Evaluation of the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant

CDC’s Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support is conducting an ongoing evaluation of the Public Health and Health Services (PHHS) Block Grant Program. The evaluation assesses the grant’s value (i.e., its benefits and contributions) and describes and measures select outputs and outcomes, with the aim of strengthening performance and accountability. The evaluation assesses the grant as a whole—not individual recipient activities or outcomes. The evaluation seeks to answer two overarching questions:

How does the PHHS Block Grant support recipients in addressing their jurisdictions’ prioritized public health needs related to Healthy People 2020 objectives?
How does the PHHS Block Grant contribute toward the achievement of organizational-, systems-, and health-related outcomes?

CDC’s PHHS Block Grant Measurement Framework improves Block Grant outcome accountability by describing what recipients are achieving to meet their locally prioritized needs. View an article about the measurement framework in the American Journal of Evaluation: Improving Outcome Accountability of Block Grants: Lessons Learned From the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant Evaluation [Abstract]

Key Findings

PHHS Block Grant Key Findings Report

CDC assessments show that the PHHS Block Grant is supporting vital public health activities in recipients’ jurisdictions.

View the latest findings from 2019

View the 2017 findings

Flexible Funding to Support Public Health Innovation

Flexible Funding to Support Public Health Innovation, a report from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials with support from CDC, describes how PHHS Block Grant recipients are using their funding in innovative ways to address public health needs.

The evaluation consists of several key activities, including implementing a measurement framework to assess recipient achievements, analyzing recipient allocation of funding to Healthy People 2020 objectives, and exploring the relationship between PHHS Block Grant funding and health outcomes.

Measurement Framework Graphic / Largest, Outer Circle: Results. Emerging needs addressed, Public health infrastructure improved, and Evidence-based public health practiced. Outcomes of the grant resulting from successful use of PHHS Block Grant funds / Middle Circle: Use of Funds. Maintain existing public health efforts, Enhance or expand existing public health efforts, Initiate new public health efforts, and Sustain or restore public health efforts. Grantees use PHHS Block Grant funds to address their prioritized public health needs. / Small, Center Circle: Flexibility. .... to address public health needs. Grantee' ability to identify, prioritize, and address their public health needs.

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The Measurement Framework

A key component of the evaluation is the PHHS Block Grant Measurement Framework [PDF – 727 KB]. The framework is an innovative measurement approach that allows for more standardized data collection and aggregation of the outputs, outcomes, and achievements of health departments using grant funds.

The framework consists of four key measures:

Improvement in the capacity of information systems to collect data of public health importance
Improvement in the efficiency or effectiveness of operations, programs, or services
Emerging public health needs addressed
Evidence-based public health interventions implemented