Research Scientist 
melanie.ferris@wilder.org

Melanie works on a broad range of projects, including evaluations and research with programs and initiatives focused on children’s mental health, substance use, and health promotion.  In her work with clients, she designs program evaluations involving appropriate qualitative and quantitative data collection methods, reports evaluation results, and assists programs in using evaluation results to guide program improvement.

Before joining Wilder Research, Melanie worked for the National Alliance on Mental Illness informing legislators on mental health issues, and as a case coordinator for adults with developmental disabilities and mental illness.  Outside of her work at Wilder Research, she is an active member of the Minnesota Public Health Association and chairs the organization’s Policy and Advocacy Committee.

Melanie has a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, and a B.A. in biology from Macalester College.

Recent projects

• Evaluating the Our Children Succeed Initiative, a six-county children’s mental health system of care in northwest Minnesota funded by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
• Coordinating evaluation activities, including data collection activities to assess program effectiveness and level of collaboration across agencies, for the Children’s Mental Health Collaboratives in Ramsey and Hennepin Counties.
• Conducting a community needs assessment to select appropriate obesity and tobacco prevention interventions in Carver and Scott counties, as part of their Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP) initiative.
• Examining the perceptions of caregivers regarding early childhood obesity prevention strategies in Dakota County.
• Studying the accuracy and usefulness of a DWI screening instrument used by the Ramsey County Corrections Department.
• Leading an evaluation of a corrections-based stimulant abuse treatment and recovery program in Olmsted County.

Report examples