquire about sexual orientation and gender identity

Identifying and Serving LGBTQ Youth: Case Studies of Runaway and Homeless Youth Program Grantees. Collection and Use of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Data

The study sites’ approaches to gathering information on sexual orientation and gender identity include asking direct questions on intake and assessment forms and relying on youths’ self-disclosure during less formal conversations with staff. Two of the four agencies collect information on sexual orientation through questions on intake or asses

Identifying and Serving LGBTQ Youth: Case Studies of Runaway and Homeless Youth Program Grantees. Executive Summary

Some government and private organizations are interested in improving services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth who run away from home or experience homelessness. These efforts are prompted, in part, by research suggesting LGBTQ youth may be at greater risk for experiencing homelessness and, if they become hom

Identifying and Serving LGBTQ Youth: Case Studies of Runaway and Homeless Youth Program Grantees. Acknowledgments

This report, which summarizes findings from four case studies of Runaway and Homeless Youth Program grantees serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth, benefited from the contributions of many people. The case studies were conducted by Mathematica Policy Research and its subcontractor, the Williams Institute, under contrac

Willing, Able -> Ready: Basics and Policy Implications of Readiness as a Key Component for Scaling up Implementation of Evidence-Based Interventions. References

Brodowski, M. L., Counts, J. M., Gillam, R. J., Baker, L., Spiva Collins, V., Winkle, E., et al. (2013). Translating evidence-based policy to practice: A multilevel partnership using the Interactive Systems Framework. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 94 (3), 141–149. DiMaggio, P. J., & Powell, W. W. (1983)

Willing, Able -> Ready: Basics and Policy Implications of Readiness as a Key Component for Scaling up Implementation of Evidence-Based Interventions. Additional Resources

Measures of Organizational Readiness (2005) This http://www.nri-inc.org/reports_pubs/2005/EBPMeasuresOrgReadiness2005.pdf , developed by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) Research Institute, reviews measurement instruments that can be used to assess the readiness of organizations to implement EBI

Willing, Able -> Ready: Basics and Policy Implications of Readiness as a Key Component for Scaling up Implementation of Evidence-Based Interventions. Conclusion

To increase the number of grantees that will succeed at implementing EBIs and achieving positive outcomes, it is important to understand what grantees should have in place before and during implementation. Scholarly work suggests that in order to be successful grantees should be willing (motivated) and able (have the general and intervention-speci

Knowledge Sharing Among Staff at Federal Agencies

Willing, Able -> Ready: Basics and Policy Implications of Readiness as a Key Component for Scaling up Implementation of Evidence-Based Interventions. Knowledge Sharing Among Staff at Federal Agencies about Readiness

Several approaches to practice and intentional research could enhance knowledge on these topics. Although there has been a focus on linking science with practice across agencies, grant programs, and grantees, this effort has been sporadic. An assessment of FOAs across federal agencies could help ensure the proper exploration of commonalities and d

Willing, Able -> Ready: Basics and Policy Implications of Readiness as a Key Component for Scaling up Implementation of Evidence-Based Interventions. Directions for Future Research

Although scholarly work has identified several core components of readiness and this brief presented some policy implications, gaps still exist in the field’s understanding of how readiness relates to scaling up and implementing EBIs. Future research directions could include (a) how to measure the relative importance of motivation, general capac

Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home

Willing, Able -> Ready: Basics and Policy Implications of Readiness as a Key Component for Scaling up Implementation of Evidence-Based Interventions. Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program

Visiting Program (MIECHV), administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) in collaboration with the Administration for Children & Families (ACF), implemented a provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (2010), which expanded home visiting to states, territories, and tribes (Supplee, et al., 2013). Th

How Do We Partner With and Foster Readiness in

Willing, Able -> Ready: Basics and Policy Implications of Readiness as a Key Component for Scaling up Implementation of Evidence-Based Interventions. How Do We Partner With and Foster Readiness in Settings With Limited Capacity and Willingness?

Some organizations with critical needs and who receive federal funding may not currently have the capacity to implement EBIs with quality. 7 This problem can be addressed by working with these organizations to first build their capacity through a readiness development phase of the initiative.

Willing, Able -> Ready: Basics and Policy Implications of Readiness as a Key Component for Scaling up Implementation of Evidence-Based Interventions. What Is the Role of TTA in Supporting Implementation Readiness?

TTA providers need to use their limited resources and capacities strategically. Analysis of readiness (specifically motivation, general organizational capacity, and intervention-specific capacity) can help to align the strengths and limitations of a grantee with the types of TTA that are deemed appropriate (Wandersman, Chien, & Katz, 2012). Co

How To Assess Implementation Readiness Through

Willing, Able -> Ready: Basics and Policy Implications of Readiness as a Key Component for Scaling up Implementation of Evidence-Based Interventions. How To Assess Implementation Readiness Through Funding Opportunity Announcements

In various venues, federal staff have expressed a strong interest in asking about readiness appropriately in FOAs. Table 4 presents sample questions that could be included in FOAs that assess the three readiness components along with criteria that federal staff might use when reviewing FOA responses.

Interactive Systems Framework for Dissemination

Willing, Able -> Ready: Basics and Policy Implications of Readiness as a Key Component for Scaling up Implementation of Evidence-Based Interventions. Interactive Systems Framework for Dissemination and Implementation (ISF)

The ISF has been applied in many fields of prevention and treatment, including to summarize the literature; for example, home visiting programs (Paulsell, Del Grosso & Supplee (in press); child abuse prevention (Brodowski et al., 2013), and diagnosing needs for TTA (e.g., a CDC teen pregnancy prevention initiative, Lesesne et al., 2008).

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