Durham Connects RCT Evaluation

The aim of this randomized controlled trial (RCT) is to evaluate the impact and mechanisms of the Durham Connects (DC) brief universal nurse home-visiting program to prevent child maltreatment and improve child well-being. It is the first-ever RCT of a home-visiting program that is designed to prevent child maltreatment in an entire community population. Evaluation of program impact will test three hypotheses: 1) Random assignment to the Durham Connects Program will be associated with lower rates of child maltreatment and emergency department maltreatment-related injuries, better pediatric care, better parental functioning, and better child well-being than assignment as control; 2) Intervention effect sizes will be larger for higher-risk groups; and 3) Community resource use and enhanced family functioning will mediate the positive impact of Durham Connects on outcomes.