How do systems-involved young women define progress in their lives? With this grant, Fauth and colleagues will study the Roca model, an evidence-informed, 3-year, comprehensive service program supporting young women of color living in poverty with histories of trauma and involuntary systems involvement. Roca’s three-pronged approach involves: 1) advocacy efforts to advance more equitable policies in public systems, 2) case management services to connect participants to community supports, and 3) intensive peer mentorship to promote healthy relationships and skills-based development. Using a mixed-methods participatory design, Fauth and colleagues will conduct six case studies of Roca participants to explore their experiences of the program. In Stage 1, participants will complete a semi-structured interview and a journey mapping activity to chart prior systems encounters and capture their experiences of programming. In Stage 2, the team will compare descriptive analyses of program outcomes and state administrative data with Stage 1 qualitative data to better understand how well the current system is capturing participants’ experiences. A Roca program graduate will assist the research team with data collection and analysis and will facilitate a data walk with current participants.
Does an intensive, multi-level intervention disrupt the structural, community, and individual factors that lead to disproportionate interaction with and impact of the child welfare and criminal legal systems for young minoritized women living in poverty?
