SPOP CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT INITIATIVES 2007-2008

SPOP is dedicated to providing the highest quality mental health services.  Toward this end, SPOP is engaged in a process of continuous quality improvement.

What is Continuous Quality Improvement?
Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) is an on-going process of change aimed at improving our services and client outcomes.  “Continuous” means that virtually every month, we are taking action to move toward our goals and checking to see if our action was effective. 

What is the focus of SPOP’s quality improvement initiatives?
SPOP is focusing its CQI efforts on specific areas where we believe improvement is necessary and achievable:
 
In the Clinic and Outreach, the focus is on improving cultural competence.  This means using information about each client’s cultural background to design service approaches that best match the client’s needs.  This improves the quality of care for all SPOP clients.  In addition, since New York’s Latino population, in particular, has unmet service needs, one of our goals is to improve outreach and services to Latino clients. 
 
In Day Treatment (CDTP), the focus is on identification and coordination of care for clients with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders.  This involves screening all clients for substance abuse issues at intake.  Depending upon the client’s needs, substance abuse treatment may be provided at SPOP or by another provider.  Either way, the two aspects of the client’s treatment are carefully coordinated through collaboration and integrated treatment planning.

How did we decide to focus on these areas?
Selection of a CQI project is based upon input from all stakeholders, including SPOP administration, staff, Board members and clients.  The city and state agencies that oversee mental health services consider both of SPOP’s focus areas to be high-priority issues.  SPOP has included a consumer on its Quality Improvement Committee, in order to ensure that the client’s perspective is represented.

How do we measure improvement?
Performance indicators are measurable data that provide information about services, processes, or outcomes.  SPOP tracks several performance indicators in order to measure improvements in our services. 

Selected performance indicators and targets:

• Percentage of incoming clients who receive cultural assessment.  Target: 100%.

• Percentage of Clinic-Outreach caseload made up of Latino clients.  Target: 20%.
 
• Among Latino clients referred to SPOP Clinic/Outreach, percentage that are admitted for treatment.  Target: 60%.

The following charts reflect our progress in these areas: