Evaluating a School-based Social and Material Needs Identification System to Prevent Youth Violence Involvement

Evaluating a School-based Social and Material Needs Identification System to Prevent Youth Violence Involvement

The goal of this observational study is to evaluate the effects of Pathways to Potential (P2P) on youth violence involvement in Michigan public K-12 students. The main goals of this study are:

• This project will link longitudinal P2P participation data to state administrative records and school disciplinary data to evaluate associations between school P2P participation and youth outcomes-specifically chronic absenteeism, peer aggression expulsions, and child maltreatment rates within a school (Aim 1).
• Given the focus of P2P is to improve the social and structural conditions within a school that contribute to student chronic absenteeism, the team will assess if chronic absenteeism rates mediate the relationships between school P2P participation and youth violence involvement (Aim 2).
• Finally, a survey of success coaches will inform the examination of school and implementation factors that moderate associations between P2P participation and youth violence involvement (Aim 3).

Schools participating in P2P receive Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) caseworkers, called success coaches, in local elementary, middle, and high schools. After identifying a social or material need that is a barrier to school attendance (e.g., transportation barriers, caregiver unemployment), success coaches connect students and families to community resources and public assistance.

Administrative Data Inclusion Criteria:

• State of Michigan K-12 public school
• In person instruction
• Open to all students in District/area

Administrative Data Exclusion Criteria:

• Private schools
• Virtual learning
• Needs-specific schools

Survey Inclusion Criteria:

• 18 years of age and older
• Working as a Success Coach inside a Michigan K-12 public school during the data collection period

Survey Exclusion Criteria:

• Former Success Coaches
• Success Coaches not working inside a Michigan K-12 public school during the data collection period