0920-0879 IZPHD Attachment C_Instrument- Word- Phase 1

ATTACHMENT C – MS Word Version of Web-based Instrument

Form Pending

OMB No. 0920-0879

Expiration Date: 04/30/2017

INTRODUCTION

Thank you for your participation in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) assessment, Health Department Challenges in Implementation of CDC Immunization Funding. Your feedback will help CDC better understand the experiences of immunization awardees using federal immunization funding.  The goal of this assessment is to identify the successes and challenges that immunization awardees have encountered and the opportunities for future improvements related to utilizing their federal immunization funding. 
 

Please answer each question to the best of your ability.  We have also provided a section for you to share any additional comments.  This assessment should take you about 15-20 minutes to complete.

When navigating between pages please use the forward (>>) and back (<<) buttons located in the lower right hand corner of the assessment.  Do NOT use your internet browser buttons as you will exit the assessment.

Please note that your individual information will remain anonymous. A summary of each health department’s experiences will only be shared with CDC.

1. Are you the immunization program manager for your health department?

• Yes

• No

If Yes Is Selected, Then Skip To Health Department section

If No Is Selected, Then Skip To Follow Up Contact Information section

Public reporting burden of this collection of information is estimated 20 minutes to complete this assessment, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to CDC/ATSDR Reports Clearance Officer; 1600 Clifton Road NE, MS D-74, Atlanta, Georgia 30333; ATTN: PRA (0920-0879)

HEALTH DEPARTMENT

Please provide the name of your health department.

2. Health Department

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

3. Approximately how long have you been in this position?

• Less than 1 year

• At least 1 but less than 4 years

• At least 4 but less than 6 years

• At least 6 but less than 10 years

• 10 years or more

4. Approximately how many full time staff (full time equivalent, FTE), excluding contract staff, are in your health department’s immunization program? Please calculate as best possible, accounting for staff working for both the immunization program and other units, if applicable.

• Less than 5 FTE staff

• 5-10 FTE staff

• 11-15 FTE staff

• More than 15 FTE staff

The following sections will ask the same series of questions on challenges and successes of spending different types of immunization funding awards.  

SECTION 317 FUNDING

The next set of questions asks about your health department’s experiences using Section 317 immunization funding.

5. In federal fiscal years 2012 [October 2011 - September 2012] and/or 2013 [October 2012 - September 2013], was your health department awarded any Section 317 immunization funding?

• Yes

• No

If No Is Selected, Then Skip To VACCINES FOR CHILDREN (VFC) FUNDING SECTION

6. Have any of these issues made it easier or harder to spend your health department’s Section 317 funding within the grant timeframe?  Please select one button per row.

	Made it harder	Neither harder or easier	Made it easier
a. Timeliness of receiving funds from CDC
b. Alignment / misalignment of state and federal fiscal years
c. Length of grant period for completing deliverables
d. Volume of grant activities to funding received
e. Funding specifications (e.g., level of flexibility regarding what grant funds can be used for)
f. Administrative processes in hiring new staff (e.g., recruitment assistance, approval processing, hiring freezes, level of scrutiny of new hires)
g. Administrative process in hiring external partners/consultants (e.g., process to develop/post RFP, identifying contractor, completing contract paperwork for hire, hiring freezes, level of scrutiny of new contractors)
h. Process related to procuring supplies for grant activities
i. Capacity of health department’s technological infrastructure to support implementation of immunization grant activities
j. Certainty/uncertainty of future 317 funds or knowledge of future funding for long-term planning
k. CDC reporting requirements (e.g., staff capacity to meet reporting requirements)
l. CDC monthly calls (e.g., staff time to participate in multiple monthly calls)
m. In-person meetings at CDC requiring staff time
n. Coordination and communication among CDC project officers involved in the various immunization grant awards
o. Timeliness of CDC communication regarding funding, policy changes, and/or grant activities
p. Other internal issues, please specify: ________________
q. Other external issues, please specify: ________________

7. Please provide comments or elaborations on any of the challenges or successes you have encountered to spending Section 317 funding.

