CPE Researchers Present Northampton Health Evaluation at the MHOA 2025 Annual Conference
Ariel Scalise and Emilia Zaentz shared Northampton health department findings at the 2025 MHOA Conference.
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Health Promotion and Policy doctoral student Ariel Scalise and research fellow Emilia Zaentz presented at the Massachusetts Health Officers Association's 2025 Annual Conference in Springfield this November, sharing information from the evaluation of Northampton's Department of Health and Human Services Division of Community Care (DCC). The DCC evaluation is being conducted by the UMass Center for Program Evaluation and led by Associate Professor Jennifer Whitehill. In their presentation, Scalise and Zaentz highlighted the critical role of program evaluation in enhancing local public health initiatives using the DCC evaluation as a case study. Specifically, they focused on the role of DCC community responders (CRs) who provide a high-risk substance use and complex care non-emergency response team and demonstrated the benefits of mixed-methods evaluation.
The case study also underscored local innovations in public health in Northampton, emphasizing collaborative research that includes community voices, key stakeholders, and subject matter experts. These efforts promote evidence-based practices, workforce development, and a commitment to health equity and social determinants of health. By fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration, these practices enhance programmatic impact in real time, improving community outcomes and organizational capacity.
The MHOA, which leads and advocates for public health services across every municipality in the Commonwealth, hosts this annual 3-day conference featuring networking opportunities, professional development, and training sessions focused on statewide public health updates.
Meeting participants gained insights into practical strategies for designing and implementing evaluations that support program improvement, funding, and community trust. Key topics included:
- Development of Data Collection Tools: Approaches for creating tools tailored to local needs.
- Integration of Data Types: Techniques for combining qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate outcomes effectively.
- Communication of Findings: Strategies for making complex results accessible to stakeholders and community members.
Attendees returned with actionable takeaways on how to engage stakeholders throughout the evaluation process, adapt methods to local resources, and leverage findings for public health advancement.
