Duluth Bethel Program Evaluation

Abstract

The Duluth Bethel (Bethel) is a private non-profit 501c(3) organization that provides community corrections and inpatient and outpatient chemical dependency services to individuals in Duluth and the surrounding region. Roughly half of the individuals served by Bethel in a given year receive treatment for chemical dependency through the Port Rehabilitation program, while the rest participate in one of the facility’s Community Corrections programs (either the Work Release or Female Offender Programs). This project outlines an evaluation strategy for Bethel and assesses the costs and outcomes of the organization’s primary programs. The team utilized data for four years, 2015-2018. The analysis has four primary goals. First was the development of an agency-wide logic model that includes program resources and inputs; actions and outputs; and short-term, medium-term, and long-term outcomes on both clients and the community. Second, data currently being collected by Bethel on its programs and clients as well as any important measures not currently being collected were summarized. Third, common client scenarios (or pathways) for Bethel’s clients were identified, and the costs and outcomes of Bethel’s programs were compared with the most likely alternatives for clients (e.g. jail, prison, treatment). And fourth, a list of recommendations for the organization, based on the study results, existing literature, and feedback from staff and subject-matter experts was developed.