Abstract
Benefit-cost analysis (BCA) and related economic evaluation methods (cost analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis) have increasingly been applied to prevention and intervention programs for youth and young adults to assess their costs as well as the gains that may be anticipated from investing in these programs. This work reflects in part the growing prominence of evidence-based programs, policies, and practices as well as evidence-informed decision making. The papers included in this special issue represent a range of topics and issues, including the need for accurate and comprehensive assessment of program costs, high-quality BCAs of prevention and intervention programs, increasing recognition of the importance of monetizing noncognitive outcomes, and the role of BCA in pay for success financing arrangements. This introduction (a) describes the evidence-based context in which this work plays a role, (b) summarizes the practical and theoretical contributions of the papers, and (c) identifies the common themes.
Highlights
The decision to devote an entire issue of the Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis to prevention and intervention programs for youth and young adults reflects intersection of the economic evaluation and social program fields over the past two decades
From relatively early assessments of the benefits of high-quality preschool in relation to costs (Barnett, 1996; Masse and Barnett, 2002; Karoly, Kilburn & Cannon, 2006), Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) published in peer-reviewed journals extend to a wide range of social programs
The papers included in this volume represent a range of topics and issues relevant to BCAs of prevention and intervention programs for youth and young adults: accurate and comprehensive assessment of program costs (Long, Brown, Jones, Aber & Yates, 2015), high-quality BCAs of intervention programs (Bowden & Belfield, 2015; Cohen & Piquero, 2015), increasing recognition of the importance of monetizing noncognitive outcomes (Jones, Karoly, Crowley & Greenberg, 2015; Belfield et al, 2015), and the role of BCA in pay for success (PFS) financing arrangements (Temple & Reynolds, 2015)
Summary
The decision to devote an entire issue of the Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis to prevention and intervention programs for youth and young adults reflects intersection of the economic evaluation and social program fields over the past two decades. Several states have passed legislation tying funding to the use of evidence-based approaches (Tanenbaum, 2005; Trupin & Kerns, 2015; Washington State Institute for Public Policy, 2013) As another example, the United States Preventive Services Task Force makes recommendations for clinical services based on whether available evidence of net benefit to patients is strong (Siu, Bibbins-Domingo & Grossman, 2015). Through the Results First Initiative funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts and the MacArthur Foundation (Results First Clearinghouse Database, 2015; White & VanLandingham, 2015), consultants are expanding the role of benefit-cost analysis in state investment and policy decisions They are working with 21 states to translate the WSIPP model and software tool to their specific state context.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
