What is your organization's mission?
Abt Global’s mission is to improve the quality of life and economic well-being of people worldwide.
What are some highlights of your work over the past year?
Our experts tackle complex challenges every day. A few highlights include:
Replication of Recovery and Reunification Interventions for Families-Impact Study (R3-Impact): In the last 20 years, parental substance use disorder (SUD) has become an increasingly prevalent reason for children to enter foster care. Peer recovery coaching is a promising strategy to support parents’ recovery and help keep families safe and together when possible. Abt is conducing a multi-site longitudinal evaluation of two programs that use peer recovery coaches who have lived experience as a parent in the child welfare system. Throughout the project, Abt is engaging collaborators with research, practice, and lived expertise to ensure the project is informed by multiple perspectives. (https://www.abtglobal.com/projects/replication-of-recovery-and-reunification-interventions-for-families-impact-study-r3)
Project Roomkey: Led by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) and implemented by counties and Tribes across California, Project Roomkey aimed to protect people experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic by providing alternatives to staying on the streets or congregate shelters. With funding from the California Health Care Foundation and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Abt evaluated the program to understand its successes and challenges, and the experiences of PRK participants. The mixed-methods approach included a web survey of CDSS PRK grantees from 54 countries and Tribes, telephone interviews with key stakeholders in 15 communities, site visits to five communities, and analysis of Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) data from three communities. During site visits, Abt interviewed staff from homeless services providers, local government partners and healthcare entities. The study team also interviewed individuals with lived PRK experience and observed the hotels and motels used as PRK sites. (https://www.abtglobal.com/projects/evaluating-californias-project-roomkey)
Evaluation of Moving to Work (MTW) Landlord Incentives Cohort: The most recent cohort of the Moving to Work Public Housing Authority focuses on whether landlord incentives improve their participation in the Housing Choice Voucher Program. In close collaboration with HUD, Abt developed a mixed-methods evaluation design that includes a quasi-experimental design (QED) and rich qualitative data collection and analysis. The QED uses a large comparison group to permit the detection of impacts and analysis of subgroup impacts for public housing agencies that choose to use varied types of incentives. The strong qualitative component includes on-site and remote interviews with PHAs to document variations in the incentives and their implementation.
The Research Design also includes interviews with a large sample of landlords to learn about their awareness of the incentives, their attitudes and behaviors related to the HCV program and voucher holders, and which incentives influenced their attitudes and behaviors. Importantly, the study also will engage the residents to better understand the challenges and findings. (https://www.abtglobal.com/projects/moving-to-work-incentivizing-landlords-in-the-housing-choice-voucher-program)
Pathways to Work Evidence Clearinghouse: Spearheaded by OPRE, the Pathways to Work Evidence Clearinghouse systematically reviews existing evidence on employment and training programs to provide policymakers, program providers, and researchers with a curated repository of knowledge on interventions that help to support self-sufficiency and improve employment outcomes. Abt’s work includes a major website upgrade, development of new product lines (including evidence-to-practice guides), and the curation and updating of existing product lines, which include evidence gap maps, evidence synthesis reports, and a tool to help users pinpoint the evidence that aligns to their needs. We are also engaging field-based practitioners who advise the team and ensure that the perspectives of users are embedded in our approach and represented on the leadership team. (https://www.abtglobal.com/projects/supporting-the-pathways-to-work-evidence-clearinghouse)
What sets your organization apart in the field?
Our organization is distinguished by our deep commitment to integrating the voices and expertise of those directly impacted by our work at every stage of the process. This approach ensures that our work is not only informed by the latest research but also grounded in the real-world experiences of the communities we serve.
- Engaging Community Researchers and Community: For the evaluation of HUD’s Moving to Work Initiatives, we involve community researchers and engage the community in participatory research
- Field-Based Practitioner Insights: For the OPRE-funded Pathways to Work Clearinghouse, we collaborate with field-based practitioners who provide on-the-ground insights and advice
- Worker Advisory Group Collaboration: For the Employment Processes Barriers study, funded by OPRE, we have established a Worker Advisory Group that offers critical perspectives from within the workforce on problems and potential solutions
- Beneficiary-Centered Journey Mapping: As part of CMS’s Integrated Care for Kids (InCK) evaluation, we utilized photovoice methods to allow us to capture and integrate the personal stories and experiences of beneficiaries
What is something new or innovative that your organization is excited to try?
This year, Abt Global acquired TSPi, an award-winning, forward-leaning company with deep expertise in designing and implementing digital solutions that improve efficiency, increase performance, and accelerate client success. The combined strength of Abt Global and TSPi will advance citizen-centric, digitally-enabled, real-time solutions for our partners and the people we serve. This will enhance our ability to scale transformative, data-driven solutions for the most pressing social challenges, including bringing AI to bear on work that furthers our mission to improve the lives and well-being of all people, while protecting against unintended harm to historically marginalized populations.
If you're hiring what makes your organization a great place to work?
Solving the world’s most pressing issues and improving the quality of life for people worldwide is what we do every day at Abt Global. Creating a more equitable world is no small task, but we are driven by big challenges.
We are a team of 3,000 people in over 50 countries working together and focused on the bigger picture. Only by sharing our commitment, energy, and innovation do we affect change and push the boundaries of what’s possible. We welcome diverse ideas, backgrounds, and viewpoints–joining Abt means access to exceptional thinkers at the top of their game.
To thrive at Abt is to embrace flexibility and collaboration. Our open culture allows you to balance your work and personal life as needed to optimize personal well-being. Creating a more equitable world starts from within--we look after people around the world, and we’ll do the same for you.
Employee Networking Groups (ENGs) offer opportunities for Abt staff to help create and maintain diverse workplaces and an inclusive and respectful work culture. Our global ENGs include: Asian & Pacific Islander (API) @ Abt; Black@Abt, Disability Pride, Emerging Leaders, PRISM (LGBTQI ), Somos Abt, Well-being@Abt, and Women@Abt.