Minn-LInK Briefs and Reports

Minn-LInK Research Brief – Issue No. 68, Winter 2024
Authors: Shaver, E. L., Williams, S., Walker, T., & Sullivan, A. L. 

Disability and housing insecurity are separately associated with limited educational opportunities and unmet needs, yet little is known about students who experience both. This study examined the intersections of housing insecurity and disability among Minnesota’s K-12 students to better understand the characteristics of this population and identify potential policy and practice implications. A Discussion Guide is also available.

Minn-LInK Research Brief – Issue No. 67, Fall 2024
Authors: Shramko, M., Lucke, C., & Piescher, K.

According to the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) framework, multidimensional, environmental factors affect children’s access to services that influence their development.

However, there is little research on cross-system involvement as SDOH for educational achievement. This longitudinal study examines patterns of cross-system involvement among 6th grade students, racial-ethnic disproportionalities, and the impact of system involvement on educational achievement. A Discussion Guide is also available.

Minn-LInK Research Brief – Issue No. 66, Summer 2024
Authors: Johnson, S., Piescher, K., Lindstrom Rhea, L., & Stetzel, A.

In this study, our goal was to better understand the intersection of housing (in)stability and child welfare involvement for families in six Minnesota counties. We also examined the housing status of families by type of child welfare interventions received and the characteristics of families receiving intensive housing and child welfare interventions. For families at the intersection of child welfare involvement and unstable housing, we found that safe, affordable housing paired with services can support better child welfare outcomes by keeping families safely together and promoting timely reunification of children and families. A Discussion Guide as well as Supplemental Tables are also available.

Minn-LInK Research Brief – Issue No. 65, Spring 2024
Authors: Cho, M., Flanagan, S. K., & Haight, W.

In this study, our goal was to identify underlying patterns of early risk factors in youth with high-incidence disabilities (HID). We also investigated the association between identified patterns of early risk factors and juvenile justice outcomes. Due to the relative invisibility of HID, the behavioral challenges of youth with HID can be misinterpreted as disobedience or deviance. Notably, HID are identified as the most common special education diagnosis for youth involved in the juvenile justice system.

Minn-LInK Research Brief - Issue No. 59, Spring 2024
Authors: Dupuis, D., Powell, T., & Homework Starts with Home Research Partnership

In this study, we evaluated the Homework Starts with Home (HSWH) pilot program by describing who was served by the program, how many years of support program participants received, and the effect of the program on the use of shelters, school mobility, and school attendance.

Minn-LInK Report Brief–Special Topic No. 64, Winter 2024
Authors: LaLiberte, T., Piescher, K., Mickelson, N., Lee, M., & Dorman, A.

In this study, we estimate the representation of parents with disabilities at various child protection system (CPS) decision-making points. Further, we make comparisons of representation across disability diagnoses.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 63, Summer 2023
Authors: Rau A., Harding A. B., Ryan A. D., Ramirez M. R., Renner L. M., & Berman J. D.

In this project, we examined administrative data of Minnesota residents from early childhood through adulthood to understand individual and environmental factors that lead to perpetration of crime. This brief presents findings from a study examining the impact of air pollution on the risk of violence among children using data on school disciplinary referrals.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 62, Summer 2023
Authors: Edmonds, L., Ombisa Skallet, H., Pedersen, J., Simon, D., & Sojourner, A.

In 2015, Minnesota equalized post-exit payment levels in adoption or kin guardianship up to the same level as payments in foster care for those aged 6 years and above. This study illuminates how the policy affected the length of the foster care episode, type of exit, foster re-entry probability, and children’s later academic success.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 61, Summer 2023
Authors: Diamond, C., Gloppen, K., & Weber, R.

For the first time ever, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) data will be available at the county and school district levels for Minnesota youth by integrating information from state administrative data sources and the Minnesota Student Survey. This integrated system will improve data-informed prevention planning by providing access to local community data for ACEs and related risk and protective factors known to influence the severity, incidence, and long-term impacts of ACEs.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 60, Summer 2023
Authors: Banegas, J. M., Palmer, A. R., Distefano, R., Hillyer, C. K., Kalstabakken, A. W., Kinzley, C., & Masten, A. S.

