Attachment L_Project LAUNCH Research Questions Constructs and Operational Definitions

PROJECT LAUNCH RESEARCH QUESTIONS, CONSTRUCTS, AND OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS

RESEARCH QUESTIONS	CONSTRUCTS CAPTURED BY EACH QUESTION	SURVEY ITEMS/OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS
Child and Family Outcomes
How does Project LAUNCH affect specific individual-level child and family outcomes?
Are children in LAUNCH communities in better social-emotional health than those in comparison communities?	Attachment/ relationships Initiative Self-regulation Behavioral concerns Social awareness Self-management Goal direction Relationship skills	Parent Survey Q18. Does your child have any kind of emotional, developmental, or behavioral problem for which your child needs treatment or counseling? During the past 4 weeks, how often did the child… (NOTE: Listed below are the relevant items and subscales from the DECA/DESSA instruments, with the specific items and subscales to vary by the age of the child in the version of the Parent Survey used for each respondent.) Attachment/relationships (DECA-I) Show pleasure when interacting with adults Accept comfort from a familiar adult Smile at familiar adults Act happy Respond positively to adult attention Smile back at a familiar adult Calm down with help from a familiar adult Make eye contact with others Act in a good mood Seek comfort from familiar adults Show affection for a familiar adult Enjoy being cuddled Enjoy interacting with others Respond when spoken to Initiative (DECA-I) Try to do new things Imitate actions of others Keep trying when unsuccessful Show interest in what others were doing Notice changes in surroundings Adjust her/his energy level to the type of play Act happy when praised Explore surroundings Express her/his dislikes Reach for a familiar adult Respond to her/his name React to another child's cry Keep trying to obtain a toy Act in a way that make others smile or show interest Easily go from one activity to another Seek attention when a familiar adult was with another child Enjoy being around other children Look to familiar adult when exploring her/his surroundings Attachment/relationships (DECA-T) Show affection for a familiar adult Easily go from one activity to another Act happy with familiar adults Show pleasure when interacting with adults Smile back at a familiar adult Seek comfort from familiar adults Express a variety of emotions (e.g., happy, sad, mad) Reach for a familiar adult Makes needs known to a familiar adult Accept comfort from a familiar adult Act happy when praised Make eye contact with others Makes others aware of her/his needs Show interest in her/his surroundings Respond to her/his name Respond when spoken to Enjoy being cuddled Enjoy interacting with others Initiative (DECA-T) Show concern for other children Try to comfort others Play make-believe Try to clean up after herself/himself Show preference for a particular playmate React to another child’s cry Ask to do new things Play with other children Participate in group activities Try to do things for herself/himself Follow simple directions Self-regulation (DECA-T) Handle frustration well Accept another choice when the first choice was not available Adjust to changes in routine Calm herself/himself Easily follow a daily routine Have regular sleeping pattern Easily go from one activity to another Initiative (9 items) (DECA-P2) Show confidence in his/her abilities (for instance, say “I can do it!”)? Keep trying when unsuccessful (show persistence)? Try different ways to solve a problem? Show an interest in learning new things? Make decisions for himself/herself? Choose to do a task that was hard for him/her? Remember important information? Try or ask to try new things or activities? Start or organize play with other children? Self-regulation (9 items) (DECA-P2) Listen to or respect others? Control his/her anger? Handle frustration well? Accept another choice when his/her first choice was not available? Cooperate with others? Calm himself/herself down? Play well with others? Share with other children? Show patience? Attachment/relationships (9 items) (DECA-P2) Act in a way that made adults smile or show interest in him/her? Seem happy or excited to see his/her parent or guardian? Trust familiar adults and believe what they say? Seek help from children/adults when necessary? Appear happy when playing with others? Look forward to activities at home or school (for instance, birthdays or trips)? Show a preference for a certain adult, teacher, or parent? Show affection for familiar adults? Ask adults to play with or read to him/her? Behavioral concerns (11 items) (DECA-P2) Seem sad or unemotional at a happy occasion? Have a temper tantrum? Seem uninterested in other children or adults? Use obscene gestures or offensive language? Destroy or damage property? Fight with other children? Become upset