Appendix B - LTO Outreach Phone Script

Appendix B

LTO Outreach Phone Script for Informant Interviews

----------------------------

For initial phone call:

Hello, this is [name] calling from [institution]. Have I reached [name]? 

How are you?   …   Did I catch you at a good time? …  

(use the following language if in wave 1)

Great! I’m calling as part of a team implementing a new project supported by ACF/HHS called Assessing Options to Evaluate Long-Term Outcomes (LTO), which aims to identify promising program evaluations for long-term follow-up and investigate relevant administrative data sources in order to understand the feasibility of linking evaluation and administrative datasets. We are conducting interviews with evaluation staff of prior studies that we believe to be potentially feasible for long-term follow-up, based on information shared with the LTO project team about the [evaluation]. Given your background and expertise, we think you could provide valuable perspective and input. We sent you an e-mail a few days ago. Did you receive it?

(use the following language if in wave 2)

Great! I’m calling as part of a team implementing a new project supported by ACF/HHS called Assessing Options to Evaluate Long-Term Outcomes (LTO), which aims to identify promising program evaluations for long-term follow-up and investigate relevant administrative data sources in order to understand the feasibility of linking evaluation and administrative datasets. We are conducting interviews with evaluation staff of prior studies that we believe to be potentially feasible for long-term follow-up, based on information shared with the LTO project team about the [evaluation]. You were referred to us by [insert referrer’s name], who mentioned that you could provide valuable perspective and input given your background and expertise. We sent you an e-mail a few days ago. Did you receive it?

If you’re interested, I’d like to set up a time to tell you more about the project and conduct a short interview.

If “no thank you…”:

I understand how busy things can be. Thanks again for your time.

If “yes…”:

Great, thank you so much. Would you like to get something scheduled now or would you prefer that I follow-up via email to find a time?

  

If they ask for more detail about the project by phone:

MDRC is conducting the Long-Term Outcomes (LTO) project—a path-breaking project setting the stage for using administrative records to efficiently estimate long-term impacts for prior and on-going HHS and DOL evaluations. Launched in 2017, LTO is sponsored by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) in collaboration with the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The project will provide insight on the current parameters for and feasibility of linking datasets or a set of employment and youth development-related evaluations to administrative sources.

If they ask more about the interview goals:

In particular, we would like to ask you about: (select all that apply for interviewee)

• details regarding the availability of study participant PII as well as any long-term follow-up plans your [insert organization] currently has for [insert study]

• the evaluation’s findings and policy relevance

• other individuals that we could possibly talk to gather more specific information in the next wave of interviews

• the conditions that may help/hinder the feasibility of long-term follow-up efforts in the future

In closing: Thanks again for your time. I look forward to speaking more about the project soon.

For a message machine:

Hello, this is message is for [name]. I’m [name] calling from [institution].

I’m calling as part of a team implementing a new project supported by ACF/HHS called Assessing Options to Evaluate Long-Term Outcomes (LTO), which aims to identify promising program evaluations for long-term follow-up and investigate relevant administrative data sources in order to understand the feasibility of linking evaluation and administrative datasets. We are conducting interviews with evaluation staff of prior studies that we believe to be potentially feasible for long-term follow-up, based on information shared with the LTO project team about the [evaluation]. Given your background and expertise, we think you could provide valuable perspective and input. We sent you an e-mail a few days ago.

If you’re interested, I’d like to set up a time to tell you more about the project and conduct a short interview. I will also follow-up via email shortly to propose a few dates and times, but you can also reach me by phone at [phone number].

Thanks, and hope we can connect soon.