The Minnesota Runaway Intervention Project (RIP) provided health care, intensive support and life skill development for young runaway girls (aged 10 to 15) who had been or were at risk of being sexually assaulted or exploited. The aim of the program was to help girls heal from trauma and rebuild self-esteem and connectedness to family and school. The research project evaluated the program since 2006, conducting a longitudinal study of health outcomes for participants, and tracking the perspectives of their families and community agencies involved in the program.
Principal Investigator: Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc (evaluation), and Kate Richtmann
Co-Investigators: Laurel Edinburgh and Emily Huehman
Funded by the U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), via Minnesota Dept. of Public Safety under the grant “Minnesota Runaway Intervention Program”, 2006-7 (renewed annually 2008-2013; renewed for evaluations only in 2014-2015, and 2016-2020)