8. Overall, how easy or hard has it been for your health department to spend Section 317 funding within the grant timeframe?

• Very hard

• Hard

• Easy

• Very easy

9. During federal fiscal years 2012 [October 2011 - September 2012] and 2013 [October 2012 - September 2013], approximately what percent of Section 317 funding has your health department been able to spend?  

______ % of Section 317 funding

10. In what areas has it been easiest for your health department to spend Section 317 funding within the grant timeframe? Please check all that apply.

• Internal staffing

• External consultants and contractors

• Purchasing non-vaccine related supplies, (e.g., educational materials, other equipment)

• Vaccine storage, handling, and/or distribution

• Information technology (IT)

• Other, please specify: ____________________

11. In what areas has it been hardest for your health department to spend Section 317 funding within the grant timeframe? Please check all that apply.

• Internal staffing

• External consultants and contractors

• Purchasing non-vaccine related supplies, (e.g., educational materials, other equipment)

• Vaccine storage, handling, and/or distribution

• Information technology (IT)

• Other, please specify: ____________________

12. From your perspective, which of the following, if any, do you think would be helpful to awardees to spend their Section 317 funding within the grant timeframe? Please select one button per row.

	Not at all helpful	Somewhat helpful	Very helpful
a. A uniform online reporting system across different funding streams
b. Improvements in the speed and functionality of an online reporting system
c. Reducing or streamlining reporting requirements and calls
d. Clearer or more timely communication between CDC and awardees on grant requirements, future funding, policy changes, etc.
e. Greater continuity of CDC program support (i.e., technical assistance)
f. Greater coordination and communication of CDC project officers with each other
g. A handbook of guidelines on reporting requirements
h. Webinars about reporting requirements and processes
i. Increased funding flexibility to meet grant goals and objectives
j. Having a non-profit intermediary organization to facilitate grant administration
k. No-cost extensions on grant funding
l. Other, please specify: _________________________________
m. Other, please specify: _______________________________

13. Please provide comments or elaborations on suggestions or recommendations that would help health departments spend their Section 317 immunization funding within the grant timeframe. 

VACCINES FOR CHILDREN (VFC) FUNDING

The following section asks about your health department’s experiences using Vaccines for Children (VFC) funding.

14. In federal fiscal years 2012 [October 2011 - September 2012] and/or 2013 [October 2012 - September 2013], was your health department awarded any Vaccines for Children (VFC) immunization funding?

• Yes

• No

If No Is Selected, Then Skip To SPECIAL FEDERAL FUNDING Section

15. Have any of these issues made it easier or harder to spend your health department’s VFC funding within the grant timeframe?  Please select one button per row.  

	Made it harder	Neither harder or easier	Made it easier
a. Timeliness of receiving funds from CDC
b. Alignment / misalignment of state and federal fiscal years
c. Length of grant period for completing deliverables
d. Volume of grant activities to funding received
e. Funding specifications (e.g., level of flexibility regarding what grant funds can be used for)
f. Administrative processes in hiring new staff (e.g., recruitment assistance, approval processing, hiring freezes, level of scrutiny of new hires)
g. Administrative process in hiring external partners/consultants (e.g., process to develop/post RFP, identifying contractor, completing contract paperwork for hire, hiring freezes, level of scrutiny of new contractors)
h. Process related to procuring supplies for grant activities
i. Capacity of health department’s technological infrastructure to support implementation of immunization grant activities
j. Certainty/uncertainty of future VFC funds or knowledge of future funding for long-term planning
k. CDC reporting requirements (e.g., staff capacity to meet reporting requirements)
l. CDC monthly calls (e.g., staff time to participate in multiple monthly calls)
m. In-person meetings at CDC requiring staff time
n. Coordination and communication among CDC project officers involved in the various immunization grant awards
o. Timeliness of CDC communication regarding funding, policy changes, and/or grant activities
p. Other internal issues, please specify: ________________
q. Other external issues, please specify: ________________

16. Please provide comments or elaborations on any of the challenges or successes you have encountered to spending VFC funding.

