NCJ Number
51559
Date Published
1978
Length
28 pages
Annotation
IDEOLOGICAL AND PRAGMATIC PROBLEMS FACING HUMAN SERVICE PROGRAMS WITHOUT IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO ADEQUATE EVALUATION STAFF AND FUNDING ARE DISCUSSED, AND LOW-COST EVALUATION STRATEGIES USED BY A MENTAL HEALTH AGENCY ARE DESCRIBED.
Abstract
PROBLEMS RELATED TO MAKING A PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO PROGRAM EVALUATION, DEFINING THE SCOPE AND TARGET OF EVALUATION, RECORDKEEPING, ASSUMING CONTINUITY OF CARE, DEALING WITH STAFF RESISTANCE, DEVELOPING A MONITORING PLAN, AND SELECTING AREAS TO BE EVALUATED ARE DISCUSSED. HUMAN SERVICE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS ARE ADVISED TO ADDRESS THESE PROBLEMS BEFORE IMPLEMENTING A SPECIFIC EVALUATION STRATEGY. SEVERAL LOW-COST STRATEGIES FOR EVALUATION USED BY THE SOUTHERN ARIZONA MENTAL HEALTH CENTER IN TUCSON, ARIZ., ARE DESCRIBED. THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE CENTER WAS FACED WITH DEMANDS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY FROM STATE FUNDING SOURCES, COUNTY BUDGETARY COMMITTEES, AND THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. THE ABSENCE OF ADEQUATE FISCAL AND STAFF SUPPORT MANDATED A NARROW FOCUS FOR EVALUATION AND LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF STRATEGIES TO ASSESS SPECIFICALLY THE NATURE AND IMPACT OF SERVICES ON CLIENTS AND TO GENERATE INFORMATION RELEVANT TO POLICY DECISIONS. THE CENTER'S EVALUATION TECHNIQUES--USING MANUAL DATA-COLLECTION FORMS TO RECORD BOTH DIRECT AND INDIRECT SERVICES, PERFORMING COST-FINDING ANALYSES, USING COST ANALYSIS IN BUDGET JUSTIFICATION, IDENTIFYING SOURCES OF REFERRAL AND DISPOSITION, USING TRAINED VOLUNTEERS TO COLLECT FOLLOWUP DATA FOR OUTCOME EVALUATIONS--ARE DESCRIBED. THE TECHNIQUES ARE SIMPLE, EFFECTIVE, NOT EXCESSIVELY COSTLY, AND DEPENDENT ON THE WILLINGNESS OF THE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR TO MAKE A COMMITMENT TO EVALUATION. THE IMPACT OF THE CENTER'S EVALUATION STRATEGIES ON THE STAFF, ADMINISTRATION, FUNDING SOURCES, AND COMMUNITY IS SUMMARIZED. COPIES OF THE CENTER'S DATA-GATHERING INSTRUMENTS, TABLES SHOWING THE RESULTS OF COST AND OTHER EVALUATIVE ANALYSES, AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)