Q&A
Metrics and evaluation processes for OACs in NYCHA housing
0:51:41
ยท
5 min
Council Member Hudson inquires about metrics and evaluation processes used to assess the impact of OACs on older adults in NYCHA housing. Officials discuss various methods for measuring program effectiveness and gathering feedback.
- NYC Aging focuses on metrics for program participants, not overall NYCHA development
- Metrics include participation rates, satisfaction surveys, and case assistance responsiveness
- NYCHA conducts surveys in response to resident leader complaints about programs
- Acknowledgment that OACs benefit the broader NYCHA community, not just direct participants
- Plan to increase engagement with OAC advisory councils in the coming months
Crystal Hudson
0:51:41
Thank you.
0:51:43
What metrics or evaluation processes are in place to assess the impact of OACs on the overall well-being of older adults in NYCHA housing?
Ukah Busgith
0:51:52
So, NYCHA
Crystal Hudson
0:51:55
Just turn on your mic.
Ukah Busgith
0:51:56
Oh, sorry.
0:51:56
Mhmm.
0:51:57
So currently, NYCHA doesn't capture the the metrics for older adults that, falls under aging.
0:52:03
So, Brian, I don't know if you wanna talk about that.
0:52:07
Yeah.
Ryan Murray
0:52:09
Let me just I heard your question.
0:52:12
And it was overall impact in NYCHA.
0:52:14
Yes?
0:52:15
Or something like
Ukah Busgith
0:52:16
that?
0:52:17
Metrics.
Crystal Hudson
0:52:17
What metrics or evaluation processes are in place to assess the impact of OACs on the overall well-being of older adults in NYCHA housing?
Ryan Murray
0:52:25
Yeah.
0:52:25
So what we, as NYC agent, can speak to is the impact, on the older adults who participate in the programs.
0:52:34
Right?
0:52:34
I think and that that's a distinction, versus the overall development.
0:52:39
So earlier, I gave us some numbers and testimony about the number of individuals who participate in programs, that are located at OAC is just another important distinction that it's not a program that only is for the individuals who are in live in that development.
0:52:55
Individuals from the community, as you heard, because the number was, like, 47,000, and 14,000 were from NYCHA.
0:53:01
They're they're hubs for the community as a whole.
0:53:04
And so what we look at in terms of our, metrics, it's participation.
0:53:10
It is it is looking I mean, there's the usual satisfaction.
0:53:13
I call that the happy face evaluation.
0:53:15
Do you like it here?
0:53:17
And then there's more nuanced things that might be happening in terms of case assistance and responsiveness, food quality and making sure that meals are delivered.
0:53:25
Those are the kinds of things we track.
0:53:26
So, it's our services been being delivered as contracted, and there's a fair amount of time spent, via our program officers getting out there to talk to residents and get their feedback beyond Happy Face about the quality of the program and if it's meeting their needs.
0:53:43
The other thing that we do is we take that information and that helps to evolve what we're doing as an agency.
0:53:49
Talent is timeless wasn't just a bright idea that came from the farm, as we say, but it was folks want to be better connected to other programs and have that be a thriving thing.
0:54:01
Right?
0:54:01
And I find that these days, many older adults aren't just thinking about one program.
0:54:06
Right?
0:54:06
They're they might be shopping around for different things, what different kinds of activities.
0:54:10
So the metrics are about quality, the metrics are about participation of the programs, and then there's direct feedback from the older adults.
0:54:17
But it is, for us, the program itself, not the not just the NYCHA building.
0:54:24
There are cases where I I can think of 1 or 2, where if we've received feedback that conflicts with, and to your point, we'd want to be more proactive here, conflicts with what we understand of a particular program, then NYCHA's team, and Audrey's sitting over here as well, UCA, then they actually do a a more comprehensive building survey to confirm whether or not the building itself is maximizing, the services that are offered with the OAC, and then if there's other things that NYCHA should be doing.
0:54:55
But those aren't a full bold building wide survey by default.
0:55:01
Those are a bit more reactive.
Ukah Busgith
0:55:05
What Ryan was speaking about, there are instances where our resident leaders may complain about the program being offered at the location.
0:55:12
And so, we took it upon ourselves to, with Ryan's team support, create a survey to survey residents who are participating in the program, how are they, responding to the services if it's adequate, or they if there are older adults that are not participating, why and why what would bring them to to the, program and we use that data to share it with aging so we can, increase recruitment for those programs and initiatives.
0:55:39
And we have done 2 within the last few months and the resident leaders are very happy with the results and, love the fact that we're being proactive about their needs.
Crystal Hudson
0:55:48
That's great.
0:55:49
I mean, I would also make the argument that an OAC president and present in a NYCHA building, can only benefit the, you know, all residents in that building and that as people receive information in the OACs, they're, I'm sure, sharing it with their, their their neighbors and friends and and family members.
0:56:07
So even if they are themselves not visiting the OAC, they're still benefiting from it being there.
0:56:11
So I think it could benefit us all to at least ask the question of residents, in terms of, you know, they're positive or perhaps negative, but, their overall, you know, opinions of the centers.
0:56:26
I do want to acknowledge that we've been joined by Council Member Villas, it's all good.
Ukah Busgith
0:56:31
Sorry, and when A.
0:56:32
J.
0:56:32
Surveyed, those 9,000 residents that respond, I mean, New York City residents that have responded, we were very proactive at NYCHA developments as well and ensured that our seniors were responding, our older adults were responding to those surveys.
0:56:47
Whether those are programs that we run directly encouraging the, the older adults to submit that survey.
Ryan Murray
0:56:53
And in the spirit of partnership this year, council chair and council members, one of the things that in proactive land, we wanna get out there and spend more time with our advisory councils.
0:57:05
So I mentioned earlier that every OAC is required to have an advisory council.
0:57:09
So folks who, go to the program and are by their members or you you are the representative.
0:57:16
I wanna meet with folks, and I wanna do that with you.
0:57:19
So I will obviously be reaching out to each of you and others in the council, starting with these committees to to spend more time in community over the next few months.