Identifying and Promoting Family Outcomes at the Local Level Illinois Part C

Illinois Process Illinois has used its own version of the Family Outcomes Survey (includes three additional items) Surveys are primarily distributed to families via their local service coordination agency during the course of an IFSP meeting, but direct mailing is allowed Families receive a cover letter from the lead agency, a survey, and a postage-paid, addressed return envelope Follow up postcards and letters are sent as reminders following survey delivery to enhance return rate Completed surveys are sent to the early intervention training program and forwarded to a university for analysis

Illinois Process Data is aggregated at the university, paired with demographic information from the statewide data system, and shared with the lead agency and the individual service coordination agencies. Each service coordination agency receives a variety of descriptive statistics for their agency as well as statewide statistics for comparative purposes

Data Uses Survey data has been used for a variety of statewide purposes: –To identify system processes that are not supporting family outcomes, i.e. transition from early intervention to early childhood special education –To identify areas in which families need more information, i.e. topics for early intervention newsletter –To improve morale and encourage better adherence to processes, i.e. service coordinators received letters from Early Intervention Bureau Chief –To gain a better understanding of system-wide concerns versus local area needs

Data Uses Data has also been used locally: –To determine whether or not an individual area is out of line with other families’ experiences –To let staff, agency, and families know how their families’ experiences compares to other early intervention families –During staff meetings, to review results and discuss how to effect change

Data Uses Service coordinator letters have been used to: –Commend staff in front of peers –Inform performance appraisal process and celebrate success –Focus on positives during staff meetings

Potential Uses To determine needs in a particular area, i.e. if families indicate difficulty participating in activities, consider making more information about local activities available or consider providing information about resources that may facilitate participation Individual comments may help supervisors address individual staff performance concerns or enhance an individual family’s outcomes

Additional Request Local agencies have requested summaries of both positive and negative survey comments so that they can work on areas that need improvement –so far only positive comments about service coordinators/service coordination agencies have been shared locally; –overarching concerns have been shared with lead agency; –survey cover letter currently lets families know that individual results will not be shared- some concerned with honesty/openness of feedback if individual responses are shared

Future Considerations Initial focus has been on improving returns and representativeness Consider alternate formats for responses Analyze relationships between demographic characteristics of child/family and reported outcomes Find ways to make data meaningful/ interesting for local stakeholders so that they use it for improvements