The Center on Disability and Community Inclusion received a $3.5 million grant from the U.S Department of Education to test the RENEW intervention (Rehabilitation for Empowerment, Natural supports, Education and Work). From July 1, 2015 - June 30, 2020 CDCI collaborated with the University of New Hampshire's Institute on Disability (IOD) to conduct this trial.
Dr. Jesse Suter was the principal investigator on the grant. He collaborated with Dr. JoAnne Malloy, co-principal investigator, developer of RENEW and clinical assistant professor at the University of New Hampshire.
RENEW was developed by Dr. JoAnne Malloy and IOD staff in 1996 and is a promising individualized intervention for high school students with significant mental health challenges. The primary goal of the grant is to test whether students who receive RENEW have better outcomes than students receiving typical services. The study will test for differences in student engagement, self-determination, social support, as well as academic and behavioral functioning.
Approximately half of students with emotional and behavioral challenges drop out of school, which is the highest rate of any student group. Most don't receive the supports needed to succeed and graduate. The RENEW approach was designed to help these students by increasing their engagement in school, self-determination, social support networks, and long-term academic and emotional and behavioral functioning.
Although RENEW is being used around the country, it had not yet been rigorously evaluated. The information gained from this study will help schools, educators, and researchers better understand RENEW, how it works, and what benefits it may provide for students.
This grant was administered through the National Center for Education Research, Institute of Education Sciences. Students and school personnel from 10 high schools in Illinois, Maryland, New Hampshire, and Vermont participated in this study.
For questions email Dr. Jesse Suter.
