Qualitative Clinical Mental Health Program Evaluation: Models and Implications for Counseling Practitioners and Educators

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Qualitative program evaluation is an effective tool allowing agencies and clinicians to provide holistic validation of innovation in clinical settings. Counselor educators can introduce models of qualitative program evaluation in both agency settings and counseling master's programs to enhance the development of clinical evaluation in the community and to integrate clinical and evaluative identities in clinical mental health practitioners and students. This article defines qualitative program evaluation and logic models and introduces methodologies that may be effective in clinical settings. Developing a logic model provides a structure that guides qualitative inquiry, and general categories of logic models are defined. Specific qualitative program evaluation models appropriate to clinical settings are also identified and defined. Recommendations for incorporating qualitative program evaluation into clinical practice and counselor education programs are discussed.