people

Elizabeth J. Gifford

Research Scientist

Beth Gifford is a research scientist at the Center, directing the America’s Promise Alliance Evaluation Project and the evaluation of the Child and Family Support Team Initiative.

Her primary research interests involve evaluating programs and policies that are designed to improve health outcomes for vulnerable children. These populations include children who are poor, in the juvenile justice system, in foster care, in special education or who have emotional and or behavioral problems. Gifford is particularly interested in applying the best research methodology to inform decision makers as they balance goals of cost, quality and access in providing health care.

Representative Publications   (More Publications)

1. Gifford, E.J., Wells, R.S, Miller, S., Troop, T.O., Bai, Y., Babinski, L. (2010). Pairing nurses and social workers in schools: North Carolina’s school-based child and family support teams. Journal of School Health. [PDF]


2. Gifford, E.J. and Foster, E.M. (2008). Provider-level effects on length of stay for youth with mental health and substance abuse disorders. Medical Care, 46, 240-246.


3. E.J. Gifford, R. Weech-Maldonado, P. Short (2005). Encouraging Preventive Services for Low-Income Children: Implications for Expanding Medicaid Coverage to Parents. Health Care Financing Review, 24(4), 81-94. [PDF]


4. Bhandari, S. and E.J. Gifford (2003). Children with Health Insurance in the United States: 2002, 60-224. [PDF]


5. Foster, E.M., E.J. Gifford (2005). The Transition to Adulthood for Youth Leaving Public Systems: Challenges to policies and research. In R.A. Settersten, F. Furstenberg, R. Rumbaut (Eds.) (Ed.).  On the Frontier of Adulthood: Theory, Research, and Public Policy. University of Chicago Press.


6. Gifford, E.J.,Evans, K.E.,Berlin, L. and Bai, Y. "America’s Promise Alliance: 10 Indicators of Academic Achievement and Youth Success."  2011 [PDF]


7. Gifford, E.J. and Evans, K.E. "America's Promise Alliance Dropout Prevention Summits: Mobilizing Action to Address the High School Dropout Crisis across the Nation."  2011 [PDF]


8. Gifford, E.J.,Evans, K.E.,Babinski, L. and Foster, A. "Larry King Center Evaluation: Participant Perspectives of the School Readiness Planning Process."  2011 [PDF]


9. Gifford, E.J.,Evans, K.E.,Rosch, J. and Foster, A. "Substance Use and Abuse in Durham County."  2010 [PDF]

1. Analysis of the High School Dropout Issue in the Television News in 12 U.S. Cities, American Psychological Association Convention, Washington, DC, 20 December 2011
2. Does CFST Implementation Fidelity Affect Children's Outcomes?, Duke University Sandford Institute Fac-Doc Seminar Series, 20 December 2011
3. How Specialty Courts Affect Outcomes for Youth in Foster Care, American Public Health Association annual meeting, Washington, DC, 20 December 2011
4. Using a Media Content Analysis to Evaluate the Impact of a Public Awareness Campaign, American Evaluation Association Conference, Anaheim, CA, 20 December 2011
5. Evaluating the Child and Family Support Teams Initiative, Health Policy and Administration, Penn State, 2010