M. Hernandez et al., Use of the system-of-care practice review in the national evaluation: Evaluating the fidelity of practice to system-of-care principles, J E BEH DIS, 9(1), 2001, pp. 43-52
Evaluating the fidelity of service practices to system-of-care principles (
SOC) represents a challenge in the human service field. The inadequate infu
sion of SOC principles into direct services could limit the usefulness of t
his approach. In this study we compare practice-level variables between wel
l-developed SOC and traditional service systems and test the hypothesis tha
t the adoption of SOC principles at the organizational level was associated
with greater implementation of SOC at the practice level. Sites implementi
ng SOC for at least 5 years are compared to sites providing mental health s
ervices using a traditional service delivery model. The study administered
the SOC practice Review (SOCPR) protocol. The SOCPR represents a case study
approach that employs interviews and document reviews to arrive at ratings
of SOC principles. This methodology proved to be an effective tool in inte
rpreting the meaning of child and family experiences that emerged from the
SOC. The findings were generally significant and support the hypothesis. Ov
erall, SOC sires scored significantly higher (p < .05) than non-SOC sites i
n the child-centered and family-focused, community-based, acid cultural com
petence domains. The implication is that SOC principles can be tested at th
e level of practice.