The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #69426

Shanna Livermore, BS, Steven R. Truax, PhD, Christine M. Heusner, MA, and David S. Webb, MS. HIV Prevention Research and Evaluation Section, California Dept. of Health Services, Office of AIDS, 611 North 7th Street, Suite A, Sacramento, CA 95814-0208, (916) 445-9258, slivermo@dhs.ca.gov

There are many benefits of process evaluation including monitoring program implementation, fidelity to core elements, identification of target populations being reached, assuring appropriate geographic distribution of services, training needs, planning, policy making and resource allocation.

The HIV Counseling Information System (Version 5.0), called HIV5, is desktop software developed in collaboration with local health departments (LHDs) and community based organizations (CBOs) for recording, processing, and reporting administrative and behavioral data about clients who have accessed counseling and testing services provided at State funded testing sites in California. The program’s goals at the local level are to provide LHDs and CBOs with useful information for program development and evaluation and to make reporting and accounting as easy and accurate as possible.

Counseling and testing information is collected on the HIV Counseling Information Form (CIFs) for all services provided. It is entered into the HIV5 system so the data can be analyzed and to generate invoices for reimbursement. Data is forwarded via diskette to the State for processing and payment.

The HIV Information Processing System is desktop software used by the State to process data generated by HIV5 and keep training records for HIV counselors. HIPS extracts raw data from HIV5 diskettes into a MS Access database and tracks inventory such as CIFs and lab slips. HIPS also allows comparisons between counselors trained and the services they provide. This system has been recognized by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention as a national model for program evaluation and quality assurance.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants of this session will be able to describe the process of development, structure and training for data evaluation systems in California and understand the basic benefits of process evaluation mechanisms.

Keywords: Data Collection, Evaluation

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: California Department of Health Services, Office of AIDS, Prevention Research and Evaluation Section
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.