NCJ Number
52874
Journal
EVALUATION QUARTERLY Volume: 2 Issue: 4 Dated: (NOVEMBER 1978) Pages: 573-599
Date Published
1978
Length
27 pages
Annotation
A GENERAL CHARACTERIZATION OF HUMAN SERVICES DELIVERY SYSTEMS IS PRESENTED, ASPECTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS THAT MAKE THEM DIFFICULT TO EVALUATE ARE POINTED OUT, AND A HUMAN SERVICES EVALUATION STRATEGY IS SUGGESTED.
Abstract
THERE IS GENERAL AGREEMENT THAT HUMAN SERVICES (SERVICES THAT DEPEND ON DIRECT INTERPERSONAL CONTACT BETWEEN A SERVICE DELIVERER AND A CLIENT) ARE DIFFICULT TO EVALUATE. THIS DIFFICULTY STEMS FROM TWO BASIC PROBLEMS: THE THEORIES UNDERLYING THE SERVICES OFTEN ARE DEFICIENT; AND DELIVERY OF THE SERVICES IS HIGHLY OPERATOR-DEPENDENT AND THEREFORE PRONE TO CHANGES THAT CAN NEGATE INTENDED EFFECTS. HUMAN SERVICES EVALUATORS ARE ALWAYS CONFRONTED WITH THE QUESTIONS OF WHETHER A SERVICE IS BEING DELIVERED AS DESIGNED, WHETHER THE MODE OF DELIVERY IS ADDING SOME UNINTENDED TREATMENT TO THE BASIC ONE, AND WHETHER IT IS EVEN POSSIBLE FOR THE SERVICE TO BE DELIVERED REASONABLY BY THE TYPICAL HUMAN SERVICES ORGANIZATION. TO ADDRESS THESE PROBLEMS, A THREE-PHASE EVALUATION STRATEGY IS SUGGESTED: FIRST THE THEORY UNDERLYING THE TREATMENT/SERVICE IN QUESTION IS TESTED; THEN THE ABILITY OF ANY SYSTEM TO DELIVER THE TREATMENT/SERVICE IS ASSESSED; AND FINALLY A DETERMINATION IS MADE AS TO WHETHER A GIVEN DELIVERY SYSTEM CAN DELIVER A RELATIVELY PURE VERSION OF THE TREATMENT/SERVICE. THE STRATEGY STARTS WITH A TIGHT EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN FOR EVALUATING SERVICE EFFECTIVENESS UNDER THE BEST POSSIBLE MODE OF DELIVERY AND PROCEEDS THROUGH A FINAL EVALUATION IN WHICH CORRELATIONAL DESIGNS ARE USED TO TEST EFFECTIVENESS ONCE A SERVICE HAS BECOME SOCIAL POLICY. EXAMPLES OF EVALUATIVE STUDIES THAT ILLUSTRATE EACH PHASE OF THE STRATEGY ARE PROVIDED. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)