Executive Function Using Brain Research to Improve WTW Outcomes Applying research based concepts in our program and practice April 2014 www.pcghumanservices.com
San Diego By the Numbers 4,300 families monthly 20,000+ unique people served since 2010 1/3 of caseload is Refugee 16 Languages spoken by clients 6,000 individuals monthly 70% of adults have been employed at one point 3 Successful pilot or special 60,000 child care payments processed programs 132 Employees 2
Brain Development: Executive Function 3
What does impacted EF look like in our programs? 4
Applying the Science to Policy and Practice 5
Improving Employment Outcomes Executive Function Logic Model Insert Coaching into TANF Programs Increase Skills and Capacities Through Coaching Increase Employment and Participation 6
Examining Participant Flow Where Could Coaching Fit? 7
Our first contact with the participant 15-30 participants in a classroom setting An hour long presentation followed by case manager, mental health and substance abuse screeners Covers program requirements, employment opportunities, and supportive services 8
4 weeks long 2 weeks instructor lead, 2 weeks self lead 15-25 participants in class Established curriculum Designed to meet 20 and 30 hour per week program requirements 9
Ongoing Case Management 56 Case Managers Average Case Load 100 families Major Responsibilities include: Establishing Welfare to Work Plan Authorizing child care Identifying other barriers to employment and/or participation e.g. transportation and interview appropriate clothing Collecting Participation information on monthly basis Data Entry! 10
Work Participation Activities Employment full or part time School/education GED class, ABE, ESL or Community College (AA) Job Search computer lab, One Stops WEX program 11
Employment Use Job Developers plus individual participant lead Partner with local employers for hiring events Weekly employment newsletters 12
What We Did 1. Total Coaching Makeover 2. Job Club Instructor (ETI) as Coach 3. Live Well San Diego Pilot Health + Wellness + Coach + Peer Support + Job Search 4. Peer Support 5. Committed to Measurement 13
Hypotheses and Evaluation Hypotheses Participants with higher (normal range and above) executive function will be more likely to obtain positive employment and self-sufficiency outcomes than participants with low (below normal) EF. Through certain program interventions we can improve executive function as measured by EF assessments. Improved executive function will correlate with improved employment outcomes. 14
Measuring Impact Measures Pre- and post-ef assessment Entered employment Participation Closed case due to over income 15
Measuring EF Assessment: Computer based assessment Optional Being used to determine if we can identify any EF impact from our interventions Battery Includes: Detection Identification One Back One Card Learning Maze 16
Coaching 17
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Job Club Initial Results Coaching Model Preliminary Results indicate that Coaching Works ETIs using coaching techniques achieve employment results that are 20 points greater than the control group. 19
Live Well! - Linking Health and Wellness 20
LWSD Pilot - Results 21
LWSD Pilot - Results 22
Employment Chart 23
Peer Networking Model 24
EF Assessment Participants to Date Practice Test Baseline Follow-Up 1 Follow-Up 2 # of clients assessed P P 13 P P P 11 P P P P 6 25
EF Assessment Initial Observations The practice test allows participants to: Gain an understanding and familiarity with the testing format Ask administrator clarifying questions regarding instructions Drastically reduces rule break errors and better tests legal errors (mistakes) First steps in Analysis - Initial observations: Clean data to ensure data validity Explore distribution of scores in study sample Make adjustments in battery composition and/or administration of assessment 26
Next Phases 27
Challenges 1. We must serve everyone we work with 6000 participants a month 2. Even if they don t want to participate Job Club is mandatory and we have to engage participants no matter level of interest, effort These are challenges, but they are also phenomenal opportunities to test interventions on a broad scale, with a broad population. 28
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And More Lessons 5. You don t have to change your whole program (service delivery model) to see and impact but 6. You do need to support a culture shift towards measurement and coaching. 31
End Notes and Additional Information 32
Improving EF in Adults Aerobic exercise Benefits of regular aerobic exercise for executive functioning in healthy populations. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23229442 Coaching - Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 24(4), 204 2152009 The Division for Learning Disabilities of the Council for Exceptional Children- Executive Function Coaching for College Students with Learning Disabilities and ADHD: A New Approach for Fostering Self-Determination, David R. Parker, Washington University at St. Louis and Karen Boutelle, Landmark College Crittenton Success of Mobility Mentoring and Bridges to Self Sufficiency Framework - Link to Beth Babcock Ted X Talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khiq-8j2k0q#t=36 33
For more information please contact Jill Reynolds Manager Public Consulting Group jreynolds@pcgus.com 617-426-2026 34
Public Consulting Group, Inc. 148 State Street, Tenth Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02109 (617) 426-2026, www.publicconsultinggroup.com 35