Achievements & Lessons Learned-F: Emory University

Knowledge Item: CA-Initiative Impact-99F
Major Achievements and Lessons Learned: 1994-1999

Emory University

The Emory University project has provided training and education to correctional healthcare providers on delivering comprehensive and appropriate care to inmates living with HIV/AIDS.

In 1999, the Evaluation and Dissemination Center asked each project to state its major achievements and the lessons it had learned from conducting the project. Those stated achievements and lessons learned are reproduced here (with minor editing) as reported to the Evaluation and Dissemination Center. The summary statements given here are those aspects of the program's experiences that the Project Director wished to emphasize.

*Achievement 1:* Implemented two models of training in state corrections system.
Key Elements for Success: a) Access to correction; prison staff; training calendar. b) Access to competent HIV clinical trainers/correction issues. c) Evaluation.	Factors that Limited Success: Personnel changes (Georgia Department of Corrections, Health care contractor for staffing and managed care for Georgia Department of Corrections, evaluator, project staff); vast geographic area of state to be covered.	Factors that Ensured Success: Evaluation structure (local, national), Georgia Department of Corrections medical/health services administration supported the project. Credibility of project personnel – SEATAC, FNP, MD, RN. Key personnel on project consistent throughout the project. Access to no-cost training facilities statewide. On-going feedback from conference participants.

Achievement 2: Developed curriculum consistent with Georgia Department of Corrections policies and procedures and evolving HIV standards of care requirements.
Key Elements for Success: Education and Training Center (SEATAC) support, established consultants, training materials, Key Contacts; HRSA data management (PIF), clinical protocols developed by SEATEC.	Factors that Limited Success: a) Rapidly changing standards. b) Complexity of Georgia Department of Corrections personnel changes.	Factors that Ensured Success: Commitment of Georgia Department of Corrections health services to quality HIV care. Access to verbal and written Georgia Department of Corrections policies.

*Achievement 3:* Dissemination activities included: (1) posters, presentations, manuscripts; (2) formal HIV curriculum; (3) consultation with groups planning corrections curricula.
Key Elements for Success: Experienced personnel with scholarly, professional, and clinical expertise.	Factors that Limited Success: Time, limited staffing in Years 1-3.	Factors that Ensured Success: Experienced personnel, ability to travel.

*Achievement 4:* HIV curriculum developed that includes: (1) range of trainers/expertise; (2) content outline, agenda, handouts, and slides; (3) evaluation of knowledge, attitude, behaviors, intent-to-use, and self-efficacy. Curricula developed for both training models.
Key Elements for Success: a) Key components are qualified clinical/professional personnel and clinical training consultants. b) Structure and organization of project.	Factors that Limited Success: Rapidly changing standards and treatments for HIV/AIDS. Teaching strategies currently use direct seminar or preceptor training. Other strategies for distance learning or self-study not used with this project.	Factors that Ensured Success: Key components are qualified clinical/project personnel; (2) structure and organization of project. Access to pre-prepared professional teaching materials. Access to internet and scholarly environment of university health science center.

*Achievement 5:* Specific outcomes: formal health care provider learning needs assessments; formal chart review (beginning, middle, end); self-efficacy – "HIV Competency skills"; instrument development; post intervention interview data - mid-point and end of project with key informants and participants.
Key Elements for Success: Project design, Support of Georgia Department of Corrections for access to system. Qualified clinical professional personnel. Access to correctional training staff and patient records.	Factors that Limited Success: Personnel changes (Georgia Department of Corrections, Health care contractor for staffing and managed care for Georgia Department of Corrections, evaluator, project staff); vast geographic area of state to be covered.	Factors that Ensured Success: School of Public Health local evaluator team effort. National evaluator support (TMG). Georgia Department of Corrections support of project. Key personnel on project consistent on project throughout.

1. Lesson Learned: Importance of communication with training groups, local evaluators and administrative organizations; GDC administration and participants.

How related to achievements: Regular monthly and quarterly meetings assure that all project players are on the same page with (1) project goals and evaluation, (2) timelines and deadlines, and (3) deliverables. It enabled the curriculum to be adapted to specific correctional population, concerns, and policies and procedures.

2. Lesson Learned: Necessity of communication about training. We used flyers, verbal and written confirmation letters, telephone consultation, follow-up, etc. We established a relationship with the GDC employee development unit responsible for training and education with all corrections staff. We were able to use that network at all levels of planning and implementation.

How related to achievements: The idea is to keep the benefits and availability of HIV/AIDS training and education before the corrections community in a timely manner and to have the training project succeed at all levels.

3. Lesson Learned: Need to develop long-term relationship with corrections personnel, both at the administrative level and at the level of individual prison facilities.

How related to achievements: Developing relationships leads to a history that establishes trust, presents experience with delivery, and goes a long way in meeting project goals.

4. Lesson Learned: Use all the project resources available to us, in kind or otherwise.

How related to achievements: Being in a medical university setting, we had access to internet, computer support, adequate software, Medical libraries, literature reviews, updated clinical reviews, and the expertise of practicing professionals and consultants.

5. Lesson Learned: To increase the attendance of health care workers at HIV/AIDS trainings, incentives and communication are important. We used CEUs, travel reimbursement, complementary educational materials and resources, flyers, multiple mailings, verbal and written confirmation, telephone consultation, GDC broad based faxing to all prison site health care administrators.

How related to achievements: The idea is to keep the availability/benefits of HIV/AIDS training and education before the corrections community in a timely manner.

Completed By: Jacqueline Zalumas, Ph.D.
Last Updated: August 1999

Project Resource Page

Emory University

Evaluation Data

Trainee Characteristics

Training Characteristics

Last Updated: August 02, 2001; data through June 15, 1999; analyses conducted January 2000.

Knowledge Base Citation: The Knowledge Base and this Knowledge Item were designed and authored by G. J. Huba, Ph.D.; in collaboration with Lisa A. Melchior, Ph.D.; A. T. Panter, Ph.D.; and the staff of The Measurement Group. Cite this work as "Huba, G. J., Melchior, L. A., and Panter, A. T. (1998 - 2001). The Measurement Group Knowledge Base on HIV/AIDS Care. On the World Wide Web: http://www.TheMeasurementGroup.com."

Questions or Comments: Contact The Measurement Group.

Use of Knowledge Base Information: Acceptable Uses and Limitations.

Collaborators from Participating Projects: Cooperative Agreement Steering Committee 1999.

Participating Projects: This Knowledge Base is based on the service delivery experiences of 27 Cooperative Agreement Projects on Innovative Models of HIV/AIDS Care. These projects and the Evaluation and Dissemination Center which produced this Knowledge Base were funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB) as Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS) between 1994 and 1999.

Why This Evaluation was Conducted: Editorial.

More Information: Design of this Knowledge Base.

Recommended Citation Format for Web Materials: American Psychological Association Publication Manual Section, Revised 2001.

Work on the Knowledge Base and the cross-cutting evaluation was supported in part by Grant Number 5 U90 HA 00030-05 from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), HIV/AIDS Bureau's (HAB) Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS). The contents of this Knowledge Base are solely the responsibility of The Measurement Group and do not necessarily represent the official views of HRSA or HRSA/HAB's Special Projects of National Significance nor may they represent the positions of the individual grantees whose projects are included in the cross-cutting evaluation.