Recent and Current Projects 

The following initiatives conducted by the Institute are categorized
 by topic or can be located specifically through the search function. Community Building
Early Childhood
Intergenerational
Family Violence
Fatherhood
Hispanic Population
Housing
Law
Public Policy
School-Based Services
Children with Special Needs
Youth

COMMUNITY BUILDING

Building a Better Future Evaluation
Funder: Foundation For The Carolinas
Principal Investigator: Arlene Andrews

Project Manager: Vicki Flerx

This project seeks to enhance the ability of participating nonprofit organizations to achieve goals of three-year strategic initiatives that aim to build families; construct racial, cultural and economic bridges; build potential among disadvantaged populations; and build youth by facilitating their transitions to adulthood.

Evaluation and Technical Assistance to The Duke Endowment
Funder: The Duke Endowment
Principal Investigator: Arlene Andrews

Project Manager: Anita Floyd

This initiative assists communities to strengthen interorganizational partnerships for the purpose of improving and expanding the communities’ capacity to support children, youth and families. The foci of the IFS consultation are to build capacity within The Duke Endowment to facilitate results-oriented evaluations of their various programs; build self-evaluation capacity within beneficiary organizations funded through the Child and Family Community Partnership Initiative; provide technical assistance regarding collaboration among the four divisions of The Duke Endowment, using the Child and Family Community Partnership Initiative as a model; and provide technical assistance to The Duke Endowment and its beneficiaries regarding state-of-the-art approaches to forming partnerships and promoting healthy children and families through community action.

EARLY CHILDHOOD

BabyNet Program Evaluation
Funder: South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control
Principal Investigator: Ana López-DeFede

This project includes the following activities: the identification of a stratified random sample of current and former BabyNet program participants for participation in statewide focus groups and parent-provider surveys; the identification of key community and policy stakeholders for participation in key informant interviews and focus groups; the development of appropriate study instruments; the completion of a minimum of 300 telephone interviews with current and former BabyNet program participants that reflect a stratified and statistically significant segment of the total program population; the completion of a minimum of ten statewide focus groups with a minimum of 50 participants who are, or were, caregivers of children in the BabyNet programs; the completion of a minimum of five focus groups with key provider groups identified by the self-assessment steering committee; the completion of a minimum of 40 key informant interviews with community and provider stakeholders; data entry, analysis and report generation for all evaluation tasks; the provision of technical assistance and staff support to the public input steering committee of the self-assessment study; and the provision of technical assistance and support for data analysis synthesis with other study components of the self-assessment study.

Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Professional Development
Funder: South Carolina Commission on Higher Education
Principal Investigator : Elsbeth Brown

The Center for Early Childhood Professional Development is being created jointly by Winthrop University and the Institute for Families in Society (IFS) to provide leadership and professional development in the area of early childhood education and childcare. The Center’s purpose and overarching goal is to better prepare early childhood professionals and childcare work ers to effectively work with diverse families in their efforts to enhance school readiness of children, birth to eight years. The Center is collaborating with a number of organizations and early childhood initiatives. Essential to the success of the Center’s activities is the close collaboration established between the IFS, York Technical College, the Chester/Lancaster/York County school districts, York County "Success by 6," Lancaster County Early Head Start, First Steps and Winthrop University.

Early Childhood Home Visiting in South Carolina
Funder: SC Department of Health and Human Services
Principal Investigator: Vicki Flerx

This study, a subcontract under a grant to Clemson University, is to determine changes in the nature and number of early childhood home visitation programs in South Carolina. It includes contacting the programs that were operating in South Carolina in 1995, surveying those still in existence, and identifying and surveying new programs.

Pee Dee Healthy Start Evaluation
Funders: Pee Dee Healthy Start Coalition, Inc.;
SC Dept. of Health and Human Services
Principal Investigator: Arlene Andrews

Project Manager: Judith Whiting

This project uses rural outreach services and consumer consortia to improve maternal and infant health by increasing use of prenatal care and mutual support among consumers and improving maternal health behaviors, maternal attitudes toward health care provision, and attitudes and behaviors of health care providers toward consumers.

South Carolina First Steps: Consultation and Technical Assistance
Funder: South Carolina First Steps Office
Principal Investigators: Arlene Andrews, Abe Wandersman

Project Manager: Pam Imm

The purpose of this work is to provide expert professional assistance to the South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness program to ensure that the infrastructure of the First Steps initiative at the state and local levels develops expeditiously into an effective organization that will support extensive and organized community action throughout the state. The scope of this assistance is in four general areas: effective practices, results-oriented grantmaking, organizational capacity building, and local evaluation.

