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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Nancy Berglas, MHS1, Helen Cagampang, PhD2, Claire Brindis, DrPH2, Sara Peterson, MPH2, Michelle Barenbaum, MPH2, and Norma Munroe, MS3. (1) Center for Reproductive Health Research and Policy, University of California, San Francisco, 3333 California Street, Suite 265, San Francisco, CA 94143-0936, 415-502-4052, berglas@itsa.ucsf.edu, (2) Center for Reproductive Health Research and Policy, University of California, San Francisco, 3333 California Street, Suite 265, San Francisco, CA 94143-0936, (3) School Health Connections, California Department of Education, 721 Capitol Mall, 3rd floor, Sacramento, CA 95814
From 1996-2001, the California Department of Education (CDE) funded local education agencies to implement its Teen Pregnancy Prevention Grant Program (TPPGP). Because of the complex antecedents of teen pregnancy, CDE expected grantees to develop comprehensive, multi-dimensional programs to support their students. To increase the likelihood of success, CDE required grantees to select a primary strategy that had been previously demonstrated to be effective, while allowing modifications to account for each grantee’s unique needs, resources and values. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, the program evaluator confronted the question of whether the selected strategies were replicated with fidelity. Was the "proven" strategy implemented as it had been tested by its architects? Had a programmatic hybrid emerged? Had the strategy’s effectiveness been strengthened or diluted? Thus, TPPGP created new learning opportunities to assess how different combinations of strategies faired when applied in new settings and with new populations. Fidelity was found to vary by grantee, school level and program strategy. 60% of grantees met the core components of their strategy; one-third followed the curriculum but made critical adjustments. Elementary schools were twice as likely as high schools to be consistent with the strategy design. Myriad factors influenced program fidelity, including the skills and opinions of staff; commitment of school administrators; community beliefs regarding teen pregnancy; and guidance provided through training and curriculum materials. Overall, these findings suggest that funding agencies and policymakers face many challenges in maintaining the intent and spirit of successful demonstration programs while implementing them in a variety of communities.
Learning Objectives: After this session, participants will be able to
Keywords: Evaluation, Teen Pregnancy Prevention
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: California Department of Education, Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.