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AbstractFaith‐based organizations (FBOs) are now being encouraged to seek federal funding for the purpose of supporting faith‐based delivery of social services in local communities (that is, the Compassionate Capital Fund). This shift in the federal perspective has resulted in increased attention to the effectiveness of the services provided by FBOs. Though rigorous demonstrations are needed to determine the relative effectiveness of FBO services, other available alternatives offer a viable avenue to aid FBOs in improving their programs and monitoring their success. One such alternative is the use of outcome measurement techniques, such as those that have been infusing the nonprofit sector in the United States since the mid‐1990s, particularly among United Way–funded programs. This chapter discusses how to adapt secular outcomes measurement approaches to faith‐based organizations and their programs and the likely pitfalls that FBOs will face.

This article presents outcome data from an ongoing nonintrusive method for evaluating counseling services. Applied to one agency's delivery of solution-focused brief therapy, the method is brief and easily integrated into clinical practice. Using two scaling questions (one to measure daily functioning and the other to measure emotional coping), clinicians asked clients in every session to rate on a scale of 0 to 10 their present status on two dimensions. Data were collected by 40 professional counselors providing services to 3,920 cases during a 2-year period, averaging three counseling sessions per case. Analyses demonstrated statistically significant findings for both functioning and coping regardless of the number of sessions and client system (i.e., individual or couple and family). The research demonstrates a clinically useful method for assessing counseling services in process and illustrates the improvements in functioning and coping experienced by clients concurrent within their participation in counseling.

The use of family support interventions to address the needs of at-risk families and children has proliferated over the last 2 decades. In particular, family support has been used to strengthen involvement of parents in their child's academic life as a means of preventing academic failure and other problem behaviors. This article presents empirical data from a field-based study of one leading family support model, Families and Schools Together (FAST), based on over 400 families served over a 4-year period. Child participants showed statistically significant declines in behavior problems, and their families showed improved adaptability and cohesion. Observations about program operations and the differential results for subgroups of children are also presented, along with the study limitations.

Children born out of wedlock often suffer due to infrequent and limited interaction with the noncustodial parent. To address this issue, progams have been developed at the federal and state level that attempt to improve the access of noncustodial parents (primarily fathers) to their natural children. This article describes an access and visitation program and presents findings from a 6-month demonstration in two counties in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. The program assists noncustodial parents in establishing an access agreement with the custodial parent and in pursuing the establishment of their legal parental rights. In total, the demonstration involved over 100 noncustodial parents. This report documents the process of establishing and maintaining visitation agreements, and identifies the principle barriers to establishing visitation. The data on the program came from case files and administrative records and reflect status at 3–6 months after case opening and at case closure.

Outcomes assessment or program evaluation has historically been an infrequent activity within nonprofit agencies. Direct-service agencies have routinely focused on measures of output as indicators of impact rather than on measures related to outcomes and effectiveness. Funders of program services (e.g., United Way, foundations, government agencies) exercise substantial influence over the use of evaluation by recipient programs and agencies. The essential task of identifying outcomes and implementing the processes associated with the outcome measurement enterprise, however, fall squarely on the nonprofits themselves. This paper discusses and critiques the outcome measurement approach from the perspective of a direct service agency and suggests how the available methods can be adopted most successfully.

Those who work in the field of human services are bombarded with research of all types and levels of quality. The task of reviewing research for publication can lend a number of helpful concepts to those who are consumers of such research. This brief piece suggests a number of tactics for becoming a more effective consumer of research reports and, by extension, a better producer of human services research.

Homeless families face the economic & personal challenges of sparse employment opportunities & child care & nutrition needs, compounded by the loss of adequate housing. The Family Development Center (FDC) is a transitional housing program in Atlanta, GA, designed to provide young homeless mothers an opportunity to emerge from what may well be desperate circumstances & begin the journey to economic self-sufficiency. This paper describes the research on programs for homeless families & presents the results of a comprehensive look at the operation & effectiveness of the FDC program during its first 5 years of existence. The work shows that while many families were able to effect notable positive changes in their lives during & after taking part in the housing program, for some the recovery from homelessness was extremely difficult. For even the most successful formerly homeless families -- those that secured employment, housing, & other social supports -- the escape from welfare dependence & poverty proved very difficult. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications for relevant public policy. 4 Tables, 42 References. Adapted from the source document.

An extensive body of research has demonstrated that children in families touched by separation and divorce face considerable turmoil in their young lives. This article describes the results of a pilot study of a group curriculum aimed at ameliorating the negative effects of divorce and family instability for children ages 9 to 12. Based on the ratings of parents, many children benefit noticeably from the program, especially those with less self‐expression, low self‐esteem, and more behavioral problems before the program. Teachers, however, often observed no difference in the classroom behavior. The limitations of the study are discussed and caution is recommended in interpreting the findings.

This article describes the challenges of evaluating an ongoing social work intervention after a change in delivery setting and offers several approaches to acquiring a fuller understanding of the program differences. The Teenage Pregnancy and Parenting (TAPP) program is a case management intervention operated by Families First in DeKalb County, Georgia, that is designed to help teen mothers (a) complete a high school diploma, (b) have a healthy pregnancy and develop parenting skills, and (c) avoid additional pregnancies. This article presents intake, service, and outcome data on program participants across two delivery settings—from the program's initial public health clinic-based setting to its current public school-based setting. Overall, the work demonstrates the strengths of the school-based version of TAPP and the difficulties of assessing the true effects of an ongoing program in the agency context.

AbstractThe use of executive coaching within the nonprofit sector has received increased attention over the past decade as a mechanism to build capacity and address issues of burnout and turnover among executives. This article presents the results of an evaluation of a pilot six‐month executive coaching program that was implemented in 2005 in an urban metropolitan area. The evaluation collected data through surveys and semistructured interviews with nine executive directors and five coaches who participated in the pilot and analyzed the data to assess the effectiveness of the delivery and usefulness of the experience. The coaching experience was rated as very helpful and supportive of the development of executive directors as nonprofit leaders.

The passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 by the U.S. Congress required welfare recipients to quickly move into the workforce. Employment services agencies perform a key role in this process by providing welfare recipients with work readiness and job search skills. This article reviews the findings of an empirical study of the experiences and employment outcomes of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients referred to contracted employment services agencies. The study involves a random-sample survey of 151 TANF recipients in a large, urban, north-central county. The findings suggest that generic work readiness activities may be of limited utility unless they include job leads to actual employment opportunities. The article concludes with a discussion of critical issues for practitioners.