or cry easily? Hurt others with actions or words? Get easily distracted? Touch children or adults in a way that you thought was inappropriate? Have a short attention span (difficulty concentrating)? Social awareness (DESSA) Cope well with insults and mean comments? Get along with different types of people? Act respectfully in a game or competition? Respect another person’s opinion? Contribute to group efforts? Resolve a disagreement Share with others? Cooperate with peers or siblings? Forgive somebody who hurt or upset her/him? Self-management (DESSA) Pay attention? Wait for her/his turn? Focus on a task despite a problem or distraction? Act comfortable in a new situation? Perform the steps of a task in order? Think before he/she acted? Pass up something he/she wanted, or do something he/she did not like, to get something better in the future? Accept another choice when his/her first choice was unavailable? Stay calm when faced with a challenge? Adjust well to changes in plans? Adjust well when going from one setting to another? Goal-direction (DESSA) Keep trying when unsuccessful? Take steps to achieve goals? Try to do her/his best? Seek out additional knowledge or information? Take an active role in learning? Do things independently? Ask to take on additional work or responsibilities? Show creativity in completing a task? Seek out challenging tasks? Work hard on projects? Relationship skills (DESSA) Compliment or congratulate somebody? Do something nice for somebody? Show appreciation of others? Greet a person in a polite way? Attract positive attention from peers? Express concern for another person? Attract positive attention from adults? Make a suggestion or request in a polite way? Offer to help somebody? Respond to another person’s feelings?
Do families in LAUNCH communities exhibit stronger parent-child relationships than those in comparison communities?	Parent-Child Relationship Attachment Discipline practices Involvement Parenting confidence Relational frustration	Parent Survey PRQ-P Indicate how frequently each statement describes your beliefs or experiences Attachment When my child is upset, I can calm him/her. I know what my child is thinking. I can sense my child's moods. I know when my child will become upset. I know when my child wants to be left alone. I enjoy spending time with my child. I know what to say to calm down my child. I know what my child is feeling. When upset, my child comes to me for comfort. My child enjoys spending time with me. I know how my child will react in most situations. Discipline practices I punish my child if he/she talks back to an adult. I punish my child if he/she shows disrespect to an adult I punish my child when he/she misbehaves. I punish my child if he/she destroys someone else's things. It’s my responsibility as a parent to punish all my child’s misbehavior I insist that my child follow the rules of the house. I punish my child so he/she learns the proper respect for others. It is important for a child to follow family rules Children should do what parents tell them to do. Involvement My child and I plan things to do together. My child and I go on outings together. I teach my child how to play new games. My child and I do arts and crafts together. My child and I take walks together. My child and I play games together. My child and I work on projects together. My child and I do things together outdoors. Parenting confidence I am confident in my parenting ability. I make good parenting decisions. It is easy for me to make decisions about what my child should do. I have the energy that I need to cope with my child. I remain calm when dealing with my child's behavior My child knows the house rules. I am in control of my household. Relational frustration My child is hard for me to handle. During the last year, my child has been difficult to take care of. I lose my temper with my child. My child tests my limits. I lose my patience with my child. I overreact when my child misbehaves. It's hard being a parent. I make a lot of mistakes when dealing with my child. My child complains about how I treat him/her.
Do parents in LAUNCH communities have higher reported levels of social support than do parents in comparison communities?	Parental social support	Parent Survey Social Support (FSSQ) Here is a list of some things that other people do for us or give us that may be helpful or supportive. Please read each statement carefully and fill in the bubble in the column that is closest to your situation. I have people who care what happens to me. I get love and affection. I get chances to talk to someone about problems at work or with my housework. I get chances to talk to someone I trust about my personal or family problems. I get chances to talk about money matters. I get invitations to go out and do things with other people. I get useful advice about important things in life. I get help when I am sick in bed.
