Data Elements, Success Metrics & Adapting Outcomes
In developing their program improvements, LASER sites focused on outcomes. This work entailed not only how to identify new metrics for success, but also how to approach accountability and explore strategies to adapt outcomes for both clients and frontline staff. The LASER TLC provided different examples of states and counties that have implemented various approaches to establishing performance metrics and specifically addressed how these programs determined what was best for their TANF program.
This agenda reflects key activities of the LASER TLC Collective Technical Assistance event held in September 2022.
This American Public Human Services Association presentation reinforces the importance of TANF program policies grounded in evidence and promising practices that best help families achieve their goals. The presentation describes how the states of Colorado, Indiana, and Maryland are creatively measuring outcomes beyond standard Work Participation Rates.
This Third Sector presentation describes how to establish and maintain an outcomes orientation throughout the procurement and contracting process. The presentation highlights outcome-oriented procurement and contracting actions taken by the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance to prioritize outcomes tied to measurable results.
This presentation by the California Department of Social Services provides an overview of Cal-OAR, which is a local, data-driven program management system that facilitates continuous improvement of county CalWORKs programs by collecting, analyzing, and disseminating outcomes and best practices.
This Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) presentation explains the background and context for the state’s priority on employing new performance metrics. The presentation explains MFIP’s rethinking about performance metrics and lists critical inputs, outputs, and outcomes. It also describes performance-related implementation issues and next steps.
This is the link to the recording of the event.
Economic Mobility – Transforming public systems to advance improved and equitable outcomes: This Third Sector brief addresses economic mobility in relation to inequitable racial wealth disparities. The document identifies core economic mobility services and provides succinct description of economic mobility projects in California, Colorado, Minnesota, and Northern Virginia.
Economic Mobility in Practice: How a Focus on Outcomes Changes Everything: This Third Sector document examines reorienting service systems for an outcomes-focused approach and presents four case studies describing how an outcomes-focused approach can be applied in practice with a spotlight on services for youth. The document describes programs in DeKalb County, Georgia, Northern Virginia, Massachusetts, and New Orleans, Louisiana.
CAL-OAR Conceptual Framework: This California Department of Social Services slide presents the conceptual framework for the state’s Outcomes & Accountability Review (CAL-OAR) program. The slide delineates the inputs, activities, outputs, and three levels of outcomes (short, medium, and long-term) driving CAL-ORG.
Cal-OAR Data Toolkit: This California Department of Social Services resource, produced for County Welfare Departments, provides information about CAL-OAR data sources, processes, and confidentiality requirements. It also explains methods and procedures for calculating required data elements, data processing, data transmission, and data de-identification requirements and strategies.
Cal-OAR Performance Measure Technical Manual: This is a link to the California Department of Social Services All County Letter, produced for County Welfare Departments, presents the release of the Cal-OAR performance measures and definitions, Cal-OAR data file instructions, and the timeframes for the CalWORKs Continuous Quality Improvement cycle and training. Cal-OAR County Letters
Request for Proposals: Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) Employment Services: This is a link to the Request for Proposal developed by Hennepin County Human Resources, through its Workforce Development Area, and in partnership with the Human Services Public Health Department, emphasizes the need for vendor responsiveness to new and specific performance measures for the MFIP.