National Association of Chronic Disease Directors Overview:

The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) improves public health by strengthening state and national leadership and expertise for chronic disease prevention and control. Founded in 1988, NACDD aims to lead and influence how chronic disease prevention and health promotion shape the health landscape.

Advancing Arthritis Public Health Priorities Through National Organizations Component 2

With funding and support from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Population Health, Healthy Aging Branch, Arthritis Management and Well-Being through DP21-2106, NACDD is engaged in a 5-year project to develop and implement an evidence-informed healthcare provider approach to conduct function, pain, and physical activity screenings; patient counseling on the benefits of physical activity; and referrals to arthritis-appropriate physical activity and self-management programs.

Specific project aims:

1. Collaborate with other national partners to develop and implement an evidence informed healthcare provider approach (“arthritis care model”) to conduct function, pain, and physical activity screenings; patient counseling on the benefits of physical activity; and referrals to arthritis-appropriate physical activity and self-management programs and other evidence based “treatments”.
2. Pilot the model in a health care system(s)/practices that serve diverse populations (including high Medicare/Medicaid populations) and demonstrate clinical outcomes and total cost of care saving to seek reimbursement pathways for arthritis-appropriate evidence-based interventions (AAEBI) and incentives for provider screening/counseling/referral.
3. Disseminate the learnings on a national level and enhance healthcare provider awareness, knowledge, and skills to promote physical activity as an effective, drug-free way to relieve arthritis pain, improve function, and limit arthritis progression among adults with arthritis.

Starting in October 2021, the first two years of the funding cycle, focused on the completion of a landscape assessment and convening a national panel of experts to help inform the future direction of the effort. The panel of experts engaged in Human Centered Design sessions, and additional sessions that focused on the development of a proposed arthritis care model and criteria for a pilot study and an evaluation framework.

With the framework in hand, in late 2023 a pilot site was selected and the process of implementing the framework commenced. The pilot is being implemented in the healthcare setting using a QI approach with an external evaluation team that is incorporating two implementation science evaluation frameworks (Reach, Effectiveness Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance [RE-AIM] and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research [CFIR]).

As part of this collaborative work our partners include CDC, national organizations, state health departments, recipients of CDC arthritis funding, healthcare systems and the providers, and patients. We envision the possibility of a learning health collaborative (LHC) to continue the refinement of the model and to engage healthcare providers in both primary care settings and rehabilitation care settings in promoting evidence and data informed best practice approaches to care for adults with hip and knee osteoarthritis, with emphasis on quality improvement and outcomes measurement.

Future development of a learning health collaborative is part of this component work.

Capacity, Experience and Relevant Expertise

Required Qualifications:

• Experience in healthcare quality improvement initiatives
• Knowledge of LHC models and their application in healthcare settings
• Understanding of both primary care and rehabilitation provider landscapes
• Experience with osteoarthritis care pathways and/or chronic disease management
• Demonstrated strategic planning capabilities
• Experience gathering and synthesizing partner and community collaborator input
• Experience in supporting practice transformation and provider behavior change
• Project lead with strategic planning experience
• Subject matter experts in LHC and/or healthcare quality improvement
• Experience working with primary care and rehabilitation providers
• Demonstrated facilitation skills

Additional Requirements:

• Must be based in the United States
• Must not have any conflicts of interest with NACDD or CDC
• Must be able to start work by March 1, 2025
• Must have capacity to complete the project by September 29, 2025

Scope of work

The selected organization will be responsible for developing a comprehensive vision and a strategic plan for a LHC focused on improving care for adults with hip and knee osteoarthritis.

Deliverables for this work include:

Vision Statement and Principles: A clear articulation of the LHC’s purpose, goals, partners, and guiding principles.

Strategic Framework and Plan Document: A comprehensive plan addressing the proposed structure for the LHC, recommended participant criteria, engagement strategies, resource requirements, implementation considerations including a proposed implementation timeline, evaluation framework, and sustainability considerations.

Final Presentation and Recommendations: A complete presentation of the vision and strategic plan with specific recommendations for implementation and sustainability.

Project Management

Regular Meetings will include a kick-off meeting with the NACDD project team, biweekly progress updates, strategic planning sessions and a final presentation. The project lead will be expected to attend the quarterly meetings of the NACDD Arthritis Expert Advisory Panel and to present on progress with the scope of work.

Communication Requirements include regular email updates, document sharing and version control.

Innovation and Future Considerations

Proposals should address:

• Innovative approaches to learning collaborative models
• Integration with existing healthcare quality improvement initiatives
• Opportunities for technology integration
• Potential for scaling and replication
• Alignment with healthcare trends and future needs

Proposal Requirements

Proposals should be submitted as a single PDF document, not exceeding 10 pages (excluding attachments), using 12-point font (Arial or Verdana) with one-inch margins. Required sections for the 10 pages include an executive summary, organizational qualifications, proposed approach, project timeline, and detailed budget with justification. Separate from the 10 pages the required attachments include a cover page (elements below), staff resumes and a reference from a similar project. Attachments do not count towards the page total and must be labeled appropriately.

Cover page elements:

1. Name of the applicant organization, firm, or individual consultant
2. Name and contact information (email and phone) of project lead
3. Name and contact information (email and phone) of organization/entity that will act as fiscal agent
4. Name and contact information (email and phone) of the organization’s signatory (even if the same as above)

Budget Guidelines

The proposed budget of $50,000 should include a detailed breakdown of personnel costs, travel (any travel must adhere to https://www.gsa.gov/policy-regulations/regulations/federal-travel-regulation), materials, and other direct costs. Indirect costs are limited to 10% of the total direct costs, and all expenses must be reasonable, allowable, and clearly justified in relation to the proposed activities.

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on

1. Capacity, Experience, and Relevant Expertise (40%)
2. Technical approach and plan for completing the scope of work (40%)
3. Budget (20%).

The selection process will be completed within three weeks of the submission deadline, with notifications sent to all applicants by February 21, 2025.

Submission Guidelines

All proposal components must be combined into a single PDF file labeled with the organization name and submission date. Incomplete applications or those exceeding page limits will not be considered.