course material

1. Independent Project Overview For this project you will pick a
Independent Project Overview For this project you will pick a topic and consider problems,
goals, objectives, the design, management information, and the budget. It is an exciting way
for you to explore a topic that is an interest to you and relate is back to concept you have
learned throughout the course. Main purpose: Think through concepts of the course with a
real-world issue by identifying a health problem of importance or interest to you and
conduct mock program planning for that health problem Part 1: Problem Analysis (Chapters
2-6)- The first piece that those who would make final decisions about whether or not to
approve your proposal would read. 1. Describe the problem 2. Estimate the numbers
affected 3. Identify the factors that cause the problem 4. Provide a rationale that justifies
action and the expenditures of resources 5. Provide a theoretical framework describing the
proposed intervention Part 2: Goals, Objectives, and Program design– Establish a general
direction for the program and precise expectations of what the program is attempting to
achieve; thoughtful planning to determine program components Goals and Objectives
(Chapter 7)- As presentations are made on programs, and as programs are implemented,
monitored, and evaluated there will be many occasions where those involved will want to
refer back to goals and objectives Program Design- Based on program hypothesis, goals,
objectives, and activities. • Inputs • Throughputs • Intermediate Outputs • Final Outputs •
Intermediate Outcomes • Final Outcomes Part 3: Management Information- Form the basis
of development for data collection; prepare a budget for your program plan in a way that
you can determine cost-efficiency and cost-effectiveness Management Information- • What
you hope to accomplish in evaluating in proposed program • List examples of specific
questions you expect the data collection system will answer • List the required univariate
and bivariate questions Budget (Chapter 10-11)- 1. Line-item budget 2. Program budget
Independent Project – Part 1: Problem Analysis This assignment forms the basis or
foundation for a program that will be designed to deal with the problem or condition, you
plan to address. It establishes the framework for all other components of the program
planning process. The length of this assignment is about three pages double-spaced with 1”
margins all around and Times New Roman font size 12. In this section you will be expected
to: 1. Describe the problem 2. Estimate the numbers affected 3. Identify the factors that
“cause” the problem 4. Provide a rationale that justifies action and the expenditures of
resources 5. Provide a theoretical framework describing the proposed intervention There
are no hard and fast rules for the format you select for this section. There is a need,
however, to present your “argument” in a clear, logical and interesting way. Keep in mind as

2. you write this section that it is the first piece that those who would make final decisions
about whether or not to approve your proposal would read. This section should reflect your
understanding of Chapters 2 through 6 as well as your research on the social problem you
have chosen to address. The following headings represent the types of content that needs to
be covered in your problem analysis: 1. Introduction (about 1/2 page) This sub-section
provides a summary statement of the problem. It should not be more than two or three
paragraphs. It usually is written after the rest of the section is completed. It tells the reader
what the problem is, who is affected by the problem, the numbers affected, the geographic
area you are targeting, and why the action should be taken. 2. Nature of the Problem (1
page) In this sub-section, you will be expected to discuss what is already known about the
problem. Here, you will include clarifying statements (definitions), national, state, and local
statistics, incidence and prevalence figures, and trends if they are available and appropriate
to your description. You will also discuss in some detail what you have learned about the
problem from the research literature. After reviewing the research literature, you will focus
on the researcher’s underlying theoretical understandings of the problem in a way that help
the reader to understand etiology as well as the basis for the intervention. 3. The Target
Population (1/2 page) In this sub-section, you will discuss the specific population
(demographic characteristics) and the geographic area on which you will focus. Data that
you will present will help to put your presentation of the problem (sub-section #2 above)
into a local context. At the conclusion of this sub-section, you should make a summary
statement that allows the reader to know exactly who you are going to recruit into the
program, how many are affected, and where the program will be targeted. 4. Rationale for
Action (1/2 pages) In this sub-section, you will make the case that it is worthwhile to
expend resources on the proposed program. You can do this in a number of ways depending
on the nature of the program. You might argue that the problem is such that it needs to be
dealt with within a framework of justice or fairness. You might choose to make the case that
it will be more cost-effective to implement this intervention by preventing a later, more
costly intervention (e.g. outpatient counseling now vs. possible in-patient treatment or
incarceration at a later time). Or you might argue the case in terms of an investment in
human capital, enabling the recipients of your services to participate as productive
members more fully of the community. 5. Framework for the Intervention: The Program
Hypothesis (1/2 pages) In this sub-section you will synthesize the research/theoretical
material from subsection #2 in the form of a detailed program hypothesis. The program
hypothesis is introduced in Chapter 6: Selecting the Appropriate Intervention Strategy and
the discussion is continued in subsequent chapters. 6. Summary (1 paragraph) This section
serves as a bridge to the next section on Goals and Objectives. It is a variation of the first
section, the Introduction. Remember that in the Introduction your audience has no
knowledge of the problem or population you intend to address, and by the time you write
the Summary, you have walked them through the logic of your proposed intervention.
These two sections should reflect these different perspectives. Rubric for Independent
Project – Part 1 Met Requirements Introduction – summarizes the problem (who, what, etc.)
1 Nature of problem – includes definitions, incidence/prevalence, trends 1 if available.
Show there’s a research basis for intervention. Target population – gives demographic and

