Healthy Tomorrows and MCH Training Program

Healthy Tomorrows Partnership for Children Program (HTPCP) Analysis and Synthesis Project

The HTPCP evaluation is part of MCHB's larger effort to document the impact of its investment in Title V Block Grant programs and its discretionary grant programs. In particular, MCHB is interested in measuring the impact of SPRANS, which comprise an array of demonstration, research, and training grants. NCEMCH was awarded a grant that includes as one of its objectives the development of a model for evaluating SPRANS programs, beginning with the HTPCP.  This study also examines progress toward goals specific to the HTPCP.

The HTPCP was initiated in 1989 to engage communities in working to improve children's health through prevention and better access to health care. The program is funded by MCHB of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). It is administered by MCHB in partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The concerted effort to blend public health resources with the knowledge and skills of the pediatric professional community is a hallmark of HTPCP. To date, 107 projects nationwide have been awarded 5-year grants; 54 have completed the federal funding cycle.

The entire report of findings from the analysis, titled The Healthy Tomorrows Partnership for Children Program in Review: Analysis and Findings of a Descriptive Survey (845K, 98 pages) or only the Executive Summary from the report (6 pages, 132K) can be downloaded here as portable document format (PDF) files and read with Adobe Acrobat Reader

MCHB Training Program Synthesis and Analysis Project

The National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health (NCEMCH) has completed an evaluation of the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Training Program, which is funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). The MCH Training Program: An Evaluation is the product of phase II of the evaluation. Phase II builds on phase I, the results of which were published in Building the Future: The Maternal and Child Health Training Program in March 2000.

During phase I of the evaluation 13 long-term training priorities were described: Behavioral Pediatrics, Communication Disorders, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Leadership Education in Adolescent Health (LEAH), Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND), Nursing, Nutrition, Pediatric Dentistry, Pediatric Occupational Therapy, Pediatric Physical Therapy, Pediatric Pulmonary Centers, Schools of Public Health, and Social Work. In addition, the evolution of the priorities was traced, and common themes among training projects were identified. Phase II included an analysis of the distinguishing characteristics of each training priority, an assessment of MCH Training Program accomplishments, and the development of recommendations to help MCHB assess MCH training grants in the future.

Findings from phase II of the evaluation include the following:

• The MCH Training Program is a significant component of the overall Title V program.

• The MCH Training Program trains new leaders and supports existing leaders.

• Many trainees who graduate from training projects are engaged in leadership activities and perceive themselves as leaders.

• Training project faculty provide a significant amount of technical assistance, consultation, and continuing education at the local, state, and national levels.

• Training project faculty and former trainees advance the MCH field through active involvement in their professional associations.

• Collaboration takes place among training projects, other nonfunded universities, and Title V agencies.

The full report and The MCH Training Program: An Evaluation–Executive Summary can be downloaded as PDF files and read using Adobe® Acrobat® Reader®. Also available for downloading are technical documents used during the evaluation, such as the record review data collection form, site visit interview questions, Title V director focus group questions, and former trainee interview questions, as well as the findings of phase I of the evaluation and individual training priority fact sheets.

