IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

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The goal of the BBS group program is to provide easily accessi le commu!ity" ased !utritio!al support to preg!a!t #ome! i! $or!#all% The lo!g"term impact of the BBS program is to reduce the i!cide!ce of delivery of lo# irth #eight term i!fa!ts, a!d the associated health care costs of cari!g for lo# irth #eight i!fa!ts% The evaluatio! pla! #as developed colla oratively #ith commu!ity part!ers a!d mem ers of the Best Start &et#or' (dvisory $ommittee% This formative evaluatio! is focused o! the e)te!t to #hich participa!ts are satisfied #ith the program, the e)te!t to #hich related healthy lifestyle choices are em raced, as #ell as efficie!cy of the group model of program impleme!tatio!% *ata #ill e collected from program docume!tatio!, provi!cial registry data sources, focus groups, a!d participa!t satisfactio! surveys% The program team values the i!put of the i!te!ded users a!d #a!ts to e!sure the evaluatio! pla! #ill e used to i!form program developme!t% +atto! (200,) recomme!ds that evaluators a!d i!te!ded users of the evaluatio! should speculate a out results prior to seei!g real data% This provides a se!se of a!ticipatio! #hile prepari!g commu!ity part!ers a!d uildi!g a commitme!t to usi!g the evaluatio! fi!di!gs% Through a!alysis a!d i!terpretatio!, the evaluatio! determi!es the sig!ifica!ce of the

fi!di!gs, as #ell as #hether it #as the group program that actually made the differe!ce, or #hether the results #ere due to other factors% There are three possi le levels of attai!me!t for the program, #hich #ill e revealed through the evaluatio!- the program is highly efficie!t, the program is ade.uate, or the program is i!ade.uate (+atto!, 200,)% Evaluation Findings that Reveal that BBS Program is Inade uate /i'ely 0vide!ce (a!y or all of the follo#i!g)" the ma1ority of participa!ts are dissatisfied #ith the group program " the group program is !ot cost"effective " a lac' of evide!ce to sho# participa!t lear!i!g a!d positive lifestyle choices (ctio! Implicatio!sIt is importa!t for evaluators a!d i!te!ded users to appreciate the real possi ility of !egative fi!di!gs% These fi!di!gs ca! e used to illumi!ate areas of the program that ca! e improved upo!, or ma1or co!cer!s #ith the program theory% The fi!di!gs might suggest that the group model is !ot superior i! efficie!cy to the pre" e)isti!g o!e"to"o!e structure% It is recomme!ded that prior to ma'i!g a decisio! to disco!ti!ue the group model, i!te!ded users should carefully address aspects of the program theory to determi!e possi le causes for the !egative evaluatio! fi!di!gs% The fi!di!gs might suggest that the program re.uires more time, effort a!d refi!eme!t to reach a state of ade.uacy, reali2i!g that program effective!ess ca! ta'e lo!ger tha! i!itially thought% Evaluation Findings that Reveal BBS Program is Ade uate +ossi le 0vide!ce" satisfactio! reported from several group program participa!ts " relative cost"effective!ess of program impleme!tatio! 3 similar to pre"e)isti!g o!e"to" o!e program format " participa!t lear!i!g as evide!ced y data collectio! (ctio! Implicatio!s4ecomme!datio!s a!d actio! depe!d o! #hether program admi!isters are satisfied #ith a! adequate program, or #hether they e)pect a!d strive to attai! a highly effective program% This #ill affect the use of the fi!di!gs% The fi!di!gs ca! e used to improve the e)isti!g pilot program or, if the admi!istrators are satisfied #ith the fi!di!gs, they ca!

pla! to e)pa!d the program to other sites #ithi! the regio!% 4esults #ill i!form program developme!t a!d improveme!t, #hether it is gradually e)pa!ded to other sites or !ot% Evaluation Findings that Reveal BBS !rou" Program is #ighl$ E%%e&tive /i'ely 0vide!ce" satisfactio! reported y the ma1ority of the group program participa!ts " cost"effective program impleme!tatio! " sig!ifica!t participa!t lear!i!g as evide!ced y data a!d .ualitative research fi!di!gs (ctio! Implicatio!sIf the program is fou!d to e highly effective, the evaluatio! #ill e used to i!form program decisio! ma'ers regardi!g e)pa!sio! a!d impleme!tatio! across the orga!i2atio!, i!cludi!g five other sites i! the regio!% +atto!, 5%6% (200,)% 7tili2atio!"focused evaluatio! (4th ed%)% Thousa!d 8a's, $(- Sage +u licatio!s I!c%