Announcements

Statement from the National Association for Welfare Research and Statistics (NAWRS)
On the Restructuring of the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) at the Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

As a bipartisan association representing practitioners and researchers committed to the use of evidence to improve outcomes in human services programs, NAWRS is closely following reports of plans to restructure the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF).

Since 1995, OPRE has provided objective federal leadership across administrations to strengthen the evidence base for human services programs. Over the years, the evidence infrastructure built through OPRE has been critical in generating both program-specific and crosscutting insights on welfare reform, child welfare demonstrations, early childhood programs, and more. Additionally, OPRE’s work to strengthen capacity for evidence use through technical assistance and systematic compilation of research has helped create a more analytics-driven, outcomes-oriented human services sector.

NAWRS believes that maintaining strong and credible research and evaluation capacity within ACF is a cornerstone of a human services system that engenders public trust and confidence. Actions to quickly restructure and shift research functions out of OPRE without public input or explanation for the decision raise concern regarding the stability and independence of federal human services research going forward. Further, it remains unclear whether or how this action aligns with Congressional appropriations and intent to maintain a dedicated research office within ACF.  

We respectfully call on the Department of Health and Human Services and ACF:

(1)   To pause its recent OPRE restructuring plans.

(2)   To engage in a transparent process with Congress and interested stakeholders to inform a thoughtful, long-term plan for strengthening the evidence capacity of ACF and the researchers, practitioners, and community members it serves.

(3)   To provide information on how ongoing technical assistance, research, and evaluation projects will be maintained and conducted moving forward.