Welcome to the Research site for Seven Counties Services, Inc. Here, you will gain valuable information about conducting research in our organization:

Instructions for Submitting a Research Proposal for Review

• IRB General Information Sheet
• Research Description Form for IRM Review
• Documentation of Informed Consent
• Description of Requirements for Research Involving Children

You also may down load a "submission form" that is formatted in Microsoft Word.

Please take a few minutes to review the information on this website to help you decide if your research proposal is appropriate for submission.

Seven Counties Services, Inc. is committed to research that advances knowledge and practice in the areas of mental health, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse. Our internal procedure calls for two independent reviews of each proposal. The reviews may recommend approval; approval with recommendations; or may reject a proposed research project. The independent reviewers are trained to examine proposals for methodological soundness; safety and protection of the rights of our consumers and staff; and compliance with all HIPPA regulations. The approval process usually takes about three weeks.

All submissions that have been reviewed by another IRB, whether from a university or grant-funded organization, should include a copy of the findings and letter of disposition from that review as accompanying materials. This can sometimes expedite our process; however, it should be understood that Seven Counties Services, Inc. will examine proposals with the additional responsibility of judging the impact of the study on our organization.

We do require an internal sponsor for all research projects. A letter from the appropriate Division Director should accompany your proposal. If this is also a student project, our IRB also requires a letter of endorsement from the faculty sponsor. Upon completion of your research project, we require a summary of your results and finding for our file. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact the chair of our IRB, Ron Van Treuren, Ph.D. His email address is: rvantreu@sevencounties.org, or you may reach him by phone: 502-454-6343.