A framework and approach for evaluating the CDC's Partnerships to Improve Community Health initiative in northern Maine

The Northern Maine Rural Collaborative (NMRC) is one of 39 awardees across the country that received funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as part of the Partnerships to Improve Community Health initiative.  The goal of the NMRC is to prevent chronic disease by focusing largely on nutrition and physical activity in the seven-county region it serves.  Evaluation is a central feature of the work.  This presentation will focus on the evaluation approaches, frameworks, methods, and priorities from year one in an attempt to provide a clear path for others interested in evaluating similar initiatives, particularly those with a focus on physical activity and food insecurity. Emphasis will be placed on the two frameworks (e.g., Re-AIM, and the CDC framework) that were incorporated  and used to structure the evaluation, including a description of how various components of the frameworks were used as well as their perceived value. In addition, four specific methods and their application to various community settings will be discussed to showcase the process, context and outcome evaluation strategies that were effectively used and may be replicated by others. Finally, the session will include a discussion on the evaluation challenges faced during the first year of the initiative, including strategies for overcoming them.