17. Overall, how easy or hard has it been for your health department to spend VFC funding within the grant timeframe?

• Very hard

• Hard

• Easy

• Very easy

18. During federal fiscal years 2012 [October 2011 - September 2012] and 2013 [October 2012 - September 2013], approximately what percent of VFC funding has your health department been able to spend?  

______ % of VFC funding

19. In what areas has it been easiest for your health department to spend VFC funding within the grant timeframe? Please check all that apply.

• Internal staffing

• External consultants and contractors

• Purchasing non-vaccine related supplies, (e.g., educational materials, other equipment)

• Vaccine storage, handling, and/or distribution

• Information technology (IT)

• Other, please specify: ____________________

20. In what areas has it been hardest for your health department to spend VFC funding within the grant timeframe? Please check all that apply.

• Internal staffing

• External consultants and contractors

• Purchasing non-vaccine related supplies, (e.g., educational materials, other equipment)

• Vaccine storage, handling, and/or distribution

• Information technology (IT)

• Other, please specify: ____________________

21. From your perspective, which of the following, if any, do you think would be helpful to awardees to spend their VFC funding within the grant timeframe? Please select one button per row.

	Not at all helpful	Somewhat helpful	Very helpful
a. A uniform online reporting system across different funding streams
b. Improvements in the speed and functionality of an online reporting system
c. Reducing or streamlining reporting requirements and calls
d. Clearer or more timely communication between CDC and awardees on grant requirements, future funding, policy changes, etc.
e. Greater continuity of CDC program support (i.e., technical assistance)
f. Greater coordination and communication of CDC project officers with each other
g. A handbook of guidelines on reporting requirements
h. Webinars about reporting requirements and processes
i. Increased funding flexibility to meet grant goals and objectives
j. Having a non-profit intermediary organization to facilitate grant administration
k. No-cost extensions on grant funding
l. Other, please specify: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­__________________________
m. Other, please specify: _________________________

22. Please provide comments or elaborations on suggestions or recommendations that would help health departments spend their VFC funding within the grant timeframe. 

SPECIAL FEDERAL FUNDING

The following section asks about your health department’s experiences using special federal funding such as funding through the Prevention and Public Health Fund (PPHF) or American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

23. In federal fiscal years 2012 [October 2011 - September 2012] and/or 2013 [October 2012 - September 2013], was your health department awarded any special federal funding such as through the Prevention and Public Health Fund (PPHF) or American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)?

• Yes

• No

If No Is Selected, Then Skip To Other Section

24. Have any of these issues made it easier or harder to spend your health department’s special federal funding within the grant timeframe?  Please select one button per row.  

	Made it harder	Neither harder or easier	Made it easier
a. Timeliness of receiving funds from CDC
b. Alignment / misalignment of state and federal fiscal years
c. Length of grant period for completing deliverables
d. Volume of grant activities to funding received
e. Funding specifications (e.g., level of flexibility regarding what grant funds can be used for)
f. Administrative processes in hiring new staff (e.g., recruitment assistance, approval processing, hiring freezes, level of scrutiny of new hires)
g. Administrative process in hiring external partners/consultants (e.g., process to develop/post RFP, identifying contractor, completing contract paperwork for hire, hiring freezes, level scrutiny of new contractors)
h. Process related to procuring supplies for grant activities
i. Capacity of health department’s technological infrastructure to support implementation of immunization grant activities
j. Certainty/uncertainty of future special federal funds or knowledge of future funding for long-term planning
k. CDC reporting requirements (e.g., staff capacity to meet reporting requirements)
l. CDC monthly calls (e.g., staff time to participate in multiple monthly calls)
m. In-person meetings at CDC requiring staff time
n. Coordination and communication among CDC project officers involved in the various immunization grant awards
o. Timeliness of CDC communication regarding funding, policy changes, and/or grant activities
p. Other internal issues, please specify: ________________
q. Other external issues, please specify: ________________

25. Please provide comments or elaborations on any of the challenges or successes you have encountered to spending special federal funding such as PPHF or ARRA funds.

