Outcome Measures Defined

Outcome measures for private residential and foster care treatment programs share the same definitions. Data for outcome measures are collected monthly and reported quarterly. Some of the outcome measures are included in the PCC Comparative Report. Brief definitions of the outcome measures follow:

Planned Discharge Rates: Separately reported for children 11 and under and 12 and older, a "planned" discharge is defined as being due to: having met goals for placement, needing less restrictive placement, having found longer term placement, or behavior appropriate/time expired. Expressed as a proportion of planned to total discharges, with "success" being higher values to a maximum of 1.0.

Placement Source Unplanned Discharge Rate: Provider reasons for unplanned discharge include client needs more restrictive care, runaway, client unable to adjust, client behavior problem or facility unable to meet client's needs. Expressed as a proportion of unplanned to total discharges, with "success" being lower values to a minimum or 0.0.

Refer Source Unplanned Discharge Rate: DCBS reasons for unplanned discharge include loss or reduction of funding, premature termination of services, or dissatisfied with service. Expressed as a proportion of unplanned to total discharges, with "success" being lower values to a minimum or 0.0.

Discharge to Home-Like Placement Rate: Reported separately for children ages 11 and under and 12 and older. "Home-like" is defined as parent, relative, DCBS or PCC foster care, pre-adoptive or supervised apartment living. Expressed as a proportion of home-like to total discharges, with "success" being higher rates to a maximum of 1.0.

In Home-Like Placement 4 Months after Discharge: Defined as above and measured at four months after discharge.

Discharge to Less restrictive Placement Rate: Reported separately for children ages 11 and under and 12 and older. "Less restrictive" is defined as the new placement being rated as less restrictive on the Kentucky Restrictiveness of Living Environment Scale, e.g., PCC foster care is less restrictive than residential care. Expressed as a proportion of less restrictive to total discharges, with "success" being higher rates to a maximum of 1.0.

In Less Restrictive Placement 4 Months after Discharge: Defined as above and measured at four months after discharge.

Discharge with Lower CBCL Total Score Rate: "Lower" is defined as the CBCL Total T-score obtained near discharge is lower than that score obtained near admission. Expressed as a proportion of number of discharges with lower CBCL Total T-score to total discharges which have both CBCL scores, with "success" being higher rates to a maximum of 1.0.

Mean CBCL Change Scores: Separately reported for CBCL Total, Externalizing & Internalizing Problems. CBCL T-scores obtained near admission are subtracted from those score obtained near discharge. Expressed as the mean of all such score pairs, with "success" being fewer problems at discharge than at admission (i.e., negative scores).

Critical Incidents per 100 Days Ratio: Reported separately for children ages 11 and under and 12 and older. "Critical incidents" are defined as possession of a deadly weapon, serious injury to resident requiring professional medical attention (excluding first aid), AWOL 24 hours or longer, suicide attempt by resident posing clear danger to self, and criminal activity requiring notification of law enforcement (excluding status offences). "Number per 100 Resident Days" is computed as a ratio of number of critical incidents to number of 100-day units for those residents present in reporting period. "Success" is defined as lower numbers of critical incidents per 100 days. "Critical Incident Rate" is defined as the ratio of the number of residents experiencing one or more critical incidents to the total number of residents during the reporting period. "Success" is defined as a lower rate, with the lowest rate being 0.0.

Physical Management Measures: Reported separately for children ages 11 and under and 12 and older. Physical management is defined as "transports or team holdings, excluding escorts, that occur during an incident that is reported on an incident report." "Number per 100 Resident Days" is computed as a ratio of number of physical managements to number of 100-day units for those residents present in reporting period. "Success is defined as lower numbers of physical managements. "Physical Management Rate" is defined as the proportion of the number of residents experiencing one or more physical management to the total number of residents during the reporting period. "Success" is defined as a lower rate, with the lowest rate being 0.0.

Seclusions per 100 resident Days Ratio: Seclusion is defined as "placement of a child in a seclusion room, which may use a latching devise to secure the door, to prevent the child from causing harm to self or others." "Number per 100 days" is expressed as a ratio of total number of seclusions to the number of 100 day units in the reporting period, with "success" being lower ratios, with the lowest being 0.0.

No Critical Placements during 4 Months after Discharge: "Critical placements" are defined as AWOL or any time in detention, crisis stabilization, psychiatric inpatient, extended care hospitalization, or PRTF. Expressed as a proportion of number of discharges without any critical placement during the first four months since discharge to the total number of discharges, with "success" defined as higher ratio, with the maximum being 1.0.