Lois
McCloskey, Ph.D.
Trustees of Boston University, Maternal and Child Health School of Public Health
715 Albany Street, Ste. 528W
Boston, MA 02118-2394
(617) 638-5882
Email: loism@bu.edu
Problem:
Title V programs are increasingly expected to provide conceptual leadership to MCH
stakeholders but lack systematic access to cutting-edge knowledge on MCH issues and
strategies. NE-KtoP will address that need. Intra and interstate learning will be central to this
process; state priorities and national MCH objectives will determine content.
Goals and Objectives:
NE-KtoP will be implemented by the Boston University School of Public
Health Department of Maternal and Child Health (BUMCH) in collaboration with Region I Title
V programs. NE-KtoP outcome objectives address short-term changes in attitudes and
knowledge of state participants in annual one-day learning sessions, longer-term changes in the
practice of Title V programs and their partners in each state around learning session topics and
dissemination of NE-KtoP lessons to national stakeholders.
Goals and Objectives:
Goal 1. Maximize the extent to which Region I MCH programs and policies are grounded in
current MCH science.
• 75% of state team participants will report enhanced knowledge and understanding around
the topic selected as the NE-KtoP focus following each year’s learning session as
measured by pre and post surveys.
• Five out of six state Title V leaders will report at least one new program or policy
innovation reflecting new commitment and/or knowledge around the topic selected as the
NE-KtoP focus during a six-month follow-up interview.
Goal 2. Enhance leadership capacity of Region I Title V programs in relation to family-centered
and culturally competent knowledge and practice and the infusion of a strengths-based approach
into Title V programs and policies.
• 75% of state team participants will be able to identify at least one strategy to apply MCH
principles to the topic selected for each year’s learning session as measured by post
learning session surveys.
• Five out of six state Title V leaders will be able to identify at least 3 changes in practice
reflecting NE-KtoP focus on broad MCH principles at the end of the NE-KtoP project as
measured in a summative evaluation survey.
Goal 3. Promote Region I readiness to move beyond 2010, by instilling a lasting approach of
collaborative learning and mutual assistance among states.
• At least five out of six Region I Title V directors will be able to identify at least one
example of ongoing interstate collaboration and/or collaboration with BUMCH at the end
of the NE-KtoP project as measured in a summative evaluation survey.
Goal 4. Enhance capacity to translate MCH knowledge to practice nationally.
• An article reporting the implications of the NE-KtoP experience for national training
efforts will be published in an appropriate peer reviewed journal.
• An abstract based on the NE-KtoP experience will be accepted for presentation at least
one national meeting.
Methodology:
NE-KtoP annual activities will start with the
meeting of a regional leadership/advisory group and proceed to implementation and evaluation
of a regional learning session. Intervening activities will be carried out by a planning group led
by BUMCH. This planning group will be reconvened each year with new members selected by
Title V leaders to assure optimal planning while nurturing new state leadership. Each planning
group will a) identify and recruit state teams, b) identify and engage speakers, c) plan the
learning session agenda, d) define and finalize workshop exercises and plenary discussions
around the learning session topic, e) refine evaluation questions related to each year’s learning
session topic. BUMCH will convene this group, organize and host the learning session, draft
materials outlined by each year’s planning group and disseminate packets to participants prior to
each learning session.
Following each year’s learning session, states will have the option to obtain technical
assistance from one another or from BUMCH to promote uptake of knowledge presented at the
session. In addition to these annual activities, BUMCH will carry out activities to build MCH
regional learning capacity.
In Year 3 it will draft a journal article reviewing NE-KtoP objectives and outcomes and
submit an abstract for presentation of findings to a relevant national group.
The strategy proposed for NE-KtoP is both cost effective and replicable. It uses a
standardized approach, relying on intra and interstate learning along with access to national
leaders, to bring state-of-the art learning to Title V practitioners. It also combines a focus on
emerging issues identified as state priorities, with a focus across the three years on major MCH
objectives related to cultural competence, family-centeredness, leadership skills.
HP2010 Objectives:
The 2010 Objectives addressed by NE-KtoP will depend on topics selected
for learning sessions. Review of state MCH Block Grant priorities suggests the following as
likely topics for the three sessions:
• MCH mental health (related to Objective 6.2 and several Focus Area 18 objectives )
• MCH oral health (related to objectives in Focus Areas 16 and 21)
• MCH fitness and activity (related to objectives in Focus Areas 16 and 22)
• Early childhood health and safety (related to objectives in Focus Areas 8, 14, 15 and 16)
• Adolescent health status and services (related to objectives in multiple Focus Areas).
Coordination:
NE-KtoP grows out of historical collaboration between BUMCH and Region I
Title V programs. In addition to consultative relationships between individual BU faculty and
states in the region, ties include participation of MCH leaders in the BU MCH Department
Advisory Committee and collaboration over the past two year on planning and implementation
of day-long training events which provide the model for the current proposal. This history
reflects a strong regional commitment to science-based public health practice, and a strong
commitment of the BU MCH Department to practice-focused learning. This proposal seeks to
institutionalize those relationships and broaden them to include multiple MCH stakeholders
across the region. It relies on ongoing, two-way communication between educators and
practitioners for planning and implementation of proposed activities and state-to-state to state
collaboration as one of its education strategies.
Evaluation:
Principal Investigator Allen will be responsible for NE-KtoP process evaluation,
using a rigorous workplan to monitor progress, identify problems early and institute midcourse
corrections as needed. Outcome evaluation will be based on pre and post-session surveys of
learning session participants and annual follow-up calls to state leaders. In the final year,
participants will be resurveyed and in-depth interviews will be conducted with Title V directors.