In 2008, Eckerd was awarded the Community Based Care Lead Agency contract for Circuit 6 (Pinellas and Pasco counties) by the Florida Department of Children and Families. In the role of system manager, Eckerd oversees the local child welfare system of care and is responsible for ensuring its services to children and families are quality-driven and outcome-oriented. The primary purpose of Eckerd’s Quality Management System is to increase accountability by strengthening practice and improving the timeliness and quality of the service delivery system.
Eckerd Community Alternatives System of Care is quality-driven and outcome-orientated.
Eckerd Community Alternatives participates in the statewide process of completing Quality Service Reviews, a protocol designed for use in an in-depth quality review process focused on child welfare practices. Quality Service Reviews are utilized in appraising the current status of a child in key life areas; the status of the parent or caregiver; and the performance of the subcontracted provider’s practices for the child and family. The protocol examines results for children and caregivers receiving services, as well as the contribution made by local service providers and the entire system of care in producing those results. Review findings are used by Eckerd leadership and provider partners in stimulating and supporting efforts to improve practices used for families who are receiving child welfare services. Eckerd also publishes an annual Quality Assurance Report of dependency cases reviewed during the fiscal year. Cases selected for this review follow the state’s sampling methodology and utilize the state’s case management tool (Quality of Practice Standards for Case Management).
Eckerd’s Quality Management Plan
Eckerd Community Alternatives is committed to improving the quality of services administered through the local child welfare system. Each year, Eckerd develops a Quality Management Plan, which serves as our commitment to the Florida Department of Children and Families, our funders, and the community how quality improvement initiatives will be implemented and achieved for children and families.
For fiscal year 2011-2012, Eckerd Community Alternatives plans to focus on the following Quality Management initiatives:
- Case Management Supervisory Review Oversight;
- Parent Engagement; and
- Family Assessment
