Team Decision Making and Self- Evaluation: Getting the Most Out of Your Database Anne K. Abramson & William C. Dawson Center for Social Services Research University of California, Berkeley

Introduction Goals: Discuss practices and tips to –Ease day-to-day use –Improve data quality –Increase access to data for self-evaluation Obtain feedback from you to guide future modifications

Presentation Overview Development and Use of TDM CA Increase Data Quality –Entering data –Cleaning data Report and Analyze –Use built-in reports –Export data

Presentation Overview (cont’d) Technical Recommendations –Update –Back up –Protect confidentiality –Maintain your database Discussion and Questions User Feedback Form

Development and Use of TDM CA: TDM and Self-Evaluation in California TDM and Self-Evaluation are part of the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Family to Family Initiative. California Department of Social Services (CDSS) and the Stuart Foundation provide support for the California Children’s Services Archive (Archive).

Development and Use of TDM CA TDM CA was developed to assist counties in collecting TDM meeting and child information. TDM CA allows counties to create reports regarding attendance, meeting participants, children involved, etc. TDM CA data linked with CWS/CMS data will provide counties with additional detail and outcome data for self-evaluation.

Development and Use of TDM CA Data entry can be done in versions of Access 97, 2000, and XP. Limited reporting can be done in Access 97 (v.2.2). The current version for Access 2000 or XP (v.2.5) allows for data export and full reporting.

1. Facilitators Data Entry Guide: –Data integrity –Common language within county –Use: Training Data entry reference Key to data interpretation (self-evaluation) Increase Data Quality: Entering Data

1. Facilitators Data Entry Guide (cont’d): –Samples are available on the TDM support web page (Documentation section):

Increase Data Quality: Entering Data 2. Use standard TDM CA definitions: –Entries: Imminent Risk of Placement vs. Emergency Placement –Emergency Placement vs. Placement Move –Exit From Placement

Increase Data Quality: Entering Data 3. Always enter a primary reason –Key field for the production of accurate reports –You may wish to set Primary Reason as a database required field –Contact UCB for assistance

Increase Data Quality: Entering Data 4. Add children from database –Use the ‘Add Children from Database’ button to access the ‘Add Children and Youth…’ window

Increase Data Quality: Entering Data 4. Add children from database (cont’d): –Filter the list on more than one identifier to search for a child

Increase Data Quality: Entering Data 5. ‘Add child information’ for every child –Use the record navigation bar at the bottom left of the ‘Add Child Information’ to visit the records of all the children

Some reasons you may need to clean data: Imported data from an earlier version of TDM CA Modified data entry definitions Human error Increase Data Quality: Cleaning Data

1. Use TDM CA Reports to identify problem areas: –Create selective reports –Do the numbers look right? Increase Data Quality: Cleaning Data

2. Export data to MS Excel for review: –Click on ‘Export Data’ on the Main Menu (v.2.3 or higher, Access 2000/XP only). –Use (a) ‘Export for UC Berkeley’ for predetermined data format and quarterly data.

Increase Data Quality: Cleaning Data 2. Export data to MS Excel for review (cont’d): a. Export for UC Berkeley Three sheets will be of particular use: qry_010_ExportMeetChild—information about each meeting child event in the export date range qry_020_ExportRefNo—referral numbers qry_030_Meet—meeting level information For your reference, the workbook will also include: tblExport—summary of export information Lookup tables (dropdown lists)

Increase Data Quality: Cleaning Data 2. Export data to MS Excel for review (cont’d): –Use (b) ‘Custom Export’ to control exported data and date range

Increase Data Quality: Cleaning Data 2. Export data to MS Excel for review (cont’d): b. Custom Export Click the ‘Advanced’ button to access the ‘Advanced Export Options’ form This form allows you to add additional database objects, such as data tables, to your exported workbook Complete a record for each additional object you would like to export.

Report and Analyze: Use Built-In Reports ‘Reports’ form allows you to create reports regarding children and meetings All reports can be created for: –All of the records in the database –Selected subsets of records based on options indicated by user

TDM CA Reports

Report parameters allow you to select cases to include/exclude by meeting date, type of meeting, facilitator or location Child List Summary of children involved in TDM meetings with ID and dates of birth Child Summary Provides child level report of case information, facilitator, reason for involvement, and placement decision Meeting Attendance Provides number and percent of meetings attended by at least one member of the reported group (birth parent, child, foster parent, SW, etc) and percentage of meetings attended. There are three reports representing three levels of analysis: ‘Meeting Attendance Summary, ‘Meeting Attendance Detail’, and ‘Meeting Attendance Gender Detail’. Child Involvement Provides summary counts of meetings, children involved and children per meeting

Report parameters allow you to select cases to include/exclude by meeting date, type of meeting, facilitator or location LocationProvides summary counts of meetings at each location Recommendation Provides summary counts of meeting-child events with each recommendation type TDM CA Reports (cont’d)

Report and Analyze: Export Data Exporting data to other file formats for analysis: To Excel using TDM CA Export form (as discussed) Using MS Access export feature –Bypass start up options to access database window and full menus –Go to ‘File | Export’ –Follow instructions to export object (e.g., data table)

Technical Recommendations Use the latest version Back up your database Protect confidentiality Maintain your database

Discussion and Questions

User Feedback Form

Team Decision Making (TDM) Database Documentation and TDM CA available at the TDM CA Support Page:

For more information: Anne Abramson Bill Dawson TDM CA Support Page Child Welfare Services (CWS/CMS) Reports