Liz VanAcker, CEO of Five Points Technology Group, Inc. was invited as a speaker at this year’s TACFS conference, where she presented details about the role technology is playing in addressing the needs for performance based contracting in human service delivery, a trend that has been continuing for the past 15 years.
Effort based contracts are giving way to performance based ones in child welfare; as a result, we’re seeing more accountability and quality of care in our provider networks for foster care services. The financial accountability of the network is directly tied to performance measures such as reduction in length of stay, placement in a least restrictive setting and placement of sibling groups. We’re able to produce quality improvement decisions though the data collected and maintained in technical systems that are well connected.
As part of a technical roadmap for agencies seeking to enable real performance based contracting, many are evaluating where they are now with their current systems – and where they would like to be moving forward. Spreadsheets, financial systems and commercial off the shelf software packages currently in use are targeted for upgrades to fully integrated systems that support data entry of key performance information, electronic document management, and controlled access to the system by foster youth, caregivers and case workers.
In addressing concerns agencies had in moving better technologies in support of performance based contracting, Mrs. VanAcker stressed the need for better communication between frontline staff and stakeholders. “It’s the key to addressing the anxiety and confusion that can come from changing systems and organizational practice. Some stakeholders may feel performance based contracting is just another way of reducing budgets – it takes continuous and ongoing communications to build performance measures to drive service delivery.”
For questions or to view Ms. VanAcker’s presentation email her at elizabeth.vanacker@fiveptg.com