About OPRE

Mission

The Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) is a unit within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF).

OPRE is responsible for advising the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families on increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of programs to improve the economic and social well-being of children and families.

In collaboration with ACF program offices and others, OPRE is responsible for performance management for ACF, conducts research and policy analyses, and develops and oversees research and evaluation projects to assess program performance and inform policy and practice. The Office provides guidance, analysis, technical assistance, and oversight to ACF programs on: strategic planning; performance measurement; research and evaluation methods; statistical, policy, and program analysis; and synthesis and dissemination of research and demonstration findings.

OPRE includes the Division of Economic Independence (DEI) and the Division of Child and Family Development (DCFD).

Finding Your Way Around OPRE

Welcome to the website of the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE)! We have reorganized and expanded the site’s content, added a database search, and changed the look and navigation to make it easier to find the research and research project you are looking for.

About OPRE provides information about the Office’s Mission and a place to contact staff with questions. How to Print Website Materials provides instructions on the best way to print OPRE’s research reports, instruments, and papers and presentations. FAQs for Contractors provide information to contractors and grantees submitting materials for web publication; contractors and grantees may also submit questions.

Research Conferences provides information on the latest highlights for Head Start's National Research Conference and the ACF Welfare Research and Evaluation Conference, as well as important web links.

Research Projects provides links to research projects under eight separate topic areas: Abuse, Neglect, Adoption & Foster Care Research, Child Care Research, Early Head Start Research, Family & Youth Services Research, Head Start Research, Strengthening Families & Healthy Marriage Research, Welfare & Employment Research, and Other Research. Select a research project to go to a profile outlining the project's content; the content is broken down into five main sections: Overview, Reports, Papers and Presentations, Instruments, and Related Resources.

ACF Performance Plans & Reports provides a link to annual performance plans covering ACF program activities.

A-Z Document Index defaults to a display in alphabetical order of all reports, papers and presentations, and instruments on the website. To narrow the display, select another topic by using the drop-down bar on the upper left. To sort by date or alphabetical order, select ascend and descend arrows above Publication Date and Name.

Search OPRE can be found in the upper right hand corner. Select Title or Author/Investigator from the drop-down box, enter keywords, and press “Search.” This will take you to your search results. Also in the upper right hand corner, you will see a link for the Advanced Search. In the Advanced Search you may select criteria that will help you narrow your search results. The search criteria can be any combination of authors, keywords in document/project titles, main topics, document types, publication dates and project years. Press “Search” to go to your search results. Select Search Tips for additional instructions.

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Staff

View: DCFD staff | DEI staff

To contact staff, go to Ask a Question

Naomi Goldstein, Director

Karl Koerper, Executive Officer

Emily Ball, Performance Management

Edie Fernandez, Staff Assistant

Melissa Barry, Staff Assistant

Division of Child and Family Development (DCFD)

Mary Bruce Webb, Director

Ivelisse Martinez-Beck, Child Care Research Coordinator, Child Care

Anne Bergan, Social Science Research Analyst, Head Start, Child Welfare Research

Jennifer Brooks, Senior Social Science Research Analyst, Head Start

Rachel Chazan Cohen, Senior Social Science Research Analyst, Early Head Start, Child Development, Infant Mental Health

Wendy DeCourcey, Social Science Research Analyst, Head Start

Kathleen Dwyer, Society for Research in Child Development Executive Branch/Policy Fellow, Child Care

Laura Hoard, Social Science Research Analyst, Head Start, Child and Family Well-Being, Health

Allison Holmes, OPRE Research Fellow, Child Care, Head Start

Glenetta Hudson-Harris, Society for Research in Child Development Executive Branch/Policy Fellow, Head Start

Susan Jekielek, Social Science Research Analyst, Child Care, Work and Family, Family Structure

Nancy Geyelin Margie, Society for Research in Child Development Executive Branch/Policy Fellow, Head Start, Child care, Child welfare, Parental Involvement/Family Engagement

Ann Rivera, Society for Research in Child Development Executive Branch/Policy Fellow, Dual Language Learners, Head Start, Child Care

Lauren Supplee, Senior Social Science Research Analyst, Head Start, Society for Research in Child Development Grant, Child Welfare

