Carolina Health and Transition (CHAT) Project (Evaluation Sub-Contract)

Funding Agency: North Carolina Department of Health (NC DOH)

Total Amount: $60,000 (actual two-year total)

Percent Effort on Project: 15% per year inclusive of Associate Evaluator

Funding Period: 03/01/2008 – 12/30/2009

Role on Project: Principal Evaluator (PD – Monique Winslow, PhD)

Project Description: The goal of the Carolina Health and Transition (CHAT) Project is to develop a comprehensive statewide system to support the successful transition of North Carolina youth with special health care needs (YSHCN) from pediatric to adult health care within a medical home. Working local communities with a diverse array of providers, youth, families and other stakeholders, CHAT through its grantees targets barriers in the availability of, and access to quality health care services by broadening awareness and teaching specific skills for YSHCN, their families and medical providers. Activities build upon and link with other statewide initiatives designed to improve health care opportunities and practices for all children, by including issues specific to transition in medical care for YSHCN. The evaluation effort for CHAT involves the following four tasks and related objectives: Task 1- To undertake a review of NC DOH CHAT project’s programmatic, contractual activities (inclusive of objectives and performance measures) and data sources and the Objective of Task 1 is to document and summarize the current status of NC DOH CHAT project’s general and project specific programmatic efforts, contractual activities, monitoring efforts, data collection and data documentation materials (inclusive of paper and electronic) and programmatic and contractual analyses procedures and results/outputs; Task 2 – To develop a linked data collection system and procedures for monitoring and evaluating NC DOH CHAT project and overall programmatic and contractual efforts and the Objective of Task 2 is to design, pilot test and finalize a linked data collection system and procedures for monitoring and evaluating NC DOH CHAT project and overall programmatic and contractual efforts. This is a collaborative effort with NC DOH CHAT staff, contractual partners, members of the CHAT Monitoring and Evaluation Advisory Committee (CHAT MEAC) and relevant advisors from the Transition Working Group (TWG); Task 3 – To develop and provide means to disseminate the results of the NC DOH CHAT monitoring and evaluation (M & E) efforts during the contractual period and end of contractual period (Year 2 and end of Year 2) and the Objectives of Task 3 are to develop and implement a structured report on the results of the monitoring and evaluation (M & E) efforts during the contractual period and end of contractual period (Year 2and end of Year 2) and to develop and present CHAT results for primary and secondary dissemination at national meetings which will include out of state travel and accommodations; and Task 4 - To provide practical and data technical assistance to the NC DOH CHAT project grantees and the NC DOH and the Objective of Task 4 is to develop and implement technical assistance efforts that is responsive to emerging requirement of the NC DOH CHAT project, project grantees and NC DOH.