Dana Schultz

Senior Policy Researcher

Pittsburgh Office

Education

M.P.P. in public policy, Harvard University

One Page Bio

Media Resources

This researcher is available for interviews.

To arrange an interview, contact the RAND Office of Media Relations at (310) 451-6913, or email media@rand.org.

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Overview

Dana Schultz (she/her) is a senior policy researcher at the RAND Corporation. She has extensive experience in research and evaluation design, implementation and outcomes evaluations, quantitative and qualitative methodologies, developmental and participatory evaluation approaches, and collaborative research relationships with agencies and organizations in different health and social service sectors. She has conducted numerous evaluation studies to document implementation and assess effectiveness of programs designed to improve health, mental health, and other outcomes for parents, children, and families. She brings substantive expertise in maternal and child health and well-being, child and adult behavioral health interventions, child welfare, and children exposed to violence. She has also undertaken efforts to assess the availability and capacity of services, supports, and needs for different populations and portfolio review efforts to assess the outputs and outcomes from government and foundation funded research. She received her M.P.P. from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Research Focus

Recent Projects

Strategy Evaluation of the Healthy and Equitable Futures Initiative
Prediction and reduction of infant mortality in Allegheny County
Evaluation and research services relating to the Connections to Care initiative
Strategic planning and support for the Health and Well-being program
Evaluation of the Helping Families Raise Healthy Children initiative to improve systems of care for families

Selected Publications

Schultz, D., Lovejoy, S., & Peet, E. , "Tackling Persistent and Large Disparities in Birth Outcomes in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania," Maternal and Child Health Journal, 2022

Schultz, D., Peet, E., and Lovejoy, S. , Examining Interventions to Address Infant Mortality in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, RAND (RR-A858-1), 2021

Ayer, L. and Schultz, D., eds., Mental Health Task-Shifting in Community-Based Organizations: Implementation, Impact, and Cost — Evaluation of the Connections to Care Program, RAND (RR-3083), 2020

Ringel, J., Schultz, D., Mendelsohn, J., Holliday, S., Sieck, K., Edochie, I., and Davis, L. , Improving Child Welfare Outcomes: Balancing Investments in Prevention and Treatment, RAND (RR-1775), 2017

Schultz, D., Jaycox, L., Ayer, L., Setodji, C., Mahmud, A., Kofner, A., Barnes-Proby, D. , Improving Outcomes for Children Exposed to Violence: Safe Start Promising Approaches, RAND (RR-1728), 2017

Barnes-Proby, D., Schultz, D., Jaycox, L., and Ayer, L. , Five Strategies for Successful Recruitment and Retention of Children and Families in Human Service Programs, RAND (TL-242), 2017

Schultz, D., Reynolds, K., Sontag-Padilla, L., Lovejoy, S., Firth, R., and Pincus, H. , Transforming Systems for Parental Depression and Early Childhood Developmental Delays: Findings and Lessons Learned from the Helping Families Raise Healthy Children Initiative, RAND (RR-122), 2013

Schultz, D., Reynolds, K., Sontag-Padilla, L. Lovejoy, S.L., Firth, R., Schake, P., Hawk, J., Killmeyer, S., Troup, E., Myers-Cepicka, M., Perich, M., A Toolkit for Implementing Parental Depression Screening, Referral and Treatment Across Systems, RAND (TL-102), 2012

Commentary

New Depression-Screening Guidelines Could Help Both Mother and Child
Behavioral health professionals and community agencies often do not consider the impact of parental depression on young children or focus on the adult's role as a parent. New guidelines recommending depression screening during primary care visits for pregnant women and new mothers are a critical first step.
Mar 18, 2016 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Realizing the Potential of 'My Brother's Keeper'
The White House has mobilized an impressive coalition to address a critical national challenge, and used the power of research evidence to begin to structure the initiative. By drawing more lessons from research, the initiative can further bolster its chance to build strong and lasting ladders of opportunity and success for boys and young men of color.
Mar 16, 2014 The Hill
Preschool Pays Off
Published commentary by RAND staff: Preschool Pays Off, in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Sep 20, 2006 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Publications

