Center for Evaluating Rural Interventions (CERI)

The Center for Evaluating Rural Interventions (CERI)

The Center for Evaluating Rural Interventions (CERI) conducts internal as well as external evaluations commissioned under contracts varying in scope from small Bassett Research Institute-specific projects, to multi-county New York State-funded projects, to a federally-funded multi-institutional research center.    

CERI's Services

CERI provides services including refining evaluation question(s), partnering in program planning, creating systems that incorporate measurement and real-time reporting, and assisting stakeholders in understanding data and writing evaluation sections for grants.

CERI's Evaluation Process

Evaluation is a systematic process to determine merit or value; it is a process of assessing success of a project in meeting its goals. Evaluations can be about program development, implementation improvement, determining the impact or outcome(s) of a policy or program, or accountability/oversight. Stakeholders use evaluation findings to inform decisions about whether to continue, expand or end a program. Evaluations can affect engineering design changes in addition to changes in laws, rules and policies.

CERI uses a variety of evaluation techniques including logic models, timelines, social network analysis, cost analysis, and data visualization to conduct our evaluations and present findings to stakeholders. CERI has presented findings at the American Evaluation Association annual and meetings and are current members of the AEA.

Recent CERI Research Studies & Projects

CDC Learn the signs and Milestone Moments Resources

CERI completed its evaluation of the “Learn the Signs. Act Early” (LTSAE) research study funded through the University of South Carolina’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC)-funded Disability Research and Dissemination Center.  Our objective was to measure the effectiveness of the LTSAE educational materials in increasing parent engagement in developmental monitoring during well child visits. Using a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods, we found that parents receiving LTSAE materials reported greater awareness of milestones. Parental engagement regarding development increased post-LTSAE. This evaluation led to an abstract presentation at the Pediatric Academic Societies meeting in Toronto, and a publication in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics titled “Impact of "Learn the Signs. Act Early." (LTSAE) materials on parental engagement and doctor interaction regarding child development.”

Funded by the Disability Research and Dissemination Center (DRDC) through its Cooperative Agreement Number 5U01DD001007 from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention

Gadomski AM, Riley MR, Scribani M, Tallman N. Impact of “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” Materials on Parental Engagement and Doctor Interaction Regarding Child Development. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2018;39(9):693-700. doi:10.1097/DBP.0000000000000604.

 

Gender Wellness Center Logo

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Logo

 

The Gender Wellness Center (GWC), led by Dr. Carolyn Wolf-Gould, is a gender-affirming service embedded within the Susquehanna Family Practice at FoxCare Center. As such it is a unique model for delivering transgender health care. From 9/1/16 - 10/31/19, GWC was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Clinical Scholars Program to establish a Center of Excellence (COE) for Transgender Health.

CERI worked closely with the GWC to build a pediatric registry in order to answer several research questions generated by GWC clinicians. At the time registry enrollment ended 10/25/19, 186 youth ages 8 to 21 years were enrolled in the registry that will be updated regularly and maintained by CERI. Registry analysis has led to several abstract presentations at national and international conferences. Three papers have been published; one in Transgender Health that describes how the registry was designed, and one in Quality of Life Research regarding health related quality of life of transgender and gender expansive youth. The third is in press. In 2020, CERI continued to analyze the pediatric patient registry and presented its findings.

Evaluation of the Implementation Process for the GWC

Using an implementation science framework called the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), our team evaluated the implementation process for the creation of the GWC as a rural-based COE in Transgender Health. Dr. Pamela Tinc used implementation science to systemically review the barriers and facilitators the GWC experienced in its transition towards a COE. This involved analysis of CFIR constructs obtained by staff survey midway and at the end of the RWJF grant. Results showed that much of the implementation process revolved around developing infrastructure, increasing organizational capacity and resolving conflicts between the inner and outer settings of the GWC. As a result, GWC was better integrated into the overall rural health network. Dr. Tinc gave an oral presentation titled “Applying the CFIR to the Implementation of a Center of Excellence in Transgender Health” at the annual Academy Health Implementation and Dissemination meeting in Arlington, VA on 12/5/19.

