In 2021, eight SRAE grant recipients participated in a pilot to build their capacity to engage in continuous quality improvement (CQI) to address programmatic challenges. Through the pilot, the SRAENE team identified lessons about building CQI capacity and gathered feedback to develop and refine resources to support programs with conducting CQI. Lessons about building CQI capacity included:
- Look for opportunities to strengthen work already underway. Most grant recipients already had good learning practices in place to support CQI but, in some cases, found they could benefit from being more intentional about using those practices to support improvement. Assess your organization’s CQI capacity with the SRAE CQI self-assessment (PDF) developed to help grant recipients gauge their starting place.
- Strive to adhere to CQI principles, not a specific process. One purpose of the pilot was to road test and refine the SRAE CQI template (PDF), a tool to guide grant recipients when conducting CQI. The template presents one approach to CQI. Some grant recipients found value in using the template to enhance existing practices that aligned with CQI principles, rather than as a replacement of their improvement processes. The SRAE CQI brief provides an overview of the CQI principles that guided the pilot. If your team has existing improvement practices, use the assessment and template to build on your current approach; if you’re just starting out, the template presents a five-step process that adheres to CQI principles and can guide initial steps to conduct CQI.
- Build CQI processes incrementally and over time. CQI is a collection of practices to support improvement. Through the pilot, participating grant recipients identified discrete practices to enhance their approach to improvement, even if they didn’t plan to adopt each step in the process immediately. CQI capacity is built over time. To learn more about promising practices to support improvement throughout the CQI cycle, explore the CQI modules [AB1] below and determine practices that are feasible for your team to adopt in the near and long term.
The cycle graphic below presents the five-step process outlined in the SRAE CQI template (PDF). The CQI modules provide foundational information aligned to the steps in the CQI process, as well as questions to guide your team in applying the steps to your program.
Five-Step CQI Process and Relevant CQI Modules
Supplemental content
Module 12: Supplemental material: Tips and considerations for data collection for improvement work (PDF)
Module 13: Supplemental material: Example of a road test (PDF)
Combined Modules: All 13 modules in one document (PDF)
Why use a CQI approach?
In the videos below, hear from peer grant recipients about how CQI has helped guide their efforts to enhance programming over time.
- Video 1: An introduction to CQI provides a brief introduction to CQI, including the five steps in the process. OPRE Report Number 2023-256.
- Video 2: Creating your CQI team discusses the purpose and composition of the CQI team and features grant recipients sharing about the benefit of a CQI team. OPRE Report Number 2023-257.
- Video 3: Learning about challenges and developing strategies discusses breaking down challenges and developing strategies and includes a group discussion about how grant recipients identify and learn about challenges. The video also features a grant recipient who describes their inclusive approach to developing strategies to overcome challenges during the pandemic. OPRE Report Number 2023-258.
- Video 4: Road testing strategies covers the concept of road testing and features a grant recipient who shares about experiences iterating on an approach to a youth ambassador program. OPRE Report Number 2023-259.
- Video 5: Monitoring progress speaks to the importance of long-term monitoring of outcomes to assess improvement strategies. This video features a grant recipient who discusses how they have kept a YouTube video initiative relevant with ongoing feedback and iteration. OPRE Report Number 2023-260.
- Video 6: A call to action asks viewers to draw on what they heard in the video series and related resources to engage in their own CQI efforts. It includes grant recipient reflections on the value of CQI to their programs. OPRE Report Number 2023-261.
Citation
Buonaspina, Annie, and Samantha Zelenack. “Supporting Grantees Through Continuous Quality Improvement: Lessons from the Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRAE) CQI pilot.” OPRE Report 2022-142. Washington DC, Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Buonaspina, Annie, and Brittany Tabora. "Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Plan Template." Washington DC, Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Buonaspina, Annie, and Brittany Tabora. "Self-Assessment of Continuous Quality Improvement." Washington DC, Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Buonaspina, Annie, and Brittany Tabora. “Continuous Quality Improvement Training Modules.” Washington DC, Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Gillispie, C., Buonaspina, A., Zaveri, H., Lovera, M., Derrington, R., Regier, J., & Zief, S. “SRAENE — Video 1: An introduction to CQI. OPRE Report Number 2023-256. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Gillispie, C., Buonaspina, A., Zaveri, H., Lovera, M., Derrington, R., Regier, J., & Zief, S.. “SRAENE — Video 2: Creating your CQI team.” 2023-257. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Gillispie, C., Buonaspina, A., Zaveri, H., Lovera, M., Derrington, R., Regier, J., & Zief, S.. “SRAENE — Video 3: Learning about challenges and developing strategies.” 2023-258. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Gillispie, C., Buonaspina, A., Zaveri, H., Lovera, M., Derrington, R., Regier, J., & Zief, S. “SRAENE — Video 4: Road testing strategies.” 2023-259. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Gillispie, C., Buonaspina, A., Zaveri, H., Lovera, M., Derrington, R., Regier, J., & Zief, S. “SRAENE — Video 5: Monitoring progress.” 2023-260. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Gillispie, C., Buonaspina, A., Zaveri, H., Lovera, M., Derrington, R., Regier, J., & Zief, S. “SRAENE — Video 6: A call to action.” 2023-261. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.