Abstract Text: Evaluating a statewide project on the topic of teen pregnancy presents unique challenges. The 10.5 million dollars allocated to this project represents significant prevention dollars spent in South Carolina on adolescent pregnancy prevention. The evaluation for this project, based on specific assumptions of prevention practice, was designed to include standardized and empowerment evaluation components. More specifically, the standardized evaluation examines the following three questions: 1) What factors are involved in the decision-making process regarding the allocation of teen pregnancy prevention funds in each county? 2) Were the teen pregnancy prevention interventions implemented with fidelity to their written plans? 3) Did the interventions create change in youth behaviors, community capacity, or teen pregnancy rates? The empowerment evaluation components of this evaluation offer technical assistance to the funded vendors in each county by providing them feedback on information collected during the standardized evaluation and referrals for additional technical assistance where needed. Several data collection methods are used across the standardized and empowerment evaluation components to assess process, impact and outcome measures. The evaluation assumptions, specific evaluation approaches, and data collection measures will be presented. Additionally, implications for evaluating highly variable interventions across a state will be discussed.
Learning Objectives: Objectives: Participants will be able to: 1) Identify strengths of traditional and empowerment evaluation approaches associated with the statewide evaluation of teen pregnancy prevention 2) Identify three data collection methods being used in the statewide evaluation effort.
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
Disclosure not received
Relationship: Not Received.