CERI also conducted social network analysis to document the growth in the GWC COE as shown in the yearly sociograms depicted below. This analysis documents an increased number of connections among individuals, more communication between GWC staff both internally and externally, and more communication about the GWC within the Bassett Health Network. While general communication had increased during this time period, the proportion of contacts for patient consult/referral decreased. This finding suggests that capacity within the network increased and/or that patients were being referred or were self-referred to the GWC, given the fact that number of patients seen at the GWC increased significantly during this time period.

GWC COE sociograms

O’Bryan J, Leon K, Wolf-Gould C, Scribani M, Tallman N, Gadomski A. Building a pediatric patient registry to study health outcomes among transgender and gender expansive youth at a rural gender clinic Transgender Health 2018; 3:1, 179-189, DOI: 10.1089/trgh.2018.0023.

O'Bryan J, Scribani M, Leon K, Tallman N, Wolf-Gould C, Wolf-Gould C, Gadomski A. Health-related quality of life among transgender and gender expansive youth at a rural gender wellness clinic. Qual Life Res. 2020 Jan 30. doi: 10.1007/s11136-020-02430-8. PMID: 32002786

Leon K, O'Bryan J, Wolf-Gould C, Wolf-Gould C, Turell SC, Gadomski A. Prevalence & Risk Factors For Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in Transgender and Gender Expansive Youth at a Rural Gender Wellness Clinic. Transgender Health 2020; (in press).

 

Mohawk Valley Population Health Improvement Program (MVPHIP) Logo

The Mohawk Valley PHIP serves Fulton, Montgomery, Herkimer, Schoharie, and Otsego Counties.

CERI has been evaluating the Mohawk Valley PHIP since its inception in 2015. MVPHIP is a data-driven effort to mobilize a variety of stakeholders to improve regional population health in seven counties.

CERI conducts surveys of stakeholder engagement and collaboration at stakeholder meetings and workgroups, tracks board participation and performs annual social network analysis to assess changes in the level of stakeholder engagement and community collaboration.

These data are presented to board members to help them visualize and foster stakeholder engagement. The graphics below show that MVPHIP board members had a clear understanding of the MVPHIP regional identity. The level of collaboration graphic shows that MVPHIP board members felt they reached the coalition level collaboration over time. This grant ended March 31, 2020.

MV PHIP Regional Identity Understanding Data

MV PHIP Collaboration Data

 

Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety

The Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety (NEC) is an agricultural education, research, and prevention center funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). NEC aims to reduce occupational injuries in agriculture, forestry, and commercial fishing (AFF) sectors in the Northeastern US, from Maine through West Virginia. NEC has been awarded funding in five-year cycles, with the most recent cycle starting in September 2016.

See NYCAMH and NEC websites, or their Year in Review, for more information.

CERI conducts quarterly data collection with NEC researchers to track project progress and documented intermediate outcomes as well as success stories.

 

System of Care Otsego County LogoSAMHSA Logo

CERI was funded to evaluate the newly funded Otsego County Systems of Care (SOC) grant funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The goal of this five year - 1 million dollar per year – federal grant is to develop a system of care for preventing and treating youth mental health problems and supporting their families. The SOC serves children from birth to age 5 years through the newly formed collaborative hub of integrated community empowerment services (CHOICES) program. Family Resource Network, Inc. (FRN), a member of Families Together New York, leads the Otsego County’s SOC expansion and enhancements for birth – age 5 children and families with a special need. Youth ages 5 to 21 years will be served through the newly formed Behavioral Health Resource Center (BHRC) located at the Otsego Northern Catskill Board of Cooperative Educational Services (ONC BOCES) in Milford. 

The goals of the SOC include creating clinical linkage through increasing early identification of youth at risk of developing and/or experiencing serious emotional or mental problems or substance abuse, facilitating linkage to services for families, and implementing Evidence-Based Practices. The BHRC will be a hub for educators, health and service providers, families and students to access an array of resources that will include assessment, treatment, family support, peer services, prevention, early intervention, training, education, juvenile justice support, social services, and crisis services. 

CERI conducts data collection, entry, and analysis to evaluate the SOC social network and a cultural competence self-assessment survey will include all SOC partners. CERI closely follows the implementation of the SOC as it relates to its logic model. CERI also completed an SNA of the CHOICES component of the SOC to help guide its development.

 

CERI Contact Information