NCJ Number
49628
Journal
Social Work Research and Abstracts Volume: 14 Issue: 1 Dated: (SPRING 1978) Pages: 19-24
Date Published
1978
Length
6 pages
Annotation
A MEASURE TO EVALUATE THE ADEQUACY OF A BROAD-SCALE NETWORK OF HUMAN SERVICES WAS DEVELOPED AND TESTED.
Abstract
THE MEASURE PROVIDED A MECHANISM FOR BRINGING TOGETHER TWO FORMS OF DATA THAT HAD NOT YET BEEN COMBINED -- THE NUMBERS OF PERSONS PROVIDED SPECIFIC TYPES OF SERVICES AND THE NUMBERS OF PERSONS IN NEED OF THOSE SERVICES. KNOWLEDGE OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THESE FORMS OF DATA CAN PROVIDE EVALUATORS AND SERVICE PLANNERS WITH VALUABLE INFORMATION THAT IS NOT ONLY NECESSARY IN EXAMINING BROAD-SCALE SERVICE NETWORKS, BUT IS ALSO CRITICAL IN PLANNING OR EVALUATING INDIVIDUAL SERVICES. ALTHOUGH THE COMPONENTS OF THE MEASURE SEEM RELATIVELY SIMPLE, FIELD TESTING REVEALED THAT THE ACQUISITION OF DATA WAS MUCH MORE COMPLICATED THAN HAD BEEN ANTICIPATED. BECAUSE VALID AND RELIABLE DATA WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR EITHER OF THE TWO MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE ADEQUACY OF SERVICE MEASURE, RATHER THAN ADVANCE METHODS OF EVALUATION AND PLANNING, THE FIELD TEST EXPERIENCE ONLY REITERATED THE INADEQUACY OF THESE TWO DATA SYSTEMS. PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED IN OBTAINING TEST DATA ARE OUTLINED AND DIRECTIONS FOR FUTURE WORK IN PLANNING PROGRAMS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE POPULATION ARE UNDERSCORED. THE BACKGROUND OF EVALUATIVE RESEARCH IS REVIEWED. THE PROPOSED ADEQUACY OF SERVICES MEASURE IS EXPLAINED, ALONG WITH ITS APPLICATION IN THE FIELD TEST. NOTES, REFERENCES, AND TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. (KBL)