Helping policymakers use evidence to protect children
Experimental Study of a Model to Support Research Evidence Use for Protecting Children
This project tests a way to help state policymakers use research to prevent child abuse and neglect.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Pennsylvania State University, the NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (University Park, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11166495 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will run a randomized trial across 30 U.S. state legislatures using the Research-to-Policy Collaboration (RPC) model to connect scientists with policymakers through outreach, training, and systematic engagement. The study will compare states that receive the RPC intervention to control states and measure whether policymakers show greater awareness of child abuse and neglect research, place more value on that evidence, and use it in policymaking. The team will track meetings, citations of research in legislative materials, and other indicators of research use during the trial. As a parent or caregiver, this work aims to encourage policies that better reflect proven strategies to prevent harm to children, although families do not participate directly in the intervention.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are state-level policymakers, legislators, and legislative staff in one of the selected U.S. states included in the trial.
Not a fit: Individual children and families will not receive direct clinical benefits from taking part in this policy-focused study, though they may benefit indirectly if policies change.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could lead to more child-protection policies grounded in scientific evidence and, over time, reduce child abuse and neglect.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier experimental work on the RPC increased researcher–policymaker engagement and use of research evidence, but scaling the model to 30 state legislatures is novel.
Where this research is happening
University Park, United States
- Pennsylvania State University, the — University Park, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Scott, Jennifer Taylor — Pennsylvania State University, the
- Study coordinator: Scott, Jennifer Taylor
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.