Increasingly states and localities are seeking to improve program outcomes.  They are developing new methods of documentation, evaluation, accountability and reporting. 

The downturn of America’s economy and shrinking state and local resources are raising concern about how human service agencies will respond to the needs of the low-income population.  As caseloads continue to rise, expenditures will increase and human service agencies will need to evaluate programs and appraise the ways in which they can maximize service deliverables to respond to the increasing needs of the low-income and welfare population within financial constraints.

This Resource for Welfare Decisions will focus on a variety of performance measurement and outcome data resources as they relate to evaluating service delivery performance in areas that include employment (welfare-to-work and performance bonuses for work participation), and child welfare, as well as some general TANF program areas.  This Resource will also look at the challenges of effective performance evaluation across different types of agencies—government, non-profit, and for-profit.

For more information regarding performance measurement, refer to the Welfare Information Network’s (WIN) performance management page at http://www.welfareinfo.org/performance.asp.  For information on research and evaluation, see WIIN’s Research, Reference and Data Resources page at http://www.welfareinfo.org/homeresearch.asp.  The Finance Project also has a website devoted to information around better results for children, families and communities.  Visit the web page at http://www.financeproject.org/betterresults.htm.

Publications and Electronic Resources

The Annie E. Casey Foundation and the National Academy of Public Administration, High Performance Partnership, 2001.  This project supports the use of high performance partnerships among public, nonprofit, and civic organizations.  The first phase will develop a resource guide that documents the current state of high performance public/nonprofit partnerships and identifies relevant trends and best practices.  The second phase involves the construction of design laboratories in communities that have actually established high performance partnerships with local government, civic and nonprofit entities.  Contact Anne Shackleton at 202/347-3190. http://www.napawash.org/8525651e001521e6/891c9b98ae3c0c198525651e001522cb/6cf38c52b421e12785256a69005ed59b?OpenDocument

The Department of Labor and Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., Welfare-to-Work Performance and Reporting Tools Available to Grantees, December 2001.  This project includes reporting and performance technical specifications, reporting and performance software, and a data elements validation guide. http://wtw.doleta.gov/

Fairfax County Department of Systems Management for Human Services and the Department of Administration for Human Services, Fairfax County Human Services Response to Challenges in the Community (FY 1999 Performance Budget), 1999.  Contact the Department of Systems Management for Human Services at 703/324-5638. http://www.co.fairfax.va.us/service/reports/99prfbud.htm

The Finance Project, the National Governors Association and Families and Work Institute, Using Results to Improve the Lives of Children and Families: A Guide for Public-Private Child Care Partnerships, 2001. http://nccic.org/ccpartnerships/resource.htm#resultspdf

Forsythe, Dall, Quicker, Better, Cheaper? Managing Performance in American Government, Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government, 2001.  See Federalism and Performance Management: Health Insurance, Food Stamps and the Take-Up Challenge at  http://www.rockinst.org/publications/federalism/QuickerBetterCheaperChapter3.pdf and Getting Performance Measures to Measure Up at http://www.rockinst.org/publications/federalism/QuickerBetterCheaperChapter9.pdf.

The United Way of America, Agency Experiences with Outcome Measurement, 2000.  One report in a 3-year long project entitled, “The National Learning Project,” that takes a look at ways in which the United Way can use outcome measurement information to improve programs and initiatives.  For a copy of the study, contact The United Way of America at (703) 836-7100. http://national.unitedway.org/outcomes/publctns.htm#R

The United Way of America, Outcome Measurement Data Management Systems for Agencies, 2001. This report illustrates several software and database management tools for agencies to manage data.  Contact Roger Wood at roger.wood@uwa.unitedway.org.  http://national.unitedway.org/outcomes/data%20software%20public.pdf

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Developing A System of Program Accountability Under the John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program, Children’s Bureau, September 2001.  The program operates under three basic premises: develop outcome measurements, identify the data elements needed to track services, and develop and implement a plan to collect the information.  http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/cb/programs/cfcip_act.htm

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Report on Alternative Outcome Measures: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant, December 2000. http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/alt-outcomes00/index.htm

