1. Pre-Conference Workshop I: Building the Economic Case for Prevention: Methods and Tools for Assessing the Resource Needs and Economic Costs for Preventive Intervention

The Society for Prevention Research has recognized the need to strengthen economic analysis of prevention in its MAPS III Task Force. Prevention researchers, practitioners, and policy makers increasingly require economic information as they seek to take evidence-based programs to scale.  Cost analyses provide a critical foundation for all economic analysis strategies, whether cost-effectiveness, benefit-cost, or cost utility, yet too often researchers become aware of the need for cost information late in the research process, making it difficult to obtain accurate, timely information. When researchers and practitioners desire proactively to understand intervention costs, they may lack the methods and tools for doing so. This workshop addresses these issues by offering participants the conceptual understanding, methods, tools, and hands-on practice needed to begin to perform cost analyses in their work. The workshop will also contribute to the development of a cadre of trained researchers with the skills to understand and evaluate the economics of prevention.

This workshop is relevant to prevention researchers, interventionists, and policy makers. The workshop does not require special skills, but some knowledge of the prevention field would be helpful. The maximum number of attendees is 30 to allow sufficient interaction between the presenters and attendees during the hands-on portion of the workshop.

Participants will leave the workshop with an understanding of the importance of economic analysis in prevention and the methods for conducting cost analysis. They will also be offered materials (paper and electronic access) that support the workshop’s central learning objectives:

Handouts and PowerPoint presentations related to key workshop constructs; Cost analysis design and planning tools, data collection instruments; List of relevant publications and reference on economic and cost analysis in prevention.