1. VFP Measures: Discussion of Changes
Jonathan Pratt and Rachelle Decoeur
Sep 2016

2. 01 04 02 05 03 06 Outline Key changes to stats for VFP
Stats sections 3 & 4: Client file management and promotion and awareness 02
Transition to online survey tool 05
Stats section 5: Staff hours dedicated to the VFP 03
Stats sections 1 & 2: # clients who accessed MFRC svs and # client referrals 06
Discussion

3. Key changes Online survey versus Excel
Organization of info: and Guidance
e.g.: # contacts, # workshops
Additional questions
e.g.: # family contacts, as well as # clients
Corrections
e.g.: Case administration- - # active files
1. Change into survey format. Change to survey format
2. Org of info: Key categories of info remain intact, but split them up
It is organized in format of MOU, for easy reference
E.g.: First section is “# who access MFRC svs”, but split up so easier to analyze
We also inserted Guidance in each question, to ensure same interpretation of each question among all Coordinators
3. Additional questions: Many of these in MOU, but not previously captured
E.g.: # Contacts, in addition to # clients
“Total # contacts” refers to the number of substantive VFM contacts. The reason is that the # contacts shows the burden of effort for Coordinators (e.g.: one client may contact you numerous times in one month).
A substantive contact is contact in which a good deal of information shared (e.g.: a community orientation briefing with a group of family members) versus a “fleeting contact” (e.g.: phone call that simply redirected caller to other service or only provided contact address).
More impact-focused and accurate statistics (to include in your total # of contacts) tend to be those which are substantive (a good deal of information shared), have a registration list, in which you can identify individual participants.
Here are some examples of those statistics to include: 
# family contacts for community orientation briefings/information sessions
# family contacts during registration in children/teen workshops
# family contacts through education/employment/parenting workshops
# family contacts for Emergency/Emergency Respite/Casualty Support Child Care
# family contacts during outreach/personal growth and development
 Less impact-focused and accurate statistics (to avoid including in your total # VF contacts) tend to be those which are large, less substantive (not very much information shared or a brief interaction), no registration list, in which individuals cannot be accurately identified.
Here are some examples of those statistics which you should avoid including: 
# family contacts during special/social events
# family contacts via calls/ s to MFRC
# family contacts in special workshops/events/activities
# family contacts for general info and referral services
4. CORRECTIONS
# active files—NOT cumulative

4. The transition to online survey tool
From…
To…
Online survey tool
(TBD Jan 2017)
For now, they can send in numbers via or inside a Word doc that we’ll send them
This should be easier to work with than Excel, with locked cells, etc. 4

5. # Accessed MFRC Svs
Why this is important: To determine key needs and burden of VFC efforts
Total # clients
Total # Veteran Family Members (VFMs) served that month
# new clients served
# VFMs who you met for first time or re-opened that month
Total # contacts
# substantive VFM contacts that month
Workshops
By activity area—see guidance for examples
Family Transition Plan
Include # new clients and # client contacts
Potential mistakes
Counting client under wrong activity—read the guidance carefully
“Total # clients” refers to the total # of VFMs served in the reporting month.
“New clients” refers to a VFM with whom you have had your first contact in the reporting month or a client who has previously been closed and is re-opened in that month.
“Total # contacts” refers to the number of substantive VFM contacts. The reason is that the # contacts shows the burden of effort for Coordinators (e.g.: one client may contact you numerous times in one month).
“Outside of the VFP population” refers to those family members or MRV who are in the middle of release process or more than 2 years post-release.
A substantive contact is contact in which a good deal of information shared (e.g.: a community orientation briefing with a group of family members) versus a “fleeting contact” (e.g.: phone call that simply redirected caller to other service or only provided contact address).
More impact-focused and accurate statistics (to include in your total # of contacts) tend to be those which are substantive (a good deal of information shared), have a registration list, in which you can identify individual participants.
Here are some examples of those statistics to include: 
# family contacts for community orientation briefings/information sessions
# family contacts during registration in children/teen workshops
# family contacts through education/employment/parenting workshops
# family contacts for Emergency/Emergency Respite/Casualty Support Child Care
# family contacts during outreach/personal growth and development
 Less impact-focused and accurate statistics (to avoid including in your total # VF contacts) tend to be those which are large, less substantive (not very much information shared or a brief interaction), no registration list, in which individuals cannot be accurately identified.
Here are some examples of those statistics which you should avoid including: 
# family contacts during special/social events
# family contacts via calls/ s to MFRC
# family contacts in special workshops/events/activities
# family contacts for general info and referral services
Welcome or community orientation can include welcome briefings, presentations or sessions, welcome packages, warm line calls, site visits and meet and greet sessions, etc.
Workshops for children and teens includes peer workshops and programs, youth retreats, youth feedback projects, teen and youth OSI or life skills workshops, etc.
Workshops on parenting include lunch and learns and sessions on parenting skills, parenting children in a family with an OSI, etc.
Emergency Childcare includes emergency, casualty support and emergency respite childcare
Outreach includes VFC reaching out to new stakeholders to recruit their help in assisting VFMs. Your connection with other local organization to better assist medically released Veterans and their families.)
Info and referral includes every contact (whether via , phone, or in-person) where information is provided to assist a VFM as well as compiling all referrals provided external to your MFRC services.
Employment/education assistance includes PLAR sessions, Family SCAN, employment workshops, job search sessions, etc.
Personal growth and development includes various mental health sessions (including Family Liaison Officer), groups, workshops and conferences, including in the subject of: self-help; short-term intervention; crisis support; Managing Angry Moments; mental fitness; health and wellbeing; self-esteem; Living Life the Full; compassion fatigue; self-care. It also includes various personal growth sessions on subjects like: financial planning; legal planning education, etc. Note that it DOES NOT include FOCUS, R2MR or Mental Health First Aid, which are calculated in their respective tables lower down.

