Service Outcomes Action Research (SOAR)

Project Directors:
Dana Peterson, School of Criminal Justice (Principal Investigator)
David E. Duffee, School of Criminal Justice (Emeritus)

Project Summary: 

Service Outcomes Action Research (SOAR), initiated in 2000, is an ongoing research-practice partnership to improve treatments and outcomes for high-need youth at the LaSalle School (for boys) and Saint Anne Institute (for girls) in Albany. The agencies provide residential, day services, after-school, and community-based care to youth and families facing neglect, abuse, trauma, behavioral and mental health issues, and other challenges. Agency administrators and staff and UAlbany faculty and students from the schools of Criminal Justice, Social Welfare, and Public Health collaborate on developing evidence-based practice through continual testing of practice theory. Data collected at multiple points in time from clients, caregivers, staff, and agency records are used to provide both client-level and agency-level assessments of the relationships between client characteristics, staff activities and services, and treatment outcomes.

Key Partners

LaSalle School                                                                                                                                          David Wallace, Executive Director, (518) 242-4731, [email protected] 
Anne Moscinski, Associate Executive Director, [email protected] 
Mark Silverbush, Associate Executive Director for Quality, Strategy, and Compliance,        [email protected]
Dr. Camela Hughes, Program Assessment and Effectiveness Research Specialist,            [email protected]

St. Anne Institute                                                                                                                                   Anthony Cortese, Chief Executive Officer, (518) 437-6501, [email protected]                                  Terry Gabriel, Chief Operating Officer, (518) 437-6501, [email protected]

University at Albany
Dr. Dana Peterson, School of Criminal Justice, (518) 442-5711, [email protected]  


Student and Faculty Affiliations
Current and former students at the bachelor's, master’s, and doctoral levels are vital members of SOAR. Students from Criminal Justice, Social Welfare, and Education have been involved in the project in a variety of ways (research assistantships, independent study, masters projects, dissertations, internships. A complete list of students and their projects is available on request).

Current Students                                                                                                                                     PhD: Walter Shelley
MA: Ashley Cummins; Riley Moriarty, Kaitlin Moloney
UG: Roxanne Grieggs, Bria Agard, David Gray, Allison Huben, Kayla Maisonave       

Affiliated Faculty
Heather Larkin, School of Social Welfare
Julia Hastings, School of Social Welfare & School of Public Health    

Sponsoring Agencies
LaSalle School, Saint Anne Institute, and the University at Albany

The following have contributed resources throughout the partnership:                                            Hindelang Criminal Justice Research Center, School of Criminal Justice, School of Social Welfare, and School of Education

External funds that have supported the project include:
New York State Office of Children and Family Services (PI: David Duffee 2008-2009; PI: Amanda Nickerson 2010-2011)
Child Welfare Workforce Initiative, a partnership of the School of Social Welfare and COFCCA, funded by the Children's Bureau (PI: Nancy Claiborne; 2010-2011)
New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, Office of Funding and Program Assistance, Juvenile Justice Unit (PI: David Duffee; Co-PI: Dana Peterson, 2001-2004)

Contact Information:                                                                                                                             For more information contact:
Dana Peterson, School of Criminal Justice, University at Albany, (518) 442-5711,
E-mail: [email protected]
FAX: (518) 442-5212