Garth Kruger, MA

Garth J. Kruger is the project director for evaluation on several initiatives at the at the Center for Rural Health (CRH) at the University of North Dakota (UND) School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Grand Forks. These initiatives include the assessment of biomedical education programs, after school recreation programs and domestic violence prevention initiatives. Support for this work comes through a variety of sources, including the State of North Dakota, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, and the United States Department of Education. Mr. Kruger is actively engaged in implementing geographical information systems (GIS)-based mapping processes to facilitate outcome evaluation work. His maps have been used to demonstrate need and examine program outcomes for a variety of audiences.

Mr. Kruger also acts as the coordinator for the North Dakota State and Tribal Health Policy Forums at the UND CRH. The Forums are non-partisan, closed-door discussions, designed to present objective and factual information to state and local legislators, policy makers, and tribal leaders on key priority health issues.

Prior to his employment at CRH, Mr. Kruger worked with the Michigan Public Health Institute (MPHI) in Lansing, Michigan. During his work with MPHI, he provided research analysis on a number of projects, including: The Governor’s Discretionary Grant Fund meta-evaluation study, State of Michigan Medicaid Analysis, Michigan Safe and Drug Free Schools evaluation, and Michigan Virtual University Continuing Education Focus Groups, and as the program coordinator for the Michigan Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Program Evaluation Project.

Mr. Kruger was awarded a Master of Arts degree in rural clinical/community psychology from Mansfield University of Pennsylvania in 1998. He is currently a doctoral student at the University of North Dakota in the Educational Foundations and Research program with an emphasis in evaluation research methodologies. Mr. Kruger is actively involved in several professional organizations including the National Association for Rural Mental Health, and the American Evaluation Association.

Contact Information:

Tel:	(701) 777-3848
Email:	gkruger@medicine.nodak.edu
Web site:	http://ruralhealth.und.edu

Projects

• Tobacco Prevention and Control Program Evaluation -- The purpose of this evaluation is to develop a model that examines the factors related to the completion of statewide goals and objectives.

Publications

• North Dakota Health Insurance Study State Planning Grant Initiative, Baird, J.R., Cogan, M., Knudson, A., Kruger, G., & Muus, K., September 2006
  Final report including activities in the third year of funding.
• Suicide in North Dakota: A Dialogue Across State and Tribal Boundaries, Kruger, G. & Gray, J., Fall 2005
  Discusses suicide factors, trends, prevention strategies, and barriers to help.
• North Dakota's Uninsured and Uncompensated Care: Costs and Coverage Options, Kruger, G., November 2004
  
• Licensed Nurse Focus Group Results, Moulton, P., Dannewitz, H., Christman, S., Park, R., Kruger, G., & Wakefield, M., June 2003
  

Presentations

• Suicide Prevention
  Presented by Kruger, G. on Jul 27, 2005 at the Budget Committee on Healthcare, Bismarck, ND.
  Letislative testimony highlighting information gathered at forum which engaged both state and tribal policy makers focusing on suicide.
• Who Are North Dakota's Uninsured?
  Presented by Knudson, A., Muus, K., Cogan, M., Kruger, G., Baird, J., & Apostal, K. on May 19, 2005 at the National Rural Health Association's Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA.
  Poster presentation on North Dakota's uninsured.
• Health Insurance Access in North Dakota
  Presented by Cogan, M., Knudson, A., Baird, J., Muus, K., & Kruger, G. on Mar 8, 2005 at the Dakota Conference on Rural and Public Health, Bismarck, ND.
  Disucsses consequences of the uninsured, uninsured in the United States, uninsured in North Dakota, and policy options for North Dakota to consider.
• Focus Groups with North Dakota's Uninsured
  Presented by Kruger, G. on Feb 2, 2005 at the Governor's Health Insurance Advisory Commission, via IVN in Grand Forks, ND.
  Discusses the findings from telephone surveys and one foucs group of uninsured individuals residing in North Dakota.
• Health Insurance Coverage in North Dakota
  Presented by Baird, J.R., Cogan, M., Knudson, A., Kruger, G., & Muus, K. on Sep 4, 2004 at the North Dakota Healthcare Association, Bismarck, ND.
  Discusses findings from the North Dakota Household Survey. For more information contact Alana Knudson or Kyle Muus at (701) 777-3848.
• North Dakota's Uninsured Children and Families
  Presented by Knudson, A., Muus, K., Cogan, M., & Kruger, G. on Aug 12, 2004 at the Governor's Health Insurance Advisory Commission meeting, Grand Forks, ND.
  Presentation on North Dakota's uninsured.
• Uninsured Adults in North Dakota
  Presented by Knudson, A., Muus, K., Cogan, M., & Kruger, G. on Aug 12, 2004 at the Governor's Health Insurance Advisory Commission meeting, Grand Forks, ND.
  Overview of the uninsured in North Dakota.
• Health Insurance Coverage Among North Dakotans
  Presented by Knudson, A., Muus, K., Cogan, M., & Kruger, G. on Jul 28, 2004 at the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota Board of Directors meeting, Fargo, ND.
  Overview of the uninsured in North Dakota.
• Focus Groups with North Dakota Employers
  Presented by Kruger, G. on Jun 22, 2004 at the Governor's Health Insurance Advisory Commission, Bismarck, ND.
  Discusses the findings from four focus groups held in North Dakota.
• Focus Groups of North Dakota Residents
  Presented by Kruger, G. on Feb 12, 2004 at the Governor's Health Insurance Advisory Commission, Fargo, ND.
  Discusses the findings from four focus groups held in North Dakota.