On May 15, CADCA hosted the second installment of its Competencies in Focus webinar series, which spotlighted the Evaluation competency. The series, created in partnership with the Center for Public Health Systems Science (CPHSS) at Washington University in St. Louis, explores CADCA’s 18 coalition competencies and the associated knowledge, skills, and abilities that make community coalitions more effective and sustainable.

CPHSS’ Katie Windeman kicked things off by guiding attendees through the research behind the competencies and revisiting how CADCA’s competencies were developed. Taking place over the course of three years, it was a multi-step process that began with a literature review of nearly 200 academic sources, followed by interviews with coalition leaders from across the globe. That research helped identify the common challenges and strengths that define coalition effectiveness. From there, the model was refined with input from CADCA staff, trainers, and coalition members, giving us the evidence-informed framework that we have now.

The evaluation competency is within the prevention domain and is defined as “systematically collecting, analyzing, and using data to examine the effectiveness and efficiency of the coalition and contribute to continuous program improvement.”

The competency is supported by three parts:

• Knowledge, including evaluation history, methods, and dissemination;
• Skills, such as planning, data collection, and communication;
• Abilities, like using logic models, strategic planning, partner engagement, and integrating evaluation into daily work

To bring the content to life, the webinar featured real-world examples from PreventEd and the Lincoln County Community Opioid Response Effort (CORE), two Missouri-based organizations working in partnership with CPHSS to integrate evaluation into their daily operations. Maddie Drapp, a public health educator at the Lincoln County Health Department, shared how evaluation played a role in the evolution of Lincoln County CORE, which was founded in 2019 to address the opioid crisis in a growing rural community north of St. Louis.

Like many coalitions, CORE had to rebuild momentum after the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted its progress. One of their key evaluation-driven responses has been a focus on community visibility and engagement. Data collected from coalition meetings and community partners helped the group prioritize awareness-building strategies like billboards and public events. Evaluation also supported the development of a tailored local resource guide for law enforcement and EMS professionals, which is now distributed during calls and Narcan administration.

Maddie emphasized that monthly coalition meetings, which include reviewing data and sharing experiences, are critical to the evaluation process. These meetings allow members to identify trends and challenges and then use that information to guide decisions and improve future program activities.

Jaidan Adams, Director of Behavioral Health at PreventEd, discussed how her organization has worked with Lincoln County CORE to build evaluation into their shared prevention efforts. They are a nonprofit that has served the St. Louis region since 1965, supporting both adult and youth substance use prevention through services like assessments, referrals, and early intervention education.

Through their partnership with CORE, evaluation has helped them clarify community priorities and better align programming with local needs. For example, youth who are referred for substance-related issues at school are now assessed through a process that also collects data on their experiences and risk factors. That information is used to shape workshops and refine their outreach strategies. Evaluation has also helped them generate evidence to continue receiving support from funders and community leaders. By demonstrating the results and reach of their work, they have been able to make the case for additional funding and strengthen community buy-in.

As a final thought, the presenters encouraged attendees to view evaluation not as a separate task but as an essential function that supports all aspects of coalition development.

Ready to hear first-hand what evaluation looks like in action? Watch the recording here.

Join us for the next Competencies in Focus webinar on June 10 at 1 PM ET, where we’ll explore the Internal Communication competency in more depth. Register now to keep building your coalition’s capacity, one competency at a time.