Terry E. Carrilio

Looking Inside the “Black Box”

Abstract The continued devolution of social welfare systems and services in the U.S. resultsin high stakes program evaluations in the field of family support and early intervention. Programs are expected to utilize evidence-based interventions and to demonstrate effectiveness. A look at implementation helps to differentiate between theories that do not work and programs that are not effective. Methods for identifying program implementation are needed. In a 17-site program evaluation, the author and her colleagues developed a methodology for measuring implementation and demonstrated the effects of differential implementation in understanding program outcomes.

Nothing In—Nothing Out

Abstract There is an increased expectation that social service programs will measure outcomes. This article presents data from a multi-site statewide evaluation of a state-funded family support program. Using multiple methods, we observed that participating programs did not consistently make use of the information systems that would help them collect data required by the funder, even with a great deal of support, technical assistance, and training, This Nothing In Nothing Out phenomenon represents a major barrier to data-based program planning and management. The impact of leadership, attitudes, accountability expectations, and organizational culture on how programs collect and utilize data are described in this multi-site case study.

Management Information Systems: Why Are They Underutilized in the Social Services?

ABSTRACT Social service organizations are commonly asked to account for services, and increasingly, to measure the outcomes of the work with vulnerable populations. Since the advent of the personal computer, software and hardware to assist professionals in collecting both process and outcomes data have improved exponentially. Yet, in many cases, organizations implement computerized management information systems which are underutilized or poorly utilized. The reasons that social service organizations do not use MISs are not well understood. Using a case example of the development of a computerized management information system, this paper suggests that understanding MIS utilization involves examining specific aspects of leadership, technical capacity and systems readiness in the real-world settings of social service organizations.

Utilizing a social work perspective to enhance sustainable development efforts in Loreto, Mexico

English Social work with its unique person-in-environment focus can play a key role in international sustainable development efforts. This paper offers a case study of impending mega-development in the small town of Loreto, and illustrates ways that a social work perspective can contribute to efforts to address sustainability and social development. French En mettant l’accent de façon particuliè re sur la personne dans son environnement, le travail social peut jouer un rôle dans les initiatives de dé veloppement durable à l’é chelle internationale. Cet article pré sente une é tude de cas sur un imminent projet de trè s grande envergure dans la petite ville de Loreto, au Mexique. Elle illustre comment la perspective du travail social peut contribuer aux efforts dé ployé s pour assurer la durabilité et le dé veloppement social. Spanish Trabajo social con su perspectiva ú nica que enfatiza la persona-en-ambiente puede jugar un role internacional en esfuerzos de desarrollo sostenible. Este artículo ofrece un estudio de caso sobre un inminente mega-desarrollo en la ciudad pequeñ a de Loreto, Mé xico, e ilustra maneras como una perspectiva de trabajo social puede contribuir a los esfuerzos de toman en cuenta sostenibilidad y desarrollo social.

Family Support Program Development-Integrating Research, Practice and Policy

ABSTRACT Recent interest from a variety of disciplines in supporting families for the purpose of enhancing resiliency and reducing adverse outcomes highlights the challenges and opportunities involved in using research to inform social work practice and policy. Over the past two decades a tremendous amount of research in prevention and early childhood intervention has been carried out, but it is often difficult to translate this research into practice and policy. There is a need to move beyond finding the ideal program model toward the application of important research findings through a systematic process of program development. In developing social work programs to support families it is important to consider not only the optimal program models to be applied, but the details of implementation and the role of quality management and program evaluation. The paper reports upon the development of the Integrated Team Case Management Approach which was developed in response to research findings and experience implementing large scale initiatives. This program approach is intended to integrate current knowledge and identify ways to implement that knowledge into social work programs which meet current policy needs.

Development and Validation of the Alcohol and Other Drug Identification (AODI) Scale

ABSTRACT Social workers and other helping professionals often have difficulty addressing client alcohol and other drug (AOD) use. The purpose of this study was to develop a measure of potential barriers social workers might experience in discussing AOD use with clients. A pool of 29 items was generated, pilot tested, and given to social work students, and to home visitors (n = 219). Exploratory factor analysis using a rotated component matrix found 14 items clustering in three factors: attitudes, worker/client relationship skills, and knowledge. All factors had acceptable internal consistency. Confirmatory factor analysis on a larger sample is needed for further validation.

Learning from Experience in Family Support Programs

ABSTRACT The paper describes three related California family support program initiatives representing field experiments in program development and policy related to reducing adverse outcomes for vulnerable families through replicating known “best practices” models. The ways in which the three initiatives were affected by the context of implementation are used to demonstrate the difficulty both of identifying the “best” program models and the need for leadership at all levels in order to develop programs and policies, which achieve the intended effects.