Evaluation Portfolio for the Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) Program
Authorized by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010, the Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) program provides education and training to TANF recipients and other low-income individuals for occupations in the healthcare field that pay well and are expected to either experience labor shortages or be in high demand. The HPOG program is administered by the Office of Family Assistance within the Administration for Children and Families.
HPOG programs are expected to target skills and competencies demanded by the healthcare industry; support career pathways; result in an employer- or industry-recognized certificate or degree; combine supportive services with education and training services to help participants overcome barriers to employment; and provide services at times and locations that are easily accessible to targeted populations.
In 2010, the first round of HPOG grant awards was made to 32 organizations located across 23 states to carry out five-year programs in their areas. In 2015, a second round of HPOG grant awards was made to 32 organizations located across 21 states for a new five-year period.
The ACA authorized HPOG as a demonstration program and mandated a federal evaluation. The Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) is utilizing a multi-pronged evaluation strategy to assess the success of the HPOG program. The evaluation strategy aims to provide information on program implementation, systems change, outcomes and impact. The components of OPRE’s evaluation portfolio for HPOG are as follows:
Evaluations of Program Grants Awarded in 2010:
- HPOG Implementation, Systems and Outcomes Project
- HPOG National Implementation Evaluation
- HPOG Impact Study
- Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education
- Career Pathways Intermediate Outcomes Study
- Evaluation of Tribal HPOG
- University Partnership Research Grants for HPOG
You can learn more about the first round of HPOG program grants and evaluation activities in the Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) Interim Report to Congress.
Evaluations of Program Grants Awarded in 2015:
- Evaluation and System Design for Career Pathways Programs: 2nd Generation of HPOG
- National Evaluation of the 2nd Generation of HPOG
- Tribal Evaluation of the 2nd Generation of HPOG
The points of contact are Hilary Forster, Nicole Constance, and Amelia Popham.