Generating and Using Evidence Will Help to Reduce Social Problems

• Author: Senator Todd Young
• DOI: 10.1177/0002716218770197
• Published date: 01 July 2018
• Date: 01 July 2018
• Subject Matter: A Policy-Maker’s View

194 ANNALS, AAPSS, 678, July 2018

DOI: 10.1177/0002716218770197

Generating and

Using Evidence

Will Help to

Reduce Social

Problems

By

SENATOR TODD YOUNG

770197ANN THE ANNALS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMYEVIDENCE WILL HELP TO REDUCE SOCIAL PROBLEMS

research-article2018

Keywords: outcomes; evidence-based; impact, wel-

fare; pay for success; social impact part-

nerships

One of the first things I ask when I meet

with nonprofit leaders across Indiana is,

“How do you measure success?” The men and

women I talk to in these positions have devoted

their lives to helping others. They are heroes

whose work and dedication make our commu-

nities better places to live, and they should be

commended. Their answers to this one ques-

tion, however, give me a glimpse of whether

their programs are ready to be scaled up imme-

diately or need further development.

One answer that impressed me came from

the registered nurses (RNs) at the Nurse Family

Partnership (NFP), whose RNs visit the homes

of more than a thousand vulnerable first-time

mothers in Hoosier communities to improve

their babies’ health and help their children

thrive—all while improving young families’

economic self-sufficiency (NFP 2016). Beyond

working toward noble goals, though, the NFP

has been rigorously evaluated and found to

have positive outcomes, like improved child

health, development, and safety. The NFP

regularly collects data on its results to study

ways to improve its already “gold standard”

model as they scale up into other communities

(NFP 2017).

Unfortunately, the NFP’s approach is the

exception to the way many of our social

Correspondence: press@young.senate.gov

Todd Young is the junior United States Senator from

Indiana. Before being elected to the Senate in 2016, he

served Indiana’s 9th congressional district for three

terms. He attended the United States Naval Academy;

University of Chicago (MBA), Indiana University (JD),

and served in the U.S. Marine Corps.