MDRC is pleased to spotlight the agencies participating in the Child First Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT). The Child First RCT, led by MDRC with funding from The Duke Endowment, Arnold Ventures, and Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab, is a unique opportunity to build long-term evidence about the effectiveness of the Child First home visiting program for families and children.

Child First provides a combination of therapeutic supports and care coordination services to families of young children facing acute needs. In 2011, an initial RCT of Child First found that the program improved several outcomes for caregivers and children. The MDRC evaluation aims to replicate the results of the original study with a larger sample across multiple sites and states.

The MDRC study began in 2019 but paused enrollment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With support from the following Child First sites, the study team has resumed the RCT to work toward building the evidence base for this program:

Colorado

• Aurora Mental Health & Recovery

Connecticut

• Clifford Beers Community Care Center
• Mid-Fairfield Community Care Center
• The Village for Families and Children
• Wellmore Behavioral Health

North Carolina

• Coastal Horizons