This year Sunset Youth Services has been asked to participate in a funded two-year pilot to create a new family assessment tool that will hopefully replace the one currently being used by Family Resource Centers across the city. Used by case managers with parents and caregivers, the assessment tool offers a baseline for family health, and over time can be used to measure progress and identify areas of need.
In the first phase of the program, SYS conducted focus groups and listening sessions with families currently in relationship with case managers. In the process our Family Support Team developed a better understanding of what information would be most meaningful to evaluate and how to ask questions that would invite an accurate reflection of families’ real experiences. Since systems families are typically over-assessed and often find the questions triggering, one of the questions we’re asking is how can we minimize the impact on the family while still obtaining information that would be helpful.
In the next phase of the program we’ll consider how collected information will be used and stored. Our participation and recommendations will help First Five SF, the funder of the city’s Family Resource Centers, consider best practices for assessment to support family health and progress.