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Managing a Human Services Agency: Case Studies From the Field |
Sunday, May 26, 2013 |
10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
101 E (Convention Center) |
Area: OBM/PRA; Domain: Service Delivery |
Chair: Donnie M. Staff (West Coast Behavioral Consultants, Inc.) |
Discussant: Donnie M. Staff (West Coast Behavioral Consultants, Inc.) |
CE Instructor: Bryon Neff, Ph.D. |
Abstract: When embarking on the endeavor to design a successful behavior analysis private practice it is advantageous to examine different segments of the health care industry. Medical practitioners, as an example, experienced a momentous shift in their operating practices due to the introduction of universally accepted standards of practice and the involvement of third party funding sources. These key variables required practitioners to either join the ranks of large health care organizations (i.e., hospitals and medical research centers) or design and operate efficient private practices. Practitioners could no longer just deliver high quality health care in their community and expect their practice to survive. Just as the introduction of these variables required clinicians to become knowledgeable of best business practices (e.g., finance, management, human resources), so too has the implementation evidence-based practice guidelines for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and health insurance reform made similar demands on professional behavior analysts. This symposium will show 3 recent applications of Human Performance Technology (HPT) and OBM tools used to identify and address critical business issues in human service agencies. After seeing Optimals approach to system management and seeing the results of its applications, audience members will leave with a rudimentary understanding of how HPT can help managers improve productivity, solve performance problems, and realize opportunities related to the performance of people. |
Keyword(s): Business, Management, Staff Training, Strategic Planning |
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Reducing Staff Turnover |
DONNIE M. STAFF (Optimal) |
Abstract: Optimal encourages the employment of evidence-based approaches, which enlists tools from human performance technology (HPT). These tools drive the analysis and design of performance systems that can be maintained by employees within the organization. When designing performance systems, we strive to equip agencies with a strong infrastructure that will support highly proficient & sustainable services, prevent inefficient waste, and minimize costs. While working with a California-based organization, we identified an opportunity to reduce their rate of staff turnover. Through the improvement of key processes such as scheduling, billing, hiring & recruiting, and progress reporting, the setting of clear expectations, and the alignment of staff and organizations goals; we were able to significantly reduce the agencys turnover rate in a short period of time. As a result, we observed a substantial improvement to employee moral as well as an increase in profit margins. |
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Improving and Standardizing Management Practices |
BRYON NEFF (Optimal) |
Abstract: Being able to rely on your managers’ ability to support and guide your employees’ performance is of the utmost importance to the vitality of your company. Successful managers are able to get the most out of their direct reports through the application of evidence-based management practices. In order for your company’s products and services to be delivered with the highest level of quality and efficiency, it is critical that your mangers be able to analyze and influence the performance of their direct reports. In this presentation, we will describe the implementation of a management program that helps managers (i) define the performance they want to achieve in a clear, actionable way, and (ii) create flexible but comprehensive plans to develop individuals. Using two simple visual models, The Six Boxes Model® and the Performance Chain Model®, we provided a powerful way to think about and plan for performance without cumbersome tools or processes. The managers that completed this program, have shown an increased ability to solve performance issues in a timely and efficient manor, as well as align the performance of their direct reports with the goals and visions of the organization. |
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Designing and Launching a New Service |
ZACH BEAVER (Optimal) |
Abstract: An organization's survival rests entirely on its ability to adapt to change. Companies are constantly adapting to change, through the revision their processes to meet new state & federal regulations, the amendment of their policies to meet funding source requirements, or the training of their staff to implement improved protocol, to name a few. However, do to so successfully requires effective management of organizational structures, processes and performers. It is these internal structures that define your company's service delivery, and in turn your corporate identity. The creation of new services not only requires an existing infrastructure to support it, but will also requires the design and implementation of new internal support structures. In this presentation, we will show you an example of how we collaborated with a company to improve their strategic planning; project management, and product development processes to help them create a viable and needed service. We will show an actual example of how to take an idea from inception to fruition. |
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