157: Engaging CHWs though an Advisory Board and Data and Evaluation Workgroup for the Community Health Alignment Initiative (CHAI)

This poster presents a collaborative evaluation framework for the CHAI program, a statewide initiative funding 19 organizations that integrate CHWs to expand access to care for uninsured and underinsured individuals. CHW supervisors engage in an Advisory Board and a Data & Evaluation Workgroup to guide planning, evaluation, and implementation. This approach incorporates culturally responsive evaluation (CRE) practices throughout the program. Benefits of CRE include: 1) aligning evaluation design, questions, and metrics with community values and lived experiences; 2) developing culturally sensitive data collection tools; and 3) prioritizing data strategies that enhance data quality. Engaging CHWs using this framework has enhanced program quality, trust between CHWs and program staff, and generated actionable insights that support best CHW practices. Ultimately, using these approaches positions the program to better support sustainable CHW practices, enabling community members to access insurance and address social determinants of health (SDOH) that affect quality of life.

Pamela Gillam – Director, Center for Applied Research and Evaluation (CARE); Lesley Leake – Research Associate, Center for Applied Research and Evaluation (CARE)