Process Evaluation in the Washington, D.C., Dual Diagnosis Project

Abstract

In health service demonstration research, process evaluation refers to measuring the program itself rather than its effects. A model-guided process evaluation includes specifying the treatment model, assessing its implementation, monitoring the fidelity of the model throughout the project, assessing model exposure and absorption, and helping to understand the program's intermediate effects (i.e., proximal outcomes) as well as final effects (i.e., distal outcomes). To illustrate the mechanisms and uses of a process evaluation, this article describes the Washington, D.C., Dual Diagnosis Project, a research demonstration project for homeless persons with co-occurring severe mental disorders and substance use disorders.