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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE
PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE
HEALTH SERVICES AND MENTAL HEALTH ADMINISTRATION

January 14, 1971

Contract to Study Comprehensive Health Planning

Regional Medical Programs' National Advisory Council

The Division of Comprehensive Health Planning of the Commmity Health
Service in the Health Services and Mental Health Administration 1s in
the final stages of negotiating a contract with OSTI (Organization for
Social and Technological Innovation, Inc.) and Arthur D. Little, Inc.

to assess the character and progress of Comprehensive Health Planning
state and areawide agencies to date. The study is similar to that just
completed by the same contractors for the Regional Medical Programs
Service and is designed primarily to aid the Division of Comprehensive
Health Planning and the Health Services and Mental Health Administration
with policy, budget, and planning questions.

The OSTI-ADL study will include in-depth reviews of CHP state and area-
wide agencies in ten states, the pilot phase being conducted in
Connecticut, Oklahoma, and California. Interviews with people in and
peripheral to the agencies, including the Regional Medical Programs,
will lead to: .

- A descriptive and comparative analysis of the substance and.
methodology of the planning process. These case studies will
deal with the components and operations of the CHP agencies
and will include a description of the variety of organizational
structures that have emerged and some of the factors responsible
for local variations; a description of the decision-making
process in these agencies; data on the technical background
and experience of the agency personnel as well as some assess-
ment of technical work such as information gathering and the
analyses undertaken by the agencies; and a description of the
cooperative arrangements that have been created between the
agency and other health plamning and service organizations,
the power structure, and consumers. .

- A description and analysis of the variations in the perceived —
role of Comprehensive Health Planning; an indication of areas
of conflict; and an assessment of the impact of conflict on the
effective functioning of the organization.

+ An evaluation of Comprehensive Health Planning from the. stand-
point of affecting health programs in a defined area, including
a description of the agencies' views of their interaction in the
planning process and a description of the views of parties
external to the agency as to the role it has played in the
health activities in the state and local area.
Page 2

The development of detailed, descriptive behavioral models of the
planning and evaluation activitics of the agencies.

A detailed formulation of the policy implications of the study
with an emphasis on the CiP-RMP collaboration.

It is expected that this study of CHP activitics and progress, following
closely the panel report on. Regional Nocic 1 Prograns, will greatly
clarity both CH Toe Ores: prog tential roles and relation-
vips for CHP Les of th: report on the RMP contract
members several weeks ago.

    
  
 

 

     

hase of the CHP study is scheduled for completion in April
‘inal report, including policy implication for RMP-CHP
ill be submitt -ed in Novemb er of L971.

 

  
   

ALEGALE
; Ln
gultes, MAD.

sector

Medical Programs Seryice .

 

Ma void h
Acting I
Regional