Outcomes
How do we measure success?
The Child & Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS)
One method of evaluating our services is to compare student functioning at intake with functioning at discharge using the Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS).This assessment groups specific behaviors around eight areas:
- Home
- School
- Community/Legal
- Behavior towar Others
- Moods & Emotions
- Self-Harm
- Substance Use
- Thinking
In addition to the intake and discharge assessments,quarterly CAFAS assessments are completed to provide on-going direction with treatment planning.
| These CAFAS scores are averages across all of our programs. The intake score of 117 indicates our students need care that is either more intensive than outpatient treatment or that includes multiple sources of care. From intake to discharge, seventy percent of our students achieve at least a 20-point improvement in their individual CAFAS scores. This indicates a clinically significant change in their ability to manage their behaviors and relationships. |  |
Rate of Improvement
| Students are assessed measuring impairment at severe, moderate, mild or minimal/none in the eight areas mentioned above. Eighty-two percent of students admitted to ACS were severely impaired in at least one area. Sixty-nine percent were severely impaired in more than on area. At discharge, 49% had no severe impairments. |
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| Rate of students IMPAIRED at Intake | CAFAS Subscale | Rate of these Students IMPROVED at Discharge |
| 98% | Behavior to Others | 56% |
| 97% | Moods & Emotions | 56% |
| 94% | Home | 55% |
| 86% | School | 59% |
| 50% | Community/Legal | 83% |
| 44% | Self-Harm | 80% |
| 32% | Substance Use | 89% |
| 24% | Thinking | 69% |
Perceptions of Care
Each year, children receiving care at Alaska Children’s Services and their parents/guardians complete an 18-question survey to tell us how they feel about our services.
Scale: 1 = Strongly Disagree 2 = Disagree 3 = Neutral 4 = Agree 5 = Strongly Agree
Below are the average responses based on this scale.
| PARENTS/GUARDIANS | |||
| Overall, I am satisfied with ACS services |
 |
4.6 | |
| Staff treat me with respect |
|
4.6 | |
| I participate in my child’s treatment |  |
4.4 | |
| YOUTH 12-18 |
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| Overall, I am satisfied with ACS services |
 |
3.8 | |
| Staff treat me with respect |  |
4.0 | |
| I participate in my treatment planning |
 |
4.2 | |
| CHILDREN 5-12 | |||
| ACS gets an A(5), B(4), C(3), D(2), or F(1) | |
4.2 | |
| Staff treat me with respect |  |
4.5 | |
| My opinion matters | |
4.5 | |
One Year after Graduating from Treatment
At six, twelve and eighteen months after a student discharges from Alaska Children’s Services, we contact their parents/guardians to assess how the former student is doing at school, at home & in the community. This information helps shape our programs to better meet the needs of the families we serve.
| AT HOME | ||
| Can manage at home with minimal or no problems | 71% | |
| Have not run away from home | 81% | |
| IN SCHOOL | ||
| Have had no or only mild behavioral problems in school | 69% | |
| Have had no or mild attendance problems | 96% | |
| WITH OTHERS | ||
| Have had no or mild problems getting along with others | 68% | |
| Do not use physical or verbal aggression | 71% | |
| WITH ONESELF | ||
| Have not harmed or threatened to harm themselves | 70% | |
| Have not used alcohol or drugs | 63% | |
| IN THE COMMUNITY | ||
| Have not been arrested or cited for illegal activities | 78% | |
| Have not been incarcerated | 79% |
Alaska Children’s Services’ Outcomes Management Program analyzes the impact of our services on the lives of our clients in order to guide program development, shape staff training and set agency priorities. This information also helps clients, funders and regulators assess the quality of care we provide. The next phase of this program involves analyzing the clinical symptoms our clients experience. Below is a link to a printable brochure. If you would like bulk copies of the brochure or have questions about this program, please feel free to contact us.
OUTCOMES BROCHURE (PDF)