Essential Service 9 - Evaluate Health Services

Community Health Institute/JSI • 501 South Street, 2nd Floor • Bow, NH 03304 • P:603-573-3300 • F:603-573-3301
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Essential Service 9 - Evaluate Health Services

Evaluate effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of personal and population-based health services

NH Center for Excellence

The NH Center for Excellence is a technical assistance center for best practices in alcohol and other drug services. The underlying principles that guide the Center include the use of data to guide best practices; the importance of both uniformity and autonomy in cultivating systems change; and the integration of shared learning and improvement science to improve outcomes.

Creating Positive Change Coalition (CPC) Program Evaluation

Community Health Institute/JSI (CHI/JSI) conducted a program evaluation for Creating Positive Change (CPC). CPC activities and efforts strive to promote teen progress toward resilience asset acquisition and the empowerment of parents of teens through concerted efforts of outreach, education and raising community awareness of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) issues. CHI/JSI’s evaluation activities revolved around four core components: Youth Outreach; Parent Outreach; Media Education; and Coalition Capacity Building. Through a combination of process, qualitative and quantitative data collection efforts CHI/JSI evaluated the outputs, outcomes and impact of CPC activities. Evaluation activities included: development of an evaluation plan, survey tool design, data base support and training, conduct focus groups, conduct an age-appropriate annual teen satisfaction and attitudinal survey, and conduct family functioning surveys.

Family Planning Teen Pregnancy Prevention Curriculum Evaluation Project

Community Health Institute/JSI (CHI/JSI) worked with the NH Family Planning Program to conduct an evaluation of the impact of three evidence−based teen pregnancy prevention curricula: Reducing the Risk (RTR), Making a Difference (MAD), and Making Proud Choices (MPC). The goal of the evaluation was to determine whether these curricula had similar impacts on New Hampshire teens' knowledge and skills to reduce their risk of pregnancy, HIV, and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The evaluation also measured the degree of fidelity with which these programs could be offered in New Hampshire. The evaluation was conducted over 2 years of curriculum implementation and included:
• Development of a logic model to guide the evaluation process;
• Identification of indicators, intervention sites, data collection methods and study methodology;
• Development of questionnaires and tools;
• Data collection, management and analysis in SPSS;
• Preparation, presentation, and submission of final report.

Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) State Incentive Grant (SIG) Region J Evaluation

Community Health Institute/JSI (CHI/JSI) provided assessment and evaluation, training, technical assistance, data analysis, and data profiles for a state-defined region to plan for and implement evidence-based strategies to prevent and reduce alcohol use and abuse among 12 to 17 year olds. The regional initiative is part of a state-wide Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) funded by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration that engages communities in a five step process to assess, build capacity for, plan, implement and evaluate strategies to reduce high risk alcohol consumption and its harmful consequence. The assessment phase is founded on the principles of community-based participatory research and involves one hundred one-on-one interviews, community readiness surveys, environmental scans, risk behavior data and other community-level indicator data. Key findings from the assessment phase will drive community-level planning and funding decisions for evidence-based interventions to increase protective factors and reduce risk factors for the target age groups. These indicators will be measured over time to evaluate the effectiveness of the SPF process. The New Hampshire communities assessed are Atkinson, Brentwood, Chester, Danville, Derry, East Kingston, Epping, Exeter, Fremont, Hampton, Hampton Falls, Hampstead, Kensington, Kingston, Londonderry, Newfields, Newmarket, Newton, North Hampton, Pelham, Plaistow, Raymond, Salem, Sandown, Seabrook, South Hampton, Stratham, and Windham.

Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) State Incentive Grant (SIG) Region F Evaluation

Community Health Institute/JSI (CHI/JSI) provided assessment and evaluation, training, technical assistance, data analysis, and data profiles for a state-defined region to plan for and implement evidence-based strategies to prevent and reduce alcohol use and abuse among 12 to 17 year olds. The regional initiative is part of a state-wide Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) funded by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration that engages communities in a five step process to assess, build capacity for, plan, implement and evaluate strategies to reduce high risk alcohol consumption and its harmful consequence. The assessment phase is founded on the principles of community-based participatory research and involves one hundred one-on-one interviews, community readiness surveys, environmental scans, risk behavior data and other community-level indicator data. Key findings from the assessment phase will drive community-level planning and funding decisions for evidence-based interventions to increase protective factors and reduce risk factors for the target age groups. These indicators will be measured over time to evaluate the effectiveness of the SPF process. The New Hampshire communities assessed are Barrington, Dover, Durham, Farmington, Greenland, Lee, Madbury, Middleton, Milton, New Castle, Newington, Northwood, Nottingham, Portsmouth, Rochester, Rollinsford, Rye, Somersworth, Strafford, and Wakefield.