Journal Article
Tackling Persistent and Large Disparities in Birth Outcomes in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
The IMPreSIv database allowed us to summarize the maternal health, behavioral, and contextual factors associated with birth outcomes and describe the participation rates in available medical and community setting interventions in Allegheny County.
Jan 5, 2022
Tool
A Guide to Evaluating Marine and Family Division Programs, Services, and Capabilities
The goal of this program evaluation toolkit is to help those responsible for implementing U.S. Marine Corps Marine and Family Division programs to determine whether those programs are effective and ultimately to guide efficient use of resources.
Sep 30, 2021
Tool
A Guide to Evaluating Marine and Family Division Programs, Services, and Capabilities: An Introduction to Program Evaluation
The U.S. Marine Corps' Marine and Family Program Division (MF) portfolio includes a variety of programs and services. This tool provides a brief introduction to program evaluation, the use of systematic processes to assess a program's effectiveness.
Sep 30, 2021
Research Brief
Using an Innovative Database and Machine Learning to Predict and Reduce Infant Mortality
Researchers created a unique database linking medical, social, and demographic information, then used machine learning techniques to evaluate risk of infant mortality and develop intervention recommendations to reduce each infant's risk of mortality
Feb 4, 2021
Report
Examining Interventions to Address Infant Mortality in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
The authors use predictive models and a causal inference framework to understand the effectiveness of infant-mortality interventions in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, where poor birth and infant outcomes and pronounced racial disparities persist.
Jan 6, 2021
Report
Mental Health Task-Shifting in Community-Based Organizations: Implementation, Impact, and Cost — Evaluation of the Connections to Care Program
In this report, RAND researchers describe the Connections to Care task-shifting model and their evaluation of how it was implemented, its intended impact on mental health and other outcomes, and how much it costs community-based organizations.
Nov 12, 2020
Report
Air Force Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Programs and Services: Contribution to Airman and Family Resilience and Readiness
Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) programs are key to resilient and ready Airmen and families. The authors developed a resilience and readiness model and compared it with target outcomes of MWR services. Next steps are also provided.
Jul 31, 2019
Report
Evaluation of the Connections to Care (C2C) Initiative: Interim Report
This interim report presents preliminary evaluation findings for New York City's Connections to Care program, which seeks to expand access to mental health support for low-income New Yorkers via a task shifting model.
Nov 29, 2018
Research Brief
Improving Children's Lives: Balancing Investments in Prevention and Treatment in the Child Welfare System
RAND researchers' model of the child welfare system shows that increasing prevention while also increasing treatment improves system experience and long-term outcomes while paying for itself by reducing lifetime child welfare system costs.
Dec 11, 2017
Report
Improving Child Welfare Outcomes: Balancing Investments in Prevention and Treatment
To analyze the effects of prevention and treatment programs on child welfare outcomes, RAND researchers modeled how different policy options would affect a child's pathway through the system, costs, and early adulthood outcomes.
Dec 11, 2017
Journal Article
Change in Externalizing Problems Over Time Among Ethnic Minority Youth Exposed to Violence
Strengthening Families Program, a prevention intervention for youth who are exposed to violence, can help ameliorate problem behaviors over time.
Oct 10, 2017
Tool
Five Strategies for Successful Recruitment and Retention of Children and Families in Human Service Programs
This toolkit offers five strategies to increase client recruitment and retention for human services programs.
Apr 21, 2017
Research Brief
Helping Kids and Families Cope with Violence: Safe Start Promising Approaches
This research brief presents findings from evaluations of community-based interventions to reduce violence's harmful effects on children.
Mar 30, 2017
Report
Improving Outcomes for Children Exposed to Violence: Safe Start Promising Approaches
Researchers partnered with community-based sites to develop rigorous evaluations of interventions to reduce violence's harmful effects on children and analyze outcome data. This report presents findings and perspectives from this evaluation.
Mar 14, 2017
Report
Resources and Capabilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs to Provide Timely and Accessible Care to Veterans
The Department of Veterans Affairs health care system, with broad resources and capabilities, provides timely and high-quality care to most, but not all, patients. Meeting veterans' needs over the next five years will require additional capacity.
Dec 31, 2015
Research Brief
