Policy

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that consumer outcomes are appropriately and adequately measured in order to facilitate management of consumer care, to

improve the quality of the services being delivered, and to provide accountability for public resources. Outcomes data submitted by agencies will be used by ODMH to prepare reports that will provide statewide comparative information to agencies, boards and consumer and family advocates.

The Quality Assurance Coordinator will be responsible for consumer outcomes with oversight from the Executive Director.

Procedure

The following definitions apply to the procedures of consumer outcomes:

1. "Consumer outcomes" means indicators of health or well-being for an individual or family as measured by statements or observed characteristics of the consumer/family, not characteristics of the system. These measures provide an overall status measure with which to better understand the life situation of a consumer or family.

2. "Vital Signs" means the document in the following citation: "Ohio Mental Health Outcomes Task Force (1998). Vital Signs: A Statewide Approach to Measuring Consumer Outcomes in Ohio's Publicly Supported Community Mental Health System. (final report). Columbus, Ohio: Ohio Department of Mental Health".

3. "Consumer Outcomes Procedural Manual" means the most recent version of the document in the following citation: "The Ohio Mental Health Consumer Outcomes System: Procedural Manual (seventh edition, revised), (2005).Columbus, Ohio: Ohio Department of Mental Health. It is available on-line at: http://www.mh.state.oh.us/oper/outcomes/instruments.index.html

Mid-Ohio Psychological Services, Inc will use a system to measure consumer outcomes for children and youth and for adults who receive publicly funded mental health services, as specified in the "Consumer Outcomes Procedural Manual".

The agency will use the standardized statewide consumer outcomes system as specified in the "Consumer Outcomes Procedural Manual.”

Brief one-time-only services, such as crisis intervention service and forensic evaluation service, are not required to measure consumer outcomes for those services as specified in the "Consumer Outcomes Procedural Manual."

Mid-Ohio Psychological Services will flow data through the mental health board to the department, as specified in the "Consumer Outcomes Procedural Manual". The mental health board shall handle the data in a manner that complies with the "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act" [42U.S.C. sections 1320-1320d-8] and the privacy regulations promulgated there under [45C.F.R. Part 164], and applicable provisions of state law.

Mid-Ohio will use outcomes data through the agency’s QA process and the agency will provide evidence that outcomes data are being used in both treatment planning and performance improvement activities.

Last modified: April 19, 2007