The Community Action Research Experiences (CARE) Program collaborated with the WellCare Foundation (WCF) to assess the referral sources of the clinic in order to more effectively reach additional potential patients. Archival data were analyzed from a 19-month period from the medical records of patients. Also, data were collected from interviews with the case manager of agencies that were a known referral source of WCF. These case manager interviews were completed over a one-month period. For the archival data part of the project, data were collected from 117 patients. Four representatives from community agencies participated in phone interviews. The results indicated that the most common referral sources were word of mouth, followed by community agency referrals. The results also indicated that WCF appears to have served a unique niche that is not served by other non-profit health clinics. These results led to implications for action and direction for future applied research.

The Community Action Research Experiences program integrates the research and teaching mission of Arizona State University by providing services to the community by fostering professional and leadership development of students. It is hoped that the results of the collaborations with CARE will serve to further an organization's goals and effectiveness. VALLEYLIFE (VL) is a non-profit organization striving to help people with disabilities. VL develops Action Programs for each of its clients, whom they call members, to improve their independent or social skills. Examples of programs that members may work on include tasks such as computer training, visual arts, or writing. VALLEYLIFE lacked the data to evaluate if the developed and implemented Action Programs are properly carried out by the staff in ways that are beneficial to members. Given the problem, this research project sought to conduct a process evaluation of the staff regarding their implementation of the Action Programs. This involved observations of employee-member interactions in performing the Action Programs and an interview of staff measuring their preparedness and confidence in performing the program and their feelings of the programs and how things are run. This research provided the following implications to VALLEYLIFE. VL might consider performing periodic observations and reviews of the program implementation to monitor quality. VL may consider involving staff in program development and revision to create programs that better serve members. VL may consider generating ideas for how they may cooperate when a peer is struggling to keep up with events that happen through the day in the interest of better serving the members. Overall, employees are doing well as they are efficient in carrying out the written programs during program time. They are comfortable with what they are doing, use time effectively, and do their best to help the members. There is always room for improvement however and by considering some of the implications mentioned, VALLEYLIFE and their employees may be able to take action that may hold potential for further improvements in effectiveness.

The purpose of this study was to investigate: 1) within police departments in Maricopa County, exactly who helps the families left behind after a domestic homicide occurs? 2) What kind of short-term resources are offered by the police to immediately help the family and any children affected? And 3) are long-term services provided to the family and children of domestic homicide victims, and if not, to where is the family referred? To answer these questions, employees from each of the 14 city police departments in Maricopa County were interviewed. Participants answered a serious of both open-ended and scale questions either via email or over the phone. This study found that all police departments in cities of Maricopa County (with the exception of Litchfield Park, which is covered by the Sherriff's Office) have what is referred to as a Victim Services Unit. This is a small team comprised of social workers and other employees specifically trained to provide a continuation of support to victims from the crisis period through the investigative and judicial processes. In terms of services provided, this study found that most of the services offered to victims through police departments in Maricopa County are short-term in nature and fall under one of the following categories: On-scene crisis intervention and initial needs-assessments, immediate basic needs and referrals, financial resources, counseling, family advocacy centers, legal advocacy and assistance with the criminal process, or Child Protective Services. Results also indicated a positive relationship between city size and the amount of resources provided to victims after a homicide. Finally, in regards to long-term resources, this study found in general, all long-term needs are handled by social service agencies and non-profits, which victims are connected to by police departments after a needs assessment has been conducted. Based on these findings, a number of recommendations were made to Purple Ribbon Council, a domestic abuse prevention and supportive care non-profit that were designed to help Purple Ribbon Council increase its reach and effectiveness.

Thank you to Dr. Larry Dumka, my CARE program director, for giving such constructive feedback on this project. Thank you Dr. Scott Christopher, my thesis director, for not only guiding me in the right direction of this project but also for encouraging me to apply to the CARE program and thank you for helping me to calculate my results section. Thank you to Dr. Sarah McKenney for taking the time and effort to be my third reader. Thank you to my classmates in my CARE program for being supportive and insightful throughout the course of this project. I would especially like to thank Kamber Goff for doing such a wonderful job editing my paper. I also want to thank Against Abuse, Inc for accepting the CARE proposal and allowing me to work with an organization that I have come to truly admire.

Community Action Research Experiences (CARE) collaborated with Citizenship Counts, a local non-profit organization that provides free civics curriculum to middle and high school teachers nationwide, to evaluate the effectiveness of the current curriculum and create additional curriculum materials. Data were collected over a three-month period through online and paper surveys distributed to teachers who had used some aspect of the Citizenship Counts curriculum previously. Of the teachers contacted, nineteen responded with completed surveys. The results indicate that teachers are pleased with their experience working with Citizenship Counts, but that there were areas where improvements could be made. The additional curriculum materials created were quizzes, which can be added to the Citizenship Counts curriculum as an additional improvement. The main areas of concern from teachers were the Citizenship Counts website and additional help when planning Naturalization Ceremonies.

I would first like to thank Nikki Kontz, my project liaison from Teen Lifeline for her support and collaboration throughout the entire project. Secondly, I would like to thank my project mentor Professor Larry Dumka for his invaluable guidance, whose help as well as that of the entire CARE cohort made the project possible. Last but not least, a special thanks goes out to the Teen Lifeline crisis counselors and staff for gathering all the data needed to complete this study. Lastly, I would like to thank Carlos Valiente and Erin Pahlke who took the time to serve on my thesis committee.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate existing data from the Arizona Youth Survey (AYS) to give policymakers and representatives from the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission some insight into the high rates of youth prescription drug abuse. This study examined trends in prescription drug consumption among Pima County, Arizona adolescents, as well as the contexts in which these drugs were used and the numerous consequences resulting from such actions. The results of this research will allow professionals at the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission to inform state officials on the most cost-effective methods of prescription drug abuse prevention and intervention.

The Community Action Research Experiences (CARE) collaborated with Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona (HFHCAZ), a non-profit organization that helps provide housing to low income families, to help them find new potential corporate donors. The data was collected over a three month period through online sources. Within the 4 HFH affiliates (Denver, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Twin Cities) a total of 442 corporate sponsors were found. Then by eliminating the corporate sponsors that did not meet HFHCAZ's criteria of having a presence in the Maricopa and Pinal County, a total of 59 potential corporate sponsors remained. Online corporate giving databases produced a total of 3 potential corporate sponsors because it was only a tentative search. Implications were noted to help HFHCAZ gain new potential corporate sponsors for the future.

The purpose of this study was to provide a foundation for a plan for evaluations of the impact of the Learning Center on elementary school children with respect to academic achievement and school-related behaviors. Exploratory pre- and posttest data were collected and analyzed and recommendations were provided for a broader evaluation plan to be used in the future. The experience from the exploratory evaluation, limitations and the recommendations in this study can be used by Chicanos Por La Causa to strengthen the Learning Center and thereby optimize the benefit to the children served within the San Marina residential community.

Conducted in collaboration with the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, this project was a pilot survey of representatives at sexual violence organizations in Arizona and a best practices review of sexual violence organizations. It was carried out with the purpose of enhancing ACESDV's knowledge about sexual violence organizations so that the coalition will be able to offer informed and individualized support to these organizations in Arizona as it begins to pursue its new mission of addressing sexual violence.