Evaluation of Public Health Service programs under the Government Performance and Results Act

The Public Health Service (PHS) is made up of a number of agencies whose collective mission has traditionally been to protect and improve the mental and physical health of the American people and to close the gaps in the health status of disadvantaged populations. However, the Clinton Administration's National Performance Review and its associated "reinventing government" initiatives are beginning to show promise of substantially reshaping the structure and functions of the federal government. Regardless of the final shape that the reinvented government takes, the Government Performance and Results Act (GRPA) will provide the framework within which that government plans, implements, and evaluates its programs. Whereas some have argued that GPRA will strengthen the role of evaluation within federal agencies, GPRA has been seen primarily as a management and budget issue, and limited attention has been paid to important issues of measurement, attribution of outcomes, and reporting time lines. Nevertheless, GPRA provides the opportunity to make the government more effective and efficient and restore the faith of the American people in government.