Our research was developed to assess the ways in which early childhood CPS involvement and homelessness were associated with later academic performance. Study one evaluated whether early childhood developmental readiness skills partially accounts for the relationship between early CPS involvement and 3rd grade achievement. Study two examined whether executive function skills assessed at screening served as a protective factor against the risks of early childhood homelessness for 3rd grade academic achievement.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 58, Spring 2023
Author: Lee, S-K, & Homework Starts with Home Research Partnership

This study examined profiles of risk among 6th graders who experienced homelessness across a 10-year period and the relationship with student graduation. Understanding risk profiles of homeless youth related to academic outcomes can inform how schools and communities develop interventions for addressing homelessness in students.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 57, Winter 2023
Authors: Witham, M., Cady, R., Englund, M., Munger, M., & Piescher, K.

This study examined the prevalence of social determinants of health (SDoH; e.g., homelessness, food assistance, and economic and insurance status), differences in SDoH by demographic and diagnostic groups within Gillette Children’s Minnesota patient population, and the relationship between patient SDoH, receipt of social support services, and patient medical complexity.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 56, Fall 2022
Authors: Tyrell, F.A., Wright, S., & the Homework Starts with Home Research Partnership

This study examined whether children who experience homelessness are at higher risk for school disciplinary outcomes (i.e., out-of-school suspensions) across time.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 55, Fall 2022
Authors: VanMeter, F., Piescher, K., & Englund, M.

The aim of the study was to identify potential links between out-of-home placement characteristics and the likelihood and timing of initial contact with the juvenile justice system for Minnesota youth.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 54, Fall 2022
Authors: Lucke, C. M., & Homework Starts with Home Research Partnership

This study examined the sociodemographic profile of children served by NAZ, including a subset of children who received rental assistance. How patterns of NAZ service engagement were associated with school attendance was also examined.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 53, Spring 2022
Authors: Foldes, S.S, Long, K.H., Piescher, K., Warburton, K., Hong, S., & Alesci, N.L.

The purpose of this brief was to assess whether YouthLink’s enhanced drop-in and supportive case management model for youth experiencing homelessness resulted in improved outcomes over six years, and also to investigate which aspects of YouthLink’s model contributed to successful intervention.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 52, Fall 2022
Authors: Golberstein, E., Zainullina, I., Sojourner, A., & Sander, M.

The purpose of this brief was to understand how the introduction of school-based mental health services in Hennepin County, Minnesota between 2001-2019 affected a range of student outcomes.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 51, Fall 2022
Authors: Cho, M., Flanagan, S., & Haight, W.

The purpose of this study was to better understand the academic and justice system-related outcomes of out-of-school suspension, and whether these outcomes were related to other factors, such as involvement in Child Protective Services (CPS) and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and Person of Color) identity.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 50, Fall 2022
Authors: Palmer, A. R., Kalstabakken, A. W., Distefano, R., Hillyer, C. K., Seiwert, M. J., Carlson, S. M., Masten, A. S.

This brief examined essential early identification of academic challenges to ensure that children receive the proper supports and intervention services to bolster their chances of long-term success. The current set of three studies evaluated whether including measures of executive function in early childhood screening increases the ability to predict later academic success across a diverse population of children.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 49, Summer 2022
Authors: Horowitz, V., Spencer-Suarez, K., Larson, R., Stewart, R., Edwards, F., Obara, E., & Uggen, C

The purpose of this brief was to examine the demographics, experiences, perspectives, and behavioral strategies of people who carry both child support and criminal legal financial obligations, whom we refer to as people with dual debt.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 48, Spring 2022
Authors: Myott, E. T.

The purpose of this brief was to consider the impact of the Minneapolis area’s Choice is Yours program by comparing the test performance of students in the program with that of eligible non-participating Minneapolis school students who share similar characteristics as those participating in the program.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 47, Winter 2022
Authors: Herzberg, M.P. & Homework Starts with Home Research Partnership

The purpose of this brief was to examine the relationship between community-level social supports and student school attendance in two place-based programs.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 46, Fall 2021
Authors: McNeely, C.A., Alemu, B., Lee, W.F., & West, I.

The purpose of this brief was to attempt to answer the question: Why are racially minoritized K-12 students much more likely than White students to be petitioned to court for being absent from school, even when they miss the exact same number of days of school?

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 45, Fall 2021
Authors: Cho, M., Yoon, Y. J., Flanagan, S., & Haight, W.

