Dr. Rivera presents at webinar for Family Connections Project grantees on best practices for evaluating and disseminating results

Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice faculty, co-presented at a webinar in April for grantees for the Family Connections Project and the Regional Partnership Grant of Jackson County, Oregon. Over 60 grantee program staff members and evaluators attended "Evaluating Communication Strategies," a webinar designed to present best practices for evaluating  and disseminating results during the life of a project. Dr. Rivera discussed, "Using Evaluation for Long-Term Sustainability." The webinar was coordinated by the James Bell Associates National Evaluation Team.

Dr. Rivera is heading up the ongoing evaluation of the Family Connections Program in Jackson County, Oregon. The evaluation is a 3-year study. The mission of the Family Connection Grant Program is to help children who are in, or at risk of entering, foster care to reconnect with family members.

The evaluation by Dr. Rivera includes comparing child welfare outcomes for a control group of families whose cases have been handled in the standard way, rather than by diversion to this type of family treatment. This program is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children & Families.