Evaluating the Consultation and Education Department

Evaluating the Consultation and Education Department Paper

Corrine Oliver

BSHS/462

Building Community in Organizations

September 2, 2012

Kimberly Eaton

Greenby Consultation and Education Department

A process evaluation is aimed at 'enhancing' a current program by means of a formative analysis. It can be done anytime to describe and study the conceptualization, planning and implementation of a particular program. A key note about a process evaluation is that it isn't aimed at measuring the success or failure of a program - its focus is the process and not the outcome. Its aim is to see whether a program has been implemented as planned, using feedback to adjust and enhance interventions. It has a great impact on the on-going development of a program by revealing its strength & weaknesses.

The case of the Greenby Community Mental Health Center's Consultation and Education Department somewhat suggests that while it is not a key income earner, it drives awareness and thus increases participation into revenue-making programs. The problem that the Center's Executive Director has is that even with the obvious service and awareness-raising effort the program has, because the revenue numbers; he cannot justify the program to the Board of Directors to protect it from funding cut. Andy Cutter, the Consultation & Education Department head argues that it is not only the revenue that should be the basis, aside from being a 'come-on' service that creates awareness of the Center in the local community; it also performs great public service. It is this public service that is essential so that all centers continue their funding. The argument however is that Consultation & Education (C&E) projects can still continue to be provided without a full department on a less resource and less expensive basis.

I am of the opinion, however that Cutter has a point and the C&E programs are preventive and at the same time key awareness raises. Because it is frontline and requires less commitment it allows those who are apprehensive a way in. Additionally, it provides those who really need such assistance the necessary support and guidance which would otherwise be unavailable to them. Thus I believe the following Process evaluation measure might be of value to illustrate this:

Evaluative Measure - An analysis of the participants and market of the varied C&E programs to determine popularity of C&E program in the community.

* Criteria & Data Type - A listing of current available C&E programs, their purpose and the manner by which they are marketed; a thorough presentation of the varied cooperative liaisons between the C&E department and varied groups and like organizations within the community in relation to this program, a listing of past and current C&E program participants and their reasons for participating; A listing of C&E clients who moved and registered with the center's other programs that do generate revenue for the center.

* Collection & Presentation - The above data should be easily collected from the Center's database and should be presented in a tabular form. Descriptive statistics should be used to illustrate