Appendix A Preexisting data sources

Appendix A: Pre-Existing Data Sources

Collection of Pre-Existing Data

Pre-existing data will provide valuable information about the characteristics of HMRE grantees and the participants they serve. We will draw from multiple sources of grantee-submitted data that will help to describe youth-serving HMRE programs, participant and partner characteristics, and program implementation characteristics. These data will be provided by the HMRF Training and Technical Assistance provider, ICF. As shown in Appendix B YEARS research questions, data sources, and respondents, these data will also provide select information about the program activities and implementation strategies used by the grantees. When possible, pre-existing data from multiple time points will be collected and analyzed to better understand how, if at all, implementation strategies evolve over time. Each pre-existing data source is described in detail below.

Grantee Profiles. Grantee profiles, provided by the Office of Family Assistance (OFA), include information about each grantee’s target populations, Allowable Activities administered, curricula used, and key partners. Additionally, grantee profiles provide brief descriptions of the HMRE program’s objectives, the organization implementing the HMRE program, the Federal Program Specialist who oversees the grantee, and contact information (address, email, and phone number) of the organization that can be used to reach out to grantees for participation in new data collection activities. These profiles reflect grantees’ original plans as stated in their applications; some of this information may have changed since implementation.

Grantee Applications. Initial grant applications and annual continuation applications for years two, three, and four were collected from ICF to gather in-depth information about the implementation of the Allowable Activities. Specifically, grantee applications provide detailed information about the overall goals and objectives of each targeted Allowable Activity, as well as the skills, attitudes, knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors grantees addressed. Other program implementation information includes the curriculum/curricula to be used, intended dosage, and target population(s) for participation in each Allowable Activity. Additionally, grantee applications provide information regarding the grantee’s community partners, advisory teams, as well as how they address issues such as domestic violence and child maltreatment, and any supplementary services grantees provide.

OLDC Report Questions/Information. OLDC data from the April 2014 and October 2014 reporting periods were collected, and OLDC data from the April 2015 reporting period will be collected from ICF once available to identify the enrollment and completion rates, and demographic characteristics of participants served by grantees across all Allowable Activities (e.g., sex, age, grade level, ethnicity, educational attainment, employment status, income, and marital status). Information about skill building services offered and client participation in skill-building services (abuse prevention skills, budgeting financial skills, communication skills, conflict resolution skills, workforce development skills, and parenting skills) will also be drawn from the OLDC data.

ACF Performance Progress Reports (PPRs). Current grantees’ PPRs were retrieved from ICF for the April 2014 and October 2014 reporting periods. The April 2015 reports will also be retrieved when available. Data from the PPRs will be used to identify what Allowable Activities are being conducted by grantees, the goals and objectives of each Allowable Activity, and the curriculum used under each Allowable Activity. Additionally, the PPRs will be used to gather data regarding grantees’ recruitment and retention strategies, their definitions of enrollment and completion, and their target and actual enrollment and completion rates, as well as grantees’ perceptions of barriers to enrollment and completion faced by participants. Further, data will be collected on implementation challenges, the influence these challenges had on programming, the methods taken to address these challenges, and whether grantees requested TA to support their ability to address these challenges. Finally, the PPRs will be used to obtain information regarding whether grantees receive funding from sources other than OFA, the number of community partners they work with, whether they offer case management and referral services, staff turnover, and program monitoring and evaluation strategies.

Appendix A: Preexisting Data Sources
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