The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #68094

Robert J. Letourneau, MPH¹, Carolyn E. Crump, PhD², Margaret Cannon, MPH¹, L. J. David Wallace, MSEH³, and Alan Dellapenna, MPH⁴. (1) Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, CB#7506, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7506, 919-966-3920, Robert_Letourneau@unc.edu, (2) Department of Health Behavior & Health Education, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, CB#7506, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7506, (3) National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, NE, MS-F41, Atlanta, GA 30341, (4) IHS Injury Prevention Program, Indian Health Service-Phoenix Area, 12300 Twinbrook Parkway, Suite 610, Rockville, MD 20852

This presentation summarizes the Indian Health Service (IHS) Tribal Injury Prevention Cooperative Agreements Program (TIPCAP), designed to build the capacity of American Indians/Alaska Natives to plan, implement, and evaluate community-based injury prevention (IP) programs. Since 1997, a total of 37 Tribes/Tribal organizations have received TIPCAP funding. In 1999, the IHS contracted with faculty/staff from The University of North Carolina (UNC) to provide monitoring and technical assistance (TA) to support 12 TIPCAP sites. Based on an IHS IP Program retreat facilitated by UNC in 1999 and UNC monitoring and TA efforts 1999-2000, enhancements were made to the 2000-2005 TIPCAP application process, site monitoring, and TA activities. For the 25 TIPCAP sites funded from 2000-2005, UNC is providing expanded monitoring and TA, including: developing and implementing an annual 2-day training workshop; conducting and summarizing annual 1-day visits to and semi-annual conference calls with all sites; producing/distributing a project newsletter three times per year; and providing administrative support to IHS Headquarters staff. A TA satisfaction survey conducted in December 2001 facilitated on-going quality improvement of UNC's TA activities, and a program coordinator skill assessment survey conducted in Fall 2002 indicate overall satisfaction with UNC's enhanced monitoring and TA. Conclusions/recommendations for the development of a systematic process to provide TA and to document local-level capacity at multi-site programs include the following concepts: understanding funding agency goals; having relevant experience with content and target communities; emphasizing rapport-building; evaluating services provided; and communicating clearly, consistently, and realistically about program progress, responsibilities, and recommendations.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
• Describe the development of an agency-supported cooperative agreements program.
• Describe steps to continually improve the process and quality of services to support a cooperative agreements program.

Keywords: American Indians, Injury Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Authors have been contracted by the Indian Health Service to provide technical assistance to program described in presentation.