Robert Barnoski - December 2002

In 1997, the Washington State Legislature funded intensive parole for the highest-risk youth committed to the state’s Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration. The Washington State Institute for Public Policy was asked to determine whether this strategy reduces recidivism. The findings are that the first two cohorts of youth in the program have the same recidivism rates as a control group of comparable youth. The conclusion is that the anticipated reductions in recidivism, due to intensive parole, have not been observed.

Jim Mayfield, William Chance, Roxanne Lieb - December 2002

The 2002 Legislature directed the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (Institute) to review the mission and operations of the HECB and evaluate its role and practices in policy setting, evaluation, review, and approval of higher education programs and budgets and administration of financial aid programs. This report is divided into two parts. Part I examines stakeholders' views regarding the role and functioning of the HECB. The in-person and telephone interviews focused on the statutory roles of the HECB and on the external and internal factors that influence the agency's effectiveness. Part II describes the evolution of higher education coordination in Washington State and the current role and authority of the HECB. It also examines governance options from other states and an emerging approach to coordinating higher education.

Annie Pennucci - December 2002

The 1989 Washington State Legislature created two University of Washington branch campuses (in Tacoma and Bothell) and three Washington State University branches (in Vancouver, Tri-Cities, and Spokane). This interim report reviews the mission of branch campuses and key factors that led to their creation, including access to higher education and regional economic development. Appendices for this report are linked separately.

Shannon Matson - December 2002

In 2001, the Legislature adopted the recommendations of the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) and created three alternative routes to certification for prospective teachers in Washington. The Washington State Institute for Public Policy (Institute) was directed by the 2001 Legislature to evaluate three pilot certification programs selected by the PESB. The Institute also received funding from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to incorporate four federally funded "Transitions to Teaching" programs in this same evaluation. This interim report addresses the following research questions: 1) What are alternative routes to teacher certification? 2) What is the status of Washington's alternative route partnerships? 3) Who are Washington's alternative route interns?

Roxanne Lieb, Mason Burley, Debra Fabritius - December 2002

In 1999, the Washington State Legislature passed the HOPE Act, establishing two new service programs for street youth who have no family support or for whom foster placements have not been successful. The Legislature directed the Institute to evaluate HOPE Act programs. This third and final Institute report on the HOPE Act describes the characteristics of youth served, services provided, and outcomes of participation. The evaluation is based on data collected between March 2000 and June 2002 as well as interviews with program staff, regional administrators, youth, and parents.

Sylvie McGee, Linda Rinaldi, Debby Peterman - December 2002

The 2001 Washington State Legislature directed the Institute to “evaluate outcomes across state health and social service pilot projects and other national models involving women who have given birth to a drug-affected infant, comparing gains in positive birth outcomes for resources invested…” (Chapter 7, Section 608, Laws of 2001). This report addresses this legislation and examines five questions: (1) What is the risk of prenatal substance abuse? (2) How are key programs structured? (3) What positive birth outcomes are associated with specialized treatment programs? (4) What are the costs associated with achieving positive birth outcomes? and (5) What programs are most effective at achieving positive birth outcomes?

WSIPP - October 2002

The 2001 Washington State Legislature directed the Institute to: a) conduct a comprehensive review of the costs and benefits of existing juvenile crime prevention and intervention programs; b) consider what changes could result in more cost-effective and efficient funding for juvenile crime prevention and intervention programs presently supported with state funds; and c) report findings and recommendations to legislative fiscal and policy committees. This report is the 8-page summary of the study and contains recommendations that we believe can lead to an improved use of scarce juvenile justice resources in Washington.

Steve Aos - October 2002

In 1995, the Washington Legislature passed a law known as the “Becca Bill.”   The Becca Bill addresses several areas of public policy, including those affecting at-risk, runaway, and truant youth.  This report describes the Institute’s latest evaluation of the truancy provisions in the Becca Bill.   In passing the bill, the Legislature recognized that truancy is linked to poor academic performance, dropping out of school, substance abuse, and criminal behavior.  The legislative intent is to keep kids in school and thereby avoid some of the undesirable outcomes associated with truancy.  This report analyzes whether the truancy provisions of the Becca Bill have had an effect on one of the main goals of the Act:  keeping kids in school.

Robert Barnoski - August 2002

The 1997 Washington State Legislature established a process to implement "research based" programs in Washington State's juvenile courts. The legislature has subsequently funded four specific programs. The state Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration oversees the funding process and provides statewide training to ensure faithful adherence to each program's design. The Washington State Institute for Public Policy was directed to evaluate the programs. This report briefly describes preliminary results (12-month follow-up period) for one of the programs, Functional Family Therapy (FFT). When the FFT model is delivered competently, the program reduces felony recidivism and saves more money than it costs. The key to cost-effectiveness, however, is an accurate means to distinguish between competent and incompetent therapists, and the report makes recommendations on this finding.

Steve Lerch - August 2002

Physicians and researchers have identified several diseases and health conditions for which timely and effective outpatient health care services, such as physician office visits, can often prevent hospitalizations. This study examines whether these “avoidable hospitalizations” are a significant issue for the Washington State Medicaid program and, if so, whether it is possible to reduce them and in turn reduce state health care expenditures.