Overview: Over the past two decades, TIER has built relationships with state agencies, home visiting and family support programs, and community-based organizations across Massachusetts. TIER has in-depth knowledge of Massachusetts communities and the families living in them, including their core strengths and persistent needs, as well as the availability and accessibility of services to support families in those communities. TIER’s team has developed several novel methods to map and measure the ways in which families move through community systems of care, and the role programs play in connecting families with services.
Learn more about each of these evaluations by clicking on the arrows.
Evaluation of the City of Medford’s Interconnected Resiliency Network
Project years: 2021–2024
Description: TIER was contracted by the City of Medford’s Office of Prevention and Outreach (OPO) to evaluate OPO’s Interconnected Resiliency Network, an initiative funded by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Bureau of Substance Addiction Services Massachusetts Collaborative for Action, Leadership, and Learning 3 Substance Misuse Prevention Grant Program. The aim of this grant was to engage the Medford community and support families affected by substance use and behavioral health challenges by developing interagency social capital for collective impact of coordinated services across sectors. TIER conducted a mixed methods evaluation aimed at helping OPO to articulate its program model, build evaluation capacity, and map out the ways in which the Resiliency Network, and related OPO partnerships (e.g., Medford Connects, the Medford Hub) facilitate collaboration among the agencies and providers that comprise the Medford system of care.
Evaluation of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Perinatal Tobacco Cessation Programs
Project years: 2020–2022
Description: TIER was contracted by the Massachusetts Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Program at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) to conduct an evaluation to understand how MDPH can better tailor its tobacco and nicotine cessation efforts to meet the unique needs of pregnant and parenting people in Massachusetts, with the goal of promoting quit success. This mixed methods evaluation included a survey of, and focus groups with, family support and substance use treatment providers, to learn about: the prevalence of tobacco use among pregnant and parenting clients of substance use treatment and family support programs in Massachusetts; provider preparedness to support tobacco cessation efforts; provider practices related to working with clients who use tobacco; and factors related to tobacco reduction or cessation among substance use treatment and family support program clients.
Publications:
Final Report: An Evaluation of the Perinatal Tobacco Cessation Efforts in Massachusetts
Massachusetts (MA) Essentials for Childhood: Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences through Data to Action project (EfC-PACE: D2A)
Project years: 2023–2028
Description: EfC-PACE: DTA is a multi-sector collaboration funded by the Centers for Disease Control and administered through the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) that aims to prevent adverse childhood experiences, promote positive childhood experiences, and address the underlying social determinants of health that impact child and family wellbeing. TIER is working with MDPH on two of the project strategies: 1) strengthen economic supports for families through family-friendly workplaces, and 2) increase access to high-quality childcare. For the former, TIER is collaborating with MDPH and the Department of Family and Medical Leave to develop a community-based model for increasing awareness of and access to the Massachusetts Paid Family & Medical Leave benefit, including convening a learning community of community organizations to pilot and refine this model. And for the latter, TIER is working with MDPH, family child care providers, and other community experts to pilot a tool aimed at increasing community understanding and awareness of the benefits of family child care.
Preschool Development Grant Birth through 5 Needs Assessment and Evaluation
Project years: 2023–2025
Description: TIER partnered with MEF Associates to carry out the Preschool Development Grant Birth through 5 (PDG B–5) Needs Assessment and Evaluation. The PDG B–5 grant, managed by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care, seeks to elevate family and workforce voices across Massachusetts to better support families with young children. The mixed methods needs assessment and evaluation included surveys, interviews, and focus groups with families and the early years workforce. TIER convened a parent and workforce advisory group to oversee the study.
Publications: