SSB - Preliminary Activities to Support Future Data Collection for NSCAW

Alternative Supporting Statement for Information Collections Designed for

Research, Public Health Surveillance, and Program Evaluation Purposes

Preliminary Activities to Support Future Data Collection for the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW)

Formative Data Collections for ACF Research

0970 - 0356

Supporting Statement

Part B

JULY 2022

Submitted By:

Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation

Administration for Children and Families

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

4^th Floor, Mary E. Switzer Building

330 C Street, SW

Washington, D.C. 20201

Project Officers:

Christine Fortunato and Laura Hoard

Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation

Part B

B1. Objectives

Study Objectives

The objectives of this information collection for the Preliminary Activities to Support Future Data Collection for the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well‐Being (NSCAW), hereafter referred to as Reimagining NSCAW, data collection, are to:

• Conduct semi-structured discussions with county and state child welfare agency personnel to inform the planning of and preparation for preliminary activities to support future NSCAW data collections. Preliminary activities will include the development of study design options and plans for preliminary or pilot data collection efforts to assess feasibility.

The purpose of this information collection is to obtain input from state and county child welfare agencies to inform decision-making about future NSCAW design options and data collections. NSCAW relies upon Child Protectives Services data provided by child welfare agencies to sample children and families involved in the child welfare system. An understanding of the data being collected, maintained in, and shared by state and county agency systems will allow the study team to develop study designs and preliminary activities that are informed by collaborator input.

Generalizability of Results

This study is intended to provide internally-valid descriptions of county and state child welfare agency data policies, practices, and perspectives in chosen sites, not to promote statistical generalization to other sites or service populations.

Appropriateness of Study Design and Methods for Planned Uses

As noted in Supporting Statement A, this information is not intended to be used as the principal basis for public policy decisions and is not expected to meet the threshold of influential or highly influential scientific information.

The data collection plans described here are appropriate to gather information to inform planning and preparations for future NSCAW data collections. Collecting information directly from state and county child welfare agency collaborators will allow the project team to ensure that agency data practices, policies, and perspectives are considered in the planning phase of the study when feasibility is of utmost importance. The activities align with Reimagining NSCAW’s goals of providing collaborators with the opportunity for meaningful and appropriate involvement throughout the project.

B2. Methods and Design

Target Population

The target population will be comprised of state and county child welfare personnel with knowledge of and expertise in data systems and agency policies and practices.

The study team will use non-probability, purposive sampling to identify potential respondents. Because respondents will be purposively selected, they will not be representative of the entire population of state and county child welfare agency personnel.

Respondent Recruitment

The study team will collaborate with two entities who organize meetings for child welfare personnel - Casey Family Programs and the Children’s Bureau. The study team will work with these groups to identify meetings and events where child welfare personnel with knowledge of and expertise in state and county data systems, policies, and practices will be in attendance and to schedule time to meet with these staff during the meeting. Respondents will be offered the opportunity to learn about the Reimagining NSCAW project and to engage in semi-structured discussions relevant to project planning. The study team will meet with two to three Casey Family Programs workgroups focused on topics relevant to child welfare (e.g., Child Welfare Data Leaders workgroup). Additionally, the study team will coordinate with the Children’s Bureau to meet with child welfare agency personnel during one to two regularly scheduled events (e.g., Digital Dialogues sponsored by the Children’s Bureau’s Learning and Coordinating Center).

B3. Design of Data Collection Instruments

Development of Data Collection Instrument

The study team developed a list of questions for child welfare agency personnel focused on sampling and well-being data topics that are critical to study design considerations and that cannot be answered through publicly available data sources or by federal partners. The questions discussed in each session will vary depending on the mix of respondents and their area of knowledge/expertise. At the outset of each session, the study team will present an overview of the Reimagining NSCAW project’s purpose and goals followed by a semi-structured discussion session guided by the list of questions. Respondents will not be asked to read materials or prepare information prior to the session.

B4. Collection of Data and Quality Control

The study team will collect all data. Data will be collected during a meeting which may be in-person, by telephone, and/or virtually. Respondents will be informed in advance of the timing, schedule, and topic for the semi-structured meeting discussion by the meeting organizer (e.g., Casey Family Programs, Children’s Bureau, or RTI). Respondent participation in the session will be voluntary.

During the semi-structured discussion sessions, one or more members of the study team will facilitate the discussion while additional study team members will take notes and ask for clarification where necessary, aiming to capture the information as close to verbatim as possible. The study team members who guide the discussions will be responsible for reviewing the notes to check for accuracy and identify any missing information. Some semi-structured virtual discussion sessions will be recorded (with the permission of the respondent) to supplement the information in the notes.

Recordings and notes from the semi-structured discussions will be saved on RTI’s secure servers and will be accessible only by members of the study team. Once the notes have been completed, recordings of the sessions will be deleted. A memorandum summarizing the information gathered during the sessions will be provided to ACF.

B5. Response Rates and Potential Nonresponse Bias

Response Rates

The semi-structured discussion sessions with child welfare agency collaborators are not designed to produce statistically generalizable findings and participation is wholly at the respondent’s discretion. Response rates will not be calculated or reported.

NonResponse

As participants will not be randomly sampled and findings are not intended to be representative, non-response bias will not be calculated.

B6. Production of Estimates and Projections

The data will not be used to generate population estimates, either for internal use or dissemination.

B7. Data Handling and Analysis

Data Handling

All data will be collected through telephone, virtual, and in-person discussions, and final versions of notes from the discussions and recordings of the sessions will be saved on RTI’s secure servers. The study team will use the original notes documents for reference, supplementing the notes with details from recordings as needed.

Data Analysis

The data for this information collection will be in the form of notes and recordings from the semi-structured discussion sessions. The queries and consultations conducted as part of this data collection will be used for internal purposes, including to assist the study team to develop informed study design options and plans for preliminary activities to support future NSCAW data collections. The data collected will be interpreted in conjunction with existing information and documentation compiled through literature reviews, meetings with federal partners, and discussions with other study teams engaged in complementary child welfare research. The study team will assess and synthesize the information to identify any next steps.

Data Use

The information collected is meant for internal purposes; to inform the Reimagining NSCAW project. As such, information collected under this request will not be shared directly, but will inform documents or presentations that are made public, such as research briefs and reports.

B8. Contact Persons

Name	Title/Affiliation	Email
Melissa Dolan	Project Director RTI International	mdolan@rti.org
Dalia Khoury	Associate Project Director, RTI International	dkhoury@rti.org
Heather Ringeisen	Design Options Task Lead, RTI International	hringeisen@rti.org
Christine Fortunato	Contracting Officer’s Representative, ACF	christine.fortunato@acf.hhs.gov
Laura Hoard	Alternate Contracting Officer’s Representative, ACF	laura.hoard@acf.hhs.gov

Attachments

• Instrument 1: Collaborator Discussion Guide

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