141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

283907
Developing and implementing a process, context, and outcome evaluation of a statewide community health worker alliance

Tuesday, November 5, 2013 : 2:50 PM - 3:10 PM

Nicholas Yankey , Curtis Center Program Evaluation Group, University of Michigan School of Social Work, Ann Arbor, MI
Katherine Mitchell, MSW , Michigan Community Health Worker Alliance, University of Michigan School of Social Work, Ann Arbor, MI
Edith Kieffer, MPH, PhD , School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Gloria Palmisano, BS, MA , REACH Detroit Partnership, Detroit, MI
Lee Anne Roman, MSN, PhD , Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Ann Garvin, MS, CNM , Breast & Cervical Cancer Control Program, Michigan Department of Community Health, Lansing, MI
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.

Learning Areas:
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines

Learning Objectives:
Identify protocols and practices needed for a statewide community health worker alliance to maintain an ongoing process, context, and outcome evaluation. Discuss lessons learned by a statewide community health worker alliance in developing and implementing its comprehensive process, context, and outcome evaluation, including recommendations for other alliances

Keywords: Community Health Promoters, Evaluation

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have served as the Lead Evaluator for the Michigan Community Health Worker Alliance since March 2012, facilitating all aspects of the evaluation and collaborating with MiCHWA's stakeholders. I have worked on multiple evaluation projects in Michigan, utilizing evaluation to as a way to improve health care and promote systems change.
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.