Evidence First

Can small changes based on the insights of behavioral science improve the effectiveness of social programs?

Research has shown that small changes in the environment can facilitate behaviors and decisions that are in people's best interest. For example, a change in the way messages or requirements are worded may increase the likelihood that program participants make positive choices. However, there has been relatively little exploration of the potential application of this science to complex, large-scale human services programs. With funding from the Administration for Children and Families, MDRC has been testing low-cost behavioral science interventions that can make programs more effective and, ultimately, improve the well-being of low-income children, adults, and families.

Join Therese Leung as she talks to three guests about MDRC's work in behavioral science, with a particular focus on improving child support programs:

• Susan Brown, Director of the Child Support Enforcement Agency, Franklin County, OH
• Emily Schmitt, Senior Social Science Research Analyst, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Michael Johns, Research Associate at MDRC

In April, MDRC President Gordon Berlin was interviewed by Denver Frederick, host of the "Business of Giving" radio show in New York City, about the role of rigorous research evidence in informing how government and philanthropy invest in education and social programs. The podcast was also featured on the Chronicle of Philanthropy website.

Berlin describes MDRC's experience evaluating existing programs and developing demonstrations of new interventions. He highlights a number of current projects, including the Paycheck Plus demonstration of an enhanced Earned Income Tax Credit for single adults, the evaluation of the City University of New York's Accelerated Study in Associate Programs and a replication effort at three Ohio community colleges, our ongoing evaluation of small public high schools in New York City, the Jobs-Plus employment program in public housing, and the Family Rewards test of conditional cash transfers.

Berlin also discusses what Frederick terms "the quiet revolution" of increased federal investment in evidence-building under both the Bush and Obama administrations, how new technologies can help make research more effective and efficient, and how behavioral "nudge" interventions can improve social and education programs.

Girls are making up a larger share of the juvenile justice system than ever before. One program that’s trying to address this issue is the PACE Center for Girls in Florida.

How do young adults fare after they age out of the foster care or juvenile justice systems? And are there services that can help these young people make a successful transition to adulthood?

With funding from the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, MDRC just released results from an evaluation of the Transitional Living Program (now called YVLifeSet) run by the organization Youth Villages. The program provides intensive, individualized, and clinically focused case management, support, and counseling. This is one of the few rigorously studied programs in this area and the first to find positive results for young adults across a wide range of outcomes, including earnings, housing stability, and economic well-being. Join Therese Leung as she talks to Erin Valentine, a researcher at MDRC, about the evaluation.

What's worked to help disadvantaged youth get jobs? And how can we get more employers actively engaged in this issue? Therese Leung talks with Farhana Hossain, a researcher at MDRC, about the problem of youth unemployment.