EVALUATION - AN ETHICAL PERSPECTIVE (FROM TRENDS IN MENTAL HEALTH EVALUATION, 1976, BY ELIZABETH MARKSON AND DAVID ALLEN)

• NCJ Number: 51883
• Author(s): D ALLEN
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 10 pages
• Corporate Author: D C Heath and Co
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE OBLIGATIONS OF EVALUATORS TO BE AWARE OF ETHICAL PERSPECTIVES ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR WORK ARE DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF THE FACTS, THE QUASI-THEOLOGICAL BASIS, MORAL REASONING, LOYALTIES, AND IMPLEMENTATION.

Abstract

EVALUATORS SHOULD BE COMMITTED TO SEEKING THE FACTS AT ALL COST. IN STRIVING TOWARD OMNISCIENCE, EVALUATORS SHOULD AIM TO BE TECHNICALLY COMPETENT AND INVOLVED IN AN ONGOING EDUCATIONAL PROCESS. THEY SHOULD GATHER FACTS FROM ALL AVAILABLE SOURCES, INCLUDING PREVIOUS EVALUATION REPORTS, MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS, CLINICAL INSPECTION, AND RESEARCH BASED ON NATURALISTIC AND EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS. EVALUATION SHOULD BE COMPREHENSIVE IN SCOPE, ADDRESSING AS MANY PROGRAM ASPECTS AS POSSIBLE, INCLUDING ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT, PHYSICAL FACILITIES, ACCESSIBILITY AND VISIBILITY, STAFF QUALIFICATIONS AND FUNCTIONS, PATIENT CARE, DIRECT SERVICES, TREATMENT MODALITIES, RECORDKEEPING, CONTINUITY OF CARE, CONSULTATION AND EDUCATION, AND COORDINATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES. EVALUATION SHOULD INVOLVE INPUT FROM STAFF, PATIENTS, FAMILIES, CONSUMERS, CHARITY GROUPS, CHURCHES, AND SIGNIFICANT OTHERS IN ORDER TO PRESENT A TRUE PICTURE OF THE QUALITY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND EXTENT OF SERVICES IN A PROGRAM. EVALUATORS SHOULD SEEK TO BE OBJECTIVELY INTERESTED, DECISIVE, UNDERSTANDING, AND TOLERANT. MULTIDISCIPLINARY EVALUATION IS A POWERFUL EDUCATIONAL AND CONSCIOUSNESS-RAISING PROCESS THAT CAN FUNCTION AS AN EFFECTIVE AGENT FOR CHANGE. DEMANDS OF EVALUATION ARE SUCH THAT EVALUATORS SHOULD DEMONSTRATE CONSISTENCY IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE EVALUATION PROCESS. FACTS ASSOCIATED WITH EVALUATION SHOULD BE RELATED TO THE HUMAN ETHICAL PERSPECTIVE IN ORDER TO SERVE THE BEST INTERESTS OF INDIVIDUALS. MORAL REASONING IN EVALUATION HAS A PROFOUND INFLUENCE ON THE WAY PERSONS ARE TREATED. LOYALTIES DICTATE THE ULTIMATE ENDS SERVED IN THE EVALUATION PROCESS. WITH REGARD TO IMPLEMENTATION, ACTION AND MOTIVATION ARE INSEPARABLE FROM AN ETHICAL PERSPECTIVE. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)