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National AgrAbility Project
Plan of Work

2008 - 2012
With Accomplishments for 9/1/09 - 8/31/09

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Overview / Objective 1: Education / Objective 2: Networking / Objective 3: Assistance / Objective 4: Marketing / Objective 5: Accountability

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Program Priority 5 - Accountability: Establish a National Advisory Committee to ensure relevance, conduct long-range strategic planning, contribute to promotional efforts, and enhance networking capacity of the NAP; and develop an integrated Evaluation Program to assess NAP and SRAP needs, evaluate the effectiveness of program resources and activities, and provide feedback to the NAP to further advance the NAP mission.

Objective 5.1: Establish an NAP Advisory Committee.

The advisory committee will assist the NAP staff in ensuring the relevance of planned project activities, conducting long-range strategic planning, contributing to promotional efforts, and enhancing the networking capacity of the project. The committee will serve in only an advisory capacity and have no responsibility for personnel oversight, program management, or fiscal issues related to either the NAP or SRAPs. No member of the committee will hold any positions or have any fiscal relationship with any SRAP or funded affiliate. The committee will meet once each year with NAP leadership and partnering organizations and be invited to participate in the NTW as both observers and presenters when appropriate. PD, PM, Committee.

Activities

Year 1-4: Conduct annual Committee meeting and summarize results.

Note

First meeting of the NAP Advisory Committee was held April 1-2, 2009. All NAP collaborators participated.

Perceptions of utility survey were conducted by UIUC team with all members attending the April 1-2 meeting. Summary of findings provided to NAP for use as needed.

Expected Outcomes: Input from the Committee will be used to develop continuation proposals for years 2 to 4.

Objective 5.2: Establish and integrate an effective Program Evaluation Plan.

Assessments will be conducted with input from the various stakeholder groups including federal administrators, SRAPs, funded and unfunded collaborators, rehabilitation service providers, agriculture professionals, rural community leaders, and AgrAbility customers. See d. Program Evaluation section under D. Project Management for a description of the evaluation team and overall responsibilities.

Activities

5.2.1 Conduct an annual project needs assessment involving all current SRAP staff.

This will include not only currently employed SRAP staff, but also selected Extension administrators and a sampling of customers. The assessments will be conducted such that the findings will be summarized and presented at the NTW each fall. UIUC, NAP

Note
Evaluation tool is being completed for conducting a needs assessment. It was learned from the Wisconsin staff that recent surveys of this nature conducted electronically and by mail resulted in a low response rate. It was decided to conduct this survey at the 2008 NTW and report the findings in November 2009.

Year 1: Design and gain IRB approval for an AgrAbility needs assessment tool and administer prior to the 2008 NTW.

Years 2-4: Conduct annual needs assessment and report findings at NTW.

Expected Outcomes: The NAP will have an ongoing needs assessment process in place that will be sensitive to changing staff and customer needs.

5.2.2 Conduct an evaluation of each annual NTW.

This evaluation will assess participant satisfaction, usefulness of subject matter, and achievement of learning outcomes. UIUC, NAP

Note
Evaluation of 2008 NTW has been completed and results reviewed by 2009 NTW Planning Committee. UIUC IRG Approval granted prior to 2008 NTW.

Overall conference and individuals session evaluations conducted. Summary report supplied to NAP and USDA. Each individual speaker received their corresponding session evaluation.

Year 1: Design and gain IRB approval for an AgrAbility needs assessment tool and administer it at the 2008 NTW.

Years 2-4: Conduct consistent NTW evaluations and report findings to SRAPs.

Expected Outcomes: An NTW agenda that reflects SRAP input, thereby enhancing the quality of the NTW as reflected by increased evaluation scores.

5.2.3 Assessment of NAP products and services.

The evaluation team will annually review NAP products and services to identify deficiencies and to determine whether or not products and services being developed are consistent with overall AgrAbility objectives. Specific items to be evaluated include the use of the NAP toll-free line and website, products produced, and outreach activities such as training events. UIUC

Years 1-4: UIUC will conduct and external review of services in place and recommendations based on findings of the needs assessment and NTW evaluation.

Note
This assessment will be conducted at the same time the needs assessment is completed during the NTW so a high response rate can be achieved. Thus the first assessment will be conducted at the 2009 NTW.