Do parents in LAUNCH communities have lower reported levels of depression than do parents in comparison communities?	Parental depression	Parent Survey CES-D-10 These questions concern how you have been feeling over the past week. Fill in the bubble next to each question that best represents how you have been. I was bothered by things that usually don't bother me. I had trouble keeping my mind on what I was doing I felt depressed. I felt that everything I did was an effort. I felt hopeful about the future. I felt fearful. My sleep was restless. I was happy. I felt lonely. I could not "get going."
Do families in LAUNCH communities engage more frequently in specific family activities (e.g., playing games, reading books, arts and crafts) than those in comparison communities?	Family home environment and activities	Parent Survey Home Environment items (ECLS-K and ECLS-B) In a typical week, how often do you or any other family members do the following things with your child: Tell stories to child? Sing songs with your child? Help your child do arts and crafts? Involve your child in household chores, like cooking, cleaning, setting the table, or caring for pets? Play games or do puzzles with child? Talk about nature or do science projects with your child? Build something or play with construction toys with your child? Play a sport or exercise together? Practice reading, writing, or working with numbers? Read books: Include only times family members have read books to the child. Do not include times when the child reads or looks at books by him or herself. Read books: Include only times family members have read books to the child in a primary language other than English.
Are children in LAUNCH communities more likely to be “school ready” than those in comparison communities measured on the following domains? physical health and well-being, social competence, emotional maturity, language and cognitive development, and communication skills and general knowledge in relation to developmental benchmarks	Physical readiness for school day Physical independence Gross and fine motor skills Basic and advanced literacy Interest literacy/numeracy and memory Basic numeracy Overall social competence Responsibility and respect Readiness to explore new things Behavior: Prosocial and helping Anxious and fearful Aggressive Hyperactivity and inattentive Communication and general knowledge	EDI Section A – Physical Well-Being Since the start of school in the fall, has this child sometimes (more than once) arrived: Over-or underdressed for school-related activities Too tired/sick to do school work Late Hungry Would you say that this child: Is independent in washroom habits most of the time Shows an established hand preference Is well coordinated How would you rate this child’s: Proficiency at holding a pen, crayons, or a brush Ability to manipulate objects Ability to climb stairs Level of energy throughout the school day Overall physical development Section B – Language and Cognitive Skills How would you rate this child’s: ability to use language effectively in English ability to listen to English ability to tell a story ability to take part in imaginative play ability to communicate own needs in a way understandable to adults and peers ability to understand on first try what is being said to him/her ability to articulate clearly, without sound substitutions Would you say that this child: knows how to handle a book is generally interested in books is interested in reading is able to identify at least 10 letters of the alphabet is able to attach sounds to letters is showing awareness of rhyming words is able to participate in group reading activities is able to read simple words is able to read complex words is able to read simple sentences is experimenting with writing tools is aware of writing directions in English is interested in writing voluntarily is able to write his/her own name in English is able to write simple words is able to write simple sentences is able to remember things easily is interested in mathematics is interested in games involving numbers is able to sort and classify objects by a common characteristic Section C – Social and Emotional Development How would you rate this child’s: overall social/emotional development ability to get along with peers Would you say that this child: plays and works cooperatively with other children at the level appropriate for his/her age is able to play with various children follows rules and instructions respects the property of others demonstrates self-control shows self-confidence demonstrates respect for adults demonstrates respect for other children accepts responsibility for actions listens attentively follows directions completes work on time works independently takes care of school materials works neatly and carefully is curious about the world is eager to play with a new toy is eager to play a new game is eager to play with/read a new book is able to solve day-to-day problems by him/herself is able to follow one-step instructions is able to follow class routines without reminders is able to adjust to changes in routines answers questions showing knowledge about the world shows tolerance to someone who made a mistake will try to help