What is the name of your agency? Is this a single-program agency?

Agency Context:

1.Identity:

1. What is the name of your agency?
2. Is this a single-program agency (If so, proceed to the section on Program Assessment)?

• Is this a multi-program agency (If so, answer all of the questions in the Agency Context and Program Assessment sections)

 

2.Type:

1. What type(s) of organization is this? Some organizational categories are:
2. Child protection agency
3. Health & wellness

Early intervention agency

1. Educational
2. Mental health agency
3. Substance use disorder agency

• other

 

3. Size: a. What is the overall size of the agency? Consider the following measurements:
4. Number of clients served?
5. Number of employees?

iii.   Number of programs?

1. Number of locations?

 

4.History & Mission: a. Provide a brief history of this organization?

1. How and why did they come into being?
2. Has the agency acquired or been acquired by another organization(s)? If so, provide a timeline regarding these acquisitions.

iii.   What is the current mission of this organization?

1. Have connection(s) between the historical mission of the organization and its current mission been maintained or has the mission changed and developed over time? How so?
2. Is the organization specific about how they implement the mission? How so?

 

5.Budget & Resources: a. Every agency needs resources to operate.  Consider the following:

1. What is the annual budget for this organization?
2. What are the primary funding sources of the organization at large?
3. Grants from federal, state or local government?
4. Health insurance (private or public)?
5. Private fund raising?
6. Out-of-pocket payments?
7. Other?

 

6.Organizational Structure:

1. Is this organization public (established by legislation such as DCF or the VA) or private (independent of direct government control)?
2. Is the organization “for-profit” or “not-for profit”?

 

7.Policy:  a.   What federal, state and local legislation or regulations are particularly relevant to this organization?  Provide a summary of key legislation or associated regulation and then link to the legislation.

 

8.Organizational structure?  a.   Summarize the organizational structure of this organization including levels of organization pertaining to:

1. Authority
2. Responsibility

iii.    Mechanisms for carrying out agencies functions

1. Attach an organizational chart as an appendix to your paper.

 

9.Location: a.   Where is this agency located?  There may be several locations, if so is there a “main” location?  Do the separate locations work together? How so?

1. Does the organization have a large presence in a specific community?  How do you understand the reputation of the organization within the community?

 

10.Target Population:  a.   Does the organization coalesce around a specific population group (women, teens, LGBTQ) or are services provided more broadly to a wide range of client groups?

 

Program Analysis:

 

1.Identity: Program Site(s):a.   What is the name and location(s) of the program?b.   Is the program’s mission aligned with the larger mission of the organization?  Why or why not?

 

2.Client Environment: a.  Describe the physical environment from a client’s perspective.  Is the program welcoming?  Consider:

1. Parking
2. Accessibility

iii.   Waiting area

1. Front office staff?
2. Appropriate for the group the program serves (i.e. toys for   children)?

 

3.History: a.  What is the history of this particular program?

1.   When and how did it come into being?

 

4. Client Overview:
5. Describe the clients of this program from a demographic perspective:
6. Who is served?
7. Who is not being served that should be?

iii.   What are the barriers to serving this population group?  Hint:  This often reveals a social justice issue and can guide program initiatives including advocacy, outreach and community engagement.

 

5.Services: a.  Where are services provided?

1. In the home?
2. At the program location?

iii.   In a host organization?

1. Jail/prison
2. School
3. Court

vii.   Other?

1. How does the setting influence the effectiveness of service delivery?       c.   Are there differing value systems within the host agency and the      program?

 

6.Theoretical Overview:

1. What theories guide client interventions in this program?
2. What treatment models are utilized?
3. How are decisions made regarding how to intervene with a client    system?

 

7.Budget and Funding:

1. What is the annual budget of your program?
2. What are the funding sources of this program?
3. Federal, state or local           government?
4. Health insurance (private or public)?

iii.   Private fund raising:

1.Grants

2. Foundations
3. Charitable contributions
4. Out-of-pocket payments?

8.Working Environment:

1. What is the general atmosphere within this program for staff and interns?
2. Do staff seem to share similar professional value systems?
3. Does supervision seem to be valued and honored?

iii.   Is there an explicit process to addresses ethical and/or value conflicts?

1. Describe the problem solving and communication patterns you have observed to date.
2. What have you observed about self-care within your program? What are the explicit and implicit messages about self-care?
3. What else seems important to note about the atmosphere?

 

9. Program Evaluation:
10. Does this program have a systematic evaluation process?
11. Describe what is evaluated (client improvement, outreach initiatives, decrease in relapse, etc.)
12. Describe the evaluation process
13. Describe how evaluation outcomes are shared within the program and across the organization.

 

10.Role of Professional Social Work Within the Program & Organization:

1. What have you observed about the role of social work within the organization and program?
2. What is the ratio of social workers to other types of staff?
3. Are social worker’s in leadership and managerial roles?
4. Is there a professional hierarchy within the organization (For example, within hospitals the hierarchy generally has physicians at the top, followed by nurses, and then social work)?
5. What have you observed about collegiality across disciplines?
6. What specific guidelines exist about social worker productivity?

 

11.Social Justice/Advocacy Opportunities:

1. Consider what you have learned from this agency and program assessment, what social justice and/or advocacy opportunities appear relevant for this program?