6. Why this is important: Referring VFMs to services is a key VFC task
# Referrals
Why this is important: Referring VFMs to services is a key VFC task
Referrals to VAC
Include # new clients and # ALL client contacts
Referrals to MFRC svs
Read carefully to ensure client in most accurate category
Referrals to Comm. Svs
Detail each community service separately; there may be some clients who will be referred to numerous services and thus the total referrals will be greater than total # clients.
Potential mistakes
Each VFM is a separate client
Make sure you categorize clients correctly: “children” (0-9 years) and “youth” (10-17 years) and “other” (includes adult military children years)
Note: One case file for a family may include several clients. Each member of the family served is a separate client.
““Total # clients” refers to the total # of VFMs served in the reporting month. A child is 0-9 years, while a youth is years; an adult military child (18+ years) is under “other”.

7. Why this is important: It confirms # Coordinator positions
Client file management
Why this is important: It confirms # Coordinator positions
New files
# new clients you have for that month
Ongoing files
# files open for minimum 1 month and client continues accessing svc
Closed files
# clients where 3 months has passed since last svc delivered to client
Transferred files
# clients transferred to other MFRC in that month
Potential mistakes
Not treating each month separately (inappropriately cumulating # ongoing files from one month to next)
Does 1 file = 1 client?

8. Why this is important: Tells us output and uptake of promotion efforts
Promotion and awareness
Why this is important: Tells us output and uptake of promotion efforts
Administration
Separates the promotion items into 3 areas:
(1) Creation. Amount of material received by MFS and created by MFRC.
(2) Materials pushed out. Distribution of materials without request, showing our communication efforts.
(3) Materials requested. Shows community engagement—those who are aware of services and wish to know more.
Awareness
Shows how VFMs became aware of program. Awareness is the first step to access and usage, and better resourced VFMs.
Potential mistakes
Confusing information sent out without request (area 2 above) with the information requested (area 3 above)
Does 1 file = 1 client?

9. Why this is important: Tells us about program uptake and efficiency
Staff hours dedicated to VFP
Why this is important: Tells us about program uptake and efficiency
Total staffing hours
# hours spent on VFP in that month, including any “over and above” the FTE for which you are funded by VFP, MFS or another funder
“over and above” VFP funds?
# hours, over and above
amount from VFC FTE, which was required to support VFM population (broken down into # hours charged to MFS and # hours NOT charged to MFS, or funded from another source)
# program hours
# hours in delivery of program, not admin
Potential mistakes
Not taking out # hours spent in admin activities (office mgt, insurance, auditing, etc.).
No organization spends 100% of hours on programming (average is % hours spent on programming)
Program hours are defined as hours spent on the delivery of VFP programs, which includes: program planning, program delivery and program evaluation. It does not include administrative activities (e.g.: meetings not related to planning/delivery, accounting/auditing, insurance, office management, human resources and other centralized services) or fundraising activities.
E.g.: Program hours for an Employment Coordinator might include hours spent on individual employment counselling, review of skills and experience, meeting with prospective employers but would not include general meetings not directly related to employment counselling, such as meetings about MFRC administration, workplace health and safety, etc.

10. discussion Thoughts—do cohorts make sense?
Any ideas for change of layout?
Change of indicators?