Evaluate Existing Programming for People Across the Lifespan.

Prior to completing this discussion, please read Chapter 19 from the Lerner (2002) e-book and the review the list of programs included in the Federal Program Inventory published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2013) required for this week.

For this discussion, you will take on the role of a developmental psychologist reviewing an existing program to assess the program's efficacy for the developmental stage(s) of the target audiences identified. Using the Federal Program Inventory as a guide, search for a human services program at work either in your local area or online.

Find a program of interest to you that serves the need(s) of a specific population of individuals. You may want to refer to the Program Proposal Tracks and Topics in Developmental Psychology document for ideas on the types of programs to look for in your search.

For your initial post, create a brief summary of the program's details that includes the information below.

Program title

The program's purpose

Who the program serves, including age group, gender(s), race(s), cultures(s), and any special groups identified (veterans, people with disabilities, dog owners, etc.)

Program location

Agency/group running the program

When (or how often) the program takes place

You will then evaluate the elements of the program and the effectiveness of these elements for individuals and/or the community it serves.

Explain human development in the context of current trends by evaluating the program through the lens of developmental psychology.

Examine the application of developmental theory and research to policy and community agency as they are utilized in this program

How is the program appropriate for the targeted population, and why?

Are there any ways in which the program is not appropriate? If so, explain how the program or the population could be adjusted.

Are people able to easily find and get to the location? Is it accessible to the specific groups for whom the program is intended?

Is there a cost associated with the program? Is the cost appropriate, given the target population and expected outcomes? Why, or why not?

Which domains of development (physical, cognitive, and/or psychosocial) are emphasized by this program? How are these emphasized?

Could skills within other domains of development be incorporated into this program? Make recommendations as to how these might be included.

Is the program implementation (how often is it offered and what occurs each time) effective in promoting its purpose and achieving its goals? If so, how? If not, what suggestions would you make for improvement?

Analyze ethical considerations related developmental psychology within the program. Does the program appear to follow a moral and ethical code when working with people? If so, how? If not, what does the program need to address immediately?