1. Adoption: Those Who Wait, Those Who do Not and the Reasons Why
This is a new study that employs a non-experimental, ex post facto design, the “after-only study of participants and non-random controls.” The objective of this study is to provide an in-depth “profile” of the children who are awaiting adoption in the state of Nevada. An exhaustive review of all available case records will be made. Utilizing an adoption inventory, client records will be condensed in such a manner that critical child, family, placement and service variables can be organized to support the development of the “profile.” Variables and research questions of interest include: who are adoption eligible children, where do they reside, why are they awaiting adoption, how long have they waited, what are the barriers to adoption, what the risks to successful adoption outcomes are, what factors increase the likelihood of adoption and what the children’s overall level of well-being are. For comparison purposes, a subset of files from recent adoptees will be extracted from case records. Those children awaiting adoption and those children recently adopted will be differentiated to determine the barriers and supports that are associated with successful adoption outcomes. Top

2. Kinship Care in Nevada
This is a three-year, multi-phase study that has three major aims. First, the study involves an examination of the characteristics of kinship caregivers, birth parents and their children. Second, the study will produce a model that will predict which kinship caregivers adopt by exploring motivation factors, retention factors, social supports, parental capacity, and parental readiness. Third, data produced from this study will make use of casework variables and other decision-making points in order to predict permanency barriers. The first phase of the study, which has already been completed, involved a focus on caregivers. A 100-item Likert scale instrument was used to measure caregiver capacity, experiences, and readiness. The instrument emanated from a
series of focus groups and was then used in semi-structured interviews with a random sample of 600 caregivers. The units of analysis for the second- and final phase of study will be caseworkers and children.  Top

3. Lutheran Social Services of Nevada: Project 4 Youth
This six-month study focuses on three vital and highly inter-related steps and components regarding the development of the program evaluation infrastructure by examining three cohort groups of participants and designing and implementing a sustainable, longitudinal program evaluation protocol. CUP will proceed by acquiring a baseline understanding of the agency’s youth participants by conducting an analysis of an existing dataset which will be entered into SPSS. Cohort #1 consists of approximately 80 youth. A long-term program evaluation plan will be developed. The long-term plan will enhance the existing structure by adding three new evaluation components: (1) compilation of a longitudinal dataset by archiving the results from Cohort #1 and Cohort #2; (2) weekly phone surveys; and (3) monthly follow-up surveys. The program evaluation plan will consist of a design, methodology, data collection schedule, data entry schedule, data analysis scheme, and reporting/feedback mechanism. Starting with Cohort #2, CUP’s primary involvement in the data collection plan will involve phone surveys. CUP will design a phone survey that will be used to verify truancy and delinquency rates.  Top

4. Caring Communities Demonstration Project
The proposed home- and community-based system of care model represents Nevada’s attempt to provide child protective services that will improve the safety, permanency, and well being of children living in kinship care. Nevada’s proposed system of care (SOC) approach with relative caregivers is an innovative model whereby five major objectives are attempted: (1) increase placements of children with relatives; (2) increase the safety and improve physical and mental health of children in kinship care; (3) increase stability of kinship placements, (4) increase timely permanency for children in kinship care; and (5) increase capacity of kinship caregivers to care for their children.   Top

5. Training Series: An Integration of Best Practices and Child Welfare Competencies
This study involves collaboration between the Nevada Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS), the Department of Family and Youth Services (DFYS) and UNLV School of Social Work. This project links various training projects together to form an overall curriculum comprising a nine-month training series incorporating such projects as the Kinship Care, Adoption, and Foster Care. This Title IV-E projects data will be integrated and research findings collapsed to develop one comprehensive Child Welfare training curriculum, and subsequently assist the Child Welfare agencies in their efforts to link services and integrate worker’s and researchers efforts to create positive impact on the Child Welfare and Las Vegas community systems.  Top

6. Cooperative Conservation Program: Alternative Workforce Project
The Cooperative Conservation Program through the Alternative Workforce Project will identify community workforce suppliers in Clark County that can be mobilized for land management activities. The four federal agencies involved in this conservation initiative, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service will be surveyed to determine their workforce needs. Representatives from the four federal agencies will participate in meetings facilitated by Dr. Greg Schraw from the Educational Psychology Department to identify agency capacity, workforce gaps and innovative ways of using workforces. Top

7. Nevada Treatment Center
This non-profit drug and alcohol program has requested assistance with program development of a management information system and ongoing program evaluation. Center staff members Susan Mears, ABD and Constance Brooks, MSW have teamed with the Community College of Southern Nevada Computing and Information Technologies Department in assisting Nevada Treatment Center with their goal of becoming computerized. Top

8. Nevada Board of Examiners for Alcohol, Drug and Gambling Counselors Reliability Study of the Oral Examination
The Board of Examiners for Alcohol, Drug and Gambling Counselors has requested a study on the reliability of their oral examination. Dr. Pat Markos of the Department of Marriage, Family and Community Counseling is the principal investigator. Top

9. Nevada System of Care Infrastructure Grant
Building upon past and current system of care initiatives, the Nevada System of Care Infrastructure Grant (NEVSIG) will support the development of sustainable state and local level infrastructure to serve children and youth with behavioral and health challenges and their families. This infrastructure will provide integrated planning, financing, workforce development, and quality improvement across a seamless system of care. The Center for Urban Partnerships will provide the evaluation component in partnership with the State of Nevada , Division of Child and Family Services. Top

10. Needs Assessment of Homeless in Clark County
Clark County has a growing number of homeless adolescents, families, and single adults. Clark County Department of Social Services and UNLV are partnering to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment to learn more about the homeless people who live in Clark County . This needs assessment will ask homeless people about their backgrounds, what keeps them from obtaining permanent homes and what are their socio-economic needs. Survey results will be used for planning and policy development. Dr. Pat Markos of the Department of Marriage, Family and Community Counseling is the principal investigator. Top

CENTER FOR URBAN PARTNERSHIPS (CUP)
Greenspun College of Urban Affairs
4505 Maryland Pkwy. Box 453061
Las Vegas, NV 89119-3061
1-866-UNLV-CUP (1-866-8658-287)
Phone: 702-895-2926 – Fax: 702-895-0415
E-mail: cup@ccmail.nevada.edu
Website:www.unlv.edu/centers/cup