A web-based IT Solution for Outcome Based Prevention

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The major objective of Phase II is to fully develop iGTO into a product that is ready for large-scale commercial distribution and deployment. iGTO is a capacity-building system designed to help practitioners demonstrate results. Utilizing an innovative interactive web-based technology, the iGTO system uses science and "best practices" to help practitioners and policymakers in substance abuse prevention answer 10 accountability questions reflecting the following concerns: needs and resources, goals, evidence-based interventions, fit, capacity, planning, implementation, evaluation, continuous quality improvement, and sustainability. /GTO Phase II has two specific aims: 1) To further develop the iGTO prototype into a fully functional commercial product that provides practitioner and policymakers with a 10-step approach to results-based accountability. The feasibility study of iGTO as a knowledge-based IT solution for results-based accountability will address this aim. Multiple methods, including on-line surveys, are employed to evaluate technical merit and commercial feasibility on an ongoing basis in the four pilot sites. 2) To conduct exploratory longitudinal pre-post research on the degree to which substance abuse prevention practitioners use and institutionalize iGTO and the effect this use has on their prevention capacity to plan, implement and evaluate their preventive interventions. Innovative tools based on CBAM (Concerns-Based Adoption Model) methodology for assessing utilization and capacity, and tools on institutionalization for assessing sustainability will be used to conduct the study. The initial feedback and support letters indicated that the market potential for iGTO is large and receptive. Specially, four types of customers including foundations, cross-site evaluators, coalitions, and federal and state agencies can benefit immediately from this innovation.