ASSESSING OPTIONS TO EVALUATE LONG-TERM OUTCOMES USING ADMINISTRATIVE DATA: IDENTIFYING TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

Manpower Demonstration Research Corp, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

Linking administrative data sets to program evaluation records is a promising and potentially low-cost means of tracking long-term impacts of social interventions. For the purposes of this project, long-term is defined as greater than five years. This project will determine the feasibility of making such data linkages for up to 16 major employment-related evaluations current and past. Information will be collected to assess the practical and legal feasibility of accomplishing the linkages (e.g. existence of necessary personally identifiable information, IRB and consent form allowances or restrictions), assess potential costs, determine data ownership, identify prior history of linkage, past findings, and current availability of relevant data and metadata. The methodology will include the collection and careful review of existing documents, and interviews with evaluators and data owners. The resulting report will summarize findings and identify the most promising targets of opportunity to link existing evaluations to administrative data providing long-term outcomes. The work may be extended beyond employment to include other evaluations in areas of interest to ACF.