The Measurement Group

Improving outcomes in health, behavioral health & social services through applied social research

Helping innovative programs
improve their quality and
document their impact.

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Why the Homeless are Especially Vulnerable During the COVID-19 Outbreak

March 30, 2020 By Lisa Melchior Leave a Comment

This post is written by Michelle Quezada, Evaluation Assistant at The Measurement Group. Homelessness is a huge issue here in Los Angeles County, and many of the programs we evaluate provide services to this extremely vulnerable population. Thanks Michelle for this contribution.

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The coronavirus is quickly spreading, and although the U.S. government has advised social distancing and self-isolating to slow the spread, these measures will not completely eliminate the disease. Slowing the spread of the virus is critical – COVID-19 has become a pandemic and does not discriminate against age, race, or sex, making everyone susceptible. Nonetheless, the elderly, those with compromised immune systems or individuals who have chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart or lung disease are considered to be at a higher risk of developing more severe complications related to the infection.

In an effort to reduce transmission of the disease, health officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that very specific actions be taken for protection – including staying at least a six feet distance from others; frequently washing your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water; avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; wearing a face mask if you are feeling unwell; and to disinfect frequently touched surfaces throughout the day (How to Protect Yourself). This begs the important question – what about those who are homeless?

For those who experience chronic homelessness, the recommended precautions outlined by the CDC are not so feasible. The homeless population face significant challenges of inadequate medical care and clear lack of basic hygiene necessities.  A large number of these individuals also experience serious underlying health conditions including behavioral health disorders that can greatly impair their daily functioning. The lack of access to necessary supplies to help in the fight against COVID-19 such as antibacterial soap, hand sanitizer, facemasks and disinfectant wipes can be especially damaging for those without stable housing, who are not only left to fend for themselves without shelter and in close proximity to others, but without the basic needs required to slow the transmission of the coronavirus.

What’s more, those infected with COVID-19 may experience symptoms anywhere from 2 to 14 days after exposure, if even at all. There have been reports of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in which individuals have remained asymptomatic. The issue is, several people infected with the disease may not know they are carriers and continue spreading and transmitting the disease to others. This means, that those within the homeless population are especially susceptible, considering they spend the overwhelming majority of their time in close proximity to others, who may not have access to medical care, COVID-19 testing, facemasks to wear when they are feeling ill, or the resources needed to properly wash and sanitize their hands frequently. This population is also at higher risk for developing more severe cases of COVID-19 and associated complications due to preexisting conditions.

As of March 24, there have been 2,365 cases of COVID-19 in California, with 50,206 cases in the U.S. (Coronavirus Live Updates). However, these numbers only include confirmed cases. California Governor Gavin Newsom noted that as many as 60,000 of the 100,000 plus homeless may be infected with the virus over the next several weeks. To increase hygiene opportunities among those without stable housing, the Los Angeles City Council has begun implementing safety measures including mobile showers and portable toilets (How to Prevent Coronavirus from Ravaging Homeless Encampments). Most importantly, Newsom has announced immediate plans to take over 42 city recreation centers, converting these spaces into emergency shelters, making 6,000 beds available (How to Prevent Coronavirus from Ravaging Homeless Encampments). These measures are not without challenges – how does this fit with the CDC’s very specific guidelines calling for people to stay at least 6 feet apart to reduce transmission? These are valid concerns, but the city has committed individuals will remain at a safe distance in compliance with the CDC by keeping occupancy at these facilities low. Inevitably, these measures pose health risks but it seems more beneficial to have the detection and sanitation opportunities these temporary housing solutions have to offer.

The magnitude of COVID-19’s impact has proved that on a global scale, we were ill-prepared for a pandemic, but the homeless population is especially vulnerable considering their lack of fundamental resources and access to healthcare. If even one person becomes infected with COVID-19 within a homeless community filled with housing tents, a domino effect becomes imminent considering how easily the virus spreads. While California is making strong efforts to aid homeless communities during this time, these strides are not without challenges.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: behavioral health, coronavirus, COVID-19, homelessness, mental health, substance abuse, The Measurement Group

Evaluation, Pandemics, and Running a Small Business

March 25, 2020 By Lisa Melchior Leave a Comment

Greetings from my home office! The last few weeks have brought unprecedented change to our world. We plan to re-launch this blog and share posts on a variety of topics related to our evaluation work, the programs we work with, the populations they serve, as well as assorted random thoughts about who knows what.

The AEA365 blog posted recently about the role of evaluation during a pandemic. Among other things, the piece stressed flexibility and responsiveness. I can’t agree more. I’d also stress keeping communication going in these difficult times.With the help of IT Support Clayton it is easier. Our work is primarily with community-based health, behavioral health, and social service providers. They are having to re-design their services on the spot – working to maintain connections and support for their clients while keeping their staff safe and healthy.  Because community programs are focused on responding to the crisis, addressing evaluation concerns isn’t necessarily their highest priority. We are reaching out to our clients to let them know we are here for them and offering whatever support we can. And, it’s an opportunity to check in and evaluate whether we need to adjust our evaluation designs or implementations. For example, are our evaluation protocols working given new modes of service delivery? Do we need to adapt any of our procedures?

In terms of running this small business, we are fortunate – we can continue to do our work remotely without much interruption. But the logistics bring some challenges. Being able to just bounce something off one another takes a bit of planning (picking up the phone or messaging), rather than just walking across the hall in the office. On the plus side, though, we get to work surrounded by family and furry companions.