someone who has been hurt volunteers to help clear up a mess someone else has made if there is a quarrel or dispute will try to stop it offers to help other children who have difficulty with a task comforts a child who is crying or upset spontaneously helps to pick up objects which another child has dropped will invite bystanders to join in a game helps other children who are feeling sick is upset when left by parent/guardian gets into physical fights bullies or is mean to others kicks, bites, hits other children or adults takes things that do not belong to him/her laughs at other children’s discomfort cant’ sit still, is restless is distractible, has trouble sticking to any activity fidgets is disobedient had temper tantrums is impulsive, acts without thinking has difficulty awaiting turn in games or groups cannot settle to anything for more than a few moments is inattentive seems to be unhappy, sad, or depressed appears fearful or anxious appears worried cries a lot is nervous, high-strung, or tense is incapable of making decisions is shy sucks a thumb/finger Section D – Special Concerns Does the student have a difficulty that influences his/her ability to do school work in a regular classroom? physical disability visual impairment hearing impairment speech impairment learning disability emotional concern behavioral concern home environment/concerns at home chronic medical/health concerns unaddressed dental needs If the child has received a diagnosis or identification by a doctor or psychological professional, please indicate. Is the child receiving any school-based support(s) (e.g. educational assistant, equipment)? Is the child currently receiving further assessment? Is the child currently on a wait list to receive further assessment? Do you feel that this child needs further assessment?
Are children in LAUNCH communities less likely to be suspended and/or expelled from school than those in comparison communities?	Child behavior at school	School survey During the last full school year, how many children were suspended for behavioral reasons in each age group or grade level? During the last full school year, how many children were expelled (or involuntarily unenrolled) for behavioral reasons in each age group or grade level?
[SECONDARY RESEARCH QUESTION] Are children in LAUNCH communities in better physical health than those in comparison communities after program implementation*? [* Note: Although program implementation has occurred at different points in time across LAUNCH communities, we will be able to capture this “dose/duration” dimension in our analysis—and address this directly in Q4 below.]	Child health Physical independence	Parent Survey Q14. Does your child currently need or use medicine prescribed by a doctor, other than vitamins? Q15. Does your child need or use more medical care, mental health or educational services than is usual for most children of the same age? Q16. Is your child limited or prevented in any way in your child’s ability to do the things most children of the same age can do? Q17. Does your child need or get special therapy, such as physical, occupational, or speech therapy? Q21. In general, how would you describe your child's health?
[SECONDARY RESEARCH QUESTION] Do children in LAUNCH communities use more health-care services such as primary care, mental-health services, preventive care/screening, dental care, and vision care than those in comparison communities?	Health care utilization	Parent survey Q20. During the past 12 months, how many times did your child see a doctor, nurse, or other health care provider for preventive medical care such as a physical exam or well-child checkup? Q21. During the past 12 months, did your child see a dentist for any kind of dental care, including check-ups, dental cleanings, x-rays, or filling cavities? Q22. Has your child ever has your child had his/her vision tested with pictures, shapes, or letters?
[SECONDARY RESEARCH QUESTION] Do children in LAUNCH communities have better access to specific health-care services such as primary care, mental-health services, dental care, and vision care than those in comparison communities?	Access to health care	Parent survey Q24. During the past 12 months, was there any time when your child needed health care but it was delayed or not received? Medical care Dental care Vision care Mental health services
Does Project LAUNCH’s impact on the individual-level outcomes in Question 1 vary across the interventions supporting each of the program’s core strategies? These include:	Program implementation – core strategies
home visiting		Direct Services survey Did you implement any home visiting activities during the current reporting period? Please provide a brief description of this activity What type of activity is this? How many times did this activity occur in the past 6 months? Who directly participates in this activity? How many of these individuals participated in the activity over the last 6 months? Who is intended to benefit from this activity? If this activity was intended to help children, what specific age range of child? Where is the activity implemented? Which of the following evidence-based or promising home visiting program models did you implement?
