Managing what you measure: Creating outcome-driven systems of care for youth with serious emotional disturbances

Abstract

This article presents the California System of Care Model for youth with severe emotional disturbances as an illustration of how ongoing assessment of the costs and outcomes of service delivery can be an integral part of a service delivery model. The core of this model, developed initially in Ventura County, California, is a five-step planning process that guides care system development and implementation. The implications of each stage of the planning process for evaluation and feedback at the child, family, and system levels are highlighted. A set of principles for selecting outcome measures deriving from the planning process are also presented that, in conjunction with the planning model, serve as guidelines for establishing outcome measures within care systems. The resulting specific plan for measuring system- and client-level outcomes deriving from this process, along with challenges to the implementation of the outcome management plan, is described.

Developing and maintaining collaboration in systems of care for children and youths with emotional and behavioral disabilities and their families.

“…In spite of the challenges inherent in creating and maintaining coordinated systems of care for and with children and families, many states and communities are moving in this direction (NRNCFM, 1999). A growing body of preliminary research points to successful outcomes of systems of care, both in the lives of children and families and in containing or reducing costs of services (see, e.g., Anderson, Wright, Kooreman, Mohr, & Russell, 2003; Center for Mental Health Services, 1997, 1998; Lourie, Stroul, & Friedman, 1998; Rosenblatt, Wyman, Kingdon, & Ichinose, 1998; Schoenberg, 1994; NRNCFM, 1999). The potential for positive results may be starting to create an atmosphere in which communities are more willing to embark on the difficult work of developing unique local systems of care.…”

Determinates of youth and parent satisfaction in usual care psychotherapy

“…Consumer satisfaction data are often used in policy and funding arenas and included in health care accreditation reviews Rosenblatt et al, 1998;Salzer, 1999). In fact, satisfaction data often serve as the only indicator of the quality of mental health services (Bickman, 2000).…”

Assessing the Effectiveness of Care for Youth with Severe Emotional Disturbances

“…23 One could argue that few other large systems would be more conscientious than these care systems. In fact, these systems received specific funding and technical support to create outcome-monitoring systems and are at least as dedicated to assessing the outcomes of care as other service delivery systems.…”

“…23 This article explores two hypotheses derived from the existing methodological and conceptual literature on the assessment of clinical and functional status. In addition, prior studies have not addressed the level of agreement between the CBCL, the YSR, and the CAFAS regarding outcome when used as a part of routine clinical operations.…”