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HUMAN SERVICES ADVISORY COMMISSION <br />1996 FORUM REPORT <br />Background <br />The 1995 forum, "Human Services in Transition: New Opportunities ", concluded <br />that the vision of human services at the national and state levels is changing. These <br />impending changes will require proactive initiatives among local human services <br />providers to keep pace with the trends. Important recommendations from participants <br />were to have each agency: <br />(a) re- examine its mission and use of personnel; <br />(b) identify training resources for program evaluation and the production of <br />outcome measures; and <br />(c) sustain the work completed at the forum throughout the year. <br />In continuing with last year's message, the theme for this year was "Developing <br />Service Outcomes: Implications for Budgeting, Funding and Evaluation ". The HSAC <br />decided to build on the dialogue from the previous year's forum by inviting human <br />services funders and other presenters to discuss issues and processes for establishing <br />effective outcomes for agencies. The forum attempted to: <br />(a) clarify the linkage between outcome measures and budgets, funding and <br />evaluation; and <br />(b) demonstrate how outcomes can be an important management tool. <br />Overview <br />Jack Vogt, Assistant Director of the Institute of Government, was the keynote <br />speaker for the day. He provided a synopsis of the national organizational policy <br />directives and legislative actions of the past decade that have resulted in the need for <br />developing services outcomes, service measures and evaluations. <br />The morning panel consisted of representatives from various funding sources. <br />Those panelists were Tom Dugard, Triangle United Way; Valeria Lee, Z. Smith <br />Reynolds Foundation; and Michelle Rivest, Orange County Partnership for Young <br />Children. <br />As a whole, funders want to be assured that the expenditure of funds makes a <br />difference - one that is important and meaningful. Consequently, human services <br />agencies should focus on the rationale for "why they do what they do" and identifying <br />the differences that are achieved as a result of their actions. By focusing on these <br />issues, agencies will be moving toward an outcome - measured environment. <br />c:\winwordkforurn96.rpt <br />