Communimetrics and CQI Stephen Shimshock PhD Michael Martinez MSW Amy Edwards LMSW Yakiciwey Mitchell MSW Angelina Garcia MSW

Casey Family Programs - Overview Started in 1966 as a Direct Service Agency Mission: to provide and improve – and ultimately prevent the need for – foster care Operate 10 sites in 5 states that deliver supplemental child welfare services Strategic Consulting, ICW and Public Policy work across the country Achieving 2020: Building Communities of Hope

Context of the Work When there are no simple, painless solutions—the challenges require us to learn new ways Authority cannot do the learning for stakeholders Leadership does not consist of answers or assured visions, but of taking action to clarify values and encouraging new possibilities

Two Different Types Of Work Technical work is the process of solving definable problems that have clear solutions and need expert problem solvers Adaptive work, on the other hand, is the process of addressing complicated problems that have no clear solution and that cannot be fixed by applying known solutions

Key To Adaptive Process Is recognizing reality and aligning to beliefs, behavior, and values accordingly This involves being able to: –See the current situation (reality) –Recognize our current beliefs, behavior and values that drive our current behavioral choices –Transform our beliefs, behavior and values in order to choose new behaviors

Adaptive Vs. Technical Work Kind Of ChallengeProblem DefinitionSolutionLocus Of Work TechnicalClear Authority Technical and Adaptive ClearRequires LearningAuthority and Stakeholder AdaptiveRequires Learning Stake holder

How The Climate Is Created Magnify (spotlight stories about how we make happen what we value, gain clarity and define issues that do not show up in the data reports) Think inquisitively (openly scaffold and grapple with questions in four quadrants about, and experience that create next best steps and how to do it.) Check in with data trends (share understanding of what works. Challenge paradigms about what is possible) Decide (motivation that places priority on a few high leverage, result related behaviors individuals can commit to) Respond (“to vouch” for a decision and act on result related behaviors)

Inquisitive Thinking Questions In Four Quadrants Explore tough Interpretation What story do we imagine others connected our issue are telling? Skillful Intervention How does the purpose of this intervention connect to out larger purpose? Managing The Self What difficult choice or unpopular action might be needed in this situation? Energizing Others Who will perceive loss because of our activity?

Communimetrics “A fundamental difference between measurement under the theory of communimetrics and traditional measurement theory is that communimetrics makes no assumption that one is divining the “truth” about what is being observed through the measurement process. One is only attempting to communicate what he or she thinks is true at any given time.”

Communimetrics “Regardless of whether and what truth exists, we continue to need to communicate about what we see, believe, think, and desire in order to survive in a social world.”

Paradigm Shift While it is important to use data, it is equally important to spend the time needed to make meaning from the data, take action, and ultimately come to learn if the actions you took had the intended impact on the youth and families you serve.

Keys to Success More than just “looking” at data Make time for staff to unpack the data (Does it look right? What does it mean?) Have those closest to the work set the goals Have those closest to the work select and try out strategies and summarize the learnings

A Framework for CQI Identify the Opportunity/Gap Develop Baseline and Set Goal (X to Y by When) Summarize Outcomes and Lessons Learned Strategy Selection and Lead Measures Progress Monitoring

Looking for Learning Opportunities Identify the Opportunity/Gap Is there a group of youth that are having a different experience than others? What do we think is driving that experience? Are there factors in our community and relationships that are contributing to this issue?

Baseline and Goal What information do we need to establish a baseline of this pattern? What change would we see in this pattern if we focused our attention on learning more about it? X to Y by When is simply a measuring stick for learning. Develop Baseline and Set Goal (X to Y by When)

Try, Try, and Try More! What can we do that will impact the pattern we discovered? How will we know if it worked or not? How can we show others the progress we are making? How can we amplify the strategies that are working? Strategy Selection and Lead Measures Progress Monitoring

Lessons Learned What did we learn? How were are youth and families impacted by our efforts? How can we share what we learned with others? Do we need to spend more time on this issue or are we ready to find another opportunity? Summarize Outcomes and Lessons Learned

Using Existing Data to Start Conversations Joe Smith Actionable Items: 9 LOS_Months: 8 Gender: Male

Using Stories to Identify Themes

Combining Stories with CANS Data

Refining the Theme OOH: Challenge of Developing a Shared Vision of Safety –Mixed aged youth (mostly older) –High needs youth –Caregiver or no identified caregiver –Team members with different perspectives on safety –Different perspectives on the capability of the caregiver –Birth family trust with the system –Differences in values and biases

Finding the Opportunity

Next Steps Identify the Opportunity/Gap Develop Baseline and Set Goal (X to Y by When) Summarize Outcomes and Lessons Learned Strategy Selection and Lead Measures Progress Monitoring