California's Statewide Mental Health Prevention and Early Intervention Initiatives Show Promising Early Results, But Sustained Investment Is Needed
Summarizes findings from an evaluation of a set of California initiatives to help reduce mental health stigma and discrimination, prevent suicide, and improve student mental health.
Sep 16, 2015
Report
Building Better Boyhood Programs: Evaluation of Programs Funded by the African American Men and Boys Task Force Initiative
This report evaluates the implementation of programs funded by The Heinz Endowment's African American Men and Boys Task Force initiative in Allegheny County, Pa.
Aug 19, 2015
Journal Article
Costs and Benefits of Treating Maternal Depression
Untreated maternal depression has serious consequences for the mother's long-term health and for her child's development and functioning.
May 1, 2014
Research Brief
Mental Health Retrosight: Identifying the attributes of successfully translated research (lessons from schizophrenia)
Identifying the attributes of successfully translated research (lessons from schizophrenia); headline findings and policy provocations from the Mental Health Retrosight project.
Oct 28, 2013
Report
Mental Health Retrosight: Understanding the returns from research (lessons from schizophrenia): Policy Report
Examines the impacts arising from neuroscience and mental health research over 20-25 years, focusing on schizophrenia. Identifies attributes of the research, researchers or setting associated with translation into patient benefit. Policy report.
Oct 28, 2013
Report
Mental Health Retrosight: Perspectives
Examines the impacts arising from neuroscience and mental health research over 20-25 years, focusing on schizophrenia. Identifies attributes of the research, researchers or setting associated with translation into patient benefit. Perspectives.
Oct 28, 2013
Report
Mental Health Retrosight: Case studies
Examines the impacts arising from neuroscience and mental health research over 20-25 years, focusing on schizophrenia. Identifies attributes of the research, researchers or setting associated with translation into patient benefit. Case studies.
Oct 28, 2013
Report
Maternal Depression: Implications for Systems Serving Mother and Child
RAND examined evidence on the impact of maternal depression as it relates to the public sector systems that serve mothers and children; specifically, public assistance, physical health, early intervention, education, and child welfare.
Aug 12, 2013
Journal Article
Predictors of Study Retention from a Multisite Study of Interventions for Children and Families Exposed to Violence
We examine predictors of retention (demographics, violence exposure, child mental health, caregiver demographics, and engagement in intervention) in a large multisite national study of interventions for children exposed to violence.
Aug 1, 2013
Journal Article
How Much Does "How Much" Matter? Assessing the Relationship Between Children's Lifetime Exposure to Violence and Trauma Symptoms, Behavior Problems, and Parenting Stress
The study explores whether and how lifetime violence exposure is related to a set of negative symptoms: child internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, child trauma symptoms, and parenting stress.
Apr 1, 2013
Research Brief
Improving Cross-System Care for Parental Depression and Early Childhood Developmental Delays
The Helping Families Raise Healthy Children initiative addressed depression among parents of children with early childhood developmental delays, aligning the early intervention and behavioral health systems with a focus on relationship-based care.
Mar 19, 2013
Report
Transforming Systems for Parental Depression and Early Childhood Developmental Delays: Findings and Lessons Learned from the Helping Families Raise Healthy Children Initiative
The Helping Families Raise Healthy Children initiative addressed depression among parents of children with early childhood developmental delays, aligning the early intervention and behavioral health systems with a focus on relationship-based care.
Mar 19, 2013
Journal Article
Assessing Programs Designed to Improve Outcomes for Children Exposed to Violence: Results from Nine Randomized Controlled Trials
The study tests whether participation in interventions offered by a subset of sites from the National Safe Start Promising Approaches for Children Exposed to Violence initiative improved outcomes for children relative to controls.
Feb 1, 2013
Journal Article
The Relationship Between Protective Factors and Outcomes for Children Exposed to Violence
In this study, we sought to test whether relationships exist between certain protective factors and subsequent adjustment and to examine whether violence re-exposure contributed to changes in outcomes over time.
2013
Report
Interventions to Reduce Mental Health Stigma and Discrimination: A Literature Review to Guide Evaluation of California's Mental Health Prevention and Early Intervention Initiative
A number of programs aim to reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness, and they can include a variety of components such as training, education, media campaigns, and contact with people with mental illness.
