Founded in 1995 by the National Association of Community Health Centers, Community HealthCorps is the largest health-focused, national AmeriCorps program that promotes healthcare for America’s underserved, while developing tomorrow’s healthcare workforce.

The mission of Community HealthCorps is to improve healthcare access and enhance workforce development for community health centers through national service programs. The vision of Community HealthCorps is to become a national service pipeline for careers in community health centers that is improving access to necessary primary and preventative care services for the medically underserved.

For further information about Community HealthCorps, visit

Engaging Various Levels of Stakeholders in Grant-Mandated Evaluation of Community-Based Programs Gerrard Jolly, Community HealthCorps National Director Emmalou Norland, Cedarloch Research CEO & Senior Science Advisor Kellie Perkins, Community HealthCorps Research & Evaluation Specialist November 12, 2015

1.Program and Evaluation Background 2.Overview of Stakeholder Groups – Program Site Leadership – Program Coordinators – Direct Service Volunteers 3.Hack-A-Thon Agenda

To identify the evaluation needs of various types of stakeholders To collaboratively problem solve how to engage various types of stakeholders in evaluation Session Objectives

Evaluation 2015 Program Background & Context

National AmeriCorps Program – 535 national service participants Mission: To improve health care access and enhance workforce development for Community Health Centers through national service programs 21 st class of AmeriCorps members began in August Engage 125,000 individuals in more than 200 communities each year Three focus areas: 1.Enrolling individuals and families in health insurance, services, and benefits programs 2.Educating individuals and families about the impact of their health-related decisions on personal financial resources 3.Connecting seniors and people with disabilities to supportive services and resources throughout the community Community HealthCorps Background

Funder: Corporation for National & Community Service – Government agency – Mandates impact evaluation of service beneficiaries covering at least one Program Year using either a comparison or experimental group design Umbrella organization: National Association of Community Health Centers – Community Health Center membership Stakeholders: National Program Staff, Program Site Leadership, Program Coordinators, and AmeriCorps Members Community HealthCorps Evaluation Context

Evaluation 2015 Program Site Leadership

Program Sites: Community Health Centers, Primary Care Associations, Health Centered Controlled Networks, and a University Leadership: CEOs, COOs, CFOs, AVPs, Directors Broad perspective of the effect requirements and changes can have on their: – Health center / Membership – Patients – Staff – Strategic plan Who are They?

Autonomous organization from Community HealthCorps Pays membership dues to NACHC – Although receives grant funds from NACHC Often not intimately involved in day-to-day Community HealthCorps operations at site Broad range of experience with Community HealthCorps – Some helped to start the program Many serve in program leadership capacities with a directive approach What are the Engagement Challenges?

Evaluation 2015 Program Coordinators

Program Site staff – Not employed by Community HealthCorps – No requirements about education, experience, or staff level Duties: Hire and train AmeriCorps members, collect & manage service data, track financial reimbursements, ensure grant compliance, etc. Often manage and coordinate other initiatives at their Program Site May not work at the same location as AmeriCorps members Limited perspective of health center operations Who are They?

Community HealthCorps can be a small part of their overall responsibilities – Evaluation not tied to funding so not a priority High turnover overall each year but some Program Coordinators have been around for many years – Difficult to educate on the why, what, how, and benefits of evaluation Evaluation viewed as separate and unrelated from program development What are the Engagement Challenges?

Evaluation 2015 Direct Service Volunteers

Volunteers: AmeriCorps members – Receive federal funds as stipend Serve for 9-12 months at a health center Roles vary by (and within) site – Community-based – Same type of service role may be implemented very differently Build close relationships with patients Who are They?

Turnover each year – Hard to track and engage alumni – May not see, use, or benefit from the evaluation results Often do not have perspective outside of own service role / site Not fully aware of funding and staff capacity restrictions Evaluation viewed as separate and unrelated from serving patients’ needs What are the Engagement Challenges?

Evaluation 2015 Hack-A-Thon

Human-Centered Design Thinking (HCDT)

HCDT Components: Empathize

Empathy Mapping

HCDT Components: Define

Point of View [GROUP] needs to [GROUP’S NEED] because [SURPRISING INSIGHT] The design challenge is to engage stakeholders in the evaluation process: – Who is your group? – What are their needs? – What are some surprising insights? Use flip chart to try out a number of options, playing with each variable and the combinations of them.

HCDT Components: Ideate

Brainstorm Rules One conversation at a time Go for quantity Headline! Build on the ideas of others Encourage wild ideas Be visual Stay on topic Defer judgment – No Blocking

Idea Selection Each group member will select their favorite in the following categories: 1.The rational choice 2.The most likely to delight 3.The darling 4.The long shot The idea with the most votes (regardless of category) is what we will prototype!

HCDT Components: Prototype

Prototype Start building. Even if you aren’t sure what you’re doing, the act of picking up some materials (paper, markers, other objects are a good way to start!) will be enough to get you going. Build with your group in mind. What do you hope to solve for the group? What sorts of questions do you expect? Answering these questions will help focus your idea/solution and help you receive meaningful feedback in the feedback phase. Label Your POV. Identify what’s being solved for with your idea. It would be helpful to your audience if you wrote down and presented what need your are addressing (your POV statement).

HCDT Components: Test

Evaluation 2015 Thank You!! Gerrard Jolly: Emmalou Norland: Kellie Perkins: