JOHN BURTON FOUNDATION

THP-Plus Participant Tracking System 201:Using Reports to Improve

Practice, Administration, & Accountability

2010 THP-Plus Institute – November 8, 2010 Presented by Sara Kimberlin, Participant Tracking System Consultant

Outline of presentation

• Background and features of the THP-Plus Participant Tracking System

• Summary reports – DEMO

– Administrative reports

– Snapshot reports – and how you can use them

– Progress reports – and how you can use them

• Other THP-Plus data resources

• Training and support

• Questions?

Background of the THP-Plus participant tracking system

• Need for statewide data system to measure effectiveness of THP-Plus programs

• Developed by the John Burton Foundation in close consultation with CDSS, counties, and providers

• Currently used by providers from 31 counties, representing approximately 80% of THP-Plus caseload statewide

System features

• Secure web-based database

• Collects participant-level demographic and outcome data at program entrance, quarterly intervals, program exit, and follow-up, and calculates summary reports

• Includes safeguards to protect participant confidentiality

• Free for approved users

User Access Levels

• Service Provider: Read/write access to participant data served by provider

• County Administrator: Read-only access to participant data served by contracted providers

Data Entry

• Information is based on the point in time of program enrollment, end of quarter, program exit, and follow-up data collection

• Ongoing entrance, exit, and follow-up data entry

• Quarterly data entry for quarters ending Sept. 30, Dec. 31, March 31, June 30

Sample Data Entry Timeline

Jul JulOct AprJan JanJul Oct Apr

2008 20102009

Entrance Form

Quarterly Update Form

Quarterly Update Form

Quarterly Update Form

Quarterly Update Form

6-Month Follow-Up

Form

12-Month Follow-Up

Form

Exit Form

Data entry completed by 15th of month after end of quarter.

Summary Reports

• Reports specific to user access level

• Data can be exported for additional analysis

• Types of reports:

– Administrative reports

– Snapshot and outcome reports

• Entrance and quarterly snapshots

• Progress entrance-to-exit and exit-to-follow-up

Administrative reports walk-through!

Snapshot & Outcome Reports:Descriptive Data

Sample indicators:

• Age

• Parenting status

• Housing model

• Housing prior to THP-Plus

Snapshot & Outcome Reports:Outcome Data

• Sample indicators:

– % of participants that showed improvement in employment status

– Total income at entrance vs exit

– % of participants that had health insurance at entrance vs exit

Sample Report Timeline

Jul JulOct AprJan JanJul Oct Apr

2008 20102009

Report Period

Participant Entered

Participant Exited

Snapshot Reports: Uses

• Provider: Program planning, outreach, fundraising

– What challenges do participants face when they enter our program?

– Where should we target our outreach efforts?

– Do we serve populations that match a funder’s interests?

• County: Contract management and RFP planning

– What are appropriate contract expectations for current providers, given the populations they are serving?

– What populations are not being served by current providers?

Snapshot reports walk-through!

Outcome Reports: Uses

• Provider: Program improvement, fundraising

– Where are participants struggling to succeed?

– What collaborations might enhance our program?

– How can we show a funder that participants are better off after participating in our program?

• County: Contract management

– How do contracted providers compare in terms of participant outcomes?

– How can we support providers to improve participant outcomes?

Outcome reports walk-through!

Other THP-Plus Data Resources

• Customized data exports for additional analysis

– Codebook and SPSS syntax files available from John Burton Foundation

• Reports and policy briefs produced by John Burton Foundation

– Available under Resources - Publications at www.thpplus.org

Training and support

• THP-Plus website: www.thpplus.org

– User Manual and Reporting Functions Manual available under Resources – Publications

– Recordings of online trainings available under Past Trainings

• Contact the John Burton Foundation at (415) 348-0011 or jaclyn@johnburtonfoundation.org

Importance of Data Quality

Reports are only as accurate as the data that’s been entered!

• Ongoing and timely participant data entry is vital for accurate summary reports

• Implications for local programs and statewide data collection efforts

For future questions or comments:

Jaclyn Grant

(415) 693-1326

jaclyn@johnburtonfoundation.org

Questions or comments?