Bridging the Gap Between Research and Action

In order for a coalition to recognize and analyze the effects it has on its community, a strong evaluation skill set is essential. While data, research methods and protocols can be lost and confused in scientific jargon, CADCA Institute's Evaluation and Research department helps coalitions properly assess and evaluate their efforts and translate research into practice.

Evelyn Yang, Ph.D., Deputy Director of Evaluation and Research, has worked with the Institute since its establishment and advises coalitions on how to evaluate the contributions they make toward reductions in population-level substance abuse rates.

According to Yang, the Evaluation and Research division provides three critical functions through various programs and services:

• Help coalitions conduct evaluation and interpret data to guide their local efforts
• Evaluate the success of CADCA services and supports to coalitions and leaders in the field and
• Bridge the gap between research and practice

“A lot of our work is helping move forward a coalition research agenda,” Yang said. “We help to support good research and provide better tools for coalitions to utilize to measure the effectiveness of their coalitions as community change agents for substance abuse prevention.”

The Evaluation and Research department works with a diverse array of community leaders and actors, including coalition staff and evaluators, prevention researchers and CADCA’s federal partners. Evaluation and Research staff provide technical assistance directly to coalition leaders, helping them evaluate their efforts and strategies in a comprehensive and constructive manner. Evaluation guidance provided by this department helps coalitions collect data and identify key areas of improvement in their programs. Yang’s department arms coalition leaders with resources and tools that could secure federal funds and strong partnerships, helping the community present concrete evidence of their contributions in achieving change at the community-level.

Her department supports the evaluation of CADCA’s training services, helping the organization develop its own approaches to sustainability and growth as it provides coalitions with clear, helpful training sessions. In addition, she connects researchers, evaluators and government representatives to the efforts of local communities to create an effective cycle of communication and collaboration.

“I enjoy being the bridge, linking different ideas, perspectives and people together,” Yang said. “In some ways the idea of ‘evaluation’ is scary and misunderstood. We help make the evaluation process less complicated and more manageable for coalitions to build local capacity.”

Yang’s experience and understanding of coalition organization is founded in her strong scientific background in clinical and ecological community psychology. Her skills and services translate the latest field research into information that coalitions can understand and utilize in their community efforts.

Research efforts sponsored by Yang and the department’s Evaluation and Research Manager, Andrea de la Flor, demonstrate that over the years the Institute has significantly helped coalitions improve their capacity to be community change agents. The gathered data allow CADCA’s Institute to focus on continually improving a dynamic and evolving system of coalition support and engagement.

“I’ve always been intrigued by how communities come together and make change, and the Institute addresses this with a cohesive and comprehensive strategy,” Yang said. “Evaluation and research are key tools to help coalitions be successful change agents.”

For more information on the Institute’s Evaluation and Research services, contact Evelyn Yang at eyang@cadca.org or 1-800-542-2322, Ext. 243.