MARKING PROGRESS TOWARD SERVICE INTEGRATION - LEARNING TO USE EVALUATION TO OVERCOME BARRIERS

While federal statutes defining categorical programs and funding strea ms are most often cited as barriers to service integration efforts, th ere is evidence that service integration efforts are also being stymie d by factors at the state and local levels as well. This case study ex amines five types of barriers to service integration that have been ev ident in Georgia's Family Connection and describes how an evaluation i nstrument and process was developed to assess progress toward service integration at the local level. The findings of a pilot study of the u se of this instrument suggest that it can help to: (a) define starting points for service integration efforts; (b) identify specific service integration activities that are feasible in the context of a unique c ommunity; (c) specify the time needed to be allocated to service integ ration efforts; (d) identify the local costs and benefits of engaging in service integration; and (e) provide specifications for conducting a self-assessment of progress at the local level toward service integr ation goals.