MDRC is pleased to be participating in the Research and Evaluation Conference on Self-Sufficiency in Washington, DC, on May 29-31, which is sponsored by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) in the Administration for Children and Families of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

This conference brings together researchers, state and local administrators, practitioners, and policymakers, among other interested parties, to discuss cutting-edge research on programs, policies, and services that support families on the path to economic self-sufficiency and well-being.

Sessions marked with an asterisk will be livestreamed.

Wednesday, May 29

9:00-10:15 am: Opening Plenary

Building Bridges Between Evidence Production and Use*

• Lauren Supplee (Administration for Children and Families)
• Kenneth Braswell (Fathers Incorporated)
• Elizabeth (Liz) Eisner (U.S. Department of Education)
• Cassie Hitch (Brighton Center)
• Melissa Wavelet (MDRC)

10:30-11:45 am: Concurrent Sessions

Advancing Learning, Evaluation, and Research for Two-Generation Approaches

• Moderator: Marjorie Sims (The Aspen Institute)
• Learning About How to Define and Support Family Economic Well-Being in Home Visiting, Grace Atukpawu-Tipton (James Bell Associates)
• Describing Head Start’s Coordination and Individualization of Family Support Services, Carolyn Hill (MDRC)
• Using Formative Evaluation to Improve the Intentional Coordination of Services for Caregivers and Their Children, Scott Baumgartner (Mathematica)

Federal Investment in Fathers: Evidence from Fatherhood TIES, SIRF, and REFRAME

• Moderator: John Allen (Administration for Children and Families)
• Using Learning Cycles to Strengthen Fatherhood Programs: Final Report on the SIRF Study, Dina Israel (MDRC)
• Identifying Core Components of Fatherhood Programs: A Meta-Analytic Approach, Sandra Wilson (Abt Global)
• REFRAME: Centering the Strength of Black Voices in Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood Programs, Sundjata Aya (MEF Associates)

12:30-1:15 pm: Lunchtime Panel Discussion

Careers in Research Related to Poverty, Family Economic Well-Being and Mobility, and Social Welfare

• Moderator: KaLeigh White (Administration for Children and Families/University of Wisconsin-Madison)
• Mina Addo (MDRC)
• Scott Baumgartner (Mathematica)
• Samantha (Sam) Illangasekare (Administration for Children and Families)
• Anna Solmeyer (Minnesota Management and Budget)

Thursday, May 30

10:15-11:30 am: Concurrent Session

Putting Data to Work: Transforming a Program Monitoring Dataset Into a Resource for Evidence-Building

• Moderator: Nicole Deterding (Administration for Children and Families)
• Harnessing Administrative Data: The TANF Employment Project, Richard Hendra (MDRC)
• Developing a National, Longitudinal Collection of TANF Data, Robert Goerge (Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago)
• Integrating TANF and NDNH Data to Unlock Program Insights: The TEP Approach, Johanna Walter (MDRC)

Friday, May 31

8:45-10:00 am: Concurrent Session

The Evaluation Evidence on HUD’s Employment and Self-Sufficiency Programs: What Have we Learned?

• Moderator: Margaret Courtney (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development)
• Lessons from 25 Years on the Effectiveness of Place-Based Jobs Plus Programs in Public Housing, Nina Castells (MDRC)
• The Evidence on the Effectiveness of the Family Self-Sufficiency Program for Housing Choice Voucher Households, Nandita Verma (MDRC)
• The Evaluation Evidence on HUD’s Employment and Self-Sufficiency Programs: What Have we Learned? Jayme Brown (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development)

10:15-11:30 am: Concurrent Sessions

Employment Programs for People with Substance Use Disorders: New Findings on Rural Implementation

• Moderator: Megan Millenky (MDRC)
• Findings from the Building Evidence on Employment Strategies (BEES) Addiction Recovery Care Implementation Study, Hannah Engle (Abt Global)
• Addressing Substance Use Through the Workforce System: Findings on Rural Implementation of SUPPORT Act Grants, Hannah Betesh (Abt Global)
• Discussant: Stacey Ferrare (Western Maryland Consortium)

Using Trauma-Informed Practices While Operating a Fatherhood Program or Conducting Fatherhood Research

• Moderator: Pooja Curtin (Administration for Children and Families)
• Practical Strategies for Applying Trauma-Informed Approaches into Fatherhood Programming, Samantha Wulfsohn (MDRC)
• Incorporating Principles of Trauma-Informed Care in Fatherhood Research, Dara Lewis (MDRC)
• Discussant: Kenneth Braswell (Fathers Incorporated)

11:45 am-1:00 pm: Closing Plenary

Next Steps for Applying Behavioral Insights and Reducing Administrative Burden in Work Support Programs*

• Moderator: Crystal Hall (University of Washington)
• Caitlin Anzelone (MDRC)
• Marie-Ellen Ehounou (U.S. Department of Labor)
• Tarimah Williams (Washington State Department of Social and Health Services)