Q&A
Evaluation of case management efficacy across different shelter sites
1:06:43
·
5 min
Council Member Diana Ayala expresses concern about evaluating the efficacy of case management across different shelter sites. Dr. Ted Long explains the approach to ensuring quality case management and measuring outcomes.
- Cherokee Nation now provides case management at 38 sites, chosen for their expertise in resettlement
- Process measures include the percentage of people who have had at least one case management meeting (99% in non-DHS system)
- Outcome measures include work authorization applications, training participation, and housing placements
- A community advisory board with 20-30 organizations provides regular feedback on services
- Long-term success is measured by indicators such as families moving into their own homes
Diana Ayala
1:06:43
Mhmm.
1:06:46
Now going going back to the original question because I think my I don't I don't think that I I I heard an actual response to that, and I I get it.
1:06:53
Like, we're trying to do the best that we can.
1:06:55
But, you know, part of me list you know, listening and also part of being part of the impacted community.
1:07:00
Oftentimes, I realize that there's a disconnect in the way that, you know, we in government perceive things are going and the way that the actual people that are receiving the services perceive that those services are actually going.
1:07:12
And oftentimes, the truth lies somewhere in the middle.
1:07:16
And so I'm, you know, I'm I'm concerned about how you all are able to, evaluate the efficacy of the case management that is being provided from site to site, acknowledging that there are many sites.
1:07:29
Right?
1:07:29
So it's difficult to be in all places at all times, but how do we, you know, ensure that, you know, in the maybe 5 or 10 that are not functioning the way that you're intending them to function, who's gauging that, who's evaluating that, and who's, taking corrective action?
Ted Long
1:07:46
Yeah.
1:07:47
I can I can start there, because we we think a lot about that?
1:07:49
And I think one of the things, that we've done is we've, sought to find the best case management organizations out there.
1:07:56
So, if you rewind, you know, a year ago now, we had our existing vendors that were providing other services that began to provide case management.
1:08:05
Today at all of my sites, except for one of the sites that's transitioning, we have Cherokee Nation providing case management.
1:08:11
There are 38 sites overall.
1:08:13
They led the resettlement effort for the country for, the Afghani people, 85,000 Afghani people about 5 years ago.
1:08:20
And I remember one of their tribal elders pulled me aside as we were, beginning to to work with them and making plans with them and said nobody cares about resettlement more than the Cherokee people.
1:08:30
And what we've done is we've taken, for example, them as an organization, and we've taken away, the other case managers that were providing services on-site and put them in place instead, because we believe that they are passionate, want to do the best job, and that's where our community advisory board, for example, informs the efforts that they do day to day.
1:08:48
But to agree with you, I'm happy to say there are 38 sites today, but that also means that they were not at 38 sites at all times.
1:08:56
So we've moved as fast as we can to get them into our sites.
1:09:00
The good news is that we've overall completed 700,000 case management meetings.
1:09:05
We're starting to see things like, you know, the majority of people either having applied for work authorization or received it.
1:09:11
But it is true that, you know, throughout this, crisis now response, we've been trying our best to bring the the right, people to do the case management work, online.
1:09:20
For example, I have the number of languages that they speak, things like that, but that wasn't all true on day 1.
Diana Ayala
1:09:24
But how do you doing a good job.
1:09:26
I mean, listen.
1:09:27
I have I have wonderful staff.
1:09:29
I love my staff.
1:09:30
They do case management.
1:09:32
I did case management.
1:09:32
It's not easy.
Taina Wagnac
1:09:33
Mm-mm.
Diana Ayala
1:09:35
But I find that sometimes, you know, that staff that I love is more knowledgeable in some things than they are in others.
1:09:41
And, you know, and so it's it is my responsibility to then, you know, figure out where those, you know, those soft spots are and how do I, you know, offer the support that they need, right, to, advance in their knowledge so that they're better able to help the community.
1:10:00
And so I I do that weekly.
1:10:01
Right?
1:10:02
I'm like, alright.
1:10:02
Can you give me a a couple of examples of, you know, clients that are coming into the office, people that are looking for help?
1:10:08
What type of help?
1:10:09
You know?
1:10:09
And and oftentimes I find, well, somebody came for this and I I wasn't sure.
1:10:13
And And I'm like, okay.
1:10:14
Well, this is where, you know, you would get that information.
1:10:17
But it also gives me a sense of who knows what and who doesn't and how efficient our office is, you know, able to operate.
1:10:23
Who's doing that on your end?
Ted Long
1:10:26
Yeah.
1:10:26
So I think when you're sorry.
1:10:28
I I didn't I'll be more concrete with the the data.
1:10:31
When you're evaluating something, one of the things you first look at are process measures, so processes like did they actually meet with people.
1:10:39
Today, 99% of the people in our, non DHS system have had at least one meeting with their case manager, and again, that's been an improvement that we've looked at over time.
1:10:48
Then you'll get outcomes.
1:10:50
So if a goal for people, as the speaker said earlier, are to work, well, are they applying for work authorization?
1:10:55
Are they getting it?
1:10:56
So we're measuring that.
1:10:57
Are they getting trainings that they would want?
1:10:59
So we're looking at that.
1:11:01
And then I think, you before you get to downstream outcomes Yeah.
1:11:04
Like are people actually getting the apartment that they, you know, we received the photo of, because that's ultimately the goal is to help everybody achieve the American dream.
1:11:12
I think it's listening to people too, and that's why we have our community advisory board that has, 20, 30 community based organizations, on it.
1:11:20
We meet every other week.
1:11:21
They're the ones that have their ears to the ground, hear everything from every all of the people at our sites, and they give us all that feedback, but not in a way that's, you know, critical or anything I I would say it's more of a, you know, we're on the same team.
1:11:33
Let's, let's put the facts on the table about what people are experiencing and their their perception of the services that we're offering.
1:11:39
Let's fix them together.
1:11:41
Then ultimately, I I'm not going to say we're there yet, but I think, you know, as we see as we get more pictures of people in front of their new home or as we look at the increase in the percentage of people, families with kids in particular, that are able to celebrate their birthday in their home as opposed to our shelter system, that's a really important part of success.
Diana Ayala
1:11:57
Absolutely.
1:11:58
Absolutely.
1:11:59
Yes.
