RECRUITING

Evaluating a One-Year Version of the Parent-Child Assistance Program

Description

The proposed project seeks to achieve three objectives that will, collectively, evaluate the effectiveness of a one-year version of the Parent-Child Assistance Program (PCAP-1) -a model for a home visitation and case management program for parents who used substances. First, the proposed project aims to estimate the causal impact of PCAP-1 on preventing the need for foster care and promoting reunification. Second, the project will estimate PCAP-1's effectiveness in achieving other program goals: parent recovery, parent's connection with needed comprehensive community resources, and preventing future children from being exposed to drugs and alcohol. Finally, causal evidence of program effectiveness across the prior two objectives would enable PCAP-1 to be rated according to strength of evidence on relevant federal registries (i.e., FFPSA and HOMEVEE). All objectives will be pursued with substantial backing from public and private partners, including the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OK's Title IV-E agency). This quasi-experimental project will recruit 40 new participants to receive one year of PCAP-1 services. It will use administrative data on participants from the Oklahoma Department of Human Services for the control group. Given that the population PCAP serves are disproportionately poor and low-income and PCAP is designed to be culturally competent and relevant, PCAP-1 harbors the potential to address inequities in child welfare outcomes, substance use disorder treatment services, and child and family well- being by improving outcomes for these families. With a strong backing by state agencies and community partners, the evaluation of PCAP-1 will contribute to a knowledge gap in the field for in-home program models serving a highly vulnerable population with high rates of child welfare involvement and use of foster care.

Study Overview

Study Details

Study overview

The proposed project seeks to achieve three objectives that will, collectively, evaluate the effectiveness of a one-year version of the Parent-Child Assistance Program (PCAP-1) -a model for a home visitation and case management program for parents who used substances. First, the proposed project aims to estimate the causal impact of PCAP-1 on preventing the need for foster care and promoting reunification. Second, the project will estimate PCAP-1's effectiveness in achieving other program goals: parent recovery, parent's connection with needed comprehensive community resources, and preventing future children from being exposed to drugs and alcohol. Finally, causal evidence of program effectiveness across the prior two objectives would enable PCAP-1 to be rated according to strength of evidence on relevant federal registries (i.e., FFPSA and HOMEVEE). All objectives will be pursued with substantial backing from public and private partners, including the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OK's Title IV-E agency). This quasi-experimental project will recruit 40 new participants to receive one year of PCAP-1 services. It will use administrative data on participants from the Oklahoma Department of Human Services for the control group. Given that the population PCAP serves are disproportionately poor and low-income and PCAP is designed to be culturally competent and relevant, PCAP-1 harbors the potential to address inequities in child welfare outcomes, substance use disorder treatment services, and child and family well- being by improving outcomes for these families. With a strong backing by state agencies and community partners, the evaluation of PCAP-1 will contribute to a knowledge gap in the field for in-home program models serving a highly vulnerable population with high rates of child welfare involvement and use of foster care.

Promoting Parent and Child Well-Being and Reducing the Need for Foster Care: An Evaluation of a One-Year, Home-Visiting and Case Management Program for People Using Substances

Evaluating a One-Year Version of the Parent-Child Assistance Program

Condition
Alcohol Use Disorder
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Enid

Remote Worker, Enid, Oklahoma, United States, 73703

Oklahoma City

Remote Worker, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, 73135

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • * People over the age of 18
  • * Parents with children under the age of 6 living with them
  • * Resides within a 50-mile radius of Enid, OK or Oklahoma City, OK (for treatment group)

Ages Eligible for Study

18 Years to

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Collaborators and Investigators

University of Oklahoma,

Julie Gerlinger, PhD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, University of Oklahoma

Erin Maher, PhD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, University of Oklahoma

Susan Stoner, PhD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, University of Washington

Study Record Dates

2026-09-30