A state implements data practices for improved reporting and outcomes

BerryDunn’s Child Welfare Practice helps agencies build sustainable programs to create better outcomes. Our experts helped a state create processes, data stores, and dashboards to track and report key performance indicators to better understand statewide human service needs and aid in decision-making for improved outcomes.

Challenge

A state agency wanted to track and report data across multiple bureaus, including child welfare, behavioral health, and Medicaid in order to make better decisions for the agency and the people served.

Their goals were to:

• Develop business requirements
• Support data quality
• Implement cross-program strategies
• Improve the reporting of outcomes

Solution

BerryDunn developed a robust Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) process that included the buildout of a data store and associated dashboards to report key performance indicators.

The BerryDunn team:

• Facilitated discovery sessions and business process mapping to identify the data needed for each key performance indicator and determine current data gaps and strengths.
• Developed an initial data store and dashboards that were then transitioned to the state’s information management team for ongoing maintenance and weekly data refresh.
• Provided ongoing support to expand the data store as additional data sources are identified, tested, and report prototypes are developed.
• Published a Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement training guide and conducted key initial training with program staff on the dashboard metrics and reports.

Outcome

After implementing the recommendations, the state had the deliverables and metrics to be able to measure outcomes, including:

• A robust CQI plan and process that includes a formal cross-bureau quarterly quality review, allowing agencies to act on available data to make informed programmatic changes where needed.
• A semiannual Quality and Outcomes report published with embedded data and visuals to support the narrative.
• A data store and dashboard for residential mental health placements of children that provides monthly updates on the admission, discharge, and length of stay. Additionally, there is demographic and geographic data for this population.
• An increase in enrollments in home and community-based services.
• Ongoing support to expand the data store as additional data sources are developed and identified.

Our team helps child welfare agencies and cross-collaborative departments strategically enhance their internal process to deliver quality programs that will improve children, youth, and family outcomes. We'd be happy to speak with you about your unique challenges. Contact our child welfare consultants.