3. geographic characteristics. 1 Includes who, how many, and where. Rationale for action –
must make a case for this program 1 Framework for the intervention – states your
hypothesis 1 Summary – like the intro, but summarizes realizing the reader now 1 knows
more about the problem Total length >= 3 pages (1” margins, double-spaced, Times New
Roman, 1 font size 12) TOTAL POINTS 7 Possible Points Independent Project – Part 2: Goals
and Objectives This section is a very important piece of the program plan. As presentations
are made on programs, and as programs are implemented, monitored, and evaluated there
will be many occasions where those involved will want to refer back to goals and objectives.
They build on Part 1: Problem Analysis, and they become the basis for Parts 3 & 4. The
details for preparing goals and objectives are included in Chapter 7. The following content
should be included in your presentation of goals and objectives: 1. Introduction An opening
paragraph should set the stage for this section of the plan. In this Paragraph you should
focus on the higher level statements in your program hypothesis – what it is that you hope
to do through your intervention. 2. Goal Statement Write one goal statement that meets all
the specifications for a goal statement as mentioned in Chapter 7 and that will cover the
entire program plan. 3. Outcome Objectives List your objectives under these headings: Final
Outcome Objectives 1.0 By (date), to ………………. (include all 5 parts of a complete objective)
2.0 Continue with all other final objectives Intermediate Outcome Objectives 1.1 By (date),
to ………………… (again, include all 5 parts of a complete objective; use a numbering system
or some other method to make clear which intermediate outcome objectives are to which
final outcome objectives) 1.2 Etc….. 2.1 This intermediate outcome objective, for example,
would be to final outcome objective 2.0 4. Process Objectives and Activities Write process
objectives and activities for each intermediate outcome objective: Process Objective 1.1: By
(date), to ……………. Activity 1 These may be put into a Gantt Chart format (see Chapter 7)
Activity 2 Activity 3 Process Objective 1.2 Activity 1 Activity 2 Activity 3 5. Reordering of
Goals, Objectives and Activities You can use “cut and paste” from the above sections to do
this. I Goal II Ultimate Outcome Objective 1.0 Intermediate Objective 1.0 Process Objective
1.1 Activity 1 Activity 2 Etc. Process Objective 1.2 Activity 1. Activity 2 Etc. III Ultimate
Outcome Objective XXX Intermediate Objective XX Process Objective 1.1 Activity 1 Activity 2
Etc. Process Objective 1.2 Activity 1 Activity 2 Etc. Continue until all objectives are
“packaged” in a way that the ultimate outcome, intermediate outcome process and activities
lay out a clear set of expectations and actions designed to achieve them. Program Design As
with each of the other assignments, this section requires a good deal of thoughtful and
careful planning. Based on the program hypothesis, goal, objectives, and activities, you will
need to determine what data elements will need to be collected in order to answer the
questions that need to be answered for performance measurement, monitoring, and
evaluation purposes. This section should include the following content: 1. Introduction As
with the previous sections, begin with a paragraph that discusses what will be covered in
this section. Plan to write this introduction after you have completed the rest of the
assignment. 2. Program Components This sub-section will itemize all the data elements to
be included in your data collection system. They will be organized around the basic
components of a system: Inputs, Throughputs, Outputs, and Outcomes. Inputs – List
variables to be used under the headings of clients, staff, material resources, facilities, and

4. equipment. Throughputs – Identify all services to be provided and include a one-sentence
service definition for each. List relevant service tasks and methods of intervention for each
service. Intermediate Outputs – List and define units of service for each service to be
provided. Final Outputs – Define a service completion for each service to be provided.
Intermediate Outcomes – List intermediate outcomes for each service being provided. Final
Outcomes – List final outcomes