Case 10: Evaluating the Consultation and Education Department Paper

This is the case study: Case 10. Evaluating the Consultation and Education Department At the Greenby Community Mental Health Center, the Consultation and Education Department was about to go under. Although consultation and education are required for all community mental health centers, not all centers have fully staffed and active departments. Instead, they implement consultation and education as a percentage of each professional's work. That was what Henry McDonald, the executive director, was suggesting for Greenby. “You have to understand my position,” he exclaimed to a distraught consultation and education director. “Our funding has been cut back. We're more dependent than ever on fees for service and third-party payments. Consultation and education are luxuries we really can't afford. They don't bring in the funds we need, and we've got to put our resources into programs that carry their weight.” “But you know that C and E programs are a high priority. Every center has to have one to keep up its funding,” Andy Cutler replied. “Andy, let's not play games here. You know we don't have to have a C and E department with a full-time director. We only have to provide the service. The real issue is whether your program stays in operation the way it is now, and I'm saying it can't. Now, stop worrying. Your job isn't in jeopardy. You'll be able to move over to the clinical program.” “Henry, believe it or not, it's not my own job that I'm concerned about. No matter what kind of measurement you use, you have to see that the C and E department does pull its weight. We've developed liaisons with every major employer in the area, we've got preventive programs going in the schools, and our divorce and family workshops are attracting more people every time we put them on. Word is getting around in the community.” “Sure, the workshops attract people. At five dollars a head, why shouldn't they? The program is self-supporting, I'll grant you that, but it's not pulling in enough capital to pull its weight with the center as a whole. There's no way it can.” “But what you're not recognizing, Henry, is that this program is supporting the other programs. You've had an increase in the number of people referring themselves for alcohol and drug abuse programs. I'm telling you that this is because of the preventive programs we've been doing at the factory. You've had an increase in self-referrals for family therapy. I think they're coming from our workshops. The programs we offer help people recognize their problems, and when they recognize them, they start to come in for more help.” “That's very possible, Andy. But I've got a board of directors to deal with, and I don't know whether they're going to buy that line of reasoning. They're not professionals, you know, and they don't necessarily see those relationships that way. What they can see is the difference between what a person pays to participate in a workshop and what the same person would pay for one of the other programs. It's a good thought to say that you're feeding into the other services, but we don't really know that. We don't really know anything about the impact you're having. Give me something I can tell the board. Give me something I can tell the state. Just give me something.” This the book of reference: Management of Human Service Programs, Fourth Edition Chapter 10: Evaluating Human Service Programs ISBN: 9780495007821 Author: Judith A. Lewis, Thomas Packard, Michael D. Lewis copyright © 2007 Brooks Cole This is the essay instruction: . Individual Assignment: Case 10: Evaluating the Consultation and Education Department Paper - Resource: Case 10 of Ch. 10 of Management of Human Services Programs - Write a 1,050- to 1,750-word paper which addresses the following in reference to the case study: o Develop at least one process evaluation measure and at least one outcome evaluation measure that you suggest for the Consultation and Education Department at Greenby Community Mental Health Center to display the program's effectiveness and efficiency. o What are the scope and purpose of your process evaluation measure and outcome evaluation measure and how did they influence your design? o What issues and challenges may arise from evaluating the Greenby Community Mental Health Center? o Explain why an evaluation may be helpful to the Consultation and Education Department director's situation. - Format your paper according to APA guidelines.