NCJ Number
50644
Date Published
1975
Length
4 pages
Annotation
A MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR CHILDREN IS DESCRIBED, WHICH INCLUDES PLANNING, GOAL SETTING, MONITORING, AND EVALUATION USING EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS INDICATORS.
Abstract
THE SYSTEM HAS EVOLVED IN THE DELLCREST CHILDREN'S CENTRE OF TORONTO, CANADA, FROM THE DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF CASE, STAFF, AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS. AT THE TIME OF WRITING, THE FIRST YEAR OF DATA GATHERING AND DECISIONMAKING HAS BEEN COMPLETED. THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF THE SYSTEM ARE INDICATED TO BE THE PLANNING SEQUENCE, PLANNING LEVELS, INFORMATION SYSTEMS, AND INDICATORS FOR MEASURING. THE STARTING POINT IN THE PLANNING SEQUENCE IS THE IDENTIFICATION OF NEEDS, FOLLOWED BY THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROGRAM GOALS THAT REFLECT THOSE NEEDS. PROGRAM ACTIVITIES, OR METHODS, ARE THEN DEVISED TO ATTAIN THE GOALS. ONCE NEEDS, GOALS, AND METHODS ARE DEFINED, DECISIONS ARE MADE ON HOW TO EVALUATE. TEAMS SELECT INDICATORS AND MEASURES OF GOAL ACCOMPLISHMENT. EVALUATION DATA BASED ON THESE INDICATORS AND MEASURES ARE THEN FED BACK TO TEAMS, ENABLING THEM TO REVIEW METHODS, GOALS, OR NEEDS IN THE LIGHT OF THE SERVICE EXPERIENCE. THIS PLANNING SEQUENCE IS APPLIED AT THE LEVELS OF COMMUNITY, THE CENTER ITSELF, THE PROGRAM, AND SPECIFIC CASES. DATA GATHERING FOR THE PURPOSES OF EVALUATION AND FEEDBACK IS DONE IN FIVE SYSTEMS OF THE CENTER: THE CASE SYSTEM, THE STAFF SYSTEM, THE CLINICAL SYSTEM, THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM, AND THE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. INDICATORS OF EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY ARE EMPLOYED IN EVALUATION, WITH EFFECTIVENESS DEFINED AS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GOALS AND IMPACT, AND EFFICIENCY DEFINED AS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INPUTS AND OUTPUTS. ILLUSTRATIONS OF THESE INDICATORS ARE PROVIDED FROM THE EVALUATION OF 1974 OPERATIONS. THE DATA SYSTEMS FORM A MATRIX ACROSS EACH OF THE OPERATING FUNCTIONS, SO THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO SELECT CRITICAL POINTS TO MONITOR AND MEASURE PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE EVALUATION IS CONSIDERED. WHILE IT IS FELT TO BE TOO SOON TO STATE THE BENEFITS OF THE APPROACH, THE AVAILABILITY OF SPECIFIC DATA ON EFFECTIVENESS IS NOTED AS A POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT. THE EVALUATION PROCESS IS ALSO LEADING THE CENTER INTO GREATER INVOLVEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY. CHARTS ILLUSTRATE THE PAPER. (RCB)