Current Work
Our projects involve outreach across the state and nation as we engage with partners to collect data for research designed to inform decisions and actions. Some of our high profile partners include Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services and Maine’s Department of Highway Safety.
You may encounter members of the research team conducting surveys, interviewing citizens, or recording observations across local communities.
If you have been contacted or have questions about any study being conducted by the Catherine Cutler Institute’s Survey Research Center, please contact us: Phone: (207) 228-8012 or email: src@maine.edu
If you have questions about being a survey participant or your privacy, please scroll down or click to jump to our privacy guidelines and survey respondent FAQs.
2024 Projects
Children’s Health Insurance Program Survey 2024
The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Survey is a confidential, voluntary, telephone survey that is conducted annually by the Survey Research Center telephone interviewers on behalf of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.
The CHIP survey is a tool used for collecting standardized information on enrollees’ experiences with health plans and their services. A version of this survey is conducted in almost every state in the United States and is designed to measure the experiences of parents whose children are enrolled in a Medicaid program (e.g., MaineCare), which provides no-cost or low-cost health coverage for eligible children.
Survey results will be used to identify the strengths and weaknesses of health plans from parents’ perspectives in order to target areas for improvement.
If you would like to verify the CHIP survey with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, please contact the CHIP Outreach Coordinator, Sarah Fisher: at (207) 624-4096 or by email: sarah.fisher@maine.gov
Maine Audubon Member Survey 2024
This survey for Maine Audubon members and supporters is intended to help guide Maine Audubon’s priorities and help the organization make decisions about their advocacy work, educational programs, and conservation activities. This mixed-method survey will be analyzed by the SRC and presented to Maine Audubon later this year.
Assuring Small Dairy Farm Sustainability Through Data-Driven Education and Technical Assistance Programs 2024
This USDA-funded research project is being conducted by Atlantic Corporation, a small research and development company committed to the success of small farms across the country. This initiative is aimed at strengthening education and outreach programs tailored to meet the needs of dairy farms throughout the United States.
Using Critical Incident Videos to Address Nursing Faculty Challenges of Teaching in Prelicensure Nursing Programs: A National Pilot Study
Principal Investigators: Cynthia Randall, DNP, RN, CHSE and Carla Randall, PhD, RN, CNE
The purpose of this longitudinal study is to evaluate the usefulness of Critical Incident Videos (CIVs) to address common teaching challenges encountered by nurse educators in classroom, online teaching, clinical, and lab/simulation settings. CIVs are short, unresolved videos (less than 2 minutes in length) that reflect the complexities of teaching practice in the form of challenging interactions with nursing students and staff RNs. This study involves the collection of data at the time of intervention, 6 months, and again at 1 year. The data from this study will be analyzed by Survey Research Center analysts.
2022 and 2023 Projects
Maine State Plan on Aging (SPOA) Needs Assessment 2023
This study comprises a statewide survey of older adults, a survey of caregivers, public listening sessions, focus groups, and key informant interviews. Topics addressed in the study include healthcare, food and nutrition, housing, transportation, receiving and giving care, safety, and socialization. The Survey Research Center is conducting the two surveys by mail, online, and via telephone interviews. The information collected from all aspects of the study will be used to develop the next Maine State Plan on Aging. This plan outlines goals, objectives, strategies, and performance standards for Older Americans Act federal fundings for aging-related services and programs.
New Mexico Crime Victimization Survey 2023
This study is being conducted in partnership with the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs (NMCSAP) and American Indian Development Associates (AIDA). The SRC is conducting a survey of New Mexico residents, including those on tribal lands, in order to gain a better understanding of sexual assault as well as other crimes that take place within the state of New Mexico. The data gathered by this survey will be analyzed by the SRC to help NMCSAP improve services for victims of crimes. The survey is being distributed by mail and text message.
Maine Seat Belt Use 2023
This observational study was prepared for the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety (MeBHS) and is conducted each year by the state of Maine. All studies conducted from 2003 on have been conducted by USM’s Survey Research Center. The findings from these studies are the official measure of seat belt use in Maine and are used in the annual highway safety plans submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which are used to determine funding.
Maine Distracted Driving 2023
This observational study was conducted for the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety (MeBHS). The SRC has conducted distracted driving surveys since 2018 (except 2020, due to COVID) to examine the impact of enforcement on driver cell phone use using methods developed for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Maine Driver Awareness Survey 2023
This written survey of Maine drivers has been conducted annually for a number of years and is intended to measure drivers’ awareness of and adherence to seat belt, speeding, and impaired driving laws and to measure the frequency of talking and texting with a handheld cell phone while driving.The findings from this report are intended to help the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety (MeBHS) focus its efforts to achieve greater safety on Maine’s roadways.
Child Safety Restraint Use in Maine 2023
This observational study was conducted for the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety (MeBHS). The SRC has conducted child safety restraint use surveys in 2007 and 2015, and again this year to explore changes in usage from previous years and identify related factors to non-use of restraints.
Maine Crime Victimization Survey 2022
The 2022 MCVS is the fourth crime victimization survey the Catherine Cutler Institute has conducted for the state of Maine over the last 20 years. The survey is patterned after the National Crime Victimization Survey and is designed to gather data about respondents’ experiences with various crimes over the previous 12 months, including crimes that were not reported to law enforcement, as well as demographic characteristics of respondents.
This survey was distributed by mail to 12,000 Maine residents and was available through online links in five additional language translations. Compiled data were analyzed by the SRC and presented to sponsors (DHHS and MECASA), and the written report won the Justice Information Resource Network’s 2022 Douglas Yearwood Award.
