Bridging Risk Assessments to Case Planning: Development and Evaluation of an Intervention-Planning Tool for Adolescents on Probation

Abstract

Even though risk assessment tools are often intended to inform case planning, they do not provide much direct guidance. As such, we developed an intervention-planning tool called the Adolescent Risk Reduction and Resilient Outcomes Work-Plan (ARROW) to accompany the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth. The ARROW includes a decision support system, guide, and training, and is one of the first tools of its kind. To evaluate the ARROW, we conducted two studies: (a) a vignette study with 178 professionals and (b) a field study with 320 propensity-score matched adolescents. Most professionals (>98%) rated the ARROW as useful. Moreover, compared with (a) unstructured plans and (b) a simple form, ARROW plans were more likely to include supported interventions, adhere to best practices, and integrate culturally tailored approaches for Indigenous adolescents. Formulations also showed improvements. However, further research is needed on strategies to bridge risk assessment and risk management.