The purpose of this brief was examine factors predicting the likelihood of and number of out-of-school suspensions (OSS), focusing on ethnicity/indigeneity and Child Protective Services (CPS) involvement. We investigated whether the association between CPS involvement and out-of-school suspension varied by ethnicity.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 44, Fall 2020
Authors: Palmer, A., & Homework Starts with Home Research Partnership

The purpose of this study was to examine the temporal relation between emergency housing or transitional housing use and child welfare involvement among school aged children.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 43, Fall 2020
Authors: Lowell, W., Hanratty, M., & Homework Starts with Home Research Partnership

The purpose of this brief was to examine differences in the student homelessness counts and describes the demographics and academic outcomes of students who are identified in these counts.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 42, Fall 2020
Author: Homework Starts with Home Research Partnership

A special issue brief describing how a local researcher-practitioner partnership is examining and working towards ending student homelessness. This brief serves as a primer to the Homework Starts with Home Minn-LInK research brief series.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 41, Fall 2019
Authors: Cho, M., Haight, W., Gibson, P., Nashandi, N., & Yoon, Y.

The purpose of this sequential mixed methods research is to:
(a) examine the out-of-school suspension (OSS) of Black girls, and
(b) consider implications for reducing OSS by building on girls’ own attempts to resist micro-aggressions and self-advocate at school.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 40, Summer 2019
Author: DeZelar, S. M.

The purpose of this study was to explore child protection involvement for children with ASD, as compared to children with other disabilities and children without disabilities, including involvement rates, re-reports, allegation type, and services recommended. This study also sought to highlight the demographic differences and disparities of children with ASD who were involved in child protection.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 39, Summer 2019
Authors: Cho, M., Haight, W., Choi, W., Hong, S., & Piescher, K.

Maltreated youth tend to enter into the juvenile justice system at younger ages than non-maltreated youth. Early onset of delinquency among maltreated youth compounds their risk of adverse developmental outcomes, including serious and continued offending. This study prospectively examined risk factors for maltreated youth who have their delinquency cases adjudicated for the first time between ages 9 and 14.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 38, Spring 2019
Author: Witham, M. A.

The purpose of this study was to (a) determine if there is evidence of post-treatment symptom reduction for a racially-diverse sample of children and adolescents served by a community-based mental health clinic, (b) identify subgroups of children by environmental risk, and (c) determine if there are differences between subgroups on outcome change scores.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 37, Fall 2018
Authors: McNeely, C., Lee, W. F., Alemu, B., Rosenbaum, J. & Renner, L. M.

The purpose of this study was to present findings from a rigorous evaluation of whether a court diversion program in Ramsey County, Minnesota improved school attendance for chronically absent students in grades 2-10.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 36, Fall 2018
Authors: Horn, T., Piescher, K., Shannon, P., Hong, S., & Benton, A.

The purpose of this study was to examine the proportion of Somali and Oromo youth involved and their experiences in Minnesota’s Child Protection System (CPS). Because this is not an identifiable group in CPS data systems, an innovative data matching project was used to explore and reveal unique knowledge about this rarely studied population’s experiences with CPS.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 35, Summer 2018
Authors: Nyren, A., & Zuel, T. B.

The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics and experiences as well as the educational engagement of homeless and unstably housed youth in comparison to that of their peers.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 34, Spring 2018
Authors: Bodurtha, P., Nyren, A. E., & Van Siclen R. K.

The purpose of this study was to provide a baseline for future evaluation efforts and inform ongoing Plus program improvement efforts.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 33, Winter 2018
Authors: Renner, L. M., Piescher, K., & Mickelson, N.

The purpose of this study was to explore differential education outcomes for children who were allegedly physically abused and children who were exposed to child physical abuse.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 32, Fall 2016
Author: Dimian, A.

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the effects delayed starts in early intensive behavior intervention (EIBI) on later educational outcomes for Medicaid-enrolled children who were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder between the ages 3-5.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 31, Fall 2016
Author: Kincaid, A. P.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether youth with disabilities were overrepresented in the juvenile court system as a group and whether youth with particular disability labels were overrepresented.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 30, Fall 2016
Author: Cho, M.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the risk factors associated with recidivism among youth with child protection and juvenile justice system involvement, specifically the relationship between out-of-school suspension and reoffending.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 29, Fall 2016
Author: Galos, D.L.

The purpose of this study was to examine whether children in families experiencing child maltreatment across multiple generations differ in MCA proficiency from maltreated children whose parents were not maltreated. 

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 28, Fall 2016
Author: Cronin, S.

