Replication of Recovery and Reunification Interventions for Families—Impact Study

2022-2031

The Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act (Public Law 115-271) authorizes $15 million in funding for the US Department of Health and Human Services to replicate an intervention utilizing coaches for families engaged in the child welfare system due to parental substance use disorders that demonstrates favorable parental recovery outcomes and shortens time to reunification. The replication includes a three-part evaluation: (1) a pilot study, (2) an impact study that includes random assignment and multiple follow-ups of participating families over a 5-year period, and (3) an implementation study conducted concurrently with the impact study.  

In 2022, the Administration for Children and Families’ (ACF) Children’s Bureau and Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation concluded the Expanding Evidence on Replicable Recovery and Reunification Interventions for Families (R3) project, a feasibility study that laid the foundation for ACF to conduct the three-part evaluation. The Replication of Recovery and Reunification Interventions for Families—Impact Study (R3-Impact) will advance the former project by replicating two recovery coaching interventions, the Parent Mentor Program and Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Teams, and evaluating the two interventions according to the legislative requirements. 

This contract was awarded to Abt Associates and its subcontractors, Joseph Ryan (University of Michigan), Carrie Furrer (Portland State University), Child Trends, Morrison Child and Family Services, Children and Family Futures, and The Adjacent Possible.  

The points of contact are Calonie Gray and Kelly Jedd McKenzie. 

Information collections related to this project have been reviewed and approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs under OMB #0970-0616. Related materials are available at the R3-Impact Information Collection page  on RegInfo.gov.