Kirkpatrick model of evaluation to assess public health workforce preparedness training

In January 2012, the Illinois Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Center at UIC, School of Public Health launched a training program called the Mini-Grants for Emergency Preparedness to support preparedness and emergency response-related activities by local health departments and primary health care clinics, among others. Based on the training content and stakeholders, IPERLC selected four grantee health departments to conduct intermediate and long-term evaluation beyond satisfaction surveys, in order to gauge the efficacy of comprehensive individual training not only upon the health department staff who participated in the training, but also on their partners for emergency preparedness (such as fire department and long-term care facilities). Since there is little in the literature about the intermediate and long-term/organizational impact of public health training upon the agency capacity to respond to emergencies following trainings, IPERLC will conduct organizational impact assessments of these trainings through Level 4 designed evaluations.

These preparedness training activities took place between March, 2012 through August, 2012.IPERLC has started to conduct six- and 12-month post-training evaluation and data analysis for a Kirkpatrick Level 3 evaluation on two health departments mini-grantees: Clinton County Health Department (HD), in rural Illinois and Skokie HD in suburban Cook County, Illinois. Also, a Level 4 evaluation will be conducted not only for Clinton and Skokie, but also for mini-grantees Fayette County HD and Winnebago County HD. IPERLC will complete the evaluation and develop a report by September 1, 2013. This presentation will describe the methods of surveying participants and health departments.