Surveys are an ideal method for collecting information from board entities such as state governments in order to evaluate topics such as mental health policies. The Health care Reform Tracking Project was initiated in 1994 in response to the rapid expansion of mangaged care from the commercial health care field to the public sector. The overall research question for the project is: What are the policy approaches and implementation strategies in the area of mental health financing, and particularly within the Medicaid managed care and State Children’s Health Insurance Program, that states and communities have employed to promote effective systems of care and services for Children with emotional disturbances and their families, and how well are they working?
The Tracking Project uses a mixed method approach involving three major components—surveys of all states, for which quantitative, descriptive statistics will be used, in-depth qualitative case studies of state and community sites with promising mental health financing and managed care approaches, and a consensus conference held during year 4 of the project. This presentation will focus on one method, the use of state surveys. The survey is used to describe and track what are the financing and managed care reforms that are being implemented by states. Discussion will include which research questions the survey method is appropriate for, effective strategies for the achievement of a 100% return rate, and the data analysis plan. Presentation will conclude with a brief discussion of how the survey findings are synthesized with findings from the other methods.
Learning Objectives: 1. During this session, faculty will discuss the use of state surveys to collect data from state governments in order to evaluate children’s mental health policies. 2. At the conclusion of the session, participants will be able to describe appropriate research questions for the survey method, describe effective strategies for the achievement of a 100% return rate, and describe the data analysis plan
Keywords: Child/Adolescent Mental Health,
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.