Improving Access
Research Study Opportunities
Using Telehealth with Positive Support Practices and Services Research: What's Working, and What Needs Improvement?
Download the research recruitment flyer about using telehealth with Positive Support
Positive Support practices and services are an evidence-based, system-wide approach to respectful, supportive, and effective ways to help people make positive changes in their lives.
Telehealth delivery (remote/online connection using the Internet) of these services is expanding, and we want to learn from you (self-advocates, caregivers/families, and service providers) what is going well, what challenges exist, and what resources may be helpful for using telehealth with Positive Support practices and services.
Self-advocates, caregivers/families, and Positive Support service providers in Minnesota, we would like to learn about your experiences with telehealth and Positive Supports through 1-hour focus groups. Register for one of the following dates :
January 29 at 12:00 p.m.
February 4 at 12:00 p.m.
If you are unavailable for these times or would prefer a 1:1 interview, please register for a 45-60 minute individual interview via Zoom or phone. Participating in the focus groups and interviews is free, but prior registration is required. Please register here or email us at pbs@umn.edu
Autism FIRST project
Download the Autism FIRST recruitment flyer 
STUDY PURPOSE: Researchers at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities are looking for research participants for a study about the efficacy of early intervention services provided over telehealth (video conferencing) for kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their families. Parents will receive coaching to provide interventions to support their child's communication and other skills.
YOU AND YOUR CHILD MAY BE ELIGIBLE IF: Your child is between 1 and 5 years old and is either on a waitlist to be evaluated for ASD or has received an ASD diagnosis in the last 3 months & is waiting for services.
WHAT DOES THIS STUDY INVOLVE? Participants receive parent coaching for 30-60 minutes 3x weekly for 9-12 weeks through video conferencing home visits. Questionnaires and interviews are given before and after the intervention. Overall, parents commit to 18 months of participation. Research staff will connect with participants via a webcam and a computer, tablet, or smartphone. Training is provided. Compensation is up to $275 per child/family.
Please contact telehealthstudy@umn.edu for more information about the study.
BabySprout: Research Opportunity for You and Your Baby
Download the BabySprout recruitment flyer
What: You can help researchers from the University of Minnesota better understand early development.
You and your infant can participate in a study which involves the following:
- BabySprout program includes remote caregiver coaching during daily routines via videoconferencing for 12 weeks, up to 3 times a week, for 10-35 minutes.
- Four remote study “visits” to observe your infant’s play and communication at study entry (6-9 months), 12 months, 18 months, and 24 months.
- Four OPTIONAL in person study visits at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities Campus. Why: We want to learn about early development and how to provide infant coaching and interventions in ways that are helpful and easy for families who may have concerns about their infant’s development.
Who: A parent and their infant ages 5 to 9 months old.
Where: Most of the study activities are conducted online or using videoconferencing (like Zoom or FaceTime). Some optional activities involve visiting the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain.
Compensation: We provide compensation to you for your time, up to $400.00 for participating in BabySprout study activities.
To learn more please contact: BabySprout@umn.edu
Family and child-centered early intervention resources
Project Scope
Project Scope Recruitment Flyer
MN Project SCOPE (Supporting Children of the Opioid Epidemic, z.umn.edu/MNProjectScope ) is an immersion training series focused on supporting children born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) or Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS). The series features didactic sessions from an interdisciplinary team of specialists. The series reaches broader audiences across Minnesota using the ECHO Model® (Extension for Community Health Outcomes, z.umn.edu/ECHOmodel ), using a hub-and-spoke model to connect rural and remote practitioners with specialists. MN Project SCOPE is part of the broader national training initiative, Project SCOPE (z.umn.edu/ProjectScopeNational ), and is facilitated by University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration (ICI).