Victim Services

In June 2024, Choice Research Associates was awarded the contract to conduct an evaluation of Project Change – the District of Columbia Hospital-Based Violence Interrupter (HVIP) programs. The project, conducted with the D.C. Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC), sought to understand how each of the six hospital-based programs designed and implemented their programs, what were the similarities and differences in program design, staffing and implementation, and determine the outcomes (measured as re-injury, early/violent death and later justice system involvement (i.e. arrest)) with respect to those who received HVIP services versus a comparable group who did not receive HVIP services.  While a comprehensive study plan was developed, and IRB approval from the University of Southern Maine to conduct this project with a HIPAA waiver was received, the project was cancelled due to funding in May 2025.

Fair Girls contracted with Choice Research Associates in 2024 to review, revise and assess their school-based human trafficking prevention curriculum.  The Principal Investigators on this project are Wendy Stickle, Ph.D. and Shawn Flower, Ph.D.  The project involved the development online surveys to assess the pilot curriculum.

In June of 2024, Choice Research Associates Choice Research Associates (CRA) was engaged by the Office of Human Trafficking Prevention for Howard County Government to conduct an exploratory evaluation of human trafficking within the jurisdiction. The goal of this research was to develop a better understanding of the prevalence of human trafficking in Howard County, with an emphasis on labor trafficking, in order to identify gaps in knowledge and/or resources, and develop recommendations for future consideration (see the report here).  The findings of the project were presented to the Task Force in January 2025 (see presentation here)

Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Program

Choice Research Associates (CRA) began working with the District of Columbia Forensic Nurse Examiners (DCFNE) focused on the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program in April 2017.  The goals of this project were two-fold: 1) To explore the process of the SANE program from dispatch to examination to advocacy; and 2) To determine if the SANE program needs to be expanded beyond MedStar Washington Hospital Center (MWHC) location. To complete this project, we focused on gathering information on the SANE program through a document review, interviews and meetings with various partners and stakeholders, and analyzing available data from SANE partners – including data from Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC). In addition, surveys related to the level of awareness of the SANE program in the community and on college campuses were disseminated and the data analyzed. The executive summary is available here. Request a copy of the full report here.

Sexual Assault Services Infrastructure Development Project of DC (SASID) 

This project which began in 2019 and funded by the DC Department of Health, is a collaboration between DCFNE, the D.C. Hospital Association (DCHA), Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC), and DC Hospital stakeholders including Medstar Hospital Center, Children’s, Howard, George Washington, Georgetown, Sibley and United Medical. The objective of SASID is to implement a city-wide policy to improve the transfer process of patients requesting a medical forensic exam.

The evaluation of SASID sought to assess the efficacy of hospital transfer policy training efforts and to identify systematic areas for improvement and/or collaboration regarding the care of patients who experience sexual assault in the District.  Interviews with stakeholders were conducted to understand hospital protocols before and after the policy change, to identify barriers in the transfer process, and to explore possible data sources to quantitatively evaluate the impact of the SASID project.

Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Adult and Adolescent (SANE-A) Training Evaluation

The DC Department of Health funds DCFNE to provide SANE-A training to Registered Nurses or Nurse Practitioners.  Since 2020, Choice Research Associates (CRA) has worked with DCFNE to create evaluation tools to obtain feedback from participants about the training. Tools include daily surveys with opportunities to assess individual lecturers and the content of the different sections of the training. Follow-up surveys at 6 and 12 months capture whether the training was utilized (and if so, how); interest in additional training, and one post-training knowledge test.

Dr. Flower partnered with Volare (formerly known as the Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC)) since 2014 on a variety of projects through her affiliations with the University of Maryland Institute for Governmental Service and Research (IGSR), Justice Research & Statistics Association (JRSA), and as Principal Researcher of Choice Research Associates (CRA).  In 2017, as Senior Research Associate at IGSR, Dr. Flower supervised a student project to conduct a process evaluation specifically on NVRDC's 24-hour Sexual Assault Crisis Response Program (SACRP).

Victim Legal Network of DC (VLNDC)

Dr. Flower was the Principal Investigator of the Victim Legal Network of DC (VLNDC) from 2014 to 2016, assisting with developing measures and evaluation tools, as well as co-authoring two literature reviews, including one on the innovative use of vignettes or scenarios as a means to assess effectiveness of issue spotting training of legal providers.

DC Collaborative Training & Response for Older Victims (DC TROV)

In 2018, Choice Research Associates (CRA) updated the findings of the 2014/2015 District’s Collaborative Training & Response to Older Victims (DC TROV) Community and DC Service Providers and Allied Professionals needs assessment. This project surveyed community members and service providers. A total of 116 community members provided information on their awareness of services for seniors who were being hurt or controlled by a partner, caregiver, or family member; their personal abuse experience and helpfulness for services accessed; and their knowledge of other elder experiences with abuse.  Surveys were also completed by 43 service providers. The survey asked providers to rank the top 3 services that were most helpful to victims of elder abuse; to identify obstacles to obtaining those services; and the most helpful supports that would help service providers respond to the needs of older victims. Recommendations include increasing public awareness related to key services (particularly 24-hour hotline and foster pet care/shelter) and what happens when an individual reports abuse to a mandated versus non-mandated reporter. See report here.

Rights in Systems Enforced Project (RISE)

From 2019 to 2021, CRA was the NVRDC evaluation consultant for the Rights in Systems Enforced Project (RISE) project from 2019-2021. This project sought to address the gap in service delivery for those who have experienced hate crimes, physical assault (or non-power based personal violence) and surviving family members of homicide victims by increasing their access to CVR through brief legal advice and/or representation. An overview of the RISE project activities is available here.

This project also involved the review of NVRDC’s Pro Se Guide for accessibility and utility to improve the Guide before delivery to the public. In addition, CRA provided NVRDC with a guide to creating accessible documents (available here).

Crime Victims’ Rights in the Emergency Room (CVR-ER)

In 2021, CRA conducted an exploratory evaluation of the NVRDC’s Crime Victims’ Rights in the Emergency Room (CVR-ER) pilot program. NVRDC expanded access to crime victims’ rights attorneys through a unique medical-legal partnership with Medstar Washington Hospital Center’s (MWHC) Community Violence Intervention Program (CVIP).  Overall, embedding the NVRDC embedded Attorney on the CVIP project had a positive impact on both the team and the clients.  Clients reported increased confidence and knowledge about who to call for help or answer questions, now or in the future. Team members reported they now actively considered how the attorney might add to goal planning and attainment for clients. That evaluation report is available here.

DC’s Continuum offering Victims Enforcement of Rights Services (DC COVERS)

Beginning in Fall of 2021, CRA was engaged as the evaluator for DC’s Continuum offering Victims Enforcement of Rights Services (DC COVERS) project. Goals of this project include the provision of crime victims' rights enforcement in DC, including expansion of services in Youth Rehabilitation Act (YRA) and Incarcerations Reduction Amendment Act (IRAA) post-convictions proceedings. CRA completed a gap assessment in the knowledge of crime victims’ rights and resources and is in the process of assisting NVRDC with development of tools to assess the effectiveness of crime victims’ rights training. Gap Assessment available here.