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Study Name
Study of Adult Connections Team
Study Sharepoint ID
101040
Evaluation name
Mentoring, Employment Assistance, and Enhanced Staff Outreach for Older Youth in Care
Intervention (standard name)
Adult Connections Team
Outcome domains examined
Increase short-term earnings
Strength of Evidence Tag
High
Reason for the Rating

This study received a high study quality rating because it is a low-attrition randomized controlled trial with no known issues that suggest the findings cannot be attributed to the intervention.

This study received a high study quality rating because it is a low-attrition randomized controlled trial with no known issues that suggest the findings cannot be attributed to the intervention.

Design
Randomized controlled trial
Services
Case management
Peer mentoring
Unpaid work experience/internships
Soft skills training
Job readiness
Populations targeted
Young adults (age 16-24)
Unemployed
Settings in which the intervention was studied
Tested in multiple settings

Subgroups

Subgroup data - Female
No
Subgroup data - Male
No
Subgroup data - White
No
Subgroup data - Black
No
Percent Young Adults
100.00
Percent mentally ill
12.73
Percent Justice involved
42.80
Percent female
63.80
Percent Male
36.20
Percent With a high school diploma or GED
35.50
Percent Employed
19.10
Percent Unemployed
80.90
Percent Black or African American
79.68
Percent Hispanic or Latino of any race
10.58
Percent White
4.26
Percent More than one race
7.80
Percent another race
8.16
Mean age
18.30
Group formation formatted
This RCT randomly assigned youth ages 17-20 currently in foster care to Adult Connections Team, an enhanced services intervention, or to services as usual. A complete list of youth in the age range was obtained from participating agencies, and youth were screened for study eligibility, which included a caseworker assessment of potential need for enhanced services and having a foster care placement in Cook County.
Study timing formatted
2014-2018
Study funding formatted
Administration for Children and Families (ACF-ACYF-CW-0186).
Sample Characteristics
Youth ages 17-20 in foster care placements.
Implementing organization formatted
Child welfare agencies
Program history
ACT was developed by two collaborating child welfare agencies based on previous pilot programs for mentoring and summer job readiness, as well as internship programs for graduating high school seniors.
Treatment condition formatted
Adult Connections Team (ACT) is an enhanced services intervention that involved outreach by a youth specialist and coordinated mentoring, job readiness training, and externship services. The intervention group received ACT in addition to services as usual.
Comparison condition formatted
The control group received services as usual, including independent living skills programs, mental health services, and other mentoring and job skills training programs.
Mandatory services formatted
None
Timing of study formatted
Mentors commited to working with youth for a year or more, although the average duration of mentorship was 5 to 6 months. The job readiness component included 20 hours of training with an unspecified duration for externship placement.
Program funding formatted
Funding source not directly described, but programs run through child welfare agencies.
Setting details formatted
Cook County, Illinois
Delivered by public or private entity?
Public
Secondary domains examined
Criminal justice, mental health, social support
Earliest publication year
2023
Most recent publication year
2023
Manuscripts
101040_01_Leathers
Check edits flag
No
Primary Service
Job readiness
Services Unclear
This field is populated using a formula. Do not manually edit.
Enrollment Period
2014-2017
Intervention Duration
12.00
Subgroup data - Hispanic
No
State & Region
Illinois