Appendix C Active Engagement Contact Scripts

Appendix C. Contact Scripts

C1: Email template inviting program sites to a virtual recruitment meeting

Subject: Request for participation in a federally-funded study on the use of virtual engagement strategies in home visiting

Dear [program director],

In response to the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), the Assessing and Describing Practice Transitions Among Evidence-Based Home Visiting Programs (ADAPT-HV) study team is conducting a study focused on building knowledge on the strategies implemented by home visiting programs to promote engagement and active participation in virtual visits.

On behalf of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and in collaboration with the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) in the Administration for Children and Families, our study team at Policy & Research Group and Mathematica, is seeking to partner with four early childhood home visiting programs to test and refine virtual engagement strategies at each site.

We have identified [home visiting program] as a potential program site to help us test and refine a virtual engagement strategy. We invite you to participate in an initial one-hour virtual meeting to discuss potentially working together. During this virtual session, we will explain the study process in more detail and ask you some questions to assess your program’s interest and capacity to participate. To thank you for participating in this conversation, we will offer a site payment of $100 regardless of whether your site ultimately participates in the study.

If you are willing to participate, we would like to schedule a virtual meeting with you and any other key personnel via telephone in the next couple of weeks. We appreciate that you and your staff have many demands on your time, and we will be as efficient as possible. Here are some potential blocks of time for your consideration. If these do not work for you, we would appreciate it if you could provide some days and times that would be better.

• [Day of week], [Month, date], [Time]

• [Day of week], [Month, date], [Time]

• [Day of week], [Month, date], [Time]

Thank you for considering our request to share your time and experiences. We look forward to hearing from you.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you,

The referenced collection of information is voluntary. Information will be kept private. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this collection is XXX and the expiration date is xxx.

[ADAPT-HV study team member]

C2: Email template for documentation request to recruited sites

Subject: Virtual child engagement strategies documentation request

Hello [Name],

We are excited to be working with your site as part of the Assessing and Describing Practice Transitions Among Evidence-Based Home Visiting Programs (ADAPT-HV) study!

As a follow-up to our program eligibility conversation, we are seeking written materials that guide your agency’s approach to both in-person and virtual child engagement. Please submit any documentation available before [DATE] so the study team can use them as context for our initial program staff focus group.

What materials are of interest?

The study team is interested in any documentation that could help contextualize the implementation of child engagement strategies at your agency. Broadly, these documents could include:

• Guidance provided to your agency by local, state, or funding agencies

• Guidance provided to your agency by home visiting model developers

• Guidance you provide to home visitors about engaging children during visits

• Plans or tools to measure the success of child engagement strategies

What will the study team do with these materials?

We will systematically review document contents before our initial staff focus group to understand how home visitors at your agency implement strategies to engage children during visits. We will use this information to help define strategies that may be implemented through the study and may recommend updates to guidance documentation based on the lessons learned from the study. We may reference content or information we learned from these documents during our focus groups with program staff but we will not share the documents themselves during the focus groups or outside of the study team.

The study team will use the materials submitted to help answer the following research questions:

• What strategies do home visitors use to promote children’s active engagement and participation in virtual visits?

• What guidance supports the implementation of these strategies? Which entities provide the guidance?

How do I submit the materials?

Submit materials of interest to the study team via the secure ShareFile site.

To do this:

1. Go to [URL]

2. Enter your email address, first name, and last name in the appropriate boxes. 

3. Enter the name of your company in the appropriate box. 

4. Choose “FileDrop, PRG” in the recipient drop-down menu (this will be the only option). 

5. Either drag your files into the box labeled “Drag Files Here” or choose them from your computer with the “Choose Files” option. 

6. When the correct files are visible inside the box, select “Upload Files.” 

7. Your upload is now complete.  

Feel free to reach out with questions about the materials we are interested in or how to submit materials.

Thank you for your contributions to the study!

[ADAPT-HV study team member]

The referenced collection of information is voluntary. Information will be kept private. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this collection is XXX and the expiration date is xxx.

C3: Email to a site liaison about program staff focus groups

Subject: Focus group meeting with the ADAPT-HV study

Hello [program director/site liaison],

Thank you for your willingness to participate in the Assessing and Describing Practice Transitions Among Evidence-Based Home Visiting Programs (ADAPT-HV) study. We would like to schedule the [first/next] focus group session with your home visiting program. We would appreciate your assistance in inviting up to a total of 6 program staff (such as managers, supervisors, and home visitors) who are involved in the study activities to participate in the focus group discussion.

We appreciate that you and your staff have many demands on your time, and we will be as efficient as possible. Here are some potential blocks of time for your consideration. If these do not work for you, we would appreciate it if you could provide some days and times that would be better.

• [Day of week], [Month, date], [Time]

• [Day of week], [Month, date], [Time]

• [Day of week], [Month, date], [Time]

Thank you for considering our request to share your time and experiences. We look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you,

[ADAPT-HV study team member]

The referenced collection of information is voluntary. Information will be kept private. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this collection is XXX and the expiration date is xxx.

The referenced collection of information is voluntary. Information will be kept private. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this collection is XXX and the expiration date is xxx.

C4: Email to program staff reminding them of a scheduled focus group

Subject: REMINDER: Focus group meeting on [DATE] with [home visiting program] and the ADAPT-HV study

Hello [Name],

We look forward to speaking with you on [DATE] at [TIME & TIME ZONE] to discuss [INSERT FROM BELOW].

Text for first focus group: your experience implementing strategies to engage children during virtual visits, including any challenges and facilitators to implementing these strategies.

