261666 Building local MCAH capacity by using data and conducting effective program planning

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Karen Ramstrom, DO, MSPH , Center for Family Health; Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Division, California Department of Public Health, Sacramento, CA
Paula Curran, PHN, MHA , Center for Family Health, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Division, California Department of Public Health, Sacramento, CA
Renato Littaua, DVM, MPVM , Center for Family Health, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Division, California Department of Public Health, Sacramento, CA
Mary Wieg, PHN, MBA , Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Division, California Department of Public Health, Sacramento, CA
Jennifer Rienks, PhD , Family Health Outcomes Project, Dept. of Family and Community Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Candice Zimmerman, MPH, CHES , Center for Family Health, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Division, California Department of Public Health, Sacramento, CA
Imelda Hoeckelmann, RN, MSN, MBA , Center for Family Health, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Division, California Department of Public Health, Sacramento, CA
Background: California's diverse local MCAH programs play a major role in achieving the prevention goals of the statewide MCAH program. This presentation describes a collaborative process to develop and implement a local MCAH Scope of Work (SOW) that reflects best public health practices. The SOW is based on California's Title V MCAH priorities, references HP 2020 goals, incorporates local priority needs and specific, measurable objectives, and uses data from a centralized source to measure long term indicators.

Methods: State staff and partners assessed needs, identified goals, developed measures, redesigned the SOW, and trained local staff to plan their MCAH programs by examining their data, developing logic models, SMART objectives and short/intermediate performance measures.

Results: All 61 LHJs implemented the new SOW with specific, measurable objectives based on local priorities, focused activities to achieve the objectives, and process and outcome measures to enable state and local staff to evaluate and monitor performance. The process to develop the SOW incorporated the Life Course Theory and other public health frameworks into local practices, enhanced local capacity, and added to knowledge.

Conclusions: Program success requires effective program planning that includes assessment of community health, priority setting, clear program objectives, logical steps to fulfill objectives and evaluation and performance measures. The process to complete the MCAH SOW in a standardized manner based on outcome objectives will improve local programs, facilitate an effective CQI process, allow capture and communication of the impact of public health programs across California's MCAH public health system, and improve health outcomes.

Learning Areas:
Administration, management, leadership
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Program planning
Public health administration or related administration
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Systems thinking models (conceptual and theoretical models), applications related to public health

Learning Objectives:
Describe two examples of the diverse needs of the California (CA) population and how the structure of the State MCAH program addresses these needs. Describe the advantages of a centralized Web site for local MCAH Scope of Work (SOW) data. Describe two benefits of the new MCAH SOW, including strengthening state and local MCAH programs by encouraging consistency, stability and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) review. Describe how CAs MCAH Program integrates the Life Course theory, social determinants of health, the Socio-Ecological model, Strengthening Families framework and the 10 Essential services of Public Health into MCAH Policies and Procedures and the MCAH SOW.

Keywords: Community Health Planning, Maternal and Child Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the Division Chief of the Program Standards Branch, which oversees local maternal, child and adolescent health programs statewide. I have over 10 years of experiene in state and local public health programming. I have been the project director and/or lead on federal grants focused on maternal, child and adolescent health.
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.

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