The agency I have chosen is the New York City Children’s Center (NYCCC) (Ages 5-21). The clinic specializes in early assessment of childhood emotional issues and offers mental health services (OMH, n.d.)
Interview Considerations
When deciding who to interview at NYCC, the leadership team is the best starting point. The leadership team is made up of the Executive Director, Facility Clinical Director, Deputy Director for Quality Management, and Deputy Director of Operations (OMH, n.d.). They can explain how medical services are integrated into overall program delivery and how client outcomes are medically evaluated. They can also share information about the resources needed to run programs and the activities that support service delivery. Each person brings a unique perspective on inputs, activities, outputs, and the outcomes of the agency’s programs, which will help create a logic model that accurately reflects the agency’s current operations and future goals that Fink (2015) suggested.
Ethical Considerations and Confidentiality
As a consultant conducting a program evaluation for an agency, it is important to consider ethical considerations. Program evaluators must follow strict Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) regulations and the NASW Code of Ethics to protect clients’ privacy (HHS, 2017; NASW, 2020). That includes strictly avoiding discussions in public areas and making sure information is only disclosed when legally mandated or critical to prevent harm (NASW, 2020, Section 1.07). Confidentiality is a must in program evaluation; consultants must establish secure systems to store, transmit, and report data, keeping any identifying details like names anonymous as it helps avoid accidental sharing of sensitive information (HHS, 2017).
Aside from confidentiality, conflicts of interest are also important in consulting for social service agencies. Consultants should be transparent to avoid situations where their personal or financial interests conflict with the program’s best interests. For example, a conflict of interest might happen if an evaluator recommends a training program where they have a financial stake or earn a referral commission. The recommendation would be biased toward personal gain and not what is best for the program. To prevent this, the consultant should inform the agency of their connection and either step back from decision-making or suggest alternatives (Lowman & Cooper, 2018). Bias should also be avoided when it comes to methods and reporting, and cultural sensitivity is critical. Fink (2015) explains that recognizing cultural differences helps evaluators stay objective so their results are fair and inclusive of diverse perspectives.
Since NYCCC works with minors, other legal and ethical safeguards must be implemented. Informed consent should be obtained from parents/guardians and, if applicable, the clients themselves, even if they are minors. Lowman and Cooper (2018) stress the importance of informed consent, which refers to the clients’ agreement to participate and ask questions about the program evaluation process. Informed consent ensures that everyone involved is fully aware of the purpose of the evaluation, the scope, risks, and confidentiality limits (Lowman & Cooper, 2018). However, depending on the program, informed consent may not be necessary since clients have already given consent when they were admitted into their respective programs.
References
Fink, A. (2015). Evaluation fundamentals: Insights into program effectiveness, quality, and value (3rd ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Lowman, R. L., & Cooper, S. E. (2018). The ethical practice of consulting psychology. American Psychological Association.
NASW. (2020). Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers. Retrieved from https://www.naswma.org/page/71/Code-of-Ethics-of-the-National-Association-of-Social-Workers.htm
New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH). (n.d.). New York City children’s centers (NYC