Research and Evaluation
Why Do We Measure Outcomes?
When Pressley Ridge began studying the
outcomes of our services in the early 1980's, no one else was. It was a risky
concept at that time because we were opening ourselves up to the scrutiny of many. We
started studying outcomes because we made a commitment to kids and families that
we would keep in touch with them for up to 2 years after they were discharged
(Once a Pressley Ridge kid, always a Pressley Ridge kid). Naturally, we wanted
to examine the impact of keeping in touch, and so the annual follow-up study was
born.
Today, we still hold true to this value. We find kids up to two years after they have been discharged, interview kids and their families, compile the data, and pass it on to programs for their interpretation. These interviews are used as reality checks for our services. By examining this data, we can ask important questions about the impact and comprehensiveness of our services, and make plans for the future.
Measuring outcomes is a key part of all our services. Our outcomes have helped Pressley Ridge compete for contracts, change program operations, lead new service development, and shape child and family service policies. Most importantly, we believe monitoring our outcomes has improved the lives of kids and their families.
Outcomes: What We Measure
We've studied a core set of outcomes over
the years; below is a quick list.
- Severity and type of problems
- School attendance & graduation
- Employment status
- Restrictive-ness of home
- Type of school placement
- Involvement in the legal system
- Pregnancy & parenthood
- Use of drugs, alcohol & tobacco
- Aggression and harm
- Family problems
- Leisure activities
- Satisfaction with school, life, & work
- Satisfaction with our services
We also examine length of stay, types of services provided, cost of services, and numerous demographics (e.g., age, race, gender, diagnosis, problems at entry).
We determined what outcomes people were interested in by surveying hundreds of stakeholders, both by mail and in person. It is interesting that other agencies have done the same, and have validated that these outcomes are most often the ones that stakeholders are interested in knowing about.