The Use of the Data-to-Action Framework in the Evaluation of CDC's DELTA FOCUS Program
Theresa L Armstead1, Megan Kearns, Kirsten Rambo
1Division of Violence Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia (Drs Armstead, Kearns, Rambo, and Estefan, and Ms Dills); Research and Evaluation Division, Contracting Resources Group, Inc, San Antonio, Texas (Dr Rivera); and Research and Evaluation Division, Contracting Resources Group, Inc, Baltimore, Maryland (Ms El-Beshti).
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Domestic Violence Prevention Enhancements and Leadership Through Alliances, Focusing on Outcomes for Communities United with States (DELTA FOCUS) program is a 5-year cooperative agreement (2013-2018) funding 10 state domestic violence coalitions and local coordinated community response teams to engage in primary prevention of intimate partner violence. Grantees' prevention strategies were often developmental and emergent; therefore, CDC's approach to program oversight, administration, and support to grantees required a flexible approach. CDC staff adopted a Data-to-Action Framework for the DELTA FOCUS program evaluation that supported a culture of learning to meet dynamic and unexpected information needs. Briefly, a Data-to-Action Framework involves the collection and use of information in real time for program improvement. Utilizing this framework, the DELTA FOCUS data-to-action process yielded important insights into CDC's ongoing technical assistance, improved program accountability by providing useful materials, and information for internal agency leadership, and helped build a learning community among grantees. CDC and other funders, as decision makers, can promote program improvements that are data-informed by incorporating internal processes supportive of ongoing data collection and review.