26. Overall, how easy or hard has it been for your health department to spend special federal funding (e.g., PPHF, ARRA) within the grant timeframe?

• Very hard

• Hard

• Easy

• Very easy

27. During federal fiscal years 2012 [October 2011 - September 2012] and 2013 [October 2012 - September 2013], approximately what percent of special federal funding (e.g., PPHF or ARRA) has your health department been able to spend?  

______ % of special federal funding (e.g., PPHF or ARRA)

28. In what areas has it been easiest for your health department to spend special federal funding (e.g., PPHF, ARRA) within the grant timeframe? Please check all that apply.

• Internal staffing

• External consultants and contractors

• Purchasing non-vaccine related supplies, (e.g., educational materials, other equipment)

• Vaccine storage, handling, and/or distribution

• Information technology (IT)

• Other, please specify: ____________________

29. In what areas has it been hardest for your health department to spend special federal funding (e.g., PPHF, ARRA) within the grant timeframe? Please check all that apply.

• Internal staffing

• External consultants and contractors

• Purchasing non-vaccine related supplies, (e.g., educational materials, other equipment)

• Vaccine storage, handling, and/or distribution

• Information technology (IT)

• Other, please specify: ____________________

30. From your perspective, which of the following, if any, do you think would be helpful to awardees to spend their special federal funding (e.g., PPHF, ARRA) within the grant timeframe? Please select one button per row.

	Not at all helpful	Somewhat helpful	Very helpful
a. A uniform online reporting system across different funding streams
b. Improvements in the speed and functionality of an online reporting system
c. Reducing or streamlining reporting requirements and calls
d. Clearer or more timely communication between CDC and awardees on grant requirements, future funding, policy changes, etc.
e. Greater continuity of CDC program support (i.e., technical assistance)
f. Greater coordination and communication of CDC project officers with each other
g. A handbook of guidelines on reporting requirements
h. Webinars about reporting requirements and processes
i. Increased funding flexibility to meet grant goals and objectives
j. Having a non-profit intermediary organization to facilitate grant administration
k. No-cost extensions on grant funding
l. Other, please specify: ­­­­­­­­­­_______________________
m. Other, please specify: _____________________

31. Please provide comments or elaborations on suggestions or recommendations that would help health departments spend their other special federal funding such as PPHF or ARRA funds within the grant timeframe. 

OTHER 

32. During federal fiscal years 2012 [October 2011 - September 2012] and 2013 [October 2012 - September 2013], approximately what percent of your immunization program's funding came from state or local sources?   

______ % of funding from state or local sources

33. Overall, how easy or hard has it been for your health department to spend state or local funding within the grant timeframe?

• Very hard

• Hard

• Easy

• Very easy

34. Has your health department experienced any other issues that have made spending federal, state, or local immunization funding especially challenging? 

• Yes, please specify: ____________________

• No

If No Is Selected, Then Skip To In your opinion, what could be done in…..

35. For which awards have you found this to be a challenge? Please check all that apply.

• Section 317

• VFC

• Special federal funding (e.g., PPHF, ARRA)

• State/local funding

• Other, please specify: ____________________

36. In your opinion, what could be done in the future to help health departments use their immunization funding within the timeframe of the grant? What resources, information, or assistance can be provided to expedite this process? 

Thank you for your time and valuable insights. 

Your individual information will remain anonymous. A summary of each health department’s experiences will only be shared with CDC.

We greatly appreciate your feedback.

FOLLOW UP CONTACT INFORMATION

Thank you for your participation. This assessment is intended to be completed by the person in your health department who can speak to the utilization of immunization funding provided by CDC. Can you please provide the contact information for the person in your health department who would have this information?

First Name __________________________________

Last Name __________________________________

Email address ______________________________

Telephone number ________________________

Title/position ______________________________