Expected Outcomes: NAP services will be enhanced, resulting in higher scores on subsequent evaluations. Ineffective services will be modified or discontinued.

5.2.4 Provide on a limited basis consulting services for SRAPs that desire an external review of project products and services.

These services could be conducted on-site and include a written summary of findings. It is anticipated that not more than three SRAPs would request this service annually. UIUC

Note
Conference calls have been held with three SRAPs to assist in developing refunding proposals and plans of work.

Years 1-4: The UIUC evaluation team will let all SRAPs know that they are available to assist with review of their current services.

Note
This was generally made known at the beginning of the year.

Expected Outcomes: At least three SRAPs per year will request UIUC services, and the quality of SRAP services will be enhanced.

5.2.5 Monitor AgrAbility media services on a national basis.

This activity would result in an annual summary of media exposure provided for both the NAP and SRAPs. UIUC

Note

AgrAbility exposure is being monitored by all NAP staff regular electronic media searches.

UIUC team is conducting periodic web based searches for media reports related to AgrAbility program, services and activities.

Years 1-4: The UIUC evaluation team will establish a surveillance process to identify ongoing media exposure given to AgrAbility nationwide. An annual NTW summary will be provided.

Expected Outcomes: Both the NAP and SRAPs will have a better understanding of the level of AgrAbility media exposure and of regions of the U.S. not receiving such coverage.

5.2.6 Publish at least one article each year of the project on findings gathered from the assessment and evaluation activities.

For example, the first article might address the findings of the initial project needs assessment.

Note
A journal article on the scope and magnitude of disability was published in the Journal of Agromedicine. Two additional articles are being prepared.

Years 1-4: UIUC will draft at least one potential journal article per year based on data gathered during the evaluation and needs assessments process.

Note
A draft article related to the need and potential means to improve agricultural disability data has been initiated.

Expected Outcomes: Increased AgrAbility exposure in the professional literature.

5.2.7 Complete an annual summary of AgrAbility customer demographic data.

Note

Summary of AgrAbility SRAP customer demographics conducted by UWI under agreement with UIUC evaluation staff.

Summary provided to NAP and USDA.

Additional specific survey related to demographic data collection process.

Year 2: Survey SRAP on technology used for demographic data entry and submission to SRAP.

Note
Survey conducted with all SRAP personnel identified as entering and submitting data to UIUC. Findings will be presented at 2009 NTW.

Years 1-4: Annual reports from SRAPs will be submitted to the UIUC evaluation team for summarization, and a report of services will be provided at the NTW.

Note
Wisconsin collected this data through June of this year; UIUC started collecting the data on July 1.

Expected Outcomes: Increased accountability for SRAPs and the overall AgrAbility program.

5.2.8 Improve on the assessment of the extent of disabilities among the U.S. farm population.

Year 1: Conduct background assessment of current and potential farm population disability data sources.

Year 2: Conduct a potential farm disability data utilizing study assessment among potential users of this data. Develop a farm disability data needs paper. Seek additional funding to conduct a pilot study.

Years 3-4: Conduct a farm population pilot disability study in 1 to 2 states. Develop a paper on the need for better farm population disability data and the recommended methodology to collect such data.

Note
Individual discussions were held with representatives of USDA, Census Bureau and NIH concerning strategies for gathering more comprehensive data on disability in agriculture. A background paper is being developed.

5.2.9 Provide technical and meeting facilitating support to the NAP evaluation committee initiatives.

Develop and recommend a quality of life survey that can be effectively utilized by SRAP’s in evaluating program impact among their clients.

Year 1: Facilitate regular meetings of the NAP evaluation committee. Evaluate through a pilot study among SRAP’s who volunteer to be involved the McGill and SF-36 quality of life modified surveys.

Note
Eight conference calls with NAP evaluation committee were held. Six states pilot tested the McGill and two states pilot tested the SF-36 quality of life modified surveys. Final results will be available by the end of the 2009 calendar year.

Year 2: Facilitate regular meetings of the NAP evaluation committee. Complete assessment of the McGill and SF-36 quality of life modified surveys and make a recommendation to SRAP’s. Collect and analyze quality of life data collected by SRAPs.

Year 3-4: Facilitate regular meetings of the NAP evaluation committee. Collect and analyze quality of the data collected by SRAPs.