Well Baby Plus
Funders: The Duke Endowment; Beaufort Memorial Hospital
Principal Investigator: Francis Rushton

Well Baby Plus is a collaborative effort between health and education services in the Beaufort community to decrease child abuse and neglect, improve child health, and increase school readiness. The program involves well-baby health supervision visits, performed in a group format, which include literacy promotion activities for the infants and toddlers and promotion of mutual assistance and self-esteem among the parents. The visits are linked to home visitation, health department family support services, school programs, and psychosocial screening. Center-based activities are provided on an elementary school campus.

INTERGENERATIONAL

National Council On Aging – "Senior Community Service Employment Program – Best Practices"
Funder: National Council On Aging
Principal Investigator : Barbara Hirshorn

The National Council On Aging has designed a pilot project that involves working with all ten national Department of Labor-sponsored contractors for the SCSEP in the determination of SCSEP program sites across the country that are "best practices." Dr. Hirshorn is working with NCOA staff and an advisory group representing the ten sites to refine the design of this pilot and then to collect, analyze and disseminate information describing how these sites are SCSEP "best practices."

Responding to the Needs of the Population 60 Years of Age and Older in Lancaster County, South Carolina: An Assessment of Needs and Resources
Funder: Lancaster County Council on Aging
Principle Investigator: Barbara Hirshorn

The demographic composition of the population in the state of South Carolina has changed dramatically over the past three decades. In particular, advances in medical science, technology, and nutrition have enabled people to live longer, resulting in an older population. Goals of this project were to fortify the Lancaster County Council on Aging’s response to these changes as it directs resources to meet the current and projected needs of residents 60 years of age and older and to enable the Council to make informed decisions regarding capital development.

FAMILY VIOLENCE

Development of a Management Information System for the Nurturing Center
Funder: The Nurturing Center
Principal Investigator: Judith Whiting

The scope of this work was to review the agency’s forms and records to identify elements available for inclusion in a management information system, design data entry screens for data collection on services and activities of The Nurturing Center, design report formats to provide administration with periodic reports related to services and activities of the Nurturing Center, train staff of the Nurturing Center to correctly enter data and generate reports, and produce a user’s manual for the MIS.

Domestic Violence Services in Rural Health Care Clinics
Funder: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Principal Investigator : Ann Coker, School of Public Health

Program Manager: Vicki Flerx

The short-term goal of this project is to design and implement culturally competent clinic-based intimate partner violence screening and services for women in rural, low-income regions of SC who are seeking health care from primary care clinics.

Juvenile Sex Offender Management
Funder: South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice
Principal Investigator: Vicki Flerx

This project uses a state-level, multidisciplinary team to provide leadership in creating and maintaining a statewide continuum of treatment and supervision for children and adolescents with sexually problematic behaviors. The overall goal of the project is to develop a more systematic decision-making process regarding care and treatment needs for this population. Local multidisciplinary teams are being established in at least four targeted areas of the state to provide coordinated evaluation and treatment for young people with sexually problematic behaviors. The project will increase the number of professionals in the targeted areas who can provide appropriate treatment for juveniles with such behaviors as well as for juvenile sex offenders. Intensive training and ongoing supervision for the treatment professionals, as well as team members, will help to build the capacity of the local teams to become self-sustaining.

Mecklenburg Family Court – "Mediation Pilot Program"
Funder: Mecklenburg County Family Court
Principal Investigator : Arlene Andrews

Project Manager: Anita Floyd

This project involves the development of an evaluation plan for the Mecklenburg County Family Court’s pilot Child Abuse, Neglect and Dependency Mediation Program. This plan is being developed in collaboration with the County Court Judge, his staff, and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. The research design includes procedures for collecting and analyzing both process and outcomes data on an initial and continuous basis, including appropriate comparison data.

Partners for Safety: Coordinated Response Network for Victims of Domestic Violence
in Rural South Carolina
Funder: South Carolina Department of Social Services
Principal Investigator: Arlene Andrews

Project Managers: Vicki Flerx, Muriel Harris

This project aims to enhance the safety of children in rural households where adults have committed domestic violence by establishing an interagency protocol and promoting competence within disciplines. The protocol,which is being developed, tested, and evaluated over an 18-month period, addresses assessment, intervention, planning, Children in Domestic Violence Response Teams, adult and child fatality review, use of orders of protection for children, confidentiality, cultural issues, and mobilization of community resources. An interagency Family Violence Coordinating Council is being established in each of two rural judicial districts. Project partners include the South Carolina Department of Social Services, the Pee Dee Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Assault, and CASA/Family Systems.

