Iowa DOT Project Management Peer Exchange, 2016

This project supported the planning and conduct of a two-day Iowa Department of Transportation–hosted peer exchange for state agencies that have implemented some or all of the suggested strategies outlined in the Second Strategic Highway Research Program–sponsored project R10, Project Management Strategies for Complex Projects. Presentations were made by participating states, and several opportunities were provided for directed discussion. General themes emerging from the presentations and discussions were identified as follows: To implement improvements in project management processes, agency leadership needs to decide that a new approach to project management is worth pursuing and then dedicate resources to developing a project management plan. The change to formalized project management and five-dimensional project management (5DPM) requires a culture shift in agencies from segmented “silo” processes to collaborative, cooperative processes that make communication and collaboration high priorities. Agencies need trained project managers who are empowered to execute the project management plan, as well as properly trained functional staff. Project management can be centralized or decentralized with equal effect. After an agency’s project management plan and structure are developed, software tools and other resources should be implemented to support the plan and structure. All projects will benefit from enhanced project management, but the project management plan should specify appropriate approaches for several project levels as defined by factors in addition to dollar value. Project management should be included in an agency’s project development manual.

The Soil and Water Assessment Tool:Historical Development, Applications, and Future Research Directions, 2007

The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model is a continuation of nearly 30 years of modeling efforts conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service. SWAT has gained international acceptance as a robust interdisciplinary watershed modeling tool, as evidenced by international SWAT conferences, hundreds of SWAT-related papers presented at numerous scientific meetings, and dozens of articles published in peer-reviewed journals. The model has also been adopted as part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s BASINS (Better Assessment Science Integrating Point & Nonpoint Sources) software package and is being used by many U.S. federal and state agencies, including the USDA within the Conservation Effects Assessment Project. At present, over 250 peer-reviewed, published articles have been identified that report SWAT applications, reviews of SWAT components, or other research that includes SWAT. Many of these peer-reviewed articles are summarized here according to relevant application categories such as streamflow calibration and related hydrologic analyses, climate change impacts on hydrology, pollutant load assessments, comparisons with other models, and sensitivity analyses and calibration techniques. Strengths and weaknesses of the model are presented, and recommended research needs for SWAT are provided.

Iowa Substance Abuse Brief; Alcohol: Binge Drinking, May 2009, Issue 2

Binge drinking by Iowans is a serious problem. Binge drinking is commonly defined as five or more drinks of alcohol on the same occasion for men and four or more for women. The 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) estimated that 11% (approximately 28,000) of Iowans 12-17 years of age and 51% (approximately 177,000) of Iowans ages 18-25 had engaged in binge drinking during the past month. Favorable community and peer norms about alcohol use and easy access both contribute to this problem. Consequences of binge drinking can be immediate, like alcohol poisoning or injury, or much more delayed such as an increased risk for stroke or alcoholism. In either case the results can be severe.

2008 Iowa Youth Survey State of Iowa Results, Revised June 2009

In September and October of 2008, the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) collaborated with schools in Iowa to conduct the 2008 Iowa Youth Survey (IYS). The 2008 IYS is the twelfth in a series of surveys that have been completed every three years since 1975. The survey is conducted with students in grades 6, 8, and 11 attending Iowa public and private schools. The IYS includes questions about students’ behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs, as well as their perceptions of peer, family, school, neighborhood, and community environments.

Iowa Results First: Return on Investment for Corrections Programs - 2012, May 2012

The Iowa Department of Management requested the Iowa Department of Corrections to accept the Pew Center on the States’ invitation to be trained in assessing the return on investment to taxpayers from criminal justice programs utilized by the State of Iowa. Using the Results First model, a nationally recognized, peer-reviewed tool developed by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP), the Department of Corrections has calculated the rate of return on investment for Iowa adult offender programs for each program area included in the model.

Iowa Plan for Brain Injury, 2007-2010

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) impacts the lives of thousands of Iowans every year. TBI has been described as the “Silent Epidemic” because so often the scars are not visible to others. The affects of brain injury are cognitive, emotional, social, and can result in physical disability. In addition to the overwhelming challenges individuals with brain injury experience, families also face many difficulties in dealing with their loved one’s injury, and in navigating a service delivery system that can be confusing and frustrating. In 1998, the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) conducted a comprehensive statewide needs assessment of brain injury in Iowa. This assessment led to the development of the first Iowa Plan for Brain Injury, “Coming Into Focus.” An updated state plan, the Iowa Plan for Brain Injuries 2002 – 2005, was developed, which reported on progress of the previous state plan, and outlined gaps in service delivery in Iowa. Four areas of focus were identified by the State Plan for Brain Injuries Task Force that included: 1) Expanding the Iowa Brain Injury Resource Network (IBIRN); 2) Promoting a Legislative and Policy Agenda, While Increasing Legislative Strength; 3) Enhancing Data Collection; and, 4) Increasing Funding. The IDPH utilized “Coming Into Focus” as the framework for an application to the federal TBI State Grant Program, which has resulted in more than $900,000 for plan implementation. Iowa continues to receive grant dollars through the TBI State Grant Program, which focuses on increasing capacity to serve Iowans with brain injury and their families. Highlighting the success of this grant project, in 2007 the IDPH received the federal TBI Program’s “Impacting Systems Change” Award. The Iowa Brain Injury Resource Network (IBIRN) is the product of nine years of TBI State Grant Program funding. The IBIRN was developed to ensure that Iowans got the information and support they needed after a loved one sustained a TBI. It consists of a hospital and service provider pre-discharge information and service linkage process, a resource facilitation program, a peer-to-peer volunteer support network, and a service provider training and technical assistance program. Currently over 90 public and private partners work with the IDPH and the Brain Injury Association of Iowa (BIA-IA) to administer the IBIRN system and ensure that families have a relevant and reliable location to turn for information and support. Further success was accomplished in 2006 when the Iowa legislature created the Brain Injury Services Program within the IDPH. This program consists of four components focusing on increasing access to services and improving the effectiveness of services available to individuals with TBI and their families, including: 1) HCBS Brain Injury Waiver-Eligible Component; 2) Cost Share Component; 3) Neuro-Resource Facilitation; and, 4) Enhanced Training. The Iowa legislature appropriated $2.4 million to the Brain Injury Services Program in state fiscal year (SFY) 2007, and increased that amount to $3.9 million in SFY 2008. The Cost Share Component models the HCBS Brain Injury Waiver menu of services but is available for Iowans who do not qualify functionally or financially for the Waiver. In addition, the Neuro-Resource Facilitation program links individuals with brain injury and their families to needed supports and services. The Iowa Plan for Brain Injury highlights the continued need for serving individuals with brain injury and their families. Additionally, the Plan outlines the paths of prevention and services, which will expand the current system and direct efforts into the future.