mental health consultation in school and ECE settings		Direct Services survey Did you implement any mental health consultation in school and ECE settings activities during the current reporting period? Please provide a brief description of this activity What type of activity is this? How many times did this activity occur in the past 6 months? Who directly participates in this activity? How many of these individuals participated in the activity over the last 6 months? Who is intended to benefit from this activity? If this activity was intended to help children, what specific age range of child? Where is the activity implemented? Which of the following evidence-based or promising practice mental health consultation models did you implement? Which of the following evidence-based or promising practice social-emotional curricula did you implement? (May be used with or without MHC)
integrating behavioral health into primary health care		Direct services survey Did you implement any activities related to integrating behavioral health into primary health care during the current reporting period? Please provide a brief description of this activity What type of activity is this? How many times did this activity occur in the past 6 months? Who directly participates in this activity? How many of these individuals participated in the activity over the last 6 months? Who is intended to benefit from this activity? If this activity was intended to help children, what specific age range of child? Where is the activity implemented?
screening		Direct Services survey (under integrating behavioral health into primary care) Which of the following child screening or assessment tools did you use? Which of the following adult screening or assessment tools did you use?
family strengthening		Direct Services survey Did you implement any family strengthening activities during the current reporting period? Please provide a brief description of this activity. What type of activity is this? How many times did this activity occur in the past 6 months? Who directly participates in this activity? How many of these individuals participated in the activity over the last 6 months? Who is intended to benefit from this activity? If this activity was intended to help children, what specific age range of child? Where is the activity implemented? Which family strengthening frameworks did you use? Which of the following evidence-based or promising practice family strengthening programs did you implement with parents? Which of the following therapeutic interventions did you use?
Does the impact of LAUNCH vary by family and community socioeconomic factors?	Demographic/socioeconomic characteristics
family education level?		Parent survey What is the highest level of education you completed?
race/ethnicity?		Parent survey Is your child of Hispanic, Latino/a, or Spanish origin? What is your child’s race? (One or more categories may be selected)
income?		Parent survey What is the total annual income of your household?
Target children’s age		Parent survey Child’s age based on date of birth
Do families in LAUNCH communities fare better on the outcomes included in Question 1 over time (i.e., as a function of time since program implementation)?	Impact of duration of exposure (i.e., time since implementation)	N/A
Systems-Level Outcomes
Are LAUNCH coalition-building activities (e.g., wellness councils) associated with other systems outcomes (such as advocacy activities, funding levels, and others)?	Coalition-building activities	Systems Change Assessment Survey Did you implement any coalition-building activities during the current reporting period? Please list all of the coalition-building activities you have implemented during the current reporting period and select the outcomes these activities were working towards. Please click on “Add activity” to add new activities to the table and then select the outcome(s) that the activities were working towards. Comparison Sites Interview Protocol Did you implement any coalition-building activities related to early childhood health during the past ___ months? Please describe the coalition-building activities you implemented. For each activity you described in the question above, what type of outcome were you working toward by implementing the activity?
Are LAUNCH public information campaigns associated with other systems outcomes (such as advocacy activities, funding levels, and others)?	Public information campaigns	Systems Change Assessment Survey Did you implement any public information campaigns during the current reporting period? Please list all of the public information campaigns you have implemented during the current reporting period and select the outcomes these campaigns were working towards. Please click on “Add activity” to add new activities to the table below and then select the outcome(s) that the campaigns were working towards. Comparison Sites Interview Protocol Did you implement any public information campaigns related to early childhood health during the past ___months? Please describe the public information campaigns you implemented. For each public information campaign you described above, what type of outcome were you working toward by implementing the campaign?
Are LAUNCH advocacy activities associated with other systems outcomes (such as public information campaigns, funding levels, and others)?	Advocacy activities	Systems Change Assessment Survey Did you implement any advocacy activities during the current reporting period? Please list all of the advocacy activities you have implemented during the current reporting period and select the outcomes these activities were working towards. Please click on “Add activity” to add new activities to the table and then select the outcome(s) that the activities were working towards. Comparison Sites Interview Protocol Did you implement any advocacy activities related to early childhood health during the past __ months? Please describe the advocacy activities related to early childhood health and wellness that you implemented. For each advocacy activity you described above, what type of outcome were you working toward?
Are LAUNCH activities that are designed to increase funding associated with other systems outcomes (such as public information campaigns, coalition building, and others)?	Sustainability	Systems Change Assessment Survey Did you implement any activities to build funding during the current reporting period? Please list all of the activities you have implemented to build funding during the current reporting period and select the outcomes these activities were working towards. Please click on “Add activity” to add new activities to the table and then select the outcome(s) that the activities were working towards. Comparison Sites Interview Protocol Did you implement any activities to build funding during the past ___ months? Please describe the activities to build funding that you implemented. For each activity to build funding that you described above, what type of outcome were you working toward?
Does the impact of LAUNCH vary by community socioeconomic characteristics?	Demographic/socio-economic characteristics at the community or jurisdictional level	Source: American Community Survey
family education level
race/ethnicity
income?
What are the facilitators that contribute to improving systems-level outcomes?	Facilitators of systems outcomes
Are LAUNCH communities in areas with co-occurring child and family programs more likely than communities without them to achieve improved systems outcomes?		Direct Services Survey Home Visiting Who directly participates in this activity? Who is intended to benefit from this activity? Mental Health Consultation Who directly participates in this activity? Who is intended to benefit from this activity? Integrating Behavioral and Primary Health Care Who directly participates in this activity? Who is intended to benefit from this activity? Family Strengthening Who directly participates in this activity? Who is intended to benefit from this activity? Other Direct Service Activities Who directly participates in this activity? Who is intended to benefit from this activity?
Are LAUNCH communities with schools that emphasize child and family well-being (either through formal programs or other otherwise) more likely than communities without them to achieve improved systems outcomes?	Child and family wellbeing program	School Survey Is a mental health consultant available to teachers in your school/ECE? What other services has the mental health consultant provided?
What are the barriers that impede improvement of systems-level outcomes?	Barriers to systems outcomes
Are LAUNCH communities in states with larger uninsured populations less likely to achieve improved systems outcomes?		Percent of state population with no health insurance.
b. Are LAUNCH communities in states with specific fiscal challenges less likely to achieve improved systems outcomes? (These may include, for instance, large unemployed populations, divided government with respect to party control of executive and legislative branches, and budgetary issues, among others.)		We will use secondary data sources to explore issues such as: large unemployed populations (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics); divided government with respect to party control of executive and legislative branches (Source: National Conference of State Legislatures); and budgetary issues (Source: National Association of State Budget Officers)
What are the economic costs of LAUNCH Program Implementation and how do these compare to the economic benefits related to improvements in child and family outcomes?	Economic returns on LAUNCH program investment
How much does LAUNCH cost to implement overall and per child in the designated target population—with the target population identified as a combination of geography (defined ZIP codes for inclusion) and demographics (children living beneath a designated income level)?		Direct Services Survey How much did you spend from the current funding year’s overall Project LAUNCH budget since the last reporting period? How much did you spend from your current funding year’s local Project LAUNCH budget since the last reporting period? How much did you spend from your current funding year’s state Project LAUNCH budget since the last reporting period? Home Visiting How many of these individuals participated in the activity over the last 6 months? Mental Health Consultation How many of these individuals participated in the activity over the last 6 months? Integrating Behavioral and Primary Health Care How many of these individuals participated in the activity over the last 6 months? Family Strengthening How many of these individuals participated in the activity over the last 6 months? Other Direct Service Activities How many of these individuals participated in the activity over the last 6 months?