Statewide Domestic Violence Rates
Funder: South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
Principal Investigator: Judith Whiting

This study used electronic law enforcement records to analyze intimate partner domestic violence in three rural counties in South Carolina. IFS staff developed discussion questions for focus groups conducted by the South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault and summarized focus group discussions from content analysis of transcribed audiotapes to produce a needs and resource report for the counties.

Technical Assistance to the Governor’s Task Force on Domestic Violence
Funder: South Carolina Department of Social Services
Principal Investigator: Arlene Andrews

FATHERHOOD

Proactive Grantmaking
Funder: Sisters of Charity Foundation, Inc.
Principal Investigators: Arlene Andrews, Irene Luckey

The primary focus of this work is the Sisters of Charity’s "Fatherhood Initiative." IFS staff review and synthesize research and data related to poverty in South Carolina; analyze the causes and consequences of father absence in South Carolina; review " best practices" in programs designed to involve fathers; develop guidelines for grantees; develop a "Request for Proposal" process for communities to apply for funding to plan, implement and evaluate programs under both the Fatherhood and the Community-Based Initiatives; provide technical assistance to communities awarded funds as they plan and implement their programs; conduct empowerment evaluation strategies with communities; provide the Sisters of Charity Foundation board with education/information on substantive areas related to the reduction of poverty; and provide overall technical assistance to the Foundation related to strategic grantmaking. IFS also advises the foundation regarding new initiatives focused on out-of-school programs for youth and community-building initiatives.

HISPANIC POPULATION

Hispanic Needs Assessment
Funder: South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control
Principal Investigator: Ana López-De Fede

This project is undertaking the first statewide Hispanic needs assessment ever conducted in South Carolina. Basic demographic data and information on population concentrations and resources are being collected and analyzed.

HOUSING

Housing Needs Assessment
Funder: South Carolina Department of Mental Health
Principal Investigator: Anita Floyd

This is a statewide housing needs assessment to evaluate the housing needs of consumers of South Carolina Department of Mental Health services.

Technical Assistance to the Homeless Continua of Care in South Carolina
Funders: Freeman Consulting, Inc./HUD
Principal Investigator: Anita Floyd

This project provides technical support to the Homeless Continua of Care in South Carolina to build capacity to meet the needs of the homeless in their communities. Participating communities/organizations include the Total Care for the Homeless Coalition, Pee Dee Continuum of Care, Orangeburg Homeless Coalition, and Aiken-Barnwell Homeless Coalition.

LAW

Consortium on Children, Families and Law
Funder: U.S. Department of Justice
Principal Investigator: Gary B. Melton

The Consortium is comprised of eleven university-based, interdisciplinary member centers and three affiliated organizations. This project facilitated collaborative research, education, and consultation on critical issues in child and family policy by bringing together some of the most thoughtful, productive scholars in the fields of law and child and family policy. These scholars analyzed important constructs and issues in law addressing children and families; conducted interjurisdictional research to determine the relative effects of various approaches to child and family law; and accessed and informed networks of policymakers and professionals through Consortium member centers, affiliated organizations, state and private agencies, and the academic community.

PUBLIC POLICY

Executive Public Policy Seminar Series: "The Root Causes of Poverty"
Funders: The Duke Endowment, Sisters of Charity, SC Department of Social Services, Institute for Families in Society
Principal Investigator: Nancy Songer

This program brought to South Carolina eight nationally recognized experts whose work focuses on aspects of the root causes of poverty to meet with state leaders and activists on related issues. The goals were to create a common body of knowledge on the subject and promote informed, open discussion among the participants about potential policy and system reforms.

SCHOOL-BASED SERVICES

Evaluation and Technical Assistance to Communities in Schools - South Carolina
Funder: Communities in Schools - South Carolina, Inc.;
SC Dept. of Social Services; SC Dept. of Health and Human Services
Principal Investigator: Patricia Motes

This project provides evaluation and technical assistance to support Communities in Schools (CIS) - South Carolina in the planning, implementation and evaluation of the Communities in Schools/Department of Social Services "Middle School After School" initiative. IFS staff work in concert with the National Dropout Prevention Center at Clemson University to provide an overall evaluation of this effort. The initiative, using the CIS model of school-community partnerships, aims to provide eligible middle school youth with structured and safe environments where they can benefit from academic support, recreational activities, and other services that promote positive youth development.

Project RESPOND (Responsive Ecological Services for Maltreated Preschool
Children with Behavioral Problems or Developmental Delays)
Funder: U. S. Department of Education
Principal Investigator: Bill Brown

Project Coordinator: Kristie Musick

Project RESPOND provides an innovative, community-based model of inclusive preschool services and supports for an underserved population of young children with complex and significant special needs. Personnel collaborating with the project provide inclusive early childhood special education services; family support services; on-site psychological services; interventions to enhance children’s social competence and peer interactions; and transition services to kindergarten. The project serves 3, 4 and 5-year-old children who have both a known history of child abuse and neglect and significant behavioral problems and/or developmental delays.

