ATTACHMENT M - Procedures for Conducting Site Visits

ATTACHMENT M:

PROCEDURES FOR CONDUCTING SITE VISITS

Methods for site visit data collection

The site visits will include three types of activities: 1) interviews with program administrators, staff, and service providers; 2) visits to FDPIR programs to observe facilities related to client enrollment, warehouses, and food distribution; and 3) discussion groups with program clients and potential clients.

Interviews with administrators, staff and other service providers. Interviews will be conducted with as many program staff positions as possible, including FDPIR Tribal or state program administrators, depending upon the organizational structure. In addition to program managers, respondents may include staff responsible for program outreach, eligibility determination and program enrollment, commodity orders, commodity storage and organization in warehouses, commodity distribution, and nutrition education. We will determine the relevant positions and staff members to interview at each site during preliminary discussions with program managers. We will also interview staff of other related entities as appropriate (e.g., Indian Health Service [IHS] or Tribal clinics, WIC, and TANF). Interviews will be designed to last no more than one hour. The exhibit below shows a list of potential site visit respondents. This will be tailored to the program structure and organizations at each site to assure that we meet with the appropriate, informed stakeholders.

Potential Respondents for Interviews

Agency/Program	Respondent
FDPIR	Administrator / Manager Staff responsible for ordering USDA Foods Enrollment / recertification staff Warehouse management staff Commodity distribution staff Nutrition education staff
IHS / Tribal Clinics	Director Nutrition-related staff
SNAP, WIC & TANF	Director Enrollment / recertification staff Nutrition education staff
All	Tribal Chair/Council Members Elders

Visits to FDPIR enrollment sites, warehouses, and distribution sites. In addition to the interviews, site visits will include observations of program facilities and activities. We will observe client enrollment and re-enrollment procedures, warehouse facilities and operations, distribution site and operations, and any nutrition education activities that might be taking place. Field researchers will be trained to carry out observations without interfering in program activities.

FDPIR participant and eligible nonparticipant discussion groups. Objectives 4 (reasons why few individuals are participating in FDPIR) and 9 (participant satisfaction) will be addressed primarily through interviews and case file reviews. However, the discussion groups will add important information to those data collection components.

We will conduct discussion groups with current FDPIR clients and eligible nonparticipants who are responsible for food selection and preparation in their households. The moderated discussions will focus on food access, reasons for participating in FDPIR or other food support programs, and program satisfaction. We plan a total of 19 discussion groups—one in each of 15 sites and two groups in both of the two largest sites. Each group will consist of 12 adults. Discussion group participants will be recruited by FDPIR and other Tribal program staff as determined through Tribal consultations and our outreach process. With the assistance of FDPIR managers and staff, current and former FDPIR participants can be identified through case files; we will reach out to other Tribal programs, such as WIC, programs serving elders, and food banks that serve reservation residents, to recruit low-income non-FDPIR households.

Sessions will be arranged at times and locations to accommodate the needs of discussion-group participants and assure a comfortable and friendly atmosphere in which to conduct frank and open discussions. Discussion groups may be arranged to coincide with activities at which a number of people are expected to congregate (for example, a nutrition education program). Field researchers will ensure that program staff are not present during the sessions. Two researchers will lead each discussion group, which will last no more than two hours. Participants will receive a gratuity of $25 to help defray costs of transportation, child care, or other costs associated with attending the session.

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