Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Below are some Frequently Asked Questions and their responses.

• What are the benefits of HARC membership?

  There are several benefits of being a HARC member – our monthly Newsletter, invitation to HARC’s annual meeting, and opportunities to participate in research studies, to be among the first to learn about research findings from HARC studies, and to propose research studies.

• What do you do with the enrollment survey information?

  We will use the enrollment survey information to create summary reports about our HARC members.  We will also use your contact information to send you our monthly newsletter and contact you about upcoming research opportunities that may be of interest. We may occasionally send you other timely emails that cannot wait for the newsletter, but we keep those to a minimum. Enrollment surveys can be found on the Join the Network page here.

• What types of studies has HARC helped facilitate?

  Members of our network initiate studies each year that engage the PBRN. Studies range from simple surveys to those with more complex designs, such as piloting new measures or testing interventions to improve practice.
  
  

  HARC members have participated in research on a variety of topics including:
  
  

  • the transition to virtual services during the COVID-19 pandemic;

  • parent engagement;

  • home visiting program readiness to service military families with young children; and

  • coordination between home visiting programs and the medical home.
  
  

  We worked with home visiting programs from our network to create an online toolkit to help home visitors learn, identify, practice and apply strategies to promote responsive partnership with families.
  
  

  For a full list of research briefs describing network studies, please click here.

• How do I hear about HARC studies?

  Once you enroll, you will be placed on our mailing list. We send a newsletter every other month and make other periodic announcements of interest to our community. If a research study is looking for partners or participants, you may also receive emails providing more information about the study once it has been approved by our HARC Council.

• Do I have to participate in studies to be a HARC member?

  No! All research participation is voluntary. If you get an invitation to learn more about a study, it is up to you regarding whether or not you or your program would like to participate. Our only requirement is that you complete the initial enrollment survey and annual updates to make sure our information about our members is accurate.

• How do I hear about study results?

  We will share a short brief about study results shortly after the study ends. We will also continue to share updated results in our monthly newsletter and on our website. You can see a full list of all research briefs about network studies here.

• How else can I get involved?

  HARC is launching its new phase of operations which includes additional opportunities for HARC members to participate in our activities and interact with peers. One of the first of these are Special Interest Groups (SIGs). SIGs will provide a place for HARC members with similar interests to connect, and share ideas, activities, development opportunities and research methods, and propose collaborative projects. More information about SIGs is in the enrollment surveys, and on the SIGs page here. HARC members can also attend the annual meeting, and apply to participate on our Council (reviewing potential home visiting studies that want to use our network).

• I have an idea for a study!

  Great! We have a short form for you to use to describe your proposed research. Once we receive it, our HARC Council will review it and send you feedback. When the study is approved, our coordinators will work closely with you to carry out the study with our members.

• I have an idea for a study but I am not a researcher and am not sure where to begin?

  Talk to us! We would be happy to review your idea and think about what steps are needed to move it to a formal proposal. We may, if you are interested, connect you with researchers who may be willing to collaborate with you on the project. You can always reach out to Kay O’Neill, HARC Coordinator (koneill@jhu.edu) or Jon Korfmacher, HARC Council Chair (jkorfmacher@chapinhall.org).