In this assignment, you will develop a program evaluation proposal regarding a hypothetical agency of your choice. You may use a program/agency with which you have worked in the past or one that you can learn about in your community or from the web to complete this assignment. Your paper will include the following sections: Executive Summary, Introduction, Literature Review, Methods, Results, Discussion/Recommendations, and References. Review the paper guidelines in the rubric folder for further details.
In preparation for this assignment, select a program/agency as the basis for your Program Evaluation Proposal. You may use a program/agency with which you have worked in the past or with one with which you are familiar.
Create a Program Evaluation Proposal based on your selected program/agency. Be sure to address the following components in your proposal:
- Executive Summary
- Provide a broad overview of the proposal.
- Address evaluation outcomes/recommendations.
- Introduction
- Provide background information on the program.
- Describe the problem or issue.
- Explain the purpose of the evaluation.
- Literature Review
- Identify relevant knowledge contained in the literature from at least three substantive peer-reviewed articles.
- Methods
- Provide an operational description of how the data will be gathered to test the hypothesis, description of participants, and/or data analysis.
- Results
- Discuss the expected results from the data analysis providing a hypothetical trend expectation from the main data collected Discussion/Recommendations.
- Recommendations
- Discuss the ways the expected results could be put to practical use including possible programmatic changes related to the focus of the program evaluation research
- References
- Use APA formatting conventions to appropriately cite the source for every factual statement made within the paper.
To further explain this assignment, here is a breakdown:
- This assignment is asking you to pretend you are a researcher evaluating a counseling or mental-health program and write a formal proposal explaining how you would evaluate whether the program works. You are not actually collecting datayou are designing the plan.Think of it as: If I wanted to scientifically evaluate this agency, how would I do it?Since youre in a Clinical Counseling masters program, common examples include:
- Community mental health clinic
- Trauma counseling program for first responders
- Substance abuse outpatient program
- School counseling program
- Domestic violence counseling center
- Private practice CBT anxiety program
What each section really means (in simple terms)
1. Executive Summary (1 page, written last)
Plain meaning: A short overview of your whole proposal.Include:
- What program youre evaluating
- What problem it addresses
- How youll evaluate it
- What you expect to find
- Why it matters
Think: Quick summary for a director who doesnt have time to read the full paper.
2. Introduction
Plain meaning: Explain the program and why it needs evaluation.Answer:
- What is the agency/program?
- Who does it serve?
- What mental health problem does it address?
- Why is it important to evaluate it?
Example:
A community outpatient clinic provides CBT for adults with anxiety. Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent and can impair functioning. Evaluating whether CBT reduces anxiety symptoms in this clinic will help determine program effectiveness.
3. Literature Review
Plain meaning: Show what research already says about this type of program.You must use at least 3 peer-reviewed journal articles.Answer:
- What treatments work for this issue?
- What outcomes improve?
- Why should this program work?
Example topics:
- CBT effectiveness for anxiety
- Trauma therapy effectiveness for first responders
- Group therapy outcomes for depression
Purpose: justify your evaluation using research.
4. Methods (MOST IMPORTANT SECTION)
Plain meaning: Explain exactly how you would evaluate the program.Include:
Participants
Who will be evaluated?
Example:- 50 adult clients receiving therapy at the clinic
Data collection
How will you measure improvement?
Examples:- Beck Anxiety Inventory
- PHQ-9 depression scale
- Client satisfaction survey
- Pre- and post-treatment scores
Procedure
When and how data is collected:
- Intake assessment
- 12 weeks of therapy
- Post-treatment assessment
Data analysis
How you compare results:
Example:- Compare pre- and post-scores to see improvement
You are designing the research plan.
5. Results (Hypothetical)
Plain meaning: What you expect the results would show.Since you’re not actually doing research, you write:Example:
It is expected that anxiety scores will decrease following CBT treatment, indicating program effectiveness.
You can mention trends like:
- symptom reduction
- improved functioning
- high satisfaction
6. Discussion / Recommendations
Plain meaning: How the agency could use the results.Examples:
- Expand the program
- Improve therapist training
- Add group therapy
- Adjust treatment length
- Secure funding
Think: How would this evaluation help improve the agency?
7. References (APA)
List:
- Minimum 3 peer-reviewed journal articles
- APA format
Example:
Beck, A. T., & Dozois, D. J. (2011). Cognitive therapy
What your professor is actually testing
They want to see if you understand:
- Program evaluation
Research design basics
Evidence-based counseling
How to measure treatment outcomes - Outpatient CBT program for anxiety
- Trauma counseling program for first responders
- University counseling center depression program
- Substance abuse outpatient program
- Telehealth therapy program
This is very relevant to LPCC work because agencies must prove effectiveness for funding.
Example topics PERFECT for your degree
Choose something easy and realistic:
Easiest options:
Example simple topic tailored to you
Since youre interested in trauma / first responders:
Program Evaluation Proposal:
Evaluation of a trauma-focused CBT program for first responders at a community mental health clinic.
Typical paper length
Usually: 812 pages
Simple way to think about the assignment
You are answering:
What program am I evaluating?
Why does it matter?
What does research say?
How would I measure success?
What do I expect to find?
How could the agency improve?
Requirements: 2,500 – 3,000 words
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