Maine Audubon Brand Awareness Survey 2022
This is a public opinion survey conducted by the Survey Research Center on behalf of Maine Audubon. The survey was intended to gauge Maine residents’ level of awareness of Maine Audubon and its mission and to learn about their environmental priorities. Ultimately it is hoped that the findings will contribute to the organization’s mission to conserve Maine wildlife and wildlife habitat.
Survey Research Center Privacy Guidelines
Overview
The University of Southern Maine’s Survey Research Center’s privacy statement recognizes the value of privacy of the university community members, its stakeholders, and research participants.
In addition to the University of Maine System Privacy Policy, this unit-level privacy policy provides more specific information on how the Survey Research Center collects and processes your personal information.
Privacy for Study Participants
All of the research methods used by the Survey Research Center (SRC) are designed to ensure that your confidentiality is protected at each stage of the research—from data collection to public dissemination. Thorough safeguards are built into everything we do, and all employees who work for our organization sign a Confidentiality Agreement to adhere to these procedures and safeguards. In addition, all employees complete a certification course with a focus on the protection of human subjects via the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI Program).
Opting Out of a Study
Respondents have the right to refuse to participate in any survey without consequence and have the right to refuse to answer questions.
- You can change email and communication preferences by clicking on the Unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email from us.
- You can opt out of text message campaigns by replying “STOP” to any text message you receive from us.
- You can be taken off phone lists by calling the SRC at 888-850-2266.
- You can be removed from mailing lists by calling the SRC at 888-850-2266.
How Information Is Secured
The SRC recognizes the importance of maintaining the security of the information it collects and maintains, and we endeavor to protect information from unauthorized access and damage. The SRC strives to ensure reasonable security measures are in place, including physical, administrative, and technical safeguards to protect your personal information. Any personally identifying information is stored on a secure server accessible only to authorized researchers.
How Information Is Disseminated
The SRC recognizes the importance of maintaining the confidentiality of study participants. Data from telephone, online, mail, and text message surveys is reported only in aggregate form, meaning that individual responses are not reported, and responses cannot be connected back to the individual. The data collected is used solely for research purposes and personal information will not be sold or otherwise shared.
Who to Contact with Questions or Concerns
If you have any concerns or questions about how your personal data is used, please contact:
University of Southern Maine
Office of Research Integrity and Outreach
126 Bedford St.
Portland, ME 04104
Email: usmorio@maine.edu
Phone: 207-780-4517
Survey Respondents Frequently Asked Questions
WHY AM I GETTING CALLS OR TEXTS?
You or your household have been selected to participate in a survey being conducted by the University of Southern Maine’s Survey Research Center (SRC). Each year, the SRC conducts several public opinion polls and surveys covering a wide range of topics. If you wish to participate in the survey, you can simply wait for another call or text from our call center or call the toll-free number, 888-850-2266, to let us know when a good time would be to call you.
HOW DID YOU GET MY PHONE NUMBER?
For most surveys, the sample is provided to us from third parties, including the State of Maine Departments, non-profit entities, etc. The Survey Research Center will only use this information to send invitations to participate in our research.
I’M ON THE “DO NOT CALL” LIST; WHY AM I STILL GETTING CALLS OR TEXTS?
The “Do Not Call” List applies to companies trying to market products to consumers. We are calling for public opinion and social research surveys and are not marketing any products. To opt out of a text message survey campaign, please reply STOP to the initial invitation.
WHY DO YOU KEEP CALLING ME AFTER I TOLD YOU I DON’T WANT TO PARTICIPATE?
Initial refusals are called again to verify that you do not want to participate in our survey. Sometimes people refuse because our initial attempt occurs at an inconvenient time. Other times we do not get the opportunity to talk to the randomly selected respondent. It is important to verify that the randomly selected adult does not want to participate.
HOW CAN I KNOW I AM BEING ASKED TO PARTICIPATE IN A LEGITIMATE SURVEY?
The University of Southern Maine’s Survey Research Center has been conducting surveys since 1987. Our interviewers will state that they are calling on the behalf of the University of Southern Maine. All interviewers have been trained according to the protocols specified by the USM Institutional Review Board for the protection of human subjects. The research projects we are currently working on are described in the ‘Our Work – Current Projects’ tab of this website.
DO I HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SURVEY?
Survey participation is voluntary. Participation by those randomly selected for the survey is very important to accurately represent the survey population. However, we cannot select anyone else in your household to replace you if you were selected and do not participate, which may mean that adults like you are underrepresented in the results. By participating, you perform a valuable public service for your family, community, and state.
CAN I CALL YOU TO DO THE SURVEY AT MY CONVENIENCE?
Yes. Our call center has a toll-free number, 888-850-2266, that you can call anytime. Please leave your name and phone number (and survey ID if you have been provided one) and let us know when a good time would be to call you.
WILL YOU BE COLLECTING ANY PERSONAL INFORMATION?
We will not collect any personal information that may identify you (e.g., last name, address, birthday, etc.). Question topics range from politics to healthcare to public opinion issues facing the state or country. At the end of the survey there are often questions that ask about demographic information (e.g., age, education, town, etc.). You can always skip any question that you think is too personal or state that you have no opinion on it.
WILL MY INFORMATION BE RELEASED PUBLICLY?
Absolutely not! There is no personally identifiable information associated with each respondent’s answers. A fundamental principle of our surveys is protecting the confidentiality of the respondent’s answers. Answers to questions are aggregated, which means that no one individual’s data can be traced back to a particular person. Even the telephone number called is not included in the dataset so that answers cannot be connected to a specific person or telephone number.
WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE ANSWERS/RESULTS/DATA?
Answers from surveys are used to better understand the topics and issues researched. The results of most studies are made available to the public on the Survey Research Center website on the ‘Our Work – Case Studies’ tab. All data collected is used solely for research purposes and personal information will not be sold or otherwise shared.