Lancaster County School District Evaluation
Funder: Lancaster County; Sims Foundation
Principal Investigator: Paul McKenzie

The project was designed to address multiple risk factors that impact the education, health, and social welfare of children and families by increasing services, reducing participation barriers, and increasing parental involvement and effectiveness with their children. A comprehensive after-school learning center was created to serve children K-12 and their families with a continuum of services.

Public Academic Partnership for School Mental Health
Funder: South Carolina Department of Mental Health-Division of Clinical Services
Principal Investigator: Patricia Motes

The project was designed to increase access to and use of mental health services by children, a dolescents and their families. It provided training, technical assistance, and evaluation/research in support of SCDMH’s efforts relating to a federal grant to build community partnerships in rural communities, espeially among the health, mental health, and education sectors.

School-Based Mental Health Project
Funder: South Carolina Department of Mental Health - Division of Children,
Adolescents and Their Families
Principal Investigator: Patricia Motes

This was an extensive collaborative effort including IFS, SC Dept. of Mental Health, SC Dept. of Health and Human Services, local school districts, and community mental health centers to develop, implement, and evaluate a model school-based mental health service delivery approach. It provided ongoing training, technical assistance, and evaluation of school-based mental health initiatives.

CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Children with Special Health Care Needs Assessment
Funder: South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control
-CRS Branch
Principal Investigator: Ana López-DeFede

This project provided a needs assessment of children with special health care needs, including a follow-up on the 1994 Children’s Rehabilitative Services’ (CRS) Needs Assessment. It included a literature review on children with special health care needs; developing an annotated bibliography of studies focusing on system of care and care giving issues; developing focus group and key informant protocols for review by identified community leaders and caregivers; field-testing semi structured interview and focus group protocols; conducting semi structured interviews and recruiting participants for the focus groups through community-based organizations; conducting a review of verbatim transcripts of each focus group and key informant interview; conducting detailed data analysis; and providing technical assistance in the development and data analysis of the CRS needs assessment of 18 to 21-year-olds.

Evaluation of Medically Fragile Children’s Foster Care Program
Funder: South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
Principal Investigator: Ana López-DeFede

This project is one of several national projects examining cost effectiveness and clinical outcomes for children with complex health care needs who are in alternative foster care placements. The two areas of emphasis are a) measuring specific results and client satisfaction for all sites and b) providing technical assistance to all sites on program components and evaluation measures.

YOUTH

Preventing Early Parenting Program Evaluation
Funder: Aiken Teen Pregnancy Prevention Council
Principal Investigator: Arlene Andrews

Project Manager: Muriel Harris

In addition to the evaluation of the "PEP" program to reduce teen parenting among child sexual abuse survivors, IFS advised the staff and board regarding developing procedures to promote continuous program improvement; responding to the requirements of the statewide initiative evaluation; information system design and use for purposes of evaluation; and use of measurement tools for evaluation. It also assisted them in preparing two evaluation reports per year.

Teen Parenting Project
Funder: National Institutes for Health
Principal Investigator: Jim McDonnell

This project was a multifaceted, comprehensive, and coordinated program approach to meeting the needs of pregnant and parenting teens and their children who were receiving or who were eligible to receive public assistance. Services were coordinated into a "seamless" service delivery system combined with intensive case management and home visitation outreach. In addition, specific program components brought together the members of the teen mother’s and the father’s familie s, when appropriate; involved the father in providing instrumental, emotional, and physical support to the mother and child, when feasible; assisted the mother, father, and family members to develop entrepreneurial talents into economic supports; combined well-child care with child development and parenting education through supervised group pediatric visits; and provided the teen mother with a caring, committed adult mentor to provide support, guidance, and leadership development.

Youth Gang Research
Funder: SC Department of Public Safety; US Department of Justice
Principal Investigators: Sue Limber, Arlene Bowers Andrews

The study focused on the nature and extent of gang activity in South Carolina and on these questions: What is the nature and extent of gang activity in South Carolina? To what extent do social environmental conditions exist in select communities that support the emergences of gangs? To what extent do community resources play a role in addressing gang-related behaviors? Questionnaires were sent to law enforcement officers in all counties to assess participants’ perceptions of whether gangs are problems within their communities, characteristics of gangs and gang members, and problems caused by gangs, as well as to gather suggestions for prevention.