title: Technical assistance from state health departments for communities engaged in policy, systems, and environmental change: the ACHIEVE Program.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study assessed the value of technical assistance provided by state health department expert advisors and by the staff of the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) to community groups that participated in the Action Communities for Health, Innovation, and Environmental Change (ACHIEVE) Program, a CDC-funded health promotion program.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed quantitative and qualitative data reported by community project coordinators to assess the nature and value of technical assistance provided by expert advisors and NACDD staff and the usefulness of ACHIEVE resources in the development and implementation of community action plans. A grounded theory approach was used to analyze and categorize phrases in text data provided by community coordinators. Open coding placed conceptual labels on text phrases. Frequency distributions of the quantitative data are described and discussed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most valuable technical assistance and program support resources were those determined to be in the interpersonal domain (ie, interactions with state expert advisors, NACDD staff, and peer-to-peer support). The most valuable technical assistance events were action institutes, coaches' meetings, webinars, and technical assistance conference calls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This analysis suggests that ACHIEVE communities valued the management and training assistance provided by expert advisors and NACDD staff. State health department expert advisors provided technical guidance and support, including such skills or knowledge-based services as best-practice strategies, review and discussion of community assessment data, sustainability planning, and identification of possible funding opportunities. NACDD staff led development and implementation of technical assistance events.
authors.affiliation: National Association of Chronic Disease Directors, Washington, DC.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hefelfinger
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patty
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ussery
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Young
mesh_terms: D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D018672:Community Health Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004777:Environment; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D011635:Public Health Administration / Q000193:education*; D014481:United States