T’Pring Westbrook, OPRE Research Fellow, Child Care, Head Start

Maria Woolverton, Senior Social Science Research Analyst, Child Welfare, Foster Care, Head Start

Division of Economic Independence (DEI)

Mark Fucello, Director

Tim Baker, Social Science Research Analyst, Welfare Research and Evaluation, Self Sufficiency Research Dissemination

Nancye Campbell, Social Science Research Analyst/National Expert, TANF Program, Healthy Marriage, Supports for Working Families

Seth Chamberlain, Social Science Research Analyst, TANF Program, Healthy Marriage, Youth Development and Pregnancy Prevention

Michael Dubinsky, Program Analyst, TANF Program, Food Security, Child Care, Rural Issues

Steve Hanmer, OPRE Research Fellow, Research Information Collection, Child Support Enforcement

Brendan Kelly, Social Science Research Analyst, Welfare Research, Child and Family Well-Being, OPRE’s Information Collection Officer

Zachery Oberfield, OPRE Research Fellow, Welfare Research, Child and Family Well-Being

Girley Wright, Program Analyst, TANF Program, Hard-to-Employ and Special Populations, Incarcerated Parents

Alan Yaffe, Program Analyst,TANF Program, Child and Family Well-Being

How to Print Website Materials

Printing from PDF (Recommended) | Printing from HTML (Not Recommended)

Instructions that involve more than one step are linked with the symbol ">." For example:

"File > Print": Click on "File" in the toolbar and then, in the submenu that opens, click "Print."

The "+" sign indicates that two keys need to be pressed together. For example:

Ctrl + P means: The key marked "Ctrl" and "P" must be pressed at the same time.

Printing from PDF (Recommended):

Printing a Printable Document Format (PDF) is recommended because PDFs print out exactly as the author intended. Most materials on this website can be viewed and printed as a PDF. To print a PDF, do the following:

1. Go to the report or material you would like to print and click "PDF" or "PDF Version."
2. Click "File > Print" in the toolbar or Ctrl + P.
3. Select the printer with which you want to print the page from the printer drop-down menu.
4. Click "OK."
5. Alternatively, you may also click the printer icon on the standard buttons toolbar; this will start the printing automatically.

Please note that some of the PDFs on this website print are several hundreds of pages. Consider printing at a location that offers printing or copying services, such as FedEx Kinko’s. Otherwise, to save both time and color ink:

1. Click "File > Print" in the toolbar or Ctrl + P.
2. Select "Properties" and go to the "Color" tab.
3. Under Color Options, check "Print in grayscale."
4. Some printers have the ability to print on both sides of the paper. To do this, select "Properties," then the "Finishing" tab, and click on "Print on both sides" under Document Options.
5. Check your printer’s manual for additional printing options.

Printing from HTML (Not Recommended):

Printing a document in HTML format is not recommended because HTML is a format used to read materials on the web. If you need to print a document in HTML, follow the instructions below.

Internet Explorer users:

1. Click "File > Print" in the toolbar or Ctrl + P.
2. Select the printer with which you want to print the page.
3. Select "Properties" and go to the "Basics" tab. Under Orientation, select the print layout "Landscape." The default setting "Portrait" will not print out HTML web pages properly.
4. Click "Print."
5. Alternatively, you may also click the printer icon on the standard buttons toolbar. Note that this will start the printing automatically and the printing will default to "Portrait" rather than the preferred "Landscape."
6. Check your printer’s manual for specific instructions on settings.
   

For Netscape users:

1. Click "File > Print" in the toolbar or Ctrl + P.
2. Select the printer with which you want to print the page.
3. Select "Properties" and go to the "Basics" tab. Under Orientation, select the print layout "Landscape." The default setting "Portrait" will not print out HTML web pages properly.
4. Click "OK."
5. Check your printer’s manual for specific instructions on settings.

FAQs for Contractors

Contractors and grantees working for OPRE can visit FAQs for Contractors to review frequently asked questions and answers about ACF web submission guidelines, web requirements, and general information. To ask a question, first choose the tab titled "Ask a Question." Enter your email address in lowercase letters, choose a category, and enter your state. Type in your question and then press "Submit Question." The answer to your question will be sent to your email address.

http://contractorsupport.acf.hhs.gov/cgi-bin/contractorsupport.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php

 

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