Background: Although research-to-policy (R2P) fellowships are increasingly used to facilitate mobility, promote knowledge-exchange, and support evidence-based policy making, the evaluation of these initiatives in terms of (multi-level) impacts and broader 'ecosystem effects' remains under-researched. Aims and objectives: The aim of this article is…

Child care and early education (CCEE) workers have one of the lowest paid occupations nationwide. Although they represent a minority (about 10 percent) of paid, home-based child care settings, there are over 90,000 licensed Family Child Care (FCC) homes in the United States, serving nearly 800,000 children under age 13. The number of licensed FCC…

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by challenges in social competence that persist in adulthood, yet few treatment options exist. A pilot randomized clinical trial (RCT) of a peer-mediated, theatre-based intervention with established efficacy in youth with ASD was examined in autistic adults. The final sample consisted of forty-seven…

School districts are experiencing critical staff shortages with the most severe shortages concentrated in the highest-needs schools. The authors' Educator Preparation Program at Governors State University implemented a mock job fair pilot for their candidates around three complementary goals: (a) to improve our candidates' interview confidence,…

Child care and early education (CCEE) teachers work in one of the lowest-paid occupations nationwide, and they often rely on public assistance or second jobs to make ends meet. Low pay makes it challenging for child care centers to recruit and retain qualified professionals, which may affect the quality and continuity of care and education that…

This article shares research outcomes and recommendations for replication of a Food, Agriculture and Marine Ecosystems (FAME) pilot project that successfully supported high school aged youth involved in a new 4-H special interest program. The goal of the program was to recruit and engage underserved youth in STEM learning through the production of…

For decades, most states have made a practice of giving citizens returning from prison or jail a small amount of money, called "gate money," to cover the cost of transportation and other immediate needs. Many legislatures have considered increasing the dollar amount of their cash assistance and offering this kind of support more widely.…

Intraprofessional knowledge and skills are essential to the field of occupational therapy. Despite the importance, not all occupational therapy (OT) and occupational therapy assistant (OTA) educational programs provide collaborative intraprofessional experiences to students who are expected to collaborate effectively in practice. Therefore,…

More than ever, the capacity to engage in discourse addressing challenges we face as a nation is necessary. Young people must be able to navigate complex relationships in a diverse society. Yet, student capacity for constructive engagement across difference in classrooms is limited, and teachers lack the capacity to support students in dialogic…

People with intellectual disability use social media; however, there are barriers preventing them from using and benefiting from social media to the same extent as others. Some barriers include lack of knowledge, limited skills and inaccessibility. This pilot study used a sequential mixed method design to explore the outcomes of a social media…

Purpose: Social skills difficulties among children on the autism spectrum can impede social, emotional, and academic development, especially with increasing age and social demands. This pilot study examined the efficacy of a 5-week skill-building program for children on the autism spectrum. Although effective social skills programs are available…

In response to urgent student mental health needs across Virginia's college campuses, the 2022 Virginia General Assembly appropriated funds (2022 Appropriation Act, Item 144#3c) to support a two-year mental health workforce pilot program at public institutions of higher education. The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), in…

Cognitive science principles can facilitate integrating and retaining basic science concepts during the clinical years of undergraduate medical education. We hypothesized that reinforcing foundational science concepts during the core clerkship experiences fosters the development of clinical reasoning in medical students. A patient simulation…

This study presents the design and pilot of the environmental education course with one of the communities, living under environmental emergencies in Pakistan. The study employs the case study as a research approach. Community-based participatory research is used as a method. Forty participants are selected from one of the communities in Hunza,…

This brief summarizes five key lessons aimed at strengthening the support institutions provide to help students in accessing public benefits and basic needs supports. Insights from the pilot learning engagement highlight the potential and the complexity of outreach efforts to connect eligible students with public benefits. Drawing on practitioner…