In-Depth Interviews

Semi-Structured Interview Conversation Guide
Semi-structured interviews are intended to supplement information obtained in the 12month follow-up. Pre-testing has provided evidence that more detailed service utilization
data, critical for an accurate cost analysis, can be obtained via these in-depth interviews.
Interviews will be free-flowing and interviewers will not read standardized questions to
respondents. However, a general conversation guide has been developed detailing the
types of services interviewers should probe respondents about. These topics are listed
below, along with examples of questions interviewers may ask in the course of their
discussion with respondents. For each of the topics covered, interviewers will probe
respondents to collect detailed information on the following:
• who provided the service
• when and how often the service took place; how long each interaction or instance
of service lasted
• where the service took place
• who else was involved in the service (e.g. family members, other service
providers)
• how the respondent learned about the service provider

INTERVIEW CONVERSATION GUIDE
Use this guide, in conjunction with the case report and service details note page, to shape your
conversation. Use the far right column to keep track of the information you’ve collected.
After introduction to parent/guardian and youth, start with ICEBREAKERS (OPTIONAL).
Sample Member Examples:
• Tell me about something fun you did this week.
• Tell me about something you are proud of doing (in
school or work or something else) recently.
• Do you go to school? What grade are you in?

Parent/Guardian Examples:
• Tell me about NAME.

Interest Exploration or goal planning (In the past year … or Since RA Date )
•

Have you talked with anyone about what you want to do when you grow up?

•

Have you talked about what kind of job you’d like to have someday or what kind of
school you’d like to go to?

Check Questions
asked and Provider
Name if named

Preparing for work (career exploration, job readiness) (In the past year … or Since RA Date)
•

Do you have a job now? (If yes:) What do you do? Did someone help you get that
job?

•

Have you had a job in the past year? (If yes:) What did you do? Did anyone help
you get that job?

•

Have you talked with anyone about getting a job in the past year?

•

Have you gotten any help with looking for a job—things like filling out applications,
writing a resume, or how to do a job interview?

•

Have learned about the kinds of jobs that are out there and how you can go about
getting one?
Have you had an internship or worked someplace as a volunteer?

•
•

Have you ever visited a workplace and watched the way a job is done? (Prompt:
Sometimes this is called job shadowing.)

•

Has anyone helped you get into a school or training program? (Prompt: Has
anyone helped you with an application or an interview?)

•

(If had a job in the past year) Did someone help you on the job after you started it,
like with job coaching, how to keep your job (retention) or how to get promoted
(advancement)?

Benefits -- SSA or other (In the past year … or Since RA Date)
•

Has anyone talked to you about your Social Security Benefits or SSI and rules?

•

Has anyone talked to you about how employment affects your social security
benefits?

•

Have you received help in understand other benefits (e.g., Medicaid, food stamps,
or housing vouchers)?

Other Services -- Medical, Mental Health, Legal, etc (In the past year … or Since RA Date)
•

Have you or your family members gotten any other kinds of help?

•

For example, help to get medical or health services (e.g., physical therapy or
doctor’s appointments)?

•

Or help with legal matters such as getting guardianship, adoption, etc?

•

Has one service provider send (or refer) to another program for services?

Case # ____________ L M H

Interviewee: YOUTH GUARDIAN

Service Details – Examples of Probing Questions
What

Interviewer Initials: ____

Date:______

Time: ______ Length: _____

Agency: _______________________________

What did you/NAME do (there or with that person)?
What did you/NAME talk about last time you/NAME met?
What type of place is that agency?
Did you/NAME receive other kinds of services there?

Who

Who helped you/NAME?
Do you know his/her name/ agency/ address?
Do you have a business card or piece of paper that has their
name on it?

When

What time of day were meetings? (e.g., early in the
morning/before school or work, during the day/at school or
work, in the afternoon/after school or work, at night/around
dinner time, over the weekend)
When did you/NAME start going? (Note: Tie to holidays,
seasons, school year, or birthday if possible.)

The following is the minimum amount of information needed to calculate costs:
Youth attended service ______ times per _______ (e.g., week, month, year) for _____ hours
per session.
Service began ____________ (date) and ended __________ (date).

How often did you/NAME meet or talk in person or over
the phone? (e.g., every day, once a week, more than once a
week, once a month, more than once a month, once a year, a
few times a year)
How long do you think each meeting lasted?
Are you/NAME still meeting with [service provider]?
Where

Where did you/NAME meet (e.g., at offices, at school, at
your home, at your work, or another place)?

How

Did you/NAME meet one-on-one, attend a class or group
workshop, or both? How often did you do each?
Did you/NAME meet alone or did someone from your
family join you?
Do you remember how you/NAME learned about this
provider? (from family, teacher, friend, etc)
**You will need to have multiple copies of this page on hand for each interview. Use one page for each different agency discussed.