Professional Consultants
Program Performance
Evaluation
Overview
Program performance is crucial not only to ensuring resources are maximized but also to ensuring those in need receive top-quality service. Sentra Solutions' performance evaluations identify challenges to achieving optimal performance, uncover resource gaps, and provide practical recommendations for addressing them while maintaining staff trust.
Sentra Solutions' program performance evaluations focus on assessing whether a program is achieving its intended outcomes. This involves analyzing performance data, interviewing staff and stakeholders, identifying best practices, and comparing similar programs. We create a safe space for open dialogue, ensuring a free flow of information.
Although we have the expertise to conduct Yellow Book-compliant performance audits, our evaluations focus on program effectiveness rather than financial or internal controls. Our evaluations typically last 90 days.
Our areas of expertise include: health and human services programs, community services (parks, recreation, etc.), DEI initiatives, administrative functions, and interdepartmental initiatives.
Case Study
Challenge
In 2019, with the announcement of the CalAIM initiative and hightened media focus around the County of Orange's Health Care Agency's inability to spend down its Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) funds, the County Executive Office directed a review of all MHSA programs to determine overall program performance and dispell the notion that the department still had a large MHSA reserve.
Solution
The evaluation was addressed through two tracks: (1) program performance and (2) MHSA spend-down.
Program Performance: Required Deputy Directors for Adults, Youths, and Prevention to populate tracking spreadsheets for all MHSA programs. Held 1:1 meetings with each Deputy Director to review programs and identified a data reporting and tracking gap.
MHSA Spend-down: Convened a small strike team including MHSA budget analysts, Chief of Staff, and Behavioral Health Policy Analyst. Reviewed financials, gathered client data (activities, unduplicated clients), and analyzed MHSA spending per client. Simplified budget explanations for external audiences and developed a communication strategy to address myths surrounding the MHSA spend-down.