Program Evaluation for Federal Grantees

Evaluation of the Community Bridges Project

The purpose of the Community Bridges Project is to strengthen and enhance the comprehensive treatment system in Santa Monica, CA, for chronically homeless persons who have co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders.

The project plans to develop a fully integrated system and treatment model for this population through collaboration among service providers that include substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment, health services, shelter and drop-in services, and transitional and permanent housing.

The integrated treatment model will incorporate several evidence-based practices, including motivational interviewing and relapse prevention, with the aim of (1) increasing access to treatment, (2) increasing continuity of care and services integration, (3) improving quality of life and increasing self-determination, and (4) improving levels of functioning among participants. In addition, the project aims to increase integration of services across the participating providers, to eliminate barriers to system entry, and to improve staff competency in treating homeless individuals with co-occurring disorders.

Evaluation of the Homeless Interventions Treatment Options Project (HI-TOP)

ISAP is conducting the process and outcome evaluations of the Homeless Interventions Treatment Options Project (HI-TOP), which is an intervention project provided by Special Service for Groups, Inc. The project is funded by a 5-year grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. HI-TOP provides comprehensive substance abuse treatment and case management services to homeless individuals who have co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders. Treatment approaches include cognitive behavioral and motivational enhancement therapies within the context of residential treatment and aftercare services provided to participants. The evaluation study is tracking the characteristics of project participants, and examining the delivery of project-specific services, adherence to the treatment models, barriers encountered in project implementation, and solutions devised to address those barriers. Focus groups with project participants and interviews with project staff are being conducted in order to monitor their respective perceptions and experiences of the project; feedback is provided from the evaluation in order to refine the project implementation.

Evaluation of New Elements Treatment Program, People in Progress

ISAP is conducting the process and outcome evaluations of the New Elements Treatment program, which is an intervention project provided by People in Progress. The project is funded by a 5-year grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. New Elements provides comprehensive substance abuse treatment and case management services to homeless individuals. The evaluation study is tracking the characteristics of project participants and examining the delivery of project-specific services, adherence to the treatment models, barriers encountered in project implementation, and solutions devised to address those barriers. Focus groups with project participants and interviews with project staff are being conducted in order to monitor their respective perceptions and experiences of the project; feedback is provided from the evaluation in order to refine the project implementation.

Evaluation of the Effective Adolescent Treatment (EAT) Project

ISAP is conducting the site-level evaluation of the Effective Adolescent Treatment (EAT) Project at Tarzana Treatment Centers (TTC). The EAT projects are sponsored by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. TTC is providing an evidence-based intervention, the Motivational Enhancement Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Adolescents – 5 sessions (MET/CBT 5), to adolescents who are in their outpatient substance abuse treatment program for youth. The goals of the MET/CBT 5 intervention are to increase motivation for and engagement in substance abuse treatment, and to provide behavioral skills training for relapse prevention and drug-use resistance. ISAP provides evaluation and data management services to the EAT project through a contract with its Data Management Center, monitors project implementation, and provides technical assistance for tracking and locating participants for follow-up.