Dear Colleagues:
On behalf of the Quality Committee of the Statewide Advisory Council on Developmental Disabilities, we are very pleased to let you know that Illinois is the 30th state in the nation to partner with the National Core Indicators (NCI) Project, a study to gather baseline data. The goal of the project is to collect data on quality performance measures and outcomes for individuals funded through state developmental disabilities service systems. The data will be reviewed on both state and national levels to look at trends, which in turn will be used to plan for current and future service needs.
The indicators measure more than 100 consumer, family, systemic, cost and health outcomes. Information is gathered from direct interviews with persons receiving services, family surveys, provider surveys, and state system's data. Each state participating in the project uses the same tools. .
This year DHS, Division of Developmental Disabilities, Bureau of Quality Management staff will conduct 400 or more face to face interviews with adult consumers using the national survey instrument. This representative sample was randomly selected statewide and includes people living at home, in community-based residential alternatives and in state-operated developmental centers. The family surveys will be distributed by mail soon to all known families and guardians. Provider surveys will be distributed during the state's fiscal year 2010.
This information is being gathered to assess the performance of statewide service systems only. This is not an assessment of an individual's success nor is it a measure of a provider's performance. The Division of Developmental Disabilities will not be evaluating providers with this data on an individual basis. The data will be aggregated and used for statewide systems analysis and change. All responses, whether face-to-face adult consumer interviews or family surveys, will be will be anonymous.
In advance, thanks for your support with this project. We are hopeful that many positive benefits will come to the developmental disabilities system and the people we serve and support.
For more information you are encouraged to visit: www.nationalcoreindicators.org.
If you would like to discuss this further, you may also contact these colleagues who have been part of initial NCI Project activities: Pat Devine, Achievement Unlimited at 618-973-1611; Alan Spector, President/CEO, Glenkirk at 847-272-5111; Jeff Nelson, Achievement Unlimited at 309-361-8861; and Bob Lindberg, Executive Director, FAYCO Enterprises at 618-283-0638.
Sincerely,