Dec 27, 2012
Tool
A Toolkit for Implementing Parental Depression Screening, Referral, and Treatment Across Systems
Early childhood developmental delays often co-occur with caregiver depression. This kit provides strategies for adding depression screening to early intervention systems and implementing relationship-based care focusing on parent-child relationships.
Dec 20, 2012
Journal Article
Enhancing Cross-System Collaboration for Caregivers at Risk for Depression
In the United States, many health care systems function independently from one another. Increasing coordination across systems has the potential to vastly improve services and patient outcomes, yet implementing these changes can be challenging, requiring increased communication, interaction, and coordination across systems that typically function independently.
Aug 1, 2012
Journal Article
Membership in the Context of Interdisciplinary Geriatric Research: Lessons Learned from the RAND/Hartford Program for Building Interdisciplinary Geriatric Health Care Research Centers
This article reports on research mentorship in the context of interdisciplinary geriatric research based on experiences with the RAND/Hartford Program for Building Interdisciplinary Geriatric Research Centers.
Aug 1, 2012
Draft
Mental Health Retrosight: Final report on Phase I
Aims to identify the long term payback from mental health research; identify factors that are associated with the successful translation of research; and make insights that will inform future funding policy.
Jun 28, 2012
Report
National Evaluation of Safe Start Promising Approaches: Assessing Program Outcomes
Shares the results of Safe Start Promising Approaches, a community-based initiative that implemented and evaluated promising and evidence-based programs to prevent and reduce the impact of children's exposure to violence in 15 U.S. program sites.
Jan 4, 2012
Journal Article
The Effects of Arkansas Master Settlement Spending on Disparities in Smoking
We assessed the effect of Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) spending on smoking disparities in Arkansas, which distinguished itself from other states by investing all of its MSA funds in health-related programs.
2012
Journal Article
An Examination of Measures Related to Children's Exposure to Violence for Use by Both Practitioners and Researchers
This review of measures to screen, assess, and track outcomes for exposure to violence among children identifies gaps in available measures and recommends establishing a centralized item bank accessible to researchers and practitioners.
2012
Journal Article
Developing Interdisciplinary Centers in Aging: Learning from the RAND/Hartford Building Interdisciplinary Geriatric Health Care Research Centers Initiative
The Building Interdisciplinary Geriatric Health Care Research Centers initiative created centers that brought together individuals from a wide range of disciplines and helped them collaborate to develop new projects or build on existing efforts.
Oct 1, 2011
Research Brief
Reducing the Impact of Children's Exposure to Violence: Results of the National Evaluation of Safe Start Promising Approaches
RAND's evaluation of Safe Start Promising Approaches identified program successes and challenges in implementing programs for children exposed to violence. The evaluation results, though largely inconclusive, can inform similar efforts going forward.
Sep 13, 2011
Report
National Evaluation of Safe Start Promising Approaches: Assessing Program Implementation
Documents the implementation of 15 programs across the country that provide interventions for families in which children have been exposed to violence, with the goal of building knowledge about the effectiveness of specific intervention strategies.
Jun 28, 2010
Research Brief
The Arkansas Tobacco Settlement Programs: The Impact of One State's Investment in the Health of its Residents
Summarizes results of RAND's evaluation of the progress and impact of Arkansas' antismoking and health programs established with its share of tobacco settlement funds.
Jun 23, 2010
Report
Building Bridges: Lessons from a Pittsburgh Partnership to Strengthen Systems of Care for Maternal Depression — Executive Summary
This document summarizes how and why the Allegheny County (Pa.) Maternal Depression Initiative was created, the processes through which it was implemented and evaluated, and the results and lessons learned.
Jun 18, 2010
Report
Building Bridges: Lessons from a Pittsburgh Partnership to Strengthen Systems of Care for Maternal Depression
This document describes how and why the Allegheny County (Pa.) Maternal Depression Initiative was created, the processes through which it was implemented and evaluated, and the results and lessons learned.
Jun 17, 2010
Report
Evaluation of the Arkansas Tobacco Settlement Program: Progress During 2008 and 2009
Updates RAND's evaluation of the antismoking and health programs established by the state of Arkansas with its share of the tobacco Master Settlement Agreement funds.
Jun 17, 2010
Report
Toolkit for Adapting Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) or Supporting Students Exposed to Trauma (SSET) for Implementation with Youth in Foster Care