Table of Contents

In Memoriam               vi Acknowledgments           vii Training Program Priorities and Definitions           viii	Table of Contents 256k
Chapter 1: Introduction and Methodology           1          Background           2          The Training Program and the MCH Mission           3          Goals of the MCH Training Program           5          Needs Addressed by the MCH Training Program           7          Focusing the Evaluation           9          Study Methodologies           9          Summary           13	Chapter 1 192k
Chapter 2: A Statistical Snapshot of the MCH Training Program           15          MCH Training Program Expenditures           16          Resources Devoted to Trainees           16          Resources Utilized for Faculty Leadership           19          Distribution of MCH Training Program Grants           21          Summary           24	Chapter 2 192k
Chapter 3: Training for Leadership           27          Differences in Leadership Training Among Projects           28          Aspects of Training for Leadership           31          Assessing Project Success in Training Leaders           33          Summary           44	Chapter 3 256k
Chapter 4: Supporting Faculty in Leadership Roles           47          The MCH Training Program Model of Leadership                    Versus the University Model of Scholarship           48          Collaboration and the Interdisciplinary Approach           49          Fostering Change Within Universities           50          The Need for MCH Faculty Leaders           51          Summary           52	Chapter 4 192k
Chapter 5: Contributing to Advances in the Field           53          Nurturing New Professional Subspecialties           54          Influencing Professional Associations           54          Developing Innovations in Treatment and Services           55          Serving as a Voice for Children           56          Encouraging Research           58          Fostering Diversity           59          Summary           61	Chapter 5 192k
Chapter 6: Promoting Collaboration           63          Technical Assistance, Consultation, and Continuing Education           64          Collaboration Across Projects and with Nonfunded Universities           67          Collaboration with Title V Programs           68          Summary           71	Chapter 6 128k
Chapter 7: The Economics of MCH Training           73          The Role of Tuition in Academic Decision-Making           74          The Role of Other Funding Sources in Academic Decision-Making           76          The Impact of Reimbursement on Clinical Training           77          Leveraging of MCH Training Program Grants           79          Summary           81	Chapter 7 256k
Chapter 8: Recommendations           83          Planning, Assessment, and Evaluation           84          Portfolio Policies           87          Budget Policies and Guidelines           90          Program Stewardship           91          Conclusion           96	Chapter 8 448k
Notes         99 Bibliography           103 Appendices          A: MCH Training Program Evaluation Project Advisory Committee Members           109          B: Site-Visited Projects and Project Directors           111          C: Additional Information on Interviews with Former Trainees           115 Tables          Table 1: Maternal and Child Health Bureau Long-Term Training Program Priorities, FY 1999           17          Table 2: Median Awards by Priority Area, FY 1999           19          Table 3: Trainees Supported by MCH Training Grants, FY 1999           20          Table 4: Faculty Supported by MCH Training Grants, FY 1999           23          Table 5: Demographics of Former Trainee Sample and Respondents           118          Table 6: Current Employment of Former Trainees           119          Table 7: Former Trainees' Participation in Leadership Activities           120 Figures          Figure 1: MCH Pyramid           4          Figure 2: MCH Training Program Logic Model           10          Figure 3: Allocation of Training Program Funds Among Priorities, FY 1999           22          Figure 4: Training Program Grantee Budgets, FY 1999           22          Figure 5: MCHB Training Grant Sites, FY 1999           25          Figure 6: Former Trainees Still Practicing in MCH Field           36          Figure 7: Job Change After Completing MCH Training           37          Figure 8: Job Change Attributed to MCH Training           38          Figure 9: Former Trainees Who Had a Faculty Mentor           38          Figure 10: Importance of Faculty Mentoring to Former Trainees' Careers           39          Figure 11: Former Trainees Who Received Continued Mentoring After Training           40          Figure 12: Former Trainees Who Consider Themselves a Leader in the Field           40          Figure 13: Leadership by Cohort           41          Figure 14: Examples of Leadership Activities of Former Trainees           42          Figure 15: Examples of Recent Leadership Activities of MCH                    Training Program Grant Faculty           55          Figure 16: Examples of Treatment and Service Innovations           56          Figure 17: Examples of Policy Work of Grantees           57          Figure 18: Publications Produced by Supported Faculty and Trainees, FY 1999           58          Figure 19: Technical Assistance, Consultation, and Continuing Education Examples           66          Figure 20: Examples of University-Based Collaborations           69          Figure 21: Examples of Consultation with Nonfunded Universities           70          Figure 22: Examples of Collaborations Between Title V Offices and MCH Training Program Projects           71	Notes, Bibliography, Appendices, Tables, Figures and Program Projects 128k

Interview Questions:

Continuing Education and Technical Assistance/Consultation Customer Interview
Current Trainees Interview Schedule
Dean Interview Schedule
Faculty Interview Schedule
Project Director Interview Schedule