Community health care's O-process for evaluation: a participatory approach for increasing sustainability / Fannie Fonseca-Becker, Amy L. Boore

There is a renewed sense of urgency to alleviate human suffering and public attention has increased its focus on corporate philanthropy and social investing. Likewise, non-profit organizations find themselves under greater pressure to dem- strate impact and the demand for greater ‘transparency’ on the donor community and government agencies now require a more transparent accounting of spending on social programs that support the disenfranchised. This book is intended to be a guide for Community Health Care Programs interested in enhancing their lo- term sustainability through the appropriate use of their evaluation results. The book has been designed for ease of use and provides step-by-step guidance on all aspects of basic evaluation methods. For the last twenty years, The Johnson & Johnson Community Health Care Program has awarded funding to more than 150 pioneering non-profit organizations for unique projects that address disparities in America’s delivery of health care to poor and underserved citizens. By supporting essential, community-based health care organizations, the program helps to break down health care barriers for me- cally underserved populations by improving their access to quality services. Springer Contents 8 Introduction 10 1. Observe & Assess Program Needs 13 Observe & Assess Program Needs 14 What Is Evaluation? 14 Why Do Evaluation? 14 What Evaluation Can Do for Your Program 17 Assessing Which Type of Evaluation Meets Your Needs 19 Users of Evaluation Results 21 Roadblocks to Evaluation 23 2. Operationalize the Evaluation Plan 26 Operationalize the Evaluation Plan 27 Select an Evaluation Team 28 Review What Your Program Is Targeting 29 Define Program Goals and Objectives 31 Develop a Conceptual Framework 35 Define Methodological Approach for Evaluation 37 Select Indicators 42 Develop a Data Collection and Analysis Plan 42 Plan for Dissemination of Evaluation Results 48 3. Obtain Data 50 Obtain Data 51 Ethical Conduct & Confidentiality 51 Qualitative Versus Quantitative Methods 53 Qualitative Data Collection Methods 54 Quantitative Data Collection Methods 57 Basics of Sampling 59 Issues of Validity and Reliability 63 4. Organize & Analyze Data 66 Introduction to Data Analysis 67 Organize and Prepare Data for Analysis 68 Analyze Data 70 Interpreting the Results 74 5. Outputs & Outcomes 80 Outputs & Outcomes 81 Potential Audiences for Results 81 Creating Graphs & Tables 81 Ways to Report Your Results 85 Interpreting & Using Results 91 Planning for Continued Evaluation of the Program 92 Bibliography 94 Appendix 1. Data Collection Tools 117 In-depth Interviews 118 Group Interviews 126 Case Studies 139 Surveys 142 End of Session Questionnaires & Pre/Post Tests 150 Appendix 2. Worksheets 153 Defining the Problem 154 Prioritizing Objectives & Indicators 156 Developing a Conceptual Framework 158 Informed Consent 163 Summary Table: Data Sources, Collection and Storage 165 Index 166 A 166 B 166 C 166 D 166 E 167 F 167 G 167 H 167 I 167 J 168 K 168 L 168 M 168 N 168 O 168 P 168 R 169 S 169 T 169 V 169 W 169 Y 169 ISBN-13:,9780387773766 Community Health Care’s O-Process for Evaluation Fannie Fonseca-Becker, MPH, Dr.PH, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health Amy L. Boore, MPH, PhD, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health With so much competition for funding, nonprofit and community health care organizations have a pressing need to demonstrate their effectiveness in serving the public, and to communicate those findings with greater transparency. __Community Health Care’s O-Process for Evaluation__ offers step-by-step assistance in achieving these goals, from determining areas for assessment to disseminating the results. The steps—observe the program’s needs, operationalize the evaluation plan, obtain and organize reliable data, and report on outputs and outcomes—can be conducted in-house or adapted for use with outsiders, laying a solid foundation for a cycle of continuous evaluation and continued improvement for long-term sustainability. The O-Process method offers expert guidance, decision by decision: * Assessment essentials: matching the type of evaluation to a program’s needs. * Planning and follow-through: goals, objectives, methodologies, team-building. * Data collection: qualitative versus quantitative methods. * The basics of data analysis and interpretation. * Presenting findings: from creating graphs to targeting the audience. * PLUS a kit of reproducible data collection tools and worksheets. Administrators in community health care face a variety of concerns: ensuring that objectives are met, making the best use of funds and staff, and communicating the validity of their programs. With the support of __Community Health Care’s O-Process for Evaluation__, more time is available for their most important job: providing health care to the underserved. With so much competition for funding, nonprofit and community health care organizations have a pressing need to demonstrate their effectiveness in serving the public, and to communicate those findings with greater transparency. Community Health Care's O-Process for Evaluation offers step-by-step assistance in achieving these goals, from determining areas for assessment to disseminating the results. The steps - observe the program's needs, operationalize the evaluation plan, obtain and organize reliable data, and report on outputs and outcomes - can be conducted in-house or adapted for use with outsiders, laying a solid foundation for a cycle of continuous evaluation and continued improvement for long-term sustainability. The O-Process method offers expert guidance, decision by decision: (1) Assessment essentials: matching the type of evaluation to a program's needs; (2) Planning and follow-through: goals, objectives, methodologies, team-building; (3) Data collection: qualitative versus quantitative methods; (4) The basics of data analysis and interpretation; (4) Presenting findings: from creating graphs to targeting the audience; and (5) a kit of reproducible data collection tools and worksheets. Administrators in community health care face a variety of concerns: ensuring that objectives are met, making the best use of funds and staff, and communicating the validity of their programs. With the support of Community Health Care's O-Process for Evaluation, more time is available for their most important job: providing health care to the underserved "With so much competition for funding, nonprofit and community health care organizations have a pressing need to demonstrate their effectiveness in serving the public, and to communicate those findings with greater transparency. Community Health Care's O-Process for Evaluation offers step-by-step assistance in achieving these goals, from determining areas for assessment to disseminating the results. The steps - observe the program's needs, operationalize the evaluation plan, obtain and organize reliable data, and report on outputs and outcomes - can be conducted in-house or adapted for use with outsiders, laying a solid foundation for a cycle of continuous evaluation and continued improvement for long-term sustainability."--book jacket. Front Matter....Pages i-xiii Observe & Assess Program Needs....Pages 1-13 Operationalize the Evaluation Plan....Pages 15-38 Obtain Data....Pages 39-54 Organize & Analyze Data....Pages 55-68 Outputs & Outcomes....Pages 69-82 Back Matter....Pages 83-160