Assignment:
Discussion
The Need to Evaluate in Human Services
As the awareness of societal needs grows, so does the corresponding number of human services organizations developed to address those needs. Due to the time and costs involved in introducing new programs and the wide range of potential needs to be addressed, it is critical that human services professionals develop clear goals and plans to achieve them. The key to this is having an evaluation process in place to determine both the scale of the problem and the success of the program in ameliorating it. Human services professionals conduct evaluations to justify the existence of their programs, suggest areas for expansion or improvement, communicate results and outcomes, recommend similar programs in other communities, and generally ensure the target population's needs are being met in the most effective manner.
In this Discussion, you will consider a case study of the evaluation of an actual program designed to assist juvenile offenders. You will explore the purpose of the program evaluation featured in the case study and analyze the utility of that evaluation.
To prepare for this Discussion:
- Review your course textand think about the importance of program evaluation in human services programs.
- Review the article "Evaluation Research: An Overview," focusing on the definition of evaluation and the reasons it is important. Think about how the general principles outlined can be used in the human services field.
- Select one of the three case studies to use for this Discussion.
- Think about why the program evaluation in the case study was conducted. Consider whether or not the program met the needs of the clients and stakeholders in the case study.
With these thoughts in mind:
Do a brief description of the case study you selected. Then, explain the possible motivation for the development of the program in the case study. Based on the evaluation of the program included in the case study, explain whether the program did or did not meet the needs of clients and stakeholders and explain why. Finally, provide suggestions for the improvement of the program and/or the evaluation of the program included in the case study. Be specific and provide examples.
Readings:
Evaluation Research: An Overview
By Ronald R. Powell
The Changing Nature of Accountability in Administrative Practice
By Lawrence L. Martin