Implementing a Community-Based, Service Coordination and Delivery Intervention With Urban, Minority Parents

Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the influence of a community-based, service-coordination and delivery intervention (CONNECT Program) on urban, minority parents' human capital, financial capital, community social capital, and service utilization. Method: This study used a pre-posttest single group design and mixed methods as well as incorporated principles of community-based research. Peer outreach workers engaged 80 urban, minority parents living in Manhattan (New York City) in the CONNECT Program, which offered them referrals to formal agency services and informal community supports as well as psychoeducational workshops on varied topics. Results: Findings from paired-samples t-tests indicate that at follow-up, 49 participants displayed significant improvements after 12 months in their education, neighborhood trust, service use, and problem resolution. Discussion: Findings suggest that CONNECT was feasible within the agency and community. Moreover, CONNECT was associated with higher human and community social capital as well as service utilization outcomes.