The Harvard Family Research Project separated from the Harvard Graduate School of Education to become the Global Family Research Project as of January 1, 2017. It is no longer affiliated with Harvard University.
Volume II, Number 1, Winter 1996
Issue Topic: Results-Based Accountability
Beyond Basic Training
Professional Development Opportunities & Resources
The Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health (RTC), in partnership with the Judge Baker Technical Assistance Center, will be offering technical assistance on outcomes, system accountability, and the self-evaluation method. This assistance will be in the form of regional workshops for states working towards increased accountability in their system of care in mental health and other child-serving agencies. The first of these workshops will be held in Atlanta in March.
The RTC will also provide technical assistance to child-serving agencies wishing to develop outcome-driven information systems.
In developing a model of outcome accountability, the RTC selected three service systems for its ongoing System Accountability Study. These three systems include the statewide information system for the Texas Children's Mental Health Plan, Pennsylvania's SumOne for Kids, developed by Pressley Ridge School, and Santa Cruz County's application of the California system of care approach to outcome tracking. Information on these systems was presented at the Center's ninth annual conference on service system research held in Tampa Bay in February.
In addition to the symposia on outcomes and self-evaluation, a methods and measures track was offered at the research conference. This series of workshops, led by national experts, provided applied instruction for conducting services research in the children's mental health field. This year's workshop addressed measurement of functioning and impairment, methods of assessing implementation of program models, and measurement of outcomes.
The RTC hopes that this conference and its System Accountability Study will provide insight into the process of developing systems of outcome accountability, as well as a better understanding of how stakeholders within and outside the mental health field define important outcomes for children's mental health.
For more information on the RTC's System Accountability Study and its technical assistance workshops, please contact:
Dr. Mario Hernandez or Ms. Sharon Hodges
The Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health
Department of Child & Family Studies
Florida Mental Health Institute
University of South Florida
13301 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33612-3899
Tel: 813-974-4637
Information about the conference and proceedings is available through Cindy Liberton at 813-974-6144.