Assists school-based mental health professionals, school personnel, and child welfare social workers in adapting two school-based interventions for use with youth in foster care who have symptoms of distress following exposure to trauma.
Jan 4, 2010
Journal Article
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Children's Health Research Portfolio
Describes and assesses the potential impact of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Qualitys childrens health activities and related publications.
2010
Journal Article
School Personnel Perspectives on Their School's Implementation of a School-Based Suicide Prevention Program
This study of a district-wide suicide prevention program found that schools whose implementation focused on at-risk students had better results.
2010
Periodical
RAND Review: Vol. 33, No. 2, Summer 2009
A section on U.S. health care reform accompanies features on piracy, education priorities, emerging technologies, and Arkansas antismoking programs; other stories discuss climate change, parolees, oil risks, Mexican security, and global drug policies.
Aug 17, 2009
Research Brief
The Socioeconomic, Health, Safety, and Education Disparities Faced by Boys and Men of Color in California
Discusses the large disparities between boys and men of color in California compared with their white counterparts across four broad domains -- socioeconomic, health, safety, and ready to learn.
Jan 27, 2009
Report
Reparable Harm: Assessing and Addressing Disparities Faced by Boys and Men of Color in California, Executive Summary
The summary discusses some of the greatest socioeconomic, health, safety, and school readiness disparities for boys and men of color in California and reviews strategies to reduce disparities, including effective programs, practices, and policies.
Jan 4, 2009
Report
Reparable Harm: Assessing and Addressing Disparities Faced by Boys and Men of Color in California
The study identifies some of the greatest socioeconomic, health, safety, and school readiness disparities for boys and men of color in California and reviews strategies to reduce the disparities, including effective programs, practices, and policies.
Jan 4, 2009
Journal Article
The Relationship Between Protective Factors and Outcomes for Children Investigated for Maltreatment
Well developed social and problem solving skills, greater ability to adapt, and positive peer relationships help to protect some children from the harmful consequences of being mistreated.
2009
Report
Evaluation of the Arkansas Tobacco Settlement Program: Progress During 2006 and 2007
Updates RAND's evaluation of the antismoking and health programs established by the state of Arkansas with its share of the tobacco Master Settlement Agreement funds.
Dec 21, 2008
Journal Article
Advancing Institutional Efforts to Support Research Mentorship: A Conceptual Framework and Self-Assessment Tool
Describes how institutions can shape the key domains of research mentorship, including selection criteria, faculty incentives, relationship facilitators, responsible research conduct, and professional development. Provides a framework and example.
2008
Journal Article
Fear in Adolescent Dating Relationships
Fearful and aversive dating situations are common in adolescent dating relationships. As teens move along the continuum from friendships to romantic involvement, both boys and girls experience may aggressive and coercive behaviors.
2008
Draft
Evaluation of AHRQ's Children's Health Activities: Final Report
Discusses a conceptual framework developed to assess the contribution of the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to children's health.
Jan 19, 2007
Journal Article
RAND/Hartford Initiative to Build Interdisciplinary Geriatric Health Care Research Centers
A RAND/John A. Hartford Foundation initiative, Building Interdisciplinary Geriatric Health Care Research Centers, seeks to promote such research through developing innovative clinical and health services interventions. Interdisciplinary education, mentoring, and training opportunities, particularly for junior investigators, are the critical components necessary to foster multiprofessional research endeavors.
2007
Report
Process Evaluation of Project Public Health Ready Phase 2
Evaluates Project Public Health Ready (PPHR), a voluntary recognition program that aims to prepare the staff of local public health agencies to respond and protect the public's health, to find that PPHR had a positive impact on preparedness.
Apr 3, 2006
Draft
Evaluation of the Arkansas Tobacco Settlement Program: Program Advancement in 2005
The Tobacco Settlement Proceeds Act, a referendum passed by Arkansans in the Settlement Agreement funds in seven health-related programs. The act also created the Arkansas Tobacco Settlement Commission (ATSC) to monitor and evaluate the performance o...
Oct 10, 2005
Draft
Evaluation of the Arkansas Tobacco Settlement Program: Program Advancement in 2005
The Tobacco Settlement Proceeds Act, a referendum passed by Arkansans in the Settlement Agreement funds in seven health-related programs. The act also created the Arkansas Tobacco Settlement Commission (ATSC) to monitor and evaluate the performance o...
Oct 10, 2005