Contact: Diana Strand, 541-485-2711
EUGENE, OR – Dr. J. Mark Eddy, a Senior Scientist at the Oregon Social Learning Center, was awarded a grant from the Federal Office of Child Abuse and Neglect of the Children’s Bureau to conduct a randomized controlled trial of child and family outcomes related to the Relief Nursery program in Eugene. Randomized controlled trials are widely considered the “gold standard” study in terms of determining outcomes related to an intervention program.
The grant is one of four given around the U.S. and is part of a new portfolio of projects entitled “Rigorous Evaluations of Existing Child Abuse Prevention Programs”. The study is designed to last five years, and funding is awarded on a year by year basis. The award for the first year is approximately $200,000.
The Relief Nursery program is an integrated array of individually responsive prevention services designed for families at high risk for child abuse and neglect. The program, which was established in Eugene in 1976, includes therapeutic early childhood education, home visits, parent education classes and support groups, respite care, case management, and assistance to families in accessing basic resources and other community services. Since that time, due to significant investment from both private and public funding sources, relief nurseries now serve children and families in ten locations throughout the state, including Cottage Grove, Roseburg, Albany, Bend, and Salem.
Founded in 1912, the Children’s Bureau, a part of the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the oldest Federal agency for children. The Children’s Bureau works with State, Tribal, and local agencies to develop programs that focus on preventing the abuse of children in troubled families, protecting children from abuse, and finding permanent placements for those who cannot safely return to their homes.
Oregon Social Learning Center is an independent non-profit research organization. The organization was founded in 1977 and currently employs 200 employees, with an approximate annual budget of $10 million.
For more information about the Children’s Bureau, visit: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/
For more information about the Oregon Social Learning Center, visit: www.oslc.org
For more information about the Relief Nursery, visit: www.reliefnursery.org