260644 New directions: Monitoring and evaluation of HIV prevention programs at CDC-funded community-based organizations (CBOs)

Monday, October 29, 2012 : 9:30 AM - 9:45 AM

Taran Jefferies, MSPH , Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention; Program Evaluation Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Gary Uhl, PhD , Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention; Program Evaluation Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Dale Stratford, PhD , Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention; Program Evaluation Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Renee Stein, PhD , Division of HIV AIDS Prevention; Program Evaluation Branch, Centers for Disese Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Abstract Issues: The National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) defines new directions and activities for HIV prevention. Priorities have shifted to HIV testing, combination high-impact prevention activities and a continuum of care for HIV positive clients. Reprioritization includes program evaluation: capturing priority program measures, engaging partners in development and implementation of reporting requirements, systematically documenting the impact of prevention efforts, reducing grantee data burden, and utilizing data for program improvement and policy decision making.

Description: CDC awards 154 community-based organizations (CBOs) approximately $55 million annually for HIV prevention programs. CDC's Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention (DHAP) Program Evaluation Branch was charged with developing a new evaluation plan, driven by NHAS, DHAP's strategic goals, funding objectives, and CBO experience. The plan was developed collaboratively with stakeholders, including: cross-DHAP workgroup; external workgroup of diverse CBOs; feedback on draft plan at national and regional meetings; and interactive structured webinars with all CDC-funded CBOs.

Lessons Learned: The resulting evaluation plan models two critically important features: 1) the collaborative development process ensures key evaluation standards of utility, propriety, feasibility, and accuracy; and, 2) the plan is comprehensive yet flexible.

Recommendations: New direction and activities in HIV prevention mandated by NHAS drives the need for new HIV prevention program evaluation methods, data utilization, collaboration with partners, and data systems. Meeting these needs is challenging but ultimately key to sustaining effective programs focused on ending the HIV epidemic.

Learning Areas:
Administration, management, leadership
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
1. Explain the new directions and activities in HIV prevention that necessitate corresponding changes to the monitoring and evaluation of HIV prevention programs. 2. Discuss the collaborative development process of a new program evaluation plan. 3. Identify the two critically important features that help assure this evaluation plan will succeed in contributing to sustainable HIV prevention programs.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have served as the co-leader of this project to develop new directions in monitoring and evaluation of HIV prevention programs at CDC-funded community-based organizations (CBOs). Among my scientific interests has been developing usable, feasible, proper and accurate evaluation frameworks in conjunction with diverse and vested stakeholders for program improvement.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.