Brian Leidy
Research Associate,Sr
2008
FLDC

Web Bio Page

Current Activities

Current Professional Activities
I am the Co-PI and Evaluation Manager for the Military Projects in the Family Life Development Center. This work includes evaluation of prevention, education, and treatment programs provided by Army Community Services in the United States Army. Army Community Services provides financial management services, employment services, relocation services, deployment support services, services for exceptional family members, child safety, child maltreatment, intimate violence, sexual assault prevention and response, volunteer, and community cohesion and development services. I routinely assist local installation staff in their data collection efforts for needs assessment in preparation for accreditation and prepare evaluation reports as requested by Army Headquarters for different Army Community Services program areas.

I also provide program evaluation consultation and training to a variety of projects and programs within and outside the Family Life Development Center. My background includes working as a Senior Extension Associate at Cornell developing curriculum and providing training to adult protective service supervisors and adult home administrators. Prior to working at Cornell, I worked as a child protective services caseworker and supervisor, and directed a public child welfare agency. I also administered day treatment and partial hospitalization programs for children and youth. My most recent publications concern the evaluation of Therapeutic Crisis Intervention, a program to prevent and de-escalate crisis situations in residential childcare settings.

Current Research Activities
During the last year I have provided leadership for the team evaluating the role of family service programs in the US Army's reset initiative. The reset initiative is designed to expedite units that are deployed through the redeployment and reintegration phases and into the training and preparation phase for subsequent deployment.

I designed and help lead the evaluation of the US Army, Army National Guard, and Army Reserve integrated family services network initiative. This initiative was designed to assure that soldiers and families receive the services they need when they need them regardless of their component or geographic location.

I am currently evaluating two virtual worlds games designed to help young soldiers develop financial management skills and general life skills.

Current Extension Activities
I provide leadership for staff providing technical support and assistance to local installations in the completion of a needs assessment survey of their communities regarding the need for services, the use of services, and the barriers to using services. This activity also includes data analysis, and report writing for each installation in preparation for their accreditation process.

I am currently assisting the many ACS programs (financial management services, employment services, relocation services, deployment support services, services for exceptional family members, child safety, child maltreatment, intimate violence, sexual assault prevention and response, volunteer, and community cohesion and development services) in the development of monitoring and evaluation systems. Some examples of this work include:
• I attended a conference held to establish the Survivor Outreach Services (SOS) program for the survivors of fallen soldiers held in Washington, DC where I lead the session developing metrics for evaluation and accreditation standards for the newly created program.
• I lead a session at the Soldier and Family Assistance Centers (SFAC) program directors conference in Orlando. FL where a logic model for evaluation, accreditation standards, and common levels of support was developed.
• I lead a session on outcome metrics at Army Community Services Directors Conference in Louisville, KY
• I presented the evaluation plan for the Army Integrated Family Service Network conferences held in Portland, OR, Chapel Hill, NC, and Orlando, FL

I also provided administrative oversight for the development, production, and distribution of a variety of educational and resource materials including:

• OPERATION READY materials for soldiers who are deploying and their family members, including National Guard and Army Reserve soldiers and families.
o TRAUMA IN THE UNIT TRAINING
o FAMILY READINESS SUPPORT ASSISTANT (FRSA) TRAINING
o PRE-DEPLOYMENT TRAINING.
o DEPLOYMENT SUPPORT: CHILDREN AND YOUTH TRAINING
o FAMILY ASSISTANCE CENTERS
o REINTEGRATION TRAINING (post deployment phase when Soldiers and Family members reunite)
o DEPLOYMENT READINESS FOR CIVILIANS (handbook for deployed Civilians and their Family members describing deployment cycle support)
o SMARTBOOK - a resource that includes handouts and/or other reference materials that comprise all the Operation READY training materials.
• US Army Family Advocacy Program (FAP) training materials were developed, and distributed to support Army social workers and other professionals who work in prevention of child abuse and domestic abuse.
o PREVENTION GUIDELINES COMPUTER–BASED TRAINING (CBT) was revised and transferred to a computer-based training program for FAP managers.
o COMMANDERS INFORMATION GUIDE the Army Family Advocacy Program Commander’s Desk Guide was revised and distributed.
o HOME VISITATATON continued development includes research-based materials on specialty topics, to be designed as a computer-based training for the Army's New Parent Support Program-Home Visitation home visitors.


Biography

Biographical Statement
Brian D. Leidy, Ph.D. is a Senior Research Associate for the Family Life Development Center in the New York State College of Human Ecology at Cornell University. His main activities at the Center include program evaluation, consultation, and training to a variety of projects and programs within and outside the Center. Prior to coming to Cornell, he worked extensively in public child welfare and mental health programs. His current areas of interests include program evaluation and violence prevention programs in family, community, and institutional settings.

Administrative Responsibilities
Co-P.I. Military Projects