New Report on Nutrition Services Program Available: Client Outcome Study Part I

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is conducting a three-part evaluation of its Title III-C Nutrition Services Program (NSP). The newest report, Client Outcome Study: Part I, is now available.

The client outcome study (also known as part three of the evaluation for program effectiveness) is being released in two parts with part one describing nutrition services program (i.e., congregate meal and home-delivered meal) participants’ demographic and household characteristics, health status, mobility, eating behaviors, diet quality, food security, socialization, and other characteristics, as well as program participants’ experiences with and impressions of the program and their valuation of meals and supportive services received through the program. Client Outcome Study: Part II (expected mid-2018) will include an examination of overall wellness as measured by longer-term outcomes related to health and avoidance of institutionalization.

The three-part evaluation of the Nutrition Services Program includes:

Part One: Process Evaluation of Older Americans Act Title III-C Nutrition Services Program (PDF, 948KB) provides information to support program planning by analyzing program structure, administration, staffing, coordination, and service delivery. In addition, it evaluates the interactions between the many levels and types of organizations that provide congregate meals, home-delivered meals, and collateral services under the OAA Nutrition Programs. This evaluation is complete and the Nutrition Program Process Evaluation webinar and handouts (PDF) are available.
Part Two: Older Americans Act Nutrition Programs Evaluation: Meal Cost Analysis (PDF, 667KB) estimates the costs of program operations, the most important being the cost of the congregate and home-delivered meals provided using Title III funds, and examines cost variation within the program by cost component and program characteristics. A Process Evaluation and the Meal Cost Analysis webinar and handouts (PDF) are available.
Part Three: Assesses program effectiveness (also called client outcome study), as measured by the program's effects on a variety of important outcomes (including nutrient adequacy, socialization opportunities, and health outcomes and, ultimately, helping older adults avoid institutionalization) through comparing program participants' outcomes with those from a matched comparison group of eligible nonparticipants.

Part three of the evaluation will be published in two parts, the first of which is now available: Client Outcome Study: Part I.

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Visit Nutrition Services for more information about this program and evaluation.