What States/Agencies are Doing

The Alabama Department of Human Services- has created a multi-tiered quality control system that provides a structured method of program analysis.  The system monitors, evaluates and provides feedback on several programs and services under the agency’s scope.  The department conducts a continuous review process that evaluates the outcomes of children and families receiving programs/assistance, analyzes the department current systems, monitors programs for federal compliance, and recommends restructuring programs and services that are not operating efficiently.  The Quality Assurance System is a collaborative effort of several departments—Office of Quality Assurance in the Family Services Division, State Quality Assurance Committee, Quality Assurance Coordinator in each County Department and Local Quality Assurance Committees.  Call The Family Services Division at 334/242-9500.  See http://www.dhr.state.al.us/fsd.qa.asp

The Arizona Department of Health and Human Services has a 2000-2001 Master List of State Government Programs report that reflects several aspects of the agency’s overall operations, such as budgeting, funds allocation, program analysis, performance measurement and mission statements.  See http://www.state.az.us/ospb/mlist/hsa.pdf.

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Cabinet for Families and Children has created the Office of Performance Enhancement.  The Division of Outcome Based Contracts handles most of the contracting in child welfare service.  In the Division of Quality Improvement, a quality control unit handles the monitoring of public assistance programs and Food Stamps; a quality initiatives unit handles caseworker and site reviews and appeals filed by clients, and a contracts accountability unit monitors all of the contracts held by the agency to ensure compliance with federal guidelines.  There are also 2000 and 2001 Outcome Measurement Reports available.   The reports helped to expedite and improve children’s placement in programs and services, to facilitate customer and client feedback, and to develop innovative data management and collection tools.   For more information on the Office of Performance Enhancement, contact Mark Neff or see http://cfc.state.ky.us/agencies/Performance_Enh/index.asp.  For more information on the Outcome Reports, contact Gary Harp or see http://cfc.state.ky.us/outcomes2000/.  Both can be reached at 502/564-6750.

New York City’s Human Resources Administration’s Citywide Accountability Program (CAP) generates monthly reports that reflect key indicators of the city’s welfare caseload such as: reported job placement rate, 3-month recidivism for employed TANF cases returning to welfare, fair hearing win rate, public assistance caseload change rate, public assistance city dependency rate and public assistance benefits expended.  These indicators and the accompanying table can be found at http://www.nyc.gov/html/hra/html/news_citywide.html.  The Human Resource Administration also developed the JobStat program in 1998.  JobStat is a performance management support program for city job centers.  JobStat generates the JobStat report that is used by senior level managers to analyze overall and individual center performance.  More detailed information about the JobStat report can be found at http://www.nyc.gov/html/hra/pdf/jobstatguide2.0.pdf.  There are also additional reports available that reflect each of the Job Centers JobStat monthly reports.  Visit http://www.nyc.gov/html/html/center_job_stat.html.

Oklahoma Milestone Payment System utilizes a performance based reimbursement system as an incentive for improved service delivery and outcomes in employment initiatives.  This program was developed by the Community Rehabilitation Services Unit of the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services. The reimbursement system is based on outcomes for the consumer.  Contact Dan O’Brien, Rehabilitation Staff, at 405/951-3479 or Becky Cook 405/951-3474. http://www.onenet.net/~home/milestone.

Resource Contacts

Alliance for Redesigning Government, 202/347-3190, or visit,  http://www.alliance.napawash.org/alliance/index.html.

American Society for Public Administration’s Center for Accountability and Performance, 757/ 462-8286, or visit http://www.aspanet.org/cap.

Center for Collaboration of Children, 714/278-2166, or visit http://hdcs.fullerton.edu/cc/.

Center for the Study of Social Policy, 202/371-1565, or visit http://www.clasp.org.

The Child and Family Policy Center, 515/280-9027, or visit http://www.cfpciowa.org/.

Evaluation Forum, 206/728.8984, or visit http://www.evaluationforum.com.

The Finance Project, 202/587-1000, or visit http://www.financeproject.org.

Foundation Consortium, 916/646-3646, or visit http://www.foundationconsortium.org/home.htm.

The Rockefeller Institute for Government, 518/443-5522, or visit http://www.rockinst.org.

The United Way—Outcome Resource Measurement Network, 703/836-7100, or visit http://www.unitedway.org.

  WIN Staff Contact: Iyauta Moore, 202/ 587-1000, imoore@financeproject.org.

  The Welfare Information Network is supported by grants from the Annie E. Casey Foundation the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.