Programs, Services & Measurement

Programs, Services & Measurement

Working with Social Problems Encountered by Human Service Agencies

Presentation Derived from Martin & Kettner’s Measuring the Performance of Human Service Programs, Sage, 1996

Historically Utilized Data Types

Number of clients served
Number of unduplicated clients served
Amount of funds expended

Program Analysis Tasks

Task 1: Determining how many human service programs an organization has
Task 2: Specifying the social problem each human service program addresses
Task 3 Identifying the assumptions each human service program makes about the social problem it addresses

What Are Human Service Programs

Human service programs can be defined as a prearranged set of activities which specify the means to achieve a goal.

In the public sector, a program is formulated in order to provide services which accomplish defined objectives

Determining the Number of Human Service Programs

Criteria Descriptive of Human Service Programs

Addresses an identified social problem
Represents a significant proportion of the total activity of an organization
Has goals and objectives (explicit or implicit), and
Has designated resources, including personnel

SEA Reporting & Human Service Programs

Sea Reporting has formally adopted programs as the unit of analysis and requires that all performance measure data (both programmatic and financial) be reported by programs. SEA reporting uses the "program" as the unit of analysis.

Specifying the Social Problem

For governmental organizations or nonprofit or proprietary organizations receiving government funds, the social problem being addressed is typically defined in the
enabling legislation
regulations
committee reports
public hearing transcripts

Block Grants

Block grants do not any particular social problem but involves funds directed to a "basket" of problems, giving states (governors) significant discretion in how these funds are spent.

Linkages

Regardless of funding sources goals must be linked to social problems

Identifying Social Problems:

Drugs as a Social Problem: Example One

Assumption: Lack of Education
Program: Drug Education Program
Output: Number of TV Ads Placed
Quality Measure: Number of Requests for Additional Information Generated by Ads
Outcome: Percentage Decrease Incidence in Number of Drug Abusers

10.

Drugs as a Social Problem: Example Two

Assumption: Mental &/or Emotional Problems
Program: Counseling Program
Output: Number of Drug Abusers Completing Treatment
Quality Measure: Number of Drug Abusers Satisfied with Program & Who Think the Program Will Keep Them off Drugs
Outcome: Number of Participants Remaining Drug Free