Developing and implementing a process, context, and outcome evaluation of a statewide community health worker alliance

Solid evaluation protocols and practices are essential to community health worker (CHW) sustainability. Ongoing evaluation can support development and maintenance of infrastructure, strengthen partnerships, identify outcomes achievement, and assist in acquiring and maintaining funding. Since identifying evaluation as essential to the Michigan Community Health Worker Alliance (MiCHWA)'s sustainability, MiCHWA's Steering Committee incorporated evaluation as one of its goals and established the MiCHWA Program Evaluation Advisory Board. The board, made of MiCHWA staff, CHWs, and representatives from community and academic organizations, worked with the Curtis Center Program Evaluation Group at the University of Michigan School of Social Work to develop and implement a process, context, and outcome evaluation plan. MiCHWA's evaluation plan includes a logic model, evaluation questions, an outcomes matrix, and goals and objectives. Tools used to measure evaluation questions include Steering Committee and working group member surveys and key informant interviews, document review, and event surveys. MiCHWA's Program Evaluation Advisory Board facilitates MiCHWA's ongoing evaluation in collaboration with the Steering Committee and working groups, identifying focus areas and reviewing results. Results from our first year have identified MiCHWA focus areas that are successful, areas that need further attention and directions to improve our goals and objectives. The board also collaborates on recommending common evaluation indicators for the efficacy and return on investment of CHW programs and research in Michigan necessary for sustainable funding and integration of CHWs into health and human service systems. This presentation will discuss key evaluation elements, results, challenges, and lessons learned for evaluating CHW partnerships.