Program Science

Program Science QuoteProgram Science and REACH

PAN has had a dynamic and active partnership with the CIHR Centre for REACH in HIV/AIDS since 2011, a partnership that has evolved with an exciting new shift to a “program science” approach.

REACH is a national partnership of people with lived experience with HIV or hepatitis C, community-based organizations, front-line service providers, health researchers and federal, provincial and regional policy makers working to create meaningful links between research and evaluation initiatives. In 2014, REACH was re-funded under a CIHR HIV/AIDS Centres Grant and is in the process of shifting priorities to become “REACH 2.0.”

REACH 2.0 is working to create an innovative, virtual, nation-wide laboratory for intervention research, participatory evaluation and applied program science in HIV, other STIs and HCV.

 

What is program science?

program science 2.0Program science can be defined as promoting “collaboration and integration between programs and science to improve the ways programs are designed, implemented and evaluated to accelerate and increase health impact” (Program Science Meeting Report, May 3-5, 2010. Rome, Italy).

In reality program science is not a new idea for community-based organizations, but it works to formalize the way organizations have been intuitively working  for years. It is about supporting the continuous process of asking questions. It’s focused on gathering information while programs are happening – during their planning, implementation and evaluation phases – to support program improvements and to allow for the scale-up and transfer of effective programs to other locations and populations.

 

Resources:

PAN has developed and gathered number of program science resources: