Technical Assistance:Who? What? Why? Where?

When? And How?Catherine R. Liemohn, Interim Director

Beverly A. Tyler, Associate Director

Community Health Systems Development

August 2007

What isTechnical Assistance?

Most importantly, it is a relationship with someone to share the journey of your

HRSA grant

What that means to you is…

• You will have an ongoing relationship with a Technical Assistance Provider

• There will be a process to collect information, set goals and deliver concrete services to your network/collaborative aimed at achieving your grant goals and objectives

What are the TA Services?

• A Technical Assistance (TA) Provider is assigned to work with each grantee throughout the coming year

• You will have regular telephone and email contact with your TA Provider and once a year you will meet personally

• TA Providers offer strategic, targeted and flexible assistance in many areas

– Most requested areas:

• Board/Leadership Development• Community needs assessment• Community engagement• Social marketing/health promotion• Evaluation & monitoring• Strategic & Sustainability Planning• About providing models of who has come before you so you do not “re-create the wheel”• Connections to peers across the country

Examples of TA Assistance

• Your TA Provider can help:– Connect you with other grantees/communities who are working on similar

projects across the country– Identify “models that work”

• Your TA Provider can facilitate:– Strategic planning sessions– Network/collaborative deliberations

• Your TA Provider can consult with you about your approach to :

– Network design– Program implementation– Community outreach– Sustainability– Evaluation

GHPC’s Rural Health Experience

• Operations Development• Program Development• Access to Care• Health Status initiatives• 7 years• 120+ communities• 70+ regional networks• 15+ state consultations

GHPC’s Rural Health Experience

• Developing start-up operations• Designing & implementing programs • Improving access & availability of health and human services• Facilitating leadership development programs for boards and

key stakeholders• Program Evaluation• Sustainability Planning

Step by Step

• Introduction to your Technical Assistance Provider

• Telephone interview

• Site visit

• Ongoing support

Step 1 – Assigning TA Providers

• Your TA provider is assigned by expertise and experience to best match your program areas

• You will meet with your TA Provider in the “Meet your TA Provider” session today

• Expect to hear from your TA provider again

Step 2 – Telephone Interview

• Your TA Provider will thoroughly review your grant application before calling you

• She/he will ask you questions based on the review of your grant application

• You should be prepared to identify your critical issues and discuss:– History of your community/network– Goals and objectives– Community/partner engagement– Sustainability– Evaluation methodology

Step 3 – Site Visit

• Next, you and your TA provider will jointly decide on which areas to focus on and set up a date, time, and place for a site visit

• Many will be one-on-one site visits at your location

• Some could be a forum among several grantees in same region with similar concerns

• And, it could be skills-building and peer mentoring workshops conducted at GHPC in Atlanta

Step 4 – On-Going Support

• Contact on a regular basis– email, telephone, conferences, etc.

• Focused on objectives generated for/or at your site visit

• Will conclude with a closing assessment at the end of TA period

Other Technical Assistance Resources

• Technical Assistance Program Website:– http://networkassist.ruralhealth.hrsa.gov

• Calendar of events• Contact information• Links• Frequently asked questions• Tools and resources• Archived conference calls and related materials

• Quarterly Tele-Seminars:– Topics chosen based on grantee need and request– Presenters include experienced grantees, as well as

national experts

Georgia Health Policy Center

• We are here to help….

• Contact us…. Georgia Health Policy Center14 Marietta Street, Suite 221Atlanta, GA 30303Phone: 404-413-0314Fax: 404-413-0316

• Your Community Health Systems Development Team at GHPC

Beverly Tyler Catherine Liemohn(404) 413-0288 (404) 413-0295btyler@gsu.edu liemohn@bellsouth.net

The Technical Assistance Team

Eric Baumgartner Rachel Ferencik(504) 813-3688 (404) 413-0307etbaumgartner@bellsouth.net rachel@gsu.edu

Ethan Joselow Lynne Kernaghan(404) 413-0299 (478) 474-0095ejoselow@gsu.edu kernaghanl@cox.net

Glenn Landers Catherine Liemohn(404) 413-0294 (404) 413-0295glanders@gsu.edu liemohn@bellsouth.net

The Technical Assistance Team

Amanda Phillips Martinez Pearl McElfish

(404) 413-0293 (479) 264-8690

aphillipsmartinez@gsu.edu pmcelfish@cpgclinics.com

Karen Minyard Joann Ort

(404) 413-0296 (614) 519-6736

kminyard@gsu.edu Jhowland@columbus.rr.com

Chris Parker Mary Ann Phillips

(404) 413-0311 (404) 413-0298

chrisparker@gsu.edu alhmap@langate.gsu.edu

The Technical Assistance Team

Bernette Sherman John Shoemaker(404) 413-0302 (888) 331-0529bernette@gsu.edu jshoemaker@eyequotient.com

Beverly Tyler Karen Wakeford(404) 413-0288 (229) 889-9632btyler@gsu.edu wakeford@mchsi.com

Jill Ward Stacey Willocks(706) 773-0431 (404) 413-0308jpward@mindspring.com swillocks@gsu.edu

Thank you

Meet with your TA Provider …Now!