The purpose of this study was to better understand the effect school-counselor-to-student ratios have on academic achievement.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 27, Fall 2016
Authors: Haight, W., Bidwell, L., Choi, W. & Cho, M.
The purpose of this study was to examine youth outcomes of the Crossover Youth Practice Model (CYPM) in an urban county in Minnesota. 

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 26, Fall 2015
Authors: Caines, C. A., Peterson, J., & Harrison, P. A.

The purpose of this study was to identify a set of indicators available from existing administrative databases that could be used to identify adolescents at elevated risk for being a victim of violent crime in order to direct early intervention resources to the young people who would most benefit from services.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 25, Fall 2015
Authors: Mickelson, N., Piescher, K., & LaLiberte, T.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate children’s functioning over time as a result of receiving treatment at Washburn Center for Children. The evaluation focused on understanding how children’s behavior and symptomology (as measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) changed over time.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 24, Fall 2015
Authors: Mickelson, N. & Piescher, K.

The purposes of this study were to describe the characteristics and experiences of youth members of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities and evaluate their academic achievement as compared to that of their peers. Outcomes of youth members were evaluated, with particular attention paid to age, Club attendance levels, and Club tenure.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 23, Summer 2015
Authors: W. L. Haight  & J. M. Marshall

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a law school clinic that provides free legal representation to parents who have had their children removed from their care. Specifically, we examined the quality of (1) legal representation provided by a student- and faculty-run law clinic to parents involved in the foster care system, and (2) education received by student attorneys.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 22, Winter 2015
Authors: Saahoon Hong, Kristine Piescher, Traci LaLiberte, & Anna Benton

The primary purpose of this study was to examine family contexts, sociodemographic factors, and school disciplinary incidents associated with the violent victimization of adolescents in Minneapolis.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 21, Fall 2014
Authors: Kristine Piescher, Gregg Colburn, Traci LaLiberte, & Saahoon Hong

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the educational outcomes of youth involved in Child Protective Services (CPS) at varying levels, including involvement in an accepted case of child protection (CP) and involvement in out-of-home placement (OHP). This study focused on analyzing the achievement gap associated with involvement in CPS, and determined whether more extensive involvement in CPS yielded increasingly negative academic outcomes.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 20, Summer 2014
Authors: Kristine Piescher, Saahoon Hong, Wonseok Choi, & Eleanor Nelson

The purpose of this study was to assess the utilization of Minnesota’s Open Enrollment policy by students with child protection involvement as well as to measure the associated effect of Open Enrollment on these students’ math and reading achievement. Particular attention was paid to other factors associated with utilization and achievement, including race/ethnicity and family income.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 19, Summer 2014
Authors: Kristine Piescher, Saahoon Hong, Dale A. Blyth, Pam Larson-Nippolt, & Traci LaLiberte

The purpose of this study was to examine academic outcomes of youth who participated in 4-H compared to outcomes of youth who did not participate in Minnesota’s 4-H program, and to understand how parent engagement and duration of 4-H participation affects youth achievement and attendance trajectories over five years.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 18, Spring 2014
Authors: Nicole Mickelson, Kristine Piescher, & Saahoon Hong

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the educational outcomes of students who participated in the Athletes Committed to Educating Students (ACES) after-school tutoring and mentoring program in comparison to the educational outcomes of their peers. In particular, this study focused on changes over time in school attendance, school mobility, and academic proficiency as well as graduation and dropout rates.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 17, Winter 2014
Author: Annette Semanchin Jones, PhD

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of Differential Response (known as Family Assessment in Minnesota) on racial equity and child safety outcomes, focusing on over-represented groups in Minnesota’s child welfare system, including African American, Native American and Multiracial children.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 16, Summer 2013
Authors: Kristine Piescher, PhD, Saahoon Hong, PhD, Traci LaLiberte, PhD, and Juliana Carlson, PhD

The purpose of this study was to explore the status of children from families with varying levels of TANF participation by examining a set of educational outcomes that have been shown to be important indicators of child well-being.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 15, Summer 2013
Authors: Lisa Kiesel, PhD, Kristine Piescher, PhD, & Jeff Edleson, PhD

The purpose of this longitudinal investigation was to explore the association of children’s exposure to parental intimate partner violence (IPV) and child maltreatment (CM), as well as combined exposure (IPV-CM), to children’s academic achievement and school attendance over time.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 14, Winter 2013
Authors: Kristine Piescher, PhD, Saahoon Hong, PhD, & Juliana Carlson, AM

