Theme: Models of Care Year: 2024
Background: Collective impact is a framework for collaborative community efforts, designed to respond to and address deeply entrenched and complex social problems. End Hep C SF (EHCSF) is a multi-sector collective impact initiative that works toward hepatitis C (HCV) elimination in San Francisco. EHCSF has leveraged collective impact strategies to respond to intersectional social, political, and environmental conditions in San Francisco that present barriers to HCV elimination including a political environment that is increasingly hostile to people who use drugs.
Methods: EHCSF undergoes an annual formal process evaluation to assess the success with which it is using the collective impact framework to progress toward HCV elimination. The initiative uses Results-Based AccountabilityTM (RBA) as an evaluation framework to measure outcomes and progress on a publicly-available data dashboard, and gathers qualitative data about collective impact efforts through one-on-one semi-structured interviews with members, and focus groups during regular initiative workgroup meetings.
Results: Through the evaluation process, EHCSF assessed adherence to five core principles of collective impact: partners have a shared understanding and agenda; success is measured and reported in an agreed-upon way; diverse stakeholders organize mutually reinforcing activities; partners engage in frequent and structured communication; and the initiative is supported through independently funded staff who form the administrative “backbone.” As part of this review, members recommended several strategies to increase engagement in EHCSF while balancing competing priorities, impacts of concurrent public health crises, and workforce burnout, which are now being implemented in 2024.
Conclusion: Staying true to principles of collective impact, engaging a wide range of stakeholders in an annual evaluation process – and cultivating conversation about the evaluation findings – provides key opportunities for members to acknowledge and address issues, recommit to priority activities, and deepen relationships with their cross-sector partners, ultimately improving progress toward HCV elimination.
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