Striking a Balance between Program-Specific and Portfolio-Level Evaluation: Lessons Learned from a Multi-Site...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Services Research
• Program Evaluation

Background:

• Funders increasingly invest in multiple grantees for targeted outcomes.
• Multi-site evaluation (MSE) is a common approach to assess collective investments.
• Tailoring evaluations to local contexts, populations, and settings is crucial for program effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the Sí Texas project, an initiative involving eight grantees implementing integrated behavioral health models.
• To detail a partnership-centered approach to MSE that enhances evidence and builds local capacity.
• To discuss the process of tailoring evaluation practices and balancing consistency across grantees.

Main Methods:

• Employed a partnership-centered approach for a multi-site evaluation (MSE) of the Sí Texas project.
• Involved tailoring evaluation practices to the specific contexts of eight diverse grantees.
• Focused on balancing portfolio-level consistency with site-specific needs for over 4,200 participants.

Main Results:

• Successfully implemented a tailored, partnership-centered MSE approach across eight grantees.
• Enhanced the evidence base for integrated behavioral health models along the Texas-Mexico border.
• Built local organizational capacity through collaborative evaluation practices.

Conclusions:

• Tailoring MSE is essential to accommodate the unique needs of different programs and populations.
• A partnership-centered approach can effectively balance evaluation consistency with local adaptation.
• Lessons learned from the Sí Texas project offer valuable insights for future large-scale, multi-site health initiatives.