Background and Audience: Within tobacco control, there is solid evidence basis for linkages within program outcomes, but not for how specific inputs, activities and outputs link with outcomes. Particularly for tobacco-related disparities initiatives, there's a dearth of evidence on how to build capacity and implement appropriate interventions in priority populations. Process evaluation can help move the evidence base forward by measuring and modeling effective program implementation. The audience is state and community tobacco control evaluation and program practitioners.

Key Points: and Learning Objectives: This workshop will cover the following topics: • Define process evaluation and describe its rationale, benefits, purposes, key information to gather, and provide example process indicators for tobacco control programs; • How process evaluation differs from and fits with outcome evaluation; and, • How process evaluation should fit within overall program and evaluation planning, including a process for managing evaluation.

Examples from the field will be discussed. King County (Seattle) has used process evaluation to pilot the use of best practices in cessation among low SES populations, especially homeless, mentally ill and chemically dependent people; it has been critical in creating systems change in agencies that serve these populations.

Benefits: The session will include small group activity and interactive discussion focusing on development of process evaluation questions and indicators which can assess not only program implementation, but also the quality or fidelity of implementation.