"I
have had the pleasure of working with Luminesce Consulting in several
different capacities and their work is exemplary. Their experience in
research and evaluation far surpasses any other group I have reviewed
to do this type of work."
—David W. Andrist,
Director, Prevention & Education, Columbus Aids Task Force
Alcohol & Chemical Abuse Council of Butler County
The Second Step program was a program designed to prevent youth violence and promote social and emotional learning for children ages preschool through 9th grade. The Anger Management group was a group therapy program for middle school students who demonstrate behavioral difficulties in the classroom. For these programs, Luminesce developed tools for evaluating the knowledge gains and behavior changes of the students participating in the programs. Pre/post test instruments were utilized and data were collected from different sources (students, teachers). In addition to the development of questionnaires, Luminesce also developed the data entry system utilized by ACAC for inputting and analyzing these data.
Canton Area HIV Consortium
This project entailed conducting six focus groups of the targeted populations to determine the HIV/AIDS prevention needs and service gaps in the Canton community. Here, Luminesce provided technical assistance in determining group composition, identifying the protocol for the groups, increasing participant recruitment, and facilitated the groups. Furthermore, Luminesce Consulting analyzed and interpreted the data for a report of results and recommendations.
Children's Hospital
The HIV Education program was designed to educate young people about the risks and consequences for contracting HIV. The Postponing Sexual Involvement discussed ways in which teens and young adults could reduce their risk for pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, while also enhancing their refusal skills. The Parent Enrichment Program worked with teen and young adult parents to increase their parenting skills, knowledge, and positive behaviors. The S.A.N.T.E. program is a multi-session, behavior change program for youth ages 13 to 18 years old. The goal of this program is to reduce the risk of youth acquiring or transmitting HIV and/or STIs by increasing their knowledge of HIV/STIs and by increasing their communication and behavioral skills. For each of these programs we have developed pretest/posttest questionnaires for completion by students in these programs. In addition to devising questionnaires, we also provided technical assistance for data collection strategies, data analysis and interpretation services, and generated reports based on the information gathered from these surveys.
Columbus AIDS Task Force
Luminesce has developed evaluation questionnaires and strategies for several education and prevention programs offered by the CATF. HIV 101 was a knowledge-based program for teens to adults. Respect Yourself, Protect Yourself was a program for men and women designed to increase their knowledge of HIV as well as develop skills for negotiating safer sexual behaviors. The House Party and Taking Action programs focused on education and behavioral skills for adult women and men, respectively. The Positive Power program utilized a peer education model in which HIV-positive men discuss issues among their peer network. M4M is a prevention program for MSM in the Columbus area. Two Capacity Building programs were also evaluated: the first of which deals with increasing participants' knowledge of HIV prevention and transmission and give participants a better understanding of the challenges faced by the HIV positive community. The other program provides the fundamentals of HIV prevention counseling to participants. In addition to developing the tools used by all of these programs, Luminesce was responsible for data entry, analysis, and reporting.
For the Client Services Department we have worked to develop a useful client satisfaction survey with regard to the services the CATF is providing, access to these services, and gaps in service provision. Luminesce is also responsible for data entry, analysis, and reporting. In addition to the quantitative questionnaire we designed, the CATF decided to augment surveys with client centered focus groups around select topics. Here, we developed the interview schedule, facilitated groups, analyzed the data, and provided a synthesis of results.
The Positive Solutions Treatment Program is designed to address the twin epidemics of substance use and HIV/AIDS especially within the African American community. Luminesce has developed an evaluation methodology and tools for use, provided data entry and analysis, and develops reports for the CATF and their fundors (SAMHSA).
For the Community Needs Survey, a questionnaire was devised to assess the HIV prevention needs of men who have sex with men and/or gay identified men in the Columbus community. Luminesce developed the survey instrument and data collection protocol, compiled and analyzed the data, and prepared a final report consisting of results and recommendations.
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Columbus Area HIV Consortium
For this project, Luminesce Consulting developed tools for Consortium members to complete regarding the processes of the Consortium, how it conducts its business, and areas for improvement. In addition to surveys, four focus groups of members were conducted to elicit more detailed and concrete information about the Consortium and its processes. Luminesce developed the questionnaires, facilitated the focus groups, compiled and analyzed the qualitative and quantitative data, and provided a report of findings and recommendations to the Consortium.
Columbus Health Department
Luminesce Consulting was commissioned to provide evaluation technical assistance to four agencies receiving community regional action grants from the Columbus Health Department. These agencies included three providing HIV/AIDS education and prevention and one providing direct services to persons with HIV/AIDS. For the two years of this project, we developed evaluation tools for each agency, established appropriate methodologies for the collection and analysis of data, devised data capture systems, and provided data analysis and interpretation for each agency. Furthermore, we conducted a meta-evaluation of the prevention services provided by these agencies.
Focus groups, personal interviews, and surveys were conducted with members of the target population in order to assemble direct information regarding the gaps in services, messages, and/or prevention efforts of the Department. Luminesce Consulting worked with personnel from the Department, community representatives, and stakeholders to determine an appropriate methodology for assessing the issues, data collection strategies, participant recruitment, and data analysis and interpretation. All interview schedules, focus groups, and questionnaires were developed and conducted by Luminesce. Reports were provided to the Health Department with results and recommendations for program enhancements.
Columbus Public Schools
School Readiness Resource Centers were established to reduce children's non-academic barriers to learning. As part of the effort to determine their effectiveness in reaching this goal, the various programs comprising this Center were evaluated. For many of the programs, paper/pencil questionnaires were devised by Luminesce Consulting for completion by students, teachers, administrators, and parents. For other evaluative information, Luminesce Consulting conducted focus groups of the stakeholders (community members, civic leaders) to determine program strengths, weaknesses, and issues of concern.
Community Research Partners
This project aimed to complete a program logic model, develop an evaluation
plan, and implement that plan to examine the Legal Aid Society's capacity
to provide comprehensive civil legal assistance to victims of domestic
violence and to examine ways in which the Legal Aid Society may strengthen
their partnerships with other Coalition members. Here, Luminesce was primarily
responsible for aiding in the completion of the logic model, developing
the evaluation plan, and collecting and analyzing the data.
For this project we analyzed data collected by the Literacy Council to
determine whether there were program impacts based on the types of instruction
students received. We were responsible for analyzing and interpreting
data and presenting the results to the Council. Girl ScoutsBSeal of Ohio
Council, Inc.
These various Girl Scout programs seek to enhance the lives of the young
girls who participate in them by empowering girls to make healthy choices,
respect differences, and hone leadership skills. To assess the impact
of these programs, Luminesce developed appropriate methodologies for evaluation,
devised instruments for use, established data collection protocols, analyzed
data, and provided the contractee with reports of results.
Ohio Commission on Dispute Resolution & Conflict Management
The Truancy Prevention through Mediation Program is unique in that it
requires families, schools, juvenile courts, and social service agencies
to work collaboratively to address the issue of chronic absenteeism and
truancy. The development and revision of evaluation tools completed by
each constituent involved in the mediation session, data entry and analysis,
and generating reports based on these data are the primary responsibilities
of Luminesce Consulting for this program. In addition to these efforts,
assistance in establishing appropriate evaluation methodologies and conducting
a longitudinal examination of the effectiveness of this program in reducing
truancy among students over time have also been a focus for Luminesce.
Ohio Commission on Minority Health
For this project, Luminesce Consulting was hired to conduct an assessment
of the overall implementation of the grant, organizational capacities,
and capacity building of the seven Ohio coalitions. We are also assisting
the coalitions in developing strategic plans, identifying collaborative
opportunities, and delineating methods for monitoring their effectiveness
within the minority community. Throughout this process Luminesce will
be utilizing quantitative and qualitative methodologies and developing
tools for coalitions to use for self-assessment and evaluation.
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Ohio Department of Health
This project is designed to assist the Division of Family and Community
Health Services conduct a needs assessment of maternal and child health
across the state of Ohio. Primary responsibilities include: facilitating
focus groups and developing written reports of processes and outcomes.
This Birth
Defects Information Systems project
is designed to assist the Bureau of Children with Medical Handicaps to
conduct a series of parent-based focus groups for input into the content
of the newly created statewide birth defects surveillance system. Primary
responsibilities for this project include: developing focus group questions,
probes, composition, and logistics, facilitating focus groups, developing
written reports of processes and outcomes, and an oral presentation of
findings to the Birth Defects Advisory Council.
Another project entailed revising the Needs Assessment survey utilized
to determine the gaps in services for persons living with HIV in the state
of Ohio. In addition to revising the survey, Luminesce collected data
from 1,400 persons living with HIV across the state, conducted data entry
and preliminary analyses of these data.
Ohio Department of Mental Health
This project was designed to assess the workplace wellness of the Ohio
Department of Mental Health Central Office. Here, Luminesce analyzed and
synthesized qualitative data collected by a third party in a preliminary
contract. The current contract has Luminesce facilitating five focus groups
with Central Office employees (support staff, mid and upper level management)
around methods for enhancing workplace wellness, analyzing those data,
and providing a report detailing emergent themes, issues, and recommendations.
Planned Parenthood of Central Ohio
The Responsible Sexuality Education program addresses educating middle
school age students about consequences, choices, and skills of engaging
in sexual behaviors. Establishing appropriate evaluation methodology,
creating pretest/posttest questionnaires, conducting data entry and analysis,
and providing the contractee with a report of findings were the responsibilities
of Luminesce Consulting.
Planned Parenthood Cincinnati Region
The HIV Community Education Project addresses educating middle school
age students about consequences, choices, and skills of engaging in sexual
behaviors. Establishing an appropriate evaluation methodology, creating
pretest/posttest questionnaires, conducting data entry and analysis, and
providing the contractee with a report of findings were the responsibilities
of Luminesce Consulting.
Policy Consensus Institute
This evaluation effort consisted of determining ways in which to evaluate
the program efforts of the Ohio Commission on Dispute Resolution and Conflict
Management. As one of five states participating in this pilot project,
the Policy Consensus Institute was trying to determine ways to evaluate
state departments of dispute resolution. Luminesce Consulting was responsible
for developing the program logic model and evaluation strategy for the
Ohio Commission.
Southwestern City Schools
School Readiness Resource Centers were established to reduce the non-academic
barriers to children's learning. This project entailed creating a program
model for the School Readiness Resource Center that was aligned with the
state goals and established purposes for these Centers. Luminesce Consulting
was hired to review and modify the program logic model, identify programmatic
outcomes, and determine appropriate methods for evaluating the effectiveness
and efficiency of these programs. A program guide was devised as a resource
tool for the contractee.
Supreme Court of Ohio
This program was designed for families, schools, juvenile courts, and
social service agencies to work collaboratively to address the issue of
chronic absenteeism and truancy in three rural Ohio counties. Here, we
devised evaluation tools for use by participating schools and courts receiving
funding from the Supreme Court for truancy prevention programs. In addition
to developing questionnaires, Luminesce conducted the data entry, analysis,
interpretation, and provided the Court with a report of findings and recommendations
for improvement.
The
longitudinal study examined the long term effects of using mediation as
a way of preventing truancy among students identified as high risk. Eight
counties in Ohio were examined and data collected from approximately 100
students. The Program was quite effective in sustaining the desired results
on truancy, with most students demonstrating a significant reduction in
school absenteeism one to two years after mediation.
