Texas Putting Prevention to Work: A process-focused program evaluation

Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) implemented a high-impact policy and environmental change model to prevent obesity, targeted to low income, rural communities, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The aim was to develop schools as central community access points (“hubs”) for fresh fruits and vegetables and safe places for free physical activity. DSHS contracted with Texas AgriLife Extension Service to develop the Texas Putting Prevention to Work (TPPW) program which was designed to: 1) facilitate joint-use agreements designed to permit community access to free, safe physical activity and recreation facilities on school grounds outside of school hours; and 2) establish a school-based fruit and vegetable direct access initiative. Eight elementary schools were recruited statewide. The Center for Social Work Research at the University of Texas, School of Social Work was the evaluator for this project. The evaluation plan included two site visits to each of the eight sites selected for the program, first during program startup in Spring, 2011, and when implementation was underway in Fall, 2011; surveys of health behaviors and attitudes of school parents, school staff, and community members; and consumer satisfaction surveys of program participants. A central focus of the evaluation was to document process and how the initiatives could be improved. The presentation will summarize evaluation activities, providing information on processes that took place over the course of initiative as well as survey findings on health attitudes and behaviors of the target community.