title: Measuring outcomes in the changing environment of child welfare services.
abstract: Child welfare service organizations are undergoing profound changes with the advent of managed care. Expensive development of new infrastructures is required, including information systems to track services and outcomes. The authors examine key considerations in designing an outcomes measurement program for child welfare agencies and challenges for implementation. In addition, they review national initiatives to determine best practices for outcomes measurement of children's services, and how these initiatives can help guide others' efforts.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, University of Washington, USA. ppecora@Casey.org
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Pecora
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Massinga
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mauzerall
mesh_terms: D002662:Child Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016208:Databases, Factual; D006801:Humans; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D017146:Models, Organizational; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D014481:United States