Impact
In 2018, the Endowment funded a three-year evaluation that sought to build upon early findings and test the efficacy of the Dougy Center’s intervention. The randomized control trial enrolled 42 youth (23 in treatment group) from three children’s homes in South Carolina.
Campus staff were trained as facilitators. Groups were open-ended for six weeks and 90 percent of youth attended all six sessions.
Pre- and post-intervention measures indicated an increase in social supports, hopefulness, self-worth, and perception of their ability to cope with problems.
Our most recent grant, approved in late 2021, supports a second randomized control trial to expand the program to include six community sites and youth residing in family foster homes and young adults in out-of-home care up to the age of 23. Sixty-two to 112 youth will be enrolled.
In the case of the Henderson County in-home substance abuse treatment model, early data looks promising. The pilot used a pre-test, post-test evaluation design and state administrative data to determine if new reports of abuse and neglect are made after program completion.
While the number of participants in the initial evaluation was only 17, 10 families completed the pilot with no child welfare involvement since graduation. Cost savings from avoiding foster care, in-patient treatment and the criminal justice system are estimated at $100,000 to $200,000 per family.
In supporting such new evidence-based and evidence-informed models, we hope to improve the child welfare system, improve parenting across relevant populations, increase connections between youth and supportive adults, reduce child maltreatment and improve child well-being.