Text for second focus group: selecting a virtual child engagement strategy to test at your home visiting program.

Text for third and fourth focus groups: your experience implementing the virtual child engagement strategy being tested and your recommendations for improving the strategy.

Text for fifth focus group: your experience implementing the virtual child engagement strategy being tested and your recommendations for improving the strategy as well as your overall reflections on the strategy.

You can use this link to access the focus group session: [link]

Please let us know if you have any questions. Thank you again for your time and willingness to participate in this focus group.

Thank you,

[ADAPT-HV study team member]

The referenced collection of information is voluntary. Information will be kept private. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this collection is XXX and the expiration date is xxx.

C5: Email template for “Thank You” email to program staff focus group participants

Subject: Thank you for participating!

Hello [Name],

Thank you for participating in the recent focus group as part of the Assessing and Describing Practice Transitions Among Evidence-Based Home Visiting Programs (ADAPT-HV) study! We appreciate your time and efforts to improve home visiting programming.

[If not already scheduled] We would like to schedule the [next] focus group session with your home visiting program. As a reminder, please invite up to a total of 6 staff such as managers, supervisors, and home visitors who are involved in the study activities to participate in our discussion. We appreciate that you and your staff have many demands on your time, and we will be as efficient as possible. Here are some potential blocks of time for your consideration. If these do not work for you, we would appreciate it if you could provide some days and times that would be better.

• [Day of week], [Month, date], [Time]

• [Day of week], [Month, date], [Time]

• [Day of week], [Month, date], [Time]

[If already scheduled] As a reminder, the next focus group session is on [date/time]. Please invite additional staff such as managers, supervisors, and home visitors who are involved in the study activities to participate in our discussion.

Thank you for your contributions to the study!

[ADAPT-HV study team member]

The referenced collection of information is voluntary. Information will be kept private. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this collection is XXX and the expiration date is xxx.

C6: Email template for initial outreach for home visitors to request completion of weekly survey

Subject: Request to complete a weekly questionnaire for the ADAPT-HV study

Hello [Name],

As you may know, [home visiting program] has been participating in the Assessing and Describing Practice Transitions Among Evidence-Based Home Visiting Programs (ADAPT-HV) study. As part of the study, [home visiting program] [has been/will be] testing the use of strategies to engage families.

We invite you to complete the weekly 10-minute questionnaire by [Day/Month/year]. The questionnaire will focus on your experiences with implementing virtual engagement strategies and any suggestions you have for improvements. The information you provide will be used to help [home visiting program] improve their operations.

To access the survey, please use this link: [link]

If you would like more information about the study or have any other questions, please feel free to contact [ADAPT-HV study team member and contact information].

Thank you for considering our request to share your insights.

[ADAPT-HV study team member]

The referenced collection of information is voluntary. Information will be kept private. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this collection is XXX and the expiration date is xxx.

 

B5: Reminder email to home visitors to complete weekly survey (see references to Instrument 6)  

B6: Email to main site contact (site liaison) about family focus groups – should reference $40 gift card for families who participate (see references to Instrument 4)

C7: Reminder email template for staff survey

Subject: RE: REMINDER to complete 10-minute survey from the ADAPT-HV study

Hello [Name],

This is a reminder to complete the weekly 10-minute questionnaire from [home visiting program] for the Assessing and Describing Practice Transitions Among Evidence-Based Home Visiting Programs (ADAPT-HV) study. The deadline is [Day/Month/Year].

To access the survey, please use this link: [link]

Thank you,

[ADAPT-HV study team member]

The referenced collection of information is voluntary. Information will be kept private. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this collection is XXX and the expiration date is xxx.

 

C8: Email to families reminding them of a scheduled focus group

Subject: REMINDER: Focus group meeting on [DATE] for the ADAPT-HV study

Hello [Name],

This is a reminder about the upcoming focus group meeting on XX/XX.

[Home visitor] let us know that you are willing to share your experiences on the ways your home visitor engages with your child during virtual visits. We are gathering information from families as part of the ADAPT-HV study that your home visiting program is participating in. The information you provide will be used to help [home visiting program] improve their services.

Thank you for your willingness to speak with us! As a reminder, we will provide a $40 gift card as a token of our appreciation.

Please use this link to access the focus group meeting: [link]

If you can no longer attend the focus group meeting at the scheduled time, please reach out to your home visitor.

Thank you,

[ADAPT-HV study team member]

The referenced collection of information is voluntary. Information will be kept private. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this collection is XXX and the expiration date is xxx.

C9: Thank you email to families that participate in the focus groups

Subject: Thank you for your time!

Hello [Name],

Thank you for participating in the focus group as part of the Assessing and Describing Practice Transitions Among Evidence-Based Home Visiting Programs (ADAPT-HV) study! You can access your digital gift card here: [provide link and any specific instructions].

If you have not done so already, please complete the brief focus group survey. The information you provide in this survey will allow us to summarize the characteristics of focus group participants. To access the survey, please use this link: [link]

Thank you for your contributions to the study!

[ADAPT-HV study team member]

The referenced collection of information is voluntary. Information will be kept private. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this collection is XXX and the expiration date is xxx.

C10: Reminder email to home visitors after a home visit

Subject: REMINDER: Family post-visit questionnaire administration

Hello [Name],

This is a friendly reminder to invite families participating in the ADAPT-HV study to complete a brief questionnaire after each home visit. This questionnaire is open to all families regardless of their participation in focus groups.

Thank you,

The referenced collection of information is voluntary. Information will be kept private. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this collection is XXX and the expiration date is xxx.

[ADAPT-HV study team member]

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