 

Be well,

Lisa

 

Filed Under: Program Evaluation, Uncategorized Tagged With: behavioral health, COVID-19, Lisa Melchior, Program Evaluation, The Measurement Group, TMG

Position Available: Program Evaluation/Research Assistant

March 4, 2018 By Lisa Melchior 1 Comment

Image courtesy of mrpuen at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of mrpuen at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The Measurement Group LLC (TMG) has an immediate opening for a full-time program evaluation/research assistant in its Culver City, CA (Los Angeles Westside) office.

The Measurement Group is a consulting firm with 30 years of experience specializing in program evaluation for health and social services. We help clients in both the public and private sectors document their activities and programs, record outcomes, assure the quality of their services, and improve quality. Our clients include community based organizations, federal and state healthcare agencies, and private philanthropies.

Research assistants work directly with senior PhDs and other professional evaluation staff on project reports and presentations, including policy reports, scientific publications, and presentations at professional meetings. Duties include assisting with data collection, entry and cleaning; coding of qualitative data; basic quantitative data analysis; word processing; and general office support. Depending on qualifications, duties may also include additional data management and statistical analysis and travel to client meetings and conferences. Although the exact mix of projects is subject to change, current projects that TMG research assistants work on include: an evaluation of a program for young adults age 18-25 affected by substance abuse, mental illness, homelessness, and other health-social problems; evaluations of community-based programs designed to eliminate health disparities; and other treatment and prevention programs for vulnerable populations.

This is an excellent opportunity for individuals who wish to gain applied research experience and benefit from professional development opportunities before returning to graduate or professional school. Dozens of previous TMG research assistants have pursued advanced study (PhD, MA, MPH, MD) in fields such as public health, psychology, social work and medicine at prestigious universities such as Harvard, Yale, Johns Hopkins, UC Berkeley, USC, UCLA, Columbia and UNC.

Applicants with a BA/BS in Psychology, Sociology, or other Health or Social Science field and one or more years of relevant experience (which can include undergraduate experience working in related research) are strongly encouraged to apply. We are looking for someone who is detail-oriented, able to multi-task, and has strong organizational skills. Bilingual English/Spanish preferred. Proficiency with standard office computer applications (word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, etc.), as well as software for statistical analysis (SPSS) is desirable. This position involves a mix of (1) data collection with young adults with substance abuse and/or mental health issues and (2) office work performing program evaluation and other office support tasks. The ideal candidate is a self-starter who works well both independently as well as with others in a team.

Competitive salary, company-paid healthcare plan, standard vacation and holiday schedules.

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter and resume to info@themeasurementgroup.com.

 

Filed Under: About The Measurement Group, Uncategorized Tagged With: Job Opening, Program Evaluation, The Measurement Group, TMG

Evaluation Internship/Part-Time position

April 14, 2016 By Lisa Melchior Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of mrpuen at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of mrpuen at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Evaluation Internship or Part-Time Position
Coding of Family Strengthening Themes in Qualitative Case Studies

The Measurement Group LLC has an immediate opening for a part-time temporary Evaluation Assistant/Intern position. The Evaluation Assistant/Intern will primarily assist with coding qualitative case studies from an evaluation of the Westside Partnerships for Families program, a child abuse prevention program that uses a mental health home visiting framework. The Evaluation Assistant/Intern will:

  • Receive training on coding procedures and code of a set of case studies as part of a study to be submitted for publication;
  • Learn how to use qualitative data analysis programs such as NVIVO for coding;
  • Learn about reliability analysis in qualitative inquiry;
  • Assist with preparation of project data for submission to a professional journal;
  • Work under the supervision of senior evaluation staff.

The Evaluation Assistant/Intern may also be assigned additional evaluation support tasks on other projects as needed. This is a short-term position. $15/hour. Work must be performed at the offices of The Measurement Group in Culver City, CA during business hours (9am – 5pm, M-F).

Requirements: Undergraduate or graduate psychology or related social science major, plus experience/knowledge of child welfare, child development, and/or related social services. B.A. preferred, although an undergraduate with relevant experience will be considered.

This project is part of an evaluation of the Westside Partnerships for Family program, which was recently featured in an article in Children and Youth Services Review. The qualitative coding is for a new article that examines in more depth how this mental health home visiting model promotes protective factors for child abuse prevention and family strengthening.

Contact Dr. Lisa Melchior

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: About The Measurement Group, Uncategorized Tagged With: child abuse prevention, coding, employment, internship, Lisa Melchior, Program Evaluation, qualitative methods, The Measurement Group

Mental health home visiting service model for child abuse prevention

March 23, 2016 By Lisa Melchior Leave a Comment

cysrMy co-authors Katherine Reuter, Ph.D. and Amber Brink and I recently published an article about a mental health home visiting service model for child abuse prevention. The journal – Children and Youth Services Review – allowed us to share our findings not only by publishing the full article, but also in a brief 5-minute audioslide presentation. Click here to view the presentation and learn more about the model and results that support its effectiveness in improving family functioning among families with young children who are at risk for child maltreatment.

Filed Under: Populations, Program Evaluation, Service Models, Uncategorized Tagged With: Amber Brink, child abuse prevention, Children and Youth Services Review, Katherine Reuter, Lisa Melchior, mental health, Program Evaluation, The Measurement Group

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5757 Uplander Way, Suite 200
Culver City, California 90230
310.216.1800


The Measurement Group (TMG) is a consulting firm specializing in the application of scientific program evaluation methods for health and social services.

Since 1988, TMG has helped programs assure and improve quality and document their impact. TMG focuses on working with innovative programs designed to reach underserved and vulnerable populations.

We are happy to answer any questions that may arise, and we look forward to speaking with you soon.

Lisa A. Melchior, Ph.D.
President

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