Please read the following information with the participant (or allow them to read) and ask if they have any questions:
Maryland Healthy Transitions (MD-HT) seeks to improve and expand developmentally appropriate services for young people ages 16-25 with serious mental disorders. MD-HT is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and is overseen by the Maryland Behavioral Health Administration (BHA). BHA contracted the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) to evaluate the project. This means we collect data for MD-HT participants throughout the study to see which services are most helpful.
To collect data, your transition facilitator (or another staff member at your site) will complete a survey with you online that takes about 30 minutes. The survey may take more or less time than that. You take the survey 3 times:
- when you enroll in Maryland Healthy Transitions
- 6 months after you begin Maryland Healthy Transitions
- when you discharge from Maryland Healthy Transitions
It is possible you will be asked to participate in open-ended interviews, focus groups, or a national evaluation survey. You may always decline from completing a survey or from answering (a) specific question(s) at any time without penalty.
The information you share in the surveys is very important, as it helps us understand what services help young people the most. It also helps to get these services funded.
The information you provide in the surveys is confidential. This means only the evaluators at UMB see it, and it is stored on encrypted and password-protected computer servers. Your transition facilitator and site director will also see your survey results, but your name is not on them. We keep your information private, although we are legally required to take steps (notifying authorities) to prevent people from serious harm, including child abuse or neglect. When we report data to providers, the state of Maryland, and other reporters, we remove all identifying information and report in aggregate, so no data can be linked to any participants.
If you have any questions or concerns about the evaluation procedures, please discuss them with your transition facilitator or another staff member.
Verbal agreement may be given in lieu of a signature during virtual service delivery.