Evaluation of the New Hampshire Incentive Program for Youth Substance Abuse Prevention

Community Health Institute/JSI (CHI/JSI) designed and implemented an evaluation of 12 community coalitions funded under the State Incentive Program (SIG) to implement evidence-based models of substance abuse prevention with youth. CHI/JSI served as local evaluator liaisons for each of the 12 funded coalitions and assessed the capacity of each coalition to implement an evaluation of prevention interventions. Individual site evaluation plans were developed for each SIG coalition in collaboration with a site coordinator. Activities were coordinated with the Statewide Evaluation Team from the Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center. As part of this evaluation, CHI/JSI staff also assisted the New Hampshire Department of Education with the logistics of the statewide Youth Risk Behavior Survey and worked with selected schools on a voluntary basis to implement a full survey of their student populations.

Family Planning Data System Management and Operational Support

Community Health Institute/JSI (CHI/JSI) managed the design, development, implementation, and ongoing management and operational support of a regional data management system supporting health information exchange (HIE) for over 250 healthcare provider sites across New England for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Region I Office of Family Planning. CHI/JSI established and chairs the Regional Data Committee which serves as the Regional Health Information Organization (RHIO) which is comprised of grantee and regional leadership staff. With CHI/JSI's guidance, the Data Committee created a set of functional and operational requirements to meet both existing federal, regional, and state data reporting needs. These requirements served as the functional specifications for the system. CHI/JSI used these specifications to support system design, development, and implementation efforts.

Evaluation of the Cancer Society’s Triple Touch Program

Community Health Institute/JSI (CHI/JSI) evaluated the American Cancer Society's (ACS) Triple Touch program, a volunteer-driven program run by volunteer unit coordinators, trainers, and instructors. Triple Touch recruits and trains volunteer instructors to reach women, both individually and in group settings, about breast health. CHI/JSI developed a pre/post presentation survey for participants administered by Triple Touch instructors. The survey asked respondents questions about their knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs about breast health before and immediately following the Triple Touch intervention. In order to assess instructor activity and feedback on the Triple Touch program, CHI/JSI developed a volunteer instructor survey. To identify program-level factors affecting Triple Touch successes and challenges, CHI/JSI conducted key informant telephone interviews with five key Triple Touch program staff using an open-ended interview guide. Results of the surveys and interviews were used to develop recommendations for strengthening the program.

Summary Evaluation of the Healthy New Hampshire Foundation’s (HNHfoundation) Umbrella Project

Community Health Institute/JSI (CHI/JSI) conducted a summary evaluation of the Umbrella Project, a project in Carroll County, New Hampshire funded by the HNHfoundation. Through the use of key informant interviews and group discussion with key stakeholders, the summary evaluation assessed the recruitment and retention barriers as well as the on-going successes, challenges and lessons learned from the defined strategies of the Umbrella Project. The Umbrella Project’s purpose is to overcome systemic and administrative barriers to enrolling children in the statewide Healthy Kids insurance program.

Uniform Data System Collection from Urban Indian Funded Grantees

Community Health Institute/JSI (CHI/JSI) collects, validates and disseminates the Uniform Data System (UDS) for the Indian Health Service (IHS) and its Urban Indian Health Program (UIHP) since 2008. The UDS is a standardized reporting system that provides consistent information about the administrative, financial and clinical performance of nearly 40 UIHP funded grantees, nationwide. CHI/JSI provides technical assistance (e.g., a toll-free help-line, nation-wide training program and reference materials), data collection and validation, data analysis (e.g., trend analysis, GIS mapping, etc.) and reporting.

Uniform Data System Collection from Provider Placement Sites

Community Health Institute/JSI (CHI/JSI) collects, validates and disseminates the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Uniform Data System (UDS) for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and its Bureau of Clinician Recruitment and Service (BCRS) since 1999. The UDS is a standardized reporting system that provides consistent information about the administrative, financial and clinical performance of nearly 2,000 NHSC sites, nationwide. CHI/JSI provides technical assistance (e.g., a toll-free help-line, nation-wide training program and reference materials), data collection and validation, data analysis (e.g., trend analysis) and reporting.

Uniform Data System Collection from 330 Funded Grantees

Community Health Institute/JSI (CHI/JSI) collects, validates and disseminates the Uniform Data System (UDS) for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and its Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) since 1999. The UDS is a standardized reporting system that provides consistent information about the administrative, financial and clinical performance of nearly 1,100 BPHC funded grantees including Community Health Centers, Migrant/Farmworker Health Centers, Health Care for the Homeless Centers, and Public Housing Primary Care Centers, nationwide. CHI/JSI provides technical assistance (e.g., a toll-free help-line, nation-wide training program and reference materials), data collection and validation, data analysis (e.g., trend analysis, GIS mapping, etc.) and reporting.

Fit Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC) Evaluation Plan

Community Health Institute/JSI (CHI/JSI) developed an evaluation plan for the New Hampshire Fit WIC Program. The Fit WIC program was designed by the New Hampshire (WIC) for the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Nutrition and Health Promotion Section to address the emerging health issue of childhood overweight and obesity. Working in collaboration with the Fit WIC staff, CHI/JSI developed a comprehensive review of the implementation strategies, developed evaluation criteria, designed evaluation tools and logic model, pilot-tested and redesigned the evaluation plan, and compiled the New Hampshire Fit WIC Evaluation Plan designed to be implemented by Fit WIC staff.