Robin Jacob

With support from a grant awarded by Arnold Ventures, YPL has partnered with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) to conduct an impact evaluation of MIHP. Using a randomized encouragement design, outreach specialist will provide enhanced recruitment to a subset of individuals who are eligible for MIHP, with a goal of increasing participation in the program. YPL will leverage that increase in participation to evaluate the program’s impact on key maternal and infant health...

With funding provided through Governor Whitmer’s Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies initiative, YPL will evaluate the effectiveness of a pilot program to allow MIHP provider agencies to bill for additional services and care coordination for families with high levels of need for basic services. Providers will receive reimbursement for an additional home visit, longer home visits, care coordination services, and a discharge assessment. Key outcomes include social determinants of health, such as food security, financial stability, education, employment, treatment for mental health symptoms, treatment...

The Detroit Promise Path pilot is an add-on to the Detroit Promise scholarship program that is designed to improve student outcomes by incorporating evidence-based support components. The Lab was engaged by MDRC, the primary research organization evaluating this pilot, to provide supplemental, qualitative evaluation of the impact of this...

YPL has partnered with Michigan Medicine (MM) and its MIHP program to evaluate the impact of a modest cash incentive in reducing no-shows among MIHP participants who receive prenatal care at...

In 2019, Youth Policy Lab partnered with TRAILS (Transforming Research into Action to Improve the Lives of Students) and the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment.  This initiative was designed to guide future activities and establish a baseline for evaluation by gathering data from 3,500 DPSCD staff, 11,000 students in grades 8-12, 800 family members, as well as DPSCD Police and community mental health agencies.The Youth Policy Lab launched a three-year evaluation during the 2022-23 school year in 84 DPSCD schools, focusing on the...

During the 2021-2022 academic year, YPL partnered with TRAILS (Transforming Research into Action to Improve the Lives of Students) to examine their Tier 1 Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) program in three rural Colorado school districts. Staff provided overall positive survey feedback, reporting that preparation and delivery times were reasonable, students were engaged, and the materials were suitable for their age group. Students in grades 6-12 were also surveyed to assess various Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) competencies and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) coping skills....

During the 2022-23 school year,  Youth Policy Lab partnered with TRAILS (Transforming Research into Action to Improve the Lives of Students) to evaluate the implementation and impact of its Tier 1 Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum as part of a statewide expansion in two intermediate school districts in Michigan. To assess the program's effects on student outcomes related to social-emotional well-being and mental health, a one-year, school-level randomized control trial was conducted. Students and staff from approximately 40 schools gave feedback through surveys at the beginning...