What percentage of resources on average do grantees spend on each LAUNCH strategy?		Direct Services survey Home Visiting How much (in dollars) was spent on this activity in the current reporting period? What percentage of the current grant year’s local LAUNCH funding was spent on this activity in the current reporting period? What percentage of the current grant year’s state LAUNCH funding was spent on this activity in the current reporting period? Mental Health Consultation How much (in dollars) was spent on this activity in the current reporting period? What percentage of the current grant year’s local LAUNCH funding was spent on this activity in the current reporting period? What percentage of the current grant year’s state LAUNCH funding was spent on this activity in the current reporting period? Integrating Behavioral and Primary Health Care How much (in dollars) was spent on this activity in the current reporting period? What percentage of the current grant year’s local LAUNCH funding was spent on this activity in the current reporting period? What percentage of the current grant year’s state LAUNCH funding was spent on this activity in the current reporting period? Family Strengthening How much (in dollars) was spent on this activity in the current reporting period? What percentage of the current grant year’s local LAUNCH funding was spent on this activity in the current reporting period? What percentage of the current grant year’s state LAUNCH funding was spent on this activity in the current reporting period? Other Direct Service Activities How much (in dollars) was spent on this activity in the current reporting period? What percentage of the current grant year’s local LAUNCH funding was spent on this activity in the current reporting period? What percentage of the current grant year’s state LAUNCH funding was spent on this activity in the current reporting period?
If LAUNCH resulted in changes in child and family outcomes, what are published estimates of the dollar value of these improvements?		See survey items listed under 12)a (activity cost)
What is the total cost of LAUNCH per child in the designated target population after accounting for these cost offsets? What is the cost per child served by LAUNCH? What is the cost per child who saw developmental improvement? If the cost offsets exceed the implementation costs of LAUNCH, what is the return on investment (ROI) of LAUNCH with ROI defined as:		See survey items listed under 1) a and b (developmental improvement) See survey items listed under 12)a (activity cost) The MSE team’s current plan is to conduct a Social Return on Investment (SROI) analysis consistent with the principles of the Global Social Venture Competition established by Columbia University’s Business School. This framework involves the following steps: (1) defining the social value proposition of the LAUNCH program; (2) articulating the means to quantify the costs and, more important, the three to five main expected benefits of LAUNCH; and (3) monetizing the intended social value of these benefits and costs. In applying this framework, we will combine documented evidence on the effects of improvements in different childhood outcomes on long term outcomes. As part of our analysis, we will consider the extent to which changes in socioemotional health have been demonstrated to translate into higher graduation rates and educational attainment, higher earned income, increased productivity for parents during childhood, and decreased stress, among other outcomes. The value placed on these outcomes will be informed by published literature on, for examples, the relationship between childhood behavior problems and dropping out of school (Robst, J., & Weinberg, C., 2010) and the relationship between educational attainment and adult incomes (Blanden, J., Gregg, P., and Macmillan, L., 2007). We estimate the incremental change in net benefits and the incremental change in net costs compared to what costs and benefits would be if the intervention had not taken place. The ratio of costs to benefits is the number of dollars in benefit returned for each dollar in cost invested. If the number is greater than 1.0, then the net benefit exceeds costs. There are three primary challenges to conducting an SROI: (1) measuring implementation costs; (2) measuring incremental changes in benefits; and (3) converting non-monetary benefits into their monetary equivalents.  For the LAUNCH evaluation, we propose to estimate costs using an activity-based costing (ABC) approach that involves collecting data on categories of activities, and the labor hours, facilities, supplies, capital, and other costs required to carry out that activity.  We will collect data from each LAUNCH program using a web-based data collection instrument and through interviews with program staff conducted during site visits.  We will assess changes in incremental net benefits of the program based on the quasi-experimental data analysis indicated above, programmatic LAUNCH records, and educated assumptions when necessary.  We will assign monetary costs to these benefits based on collaborative methods outlined by the Social Return on Investment Network, through contingent valuation and willingness-to-pay studies when available, and through market equivalent prices of the benefits, when available.

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