RPG Cross-Site Evaluation and Technical Assistance: Second Annual Report

State and local child welfare agencies, substance use dependence treatment providers, community based organizations, and other members of the 17 funded regional partnerships began implementing their selected menu of evidence-based programs. Eleven partnerships struggled with lower than expected enrollment in their programs, evaluations, or both. To improve enrollment or address other challenges, three grantees modified their planned programs and four redesigned their evaluations. Successes were achieved as well; for instance 14 grantees secured agreements to obtain evaluation data from their state child welfare and substance abuse treatment agencies. However several partnerships that had planned rigorous local evaluations had to make changes, such as dropping plans for random assignment, that reduced the rigor of their designs.