Excellent research and topic. I had no idea about the\u00a0\u00a0Saves Lives Act. Remarkably, the act removed some of the legal limits on medical care so that the VA can provide to Veterans based on health care eligibility and priority groups (Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs, 2021). Legal limits on medical care are insane to me, especially for those who have fought for our country. This program was beneficial and did prove effective\u2014the number of Veterans, their spouses, and caregivers who have become vaccinated after this increased significantly. As you mentioned, the number of people eligible for covid vaccines has risen from 9.5 million to more than 33 million. I’m not great with numbers, but that is a huge spike. This legislation saved veterans’ lives and protected their families while promoting veteran employment and education opportunities (U.S Senate Committee, 2022). Not only did this policy help with the covid pandemic, but it also created new opportunities in the community.<\/p>\n

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Healthcare Program\/Policy Evaluation<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n	The<\/span> Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) program evaluation\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Description<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n	The REACH program started in 1999 to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020). It is a national program administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Generally, the program\u2019s recipients carry out extensive local and culturally appropriate programs to address a wide range of issues faced by racial and ethnic minorities such as African Americans, Hispanics, and American Indians. The primary objective is to promote health disparities related to chronic illnesses, mental health, preventive health, and overall health coverage (Carratala & Maxwell, 2020). The program also seeks to improve healthy behaviors.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
How was the success of the program or policy measured?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n	After a decade, the REACH had significant success as far as its targets are concerned. However, instead of evaluating the program generally, REACH uses data to evaluate the change in the health status of its target communities. For instance, it used data between 2014 and 2018 to assess the number of people it has helped access healthy foods, access to chronic health programs, and opportunities for physical activity. A progressive increase in the population it serves is the primary success indicator.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
How many people were reached by the program or policy selected? How much of an impact was realized with the program or policy selected?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n	\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The evaluation between 2014 and 2018 showed that millions of people have benefitted in various ways under the REACH program. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2020), over 2.9 million people had better access to healthy foods and beverages, while over 322,000 people benefitted directly from tobacco-free interventions. CDC further reported that about 1.4 million people got opportunities for physical activity, as over 830,000 people got access to chronic disease programs (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020). Using these reflection points, there is no denying that the impact of the REACH program cannot be underestimated.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
At what point in program implementation was the program or policy evaluation conducted?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n	The REACH program is continuous, where evaluation is done at different implementation points. In most cases, evaluation happens after the completion of a project at the community level. As illustrated in the various CDC reports, evaluation can be after a decade or after some years, depending on the element being assessed.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
What data was used to conduct the program or policy evaluation?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n	Change in health behaviors was the reference data for the evaluation between 2001 and 2009. For instance, Hispanic taking medication for hypertension increased from less than half to more than two-thirds of the affected population. In the same period, vaccination rates for pneumonia increased from 50.5% to 60.5% in black communities (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020). The other data is the impact across REACH communities through a 2009-2012 evaluation. The data examined reduction in smoking and obesity rates in REACH communities.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
What specific information on unintended consequences was identified?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n	\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The program\u2019s impact is huge as far as disparities\u2019 reduction is concerned. However, impact evaluation showed that ethnic gaps continue being affected by societies, culture, and the environment (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021). As a result, REACH must use many strategies to address health gaps to ensure that health performance in ethnic and racial minorities reaches the desired state.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
What stakeholders were identified in the evaluation of the program or policy? Who would benefit most from the results and reporting of the program or policy evaluation? Be specific and provide examples.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n	\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n REACH partners with local health departments, community-based organizations, universities, and tribes. Respective partners were consulted during program evaluation to determine success and areas of improvement. On who would benefit from results and reporting of the program evaluation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would be the primary beneficiary. CDC would use the report to examine the health performance in the minority groups as the basis of improving outcomes or using other interventions to supplement outcomes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Did the program or policy meet the original intent and objectives? Why or why not?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n	\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n To a huge extent, REACH achieved the original intent using the data from the different evaluations. CDC reports reveal significant community successes, including reducing chronic illnesses and unhealthy behaviors such as smoking as access to healthy food and beverages and physical health activities increases.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Would you recommend implementing this program or policy in your place of work? Why or why not?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n	\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I would recommend the program in my place of work. Firstly, health care organizations should partners with national and community-based organizations to reduce health disparities. Carratala and Maxwell (2020) reported that ethnic and racial minorities continue to be burdened by chronic illnesses and mental health problems. Since such illness burden at the communities has a domino effect in health care organizations, it is crucial to implement the REACH program to improve health outcomes in underserved populations.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Identify at least two ways that you, as a nurse advocate, could become involved in evaluating a program or policy after one year of implementation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n	One way I could be involved in evaluating a program after one year of implementation is by being part of the evaluation committee. Here, I can share my knowledge on the reference points to consider when determining whether a program was a success or not. The other way is to avail information concerning the program by performing individual research. My information would guide on how to conduct a summative evaluation of the program.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
General Notes\/Comments<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n	Evaluation reliably indicates whether a program achieved the desired outcomes. Healthcare programs can be at the state, community, or organizational levels, and their evaluation can be yearly, terminal, or progressive, as considered appropriate. Nurses should advocate for program evaluation to determine their success and provide the basis for continuous improvement.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n