Improving Outcome Accountability of Block Grants: Lessons Learned From the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant Evaluation

被引:4
|
作者
Lamia, Tamara L. [1 ]
Lowry, Garry F. [2 ]
McLees, Anita W. [3 ]
Frazier, Cassandra M. [4 ]
Young, Andrea C. [1 ]
机构
[1] Ctr Dis Control & Prevent, Off Director, Ctr State Tribal Local & Terr Support, US Dept HHS, 1825 Cent Ctr,MS E-70, Atlanta, GA 30345 USA
[2] Ctr Dis Control & Prevent, Div Populat Hlth, Natl Ctr Chron Dis Prevent & Hlth Promot, US Dept HHS, Atlanta, GA USA
[3] Ctr Dis Control & Prevent, Div Healthcare Qual Promot, Natl Ctr Emerging & Zoonot Infect Dis, US Dept HHS, Atlanta, GA USA
[4] Ctr Dis Control & Prevent, Div Performance Improvement & Field Serv, Ctr State Tribal Local & Terr Support, US Dept HHS, Atlanta, GA USA
关键词
government evaluation; public health; outcome measures; evaluation practice; PUBLIC-HEALTH;
D O I
10.1177/1098214020904137
中图分类号
C [社会科学总论];
学科分类号
03 ; 0303 ;
摘要
The flexibility federal block grants provide recipients poses challenges for evaluation. These challenges include aggregating data on wide-ranging activities grant recipients implement and the outcomes they achieve. In 2014, we began designing an evaluation to address the challenges of assessing outcomes and to improve outcome accountability for the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant. Through the use of evaluability assessment methodology, review of existing data and the literature, and key informant interviews, we developed a measurement framework to assess outcomes resulting from recipients' ability to use grant funds to meet their locally prioritized needs. We argue our evaluation approach demonstrates that block grants, and other similarly flexible programs, can be evaluated through appropriately designed measures. Our efforts challenge the idea that flexibility presents an insurmountable barrier to evaluation and outcome accountability for federal block grants.
引用
收藏
页码:185 / 200
页数:16
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