Center for Outreach Research and Evaluation (CORE)

Introduction

The Center for Outreach Research and Evaluation (CORE) coordinated a national multi-site evaluation of HIV outreach strategies to engage and retain underserved individuals with HIV into care. The HIV/AIDS Bureau of the Health Resources and Services Administration funded this outreach initiative as part of the Special Projects of National Significance Program (SPNS) from 2001 – 2006.

During Phase 1, in the first two years of the project, the individual programs conducted local evaluations of their outreach programs, and participated in the development of a multi-site evaluation plan. The projects re-competed for funding for Phase 2 of the evaluation, which included modifications to program design and the multi-site evaluation. Evaluation results were published in a supplemental issue of AIDS Patient Care and STDs in June, 2007

Outreach Programs

The CORE coordinated the evaluation of seventeen separately funded Targeted HIV Outreach and Intervention Programs during Phase 1 of the study, and ten programs during Phase 2 of the study.

Read the Outreach Program Descriptions.

Read about the lessons learned: Making the Connections

Multi-site Evaluation

The multi-site study was designed to answer nine key study questions. Demonstration sites collected data via client interviews, chart review and program encounters to conduct the study. Two qualitative studies were implemented by a subset of programs to better understand the process of engagement in medical care and the role that front-line staff play in facilitating engagement and retention in care.

Multi-site evaluation instruments and instructions

Other CORE resources and publications