The purpose of this study was to examine the associated effect of Minnesota’s Northwest Counties’ Our Children Succeed Initiative (OSCI) as it relates to children’s educational outcomes and out-of-home placement experiences.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 13, Spring 2012
Authors: Kristine Piescher, PhD, Saahoon Hong, PhD, & Traci LaLiberte, PhD

The purpose of this study was to explore the educational well-being of Minnesotan children whose out-of-home care experience occurred during the 2009-2010 academic year in conjunction with a child protection case.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 12 revised, Spring 2015
Authors: Traci LaLiberte, E. Lightfoot, S. Mishra, & Kristine Piescher

The purposes of this study were to understand the prevalence of parental disability among Termination of Parental Rights (TPR) cases in Minnesota and to determine whether parents with disabilities were overrepresented in child protection TPR cases. Additionally, this study sought to understand characteristics of parents with disabilities who experienced TPR. 

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 11, Winter 2013
Authors: Saahoon Hong, PhD & Kristine Piescher, PhD

This study was conducted to explore the relationship between receipt of supportive housing services and children’s well-being. Specifically, this study investigated the impact of supportive housing services on children’s educational and child welfare outcomes, including school mobility, school attendance, student MCA-II performance, having an IEP, and involvement in child welfare.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 10, Fall 2010
Authors: Anita Larson, MA, Shweta Singh, MS, & Crystal Lewis, MPP

In an effort to better understand the impact of sanctions on children’s educational outcomes, the current study addressed the following questions: 1) What are the characteristics of the families who experience sanctions? 2) What is the relationship between sanction experiences and educational outcomes of school attendance and enrollment disruptions for children in elementary, middle and high school? 3) What is the relationship between sanction timings and negative educational outcomes?

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 9, Spring 2010
Authors: Anita Larson, MA & Shweta Singh, MS

Hennepin County requested that Minn-LInK explore the feasibility of prospective longitudinal study of children enrolled in Strong Beginnings (SB) child care programs, utilizing the Hennepin University Partnership (HUP) master agreement. Findings from this work are intended to inform planning for future longitudinal study as well as explore what initial outcome measures are available on SB children.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 8, Summer 2009
Authors: Anita Larson, MA, Timothy Zuel, PhD, & Mira Swanson, MSW

This study reexamines the school attendance and child welfare involvement of a group of students for whom a report of educational neglect was received by child welfare during the 2000-2001 school year in Minnesota. The majority of these students experienced a marked improvement in their school attendance in the year following their involvement with child welfare in 2002.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 7, Spring 2009
Authors: Anita Larson, MA & Danielle Meehan, MSW

To describe one attempt at using statewide administrative data from child welfare and education systems in one Midwestern state to form a broader picture of how homeless and highly mobile students are faring.

Using statewide data from the Minn-LInK Project and administrative data from one treatment foster care (TFC) agency in Minnesota, a number of cross-system child outcomes were explored. This study was intended to begin to form a broader picture of the status of TFC children and to help fill gaps in the TFC literature by linking TFC program records across other systems. This exploration led to concrete recommendations for TFC agency data systems and data collection practices.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 5, Spring 2008
Authors: Anita Larson & Dan Stewart

This exploratory study examined a set of outcomes related to children who received Part C early intervention services as infants and toddlers using differently constructed comparison groups.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 4, Fall 2007
Author: Anita Larson, MA

The intent of this study was to understand whether Public Health nurses were able to successfully integrate MFIP tasks into their existing public health service model and whether there were resulting impacts to select outcomes for teens.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 3, Spring 2007
Author: Anita Larson, MA
This review of the literature examines the multiple roles of Basic Sliding Fee Child Care Assistance (CCAP) in terms of family functioning and well-being. It offers an overview of how CCAP might be viewed as just one of the complex set of factors that can influence family functioning and child well-being when young children require care.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 2, Summer 2006
Author: Anita Larson, MA

This study is a follow-up to a previous report on the high school graduation outcomes of adolescents involved in the child protection system in Minnesota. This new analysis explores the economic outcomes of the cohort of former high school seniors, examining their wages and public assistance use two years after they left high school.

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 1, Spring 2006
Minn-Link Full Report No. 1
Authors: Anita Larson, MA & Marcie Jefferys, PhD

While Minnesota’s overall high school graduation rate is relatively high, researchers and advocates wanted to know whether the high school graduation rates for teens who have had contact with the child protection system in Minnesota were different from those found in other state studies.