Amanda Plummer, A.A

Amanda Plummer, A.A.

Programmer

Amanda Plummer has made valuable contributions to a number of HZA’s engagementssince arriving at the firm in the summer of 2015. Working from the firm’s Harrisburg, Pennsylvania office, she has developed a web-based Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) assessment tool for two states, a provider tracking system and several web-based survey tools.

As part of HZA’s evaluation of West Virginia’s Bureau for Children and Families Title IV-E Waiver grant award, Ms. Plummer worked with the Bureau to rebuild West Virginia’s web-based CANS tool. The tool, constructed using Visual Studio 2008 for the user interface and SQL Server 2012 to record and store data historically, enables staff to assess risks and service needs of children and youth, and view current as well as past assessment scores and share information between the child welfare district offices and their community service providers. More recently, Ms. Plummer developed a similar tool for the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.

For the firm’s evaluation of Maine’s Title IV-E Waiver grant award, she developed a system for provider agencies to use to trackreferrals they receive from the Office of Child and Family Services. The online system Ms. Plummer developed allows each contracting agency to record client referrals and contacts with those they serve, as well as the content of each service session which they complete with clients. The system also enables the provider to share information about their staff members, such as their education and training, which is used in conjunction with the process component of the evaluation.

Most recently, Ms. Plummer updated the Arkansas Heart Gallery adoption website to allow the general public to browse through pictures and profiles of children awaiting adoption in Arkansas.

Ms. Plummer received an A.A. in Web Development and Design from Harrisburg (Pennsylvania) Area Community College in 2015.

Case Management System/Technology Solutions

From Allegheny County Technology Solutions Proposal (System Development Component) – December 2016

Amanda Plummer. Working from HZA’s Harrisburg, Pennsylvania office, Amanda has developed a number of web-based tools and surveys since joining the firm in the summer of 2015. She developed the web-based CANS assessment tool in use for both Maine and West Virginia’s Title IV-E Waiver initiatives. Each tool provides an opportunity for caseworkers to rate the needs and strengths of clients, and complete additional assessments when auto-prompted by a score that is suggestive of the client having additional service needs. The tools also contain a reporting module for program administrators and staff to view client change over time, with the tool for West Virginia designed also to share assessment information between the contract provider’s wraparound facilitator and the child welfare caseworker. Amanda also developed a separate tracking system for contracted providers to use as part of Maine’s Waiver grant to track referrals they receive from the Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS). The online system allows each contracting provider to record client referrals and contacts with those they serve, as well as the content of each interaction. The system also enables providers to share staff information with OCFS and HZA’s evaluation team, such as their education and training.

From Illinois DCFS Foster Care Placement System Proposal – June 2016

Amanda Plummer, Programmer

Amanda Plummer is a Computer Programmer with HZA, based out of the firm’s Harrisburg, Pennsylvania office. Since her arrival at HZA in July 2015, she has developed a web-based Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths assessment for two states as well as several web-based survey tools.

As part of West Virginia’s Bureau for Children and Families Title IV-E Waiver Evaluation, Ms. Plummerworked with the Bureau and other developers to rebuild West Virginia’s web-based CANS tool. The tool, constructed using Visual Studio 2008 for the user interface and SQL Server 2012 to record and store data historically, enables staff to assess risks and service needs of children and youth, and view current as well as past assessment scores and share information between the child welfare district offices and their community service providers. More recently, Ms. Plummer developed a similar tool for the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.

Ms. Plummer has played an active role in Maine’s Office of Child and Family Services Moving Forward: “Now is the Time” Healthy Transitions (NITT-HT) Initiative, where she assisted with the implementation and ongoing maintenance of a web-based survey tool used to record quantitative data obtained from baseline and follow-up surveys. These surveys are being used to evaluate a program designed to ensure youth and young adults involved with mental health agencies receive training and support to gain their independence. Ms. Plummer expanded the web-based tool to include report functions and membership functionality for supervisors and caseworkers.

Most recently, Ms. Plummer updated the Arkansas Heart Gallery adoption website for the State to allow the general public to browse through pictures and profiles of children awaiting adoption in Arkansas.

Ms. Plummer received an A.A. in Web Development and Design from Harrisburg Area Community College in 2015.

CFSR/PIP/QSR Support

From Pennsylvania Data Gathering, Analysis, and Reporting; Technical Assistance and Training Proposal – December 2015

Amanda Plummer, Programmer

Amanda Plummer is a recent addition to HZA, having joined the firm in the summer of 2015. She will work closely with Mr. Ricords in the development, maintenance and ongoing support of web-based applications HZA provides to OCYF. Within the short time Ms. Plummer has been with the company, she has already contributed to the development of several web-based applications which are in use by the firm’s clients to collect survey data and complete risk and service needs assessments.

Ms. Plummer recently updated the Arkansas Heart Gallery website which allows the general public to browse through pictures and profiles of children awaiting adoption in Arkansas. For an evaluation of a federal grant initiative being implemented by Maine’s Office of Child and Family Services which is designed to ensure youth and young adults involved with mental health agencies receive training and support to gain their independence, Ms. Plummer assisted with the implementation of a web-based survey. The survey tool is being used at baseline to collect survey data of youth and at follow-up to measure the impact of the “Now is the Time” Healthy Transitions initiative. Ms. Plummer recently expanded the web-based tool to include report functions and membership functionality for clients, both supervisors and caseworkers, to view the reports.

