Performance and Quality Improvement

Shelter Care, Inc. has a history of excellence dating back to 1972 of providing services to the troubled youth and families of Summit County, Ohio.  Shelter Care, Inc.’s Performance and Quality Improvement standards promote a culture that values efficient and effective delivery of services, as well as a commitment to the improvement of program service, performance and positive results.  This is accomplished through both short-term and long-term planning, the systematic collection and review of service delivery data, and through continual efforts to communicate outcomes and recommendations. 

Shelter Care, Inc.’s leadership, including board members, senior management team, staff members and members of the community, work together to identify strengths and areas of positive practice, and to communicate these achievements throughout the organization.  Regular training and support are given to all staff in order to increase the capacity of the agency to sustain and improve performance and quality improvement activities.

The Shelter Care, Inc. PQI Plan not only defines the framework and function of the organization and its commitment to maintaining positive results, but also conveys the agency’s dedication to excellence and continual improvement of all services.  Examples of this plan include tracking indicators such as a not less than a ninety percent positive exit rate, 100 percent of youth actively participating in their education plan and by tracking counseling effectiveness through the reduction of behavioral symptoms.  This information is then used by the senior management team to evaluate program effectiveness, identify areas for improvement, and incorporate a plan of action.

Stakeholders

The Shelter Care, Inc. stakeholders are defined as any of the youth-serving agencies of Summit and surrounding counties, and any person, group or organization that has a vested interest in the services provided by Shelter Care, Inc.

Performance and Quality Improvement Progress Report

Goal 1       To attain accreditation through the Council on Accreditation

In January 2008 Shelter Care, Inc. began the process of attaining accreditation through COA.  Ten committees were formed to review and analyze all COA standards in February 2008 as a first step in the process of completing the self-study evaluation.  All administrative and services policies were revised according to COA standards.  The self-study was completed and submitted to COA on October 3, 2009.  The site visit is scheduled for December 2009.  

Goal 2       To maintain licensure through the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services performed the annual on-site inspection in June 2009.   At that time there were no findings of noncompliance throughout the agency.  Shelter Care, Inc. continues to strive for compliance in all service areas.  The Licensing Coordinator performs monthly reviews of case files and personnel files.  This information is compiled into a PQI Report that is provided to the Senior Management Team on a monthly basis.  The Senior Management Team also monitors critical incident reports and any medication errors.

Shelter Care, Inc.’s biannual recertification process will begin in January 2010.

Goal 3       To assess client and stakeholder satisfaction with agency programs and services

The Shelter Care, Inc. service programs have continued to collect and analyze data from the Ohio Mental Health Consumer Outcomes System for Youth on a quarterly basis.  In 2009 Shelter Care, Inc. expanded the use of satisfaction surveys within all service programs.  This data is reviewed and analyzed on a quarterly basis.  The Shelter Care, Inc. Senior Management Team is responsible for the analysis of this data and working to develop benchmarks for monitoring program effectiveness.

In 2009, the Executive Director and/or Clinical Director has continued the process of meeting with representatives from Summit County Children Services, Summit County Juvenile Court, Child Guidance & Family Solutions and Summit County Cluster for Youth to solicit feedback regarding their satisfaction with the services provided by Shelter Care, Inc.

Goal 4       To continue the ongoing monitoring of service volume and program effectiveness to maintain successful outcomes

Shelter Care, Inc. continues to monitor the number of youth served in all service programs by tracking patterns of daily populations which includes the referral source, presenting crisis, disposition of youth, and factors leading to exit.   This information is collected and reported to the Shelter Care, Inc. Clinical Director and Licensing Coordinator on a weekly basis.  

Each youth in the Shelter Home Program, The Highlands Teen Pregnancy Shelter and the Treatment Foster Care Program is evaluated on a quarterly basis using the Child and Adolescent Functioning Assessment Scale (CAFAS) and the Ohio Mental Health Consumer Outcomes System for Youth which provides data on treatment progress and client satisfaction.  Shelter Care, Inc. has used this data to measure youth progress toward treatment goals.  Eighty-eight percent of youth in residence in the Shelter Home Program were progressing in the areas of behavior towards others, personal adjustment, home/community adjustment and experienced some level of success.  Eighty-four percent of youth were progressing in the area of their school placements. Shelter Care, Inc. is currently in the process of determining how to better use this data to improve program effectiveness and maintain successful outcomes.

Goal 5       To improve the quality of communication within the agency

The Shelter Care, Inc. Senior Management Team began meeting in February 2009 as a means of improving intra-agency communication between agency programs.  In these meetings Program Directors report on the activities, but also collaborate with other program directors on improving effectiveness of services.  In 2009 Shelter Care, Inc. has had 13 staff training sessions attended by houseparents, direct care staff, and clinical staff.    In August 2009 Shelter Care, Inc. each staff member completed an Employee Satisfaction Survey.  The surveys indicated that 85 percent of employees indicated positive agreement with intra-agency communications.

All Program Directors attended the Board of Directors annual retreat in May 2009 and presented progress reports that included goals and objectives for the coming year.  The Program Directors will attend the Board of Directors Holiday Breakfast in December 2009.  They will present a year-end report describing progress toward goals and objectives.