James Bell Associates in Key Role to Develop Evaluation Plan for the Federal Permanency Innovations Initiative

March 07, 2011 (PRLEAP.COM) Politics News
Arlington, VA – James Bell Associates, Inc. (JBA), a prominent evaluation and research services firm based in the Washington D.C. area, is providing program evaluation support and technical assistance to grantees for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) new Permanency Innovations Initiative (PII). The PII focuses on finding ways to overcome barriers to permanent placement for children in the national foster care system.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), an agency within HHS, has awarded six grants to build evidence-based demonstrations to improve permanency outcomes for children and youth at high risk for long term stays in foster care. PII projects address site-specific challenges in order to help children successfully leave foster care in less than three years. Demonstrations will identify local barriers to permanent placement and help implement intervention strategies to mitigate or eliminate those barriers. ACF and its lead agency for child welfare, the Children's Bureau, expect the PII demonstration findings to substantially enhance child welfare practices nationwide. JBA's role is to develop the cross-site evaluation plan, including cost studies, and to provide technical assistance to grantees as they develop their site-specific evaluation plans.

Over the last three decades James Bell Associates has established a national reputation for excellence and innovation across a broad spectrum of health and human services programs and policy areas. JBA looks forward to its participation with HHS and ACF in this strategic initiative to improve permanent outcomes for children in the national foster care system. Additional information is available at www.jbassoc.com.