As part of HZA’s evaluation of West Virginia’s Title IV-E Waiver program, Ms. Plummer worked with the client and other developers within HZA to rebuild the state’s web-based version of the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) tool. The tool is used to assess risks and service needs of children and youth and is used widely across the country. She developed the functionality which enables staff to view current assessment scores and transfer child records between agencies. Beginning in December of 2015, West Virginia will be recording all of their CANS assessments electronically using Ms. Plummer’s tool.

Ms. Plummer graduated from Harrisburg Area Community College this past spring, having earned an Associate’s degree in Web Development and Design.

Court Involvement

From New York Drug Court Evaluation Proposals (Cayuga, Kings and Westchester Counties) – July 2017

Amanda Plummer, A.A., Programmer

Percent of Time for this Project:2%

For the firm’s evaluation of Maine’s Title IV-E Waiver grant award, she developed a system for provider agencies to use to track referrals they receive from the Office of Child and Family Services. The online system Ms. Plummer developed allows each contracting agency to record client referrals and contacts with those they serve, as well as the content of each service session which they complete with clients. The system also enables the provider to share information about their staff members, such as their education and training, which is used in conjunction with the process component of the evaluation.

Most recently, Ms. Plummer updated the Arkansas Heart Gallery adoption website to allow the general public to browse through pictures and profiles of children awaiting adoption in Arkansas.

Ms. Plummer is responsible for implementing the reports module within a web-based case management system for the Iowa Department of Human Rights’. The system will be used by the agency’s Division of Community Action Agencies which administers the state’s Family Development and Self-Sufficiency Program (FaDSS). FaDSS provides developmental services to families at risk of long-term welfare dependency.

Ms. Plummer received an A.A. in Web Development and Design from Harrisburg (Pennsylvania) Area Community College in 2015.

Program Evaluation

From Allegheny County Technology Solutions Proposal (Client Experience and Feedback Collection Component) – December 2016

Amanda Plummer, Programmer: Amanda is one of HZA’s staff programmers. As part of the Title IV-E Waiver Evaluation in Maine, she developed an online tool for community providers to collect and report client-level data as well as data about their training and education. She worked with the client and the firm’s IT Manager to build a web-based Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) tool, which is being used to assess risks and service needs of the young children of substance abusing parents. Amanda has also been instrumental in developing a number of online survey tools, including those being used to measure client satisfaction for Maine and Arkansas’ Title IV-E Waiver programs as well as that used to collect data from Allegheny’s call screeners as part of the process evaluation being conducted for the County’s predictive risk modeling initiative.

Revenue Maximization/Financial Assessment

From Colorado Public Benefit Assistance Programs Cost and Performance Analysis Proposal – December 2016

Amanda Plummer, A.A., Programmer:Ms. Plummer has made valuable contributions to a number of HZA’s engagements since joining the firm in 2015. She has developed a web-based Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengthsassessment tool for two states, a provider tracking system and several web-based survey tools.HZA is finishing development of a web-based case management system for the Iowa Department of Human Rights’ Division of Community Action Agencies which administers the state’s Family Development and Self-Sufficiency Program (FaDSS). FaDSS provides developmental services to families at risk of long-term welfare dependency. Ms. Plummer is responsible for implementing the reports module within the system.

For the firm’s evaluation of Maine’s Title IV-E Waiver grant award, she developed a system for provider agencies to use to track referrals they receive from the Office of Child and Family Services. She also programmed the surveys which are administered to collect data from staff and clients involved in Maine’s and West Virginia’s Title IV-E Waiver evaluations. Ms. Plummer received an A.A. in Web Development and Design from Harrisburg (Pennsylvania) Area Community College in 2015.

Time Study

From New York OMH Random Moment Time Study Proposal – February 2017

Amanda Plummer, A.A., Programmer

Ms. Plummer developed a web-based Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths assessment tool for two states, a provider tracking system and several web-based survey tools. HZA is currently finishing development of a web-based case management system for the Iowa Department of Human Rights’ Division of Community Action Agencies which administers the state’s Family Development and Self-Sufficiency Program (FaDSS). FaDSS provides developmental services to families at risk of long-term welfare dependency. Ms. Plummer is responsible for implementing the reports module within the system.

For the firm’s evaluation of Maine’s Title IV-E Waiver grant award, she developed a system for provider agencies to use to track referrals they receive from the Office of Child and Family Services. That custom-built web application allows provider staff to record details of clients entering and exiting the program, including the results of two assessments administered to clients at entry and exit. Program staff are also able to record the details of sessions conducted with clients, and access reports summarizing staff efforts and aggregate client improvement statistics from entry to exit. She also programmed the surveys which are administered to collect data from staff and clients involved in Maine’s and West Virginia’s Title IV-E Waiver evaluations. Ms. Plummer received an A.A. in Web Development and Design from Harrisburg (Pennsylvania) Area Community College in 2015.

From Florida Title IV-D Random Moment Sampling Proposal – January 2017

Amanda Plummer, A.A., Programmer

For the firm’s evaluation of Maine’s Title IV-E Waiver grant award, she developed a system for provider agencies to use to track referrals they receive from the Office of Child and Family Services. That custom-built web application allows provider staff to record details of clients entering and exiting the program, including the results of two assessments administered to clients at entry and exit. Program staff are also able to record the details of sessions conducted with clients, and access reports summarizing staff efforts and aggregate client improvement statistics from entry to exit. She also programmed the surveys which are administered to collect data from staff and clients involved in Maine’s and West Virginia’s Title IV-E Waiver evaluations. Ms. Plummer received an A.A. in Web Development and Design from Harrisburg (Pennsylvania) Area Community College in 2015.