FAQs for the 2011-2012 Local MCAH Scope of Work

2011-2012 Local MCAH Scope of Work

Common Questions and Issues received by FHOP

Thank you for the comments and questions FHOP has received so far about completing the 2011-2012 Local MCAH Scope of Work. Below, we have listed the common questions and issues.

If you have additional questions about completing your SOW, contact your Nurse Consultant. You also can contact FHOP with questions about the training presentations, completing the long term outcome objectives data sections, writing SMART objectives, writing performance measures and outcome measures, and other details to help you complete your SOW. For complete instructions and forms for the 2011-2012 Local MCAH Scope of Work, visit the CDPH page: http://www.cdph.ca.gov/services/funding/mcah/Pages/LocalMCAHProgramDocuments.aspx.

Common Questions and Issues for Completing the SOW

Question 1. Has the final SOW been posted? Where is the final SOW posted?

Question 2. The data link won't open

Question 3. Which sections do I fill out?

Question 4. Do I fill out the SOW with objectives and activities for new programs?

Question 5. My county doesn’t have any data listed or says there are “too few events”. What should I use?

Question 6. Can I get feedback on my objectives/performance measures/outcomes?

Question 7. How should I calculate the long term outcome objectives?

Question 8. Why are HP 2020 goals different/higher than HP 2010 goals?

Question 1. Has the final SOW been posted? Where is the final SOW posted?

Answer 1. The final version of the FY 2011-2012 MCAH SOW is available from the State’s Local MCAH Program Documents page, at http://www.cdph.ca.gov/services/funding/mcah/Pages/LocalMCAHProgramDocuments.aspx. The version posted (as of June 22, 2011) is dated “June 17, 2011” in the footer. We don’t anticipate any further changes but if there are changes that would affect, for example, a data source, a deliverable or the instructions for completing the worksheet, an announcement will be made.

When all of the AFA documents and related materials are posted to the CDPH MCAH Program and Fiscal pages, an email will be sent from CDPH MCAH to the MCAH Directors with web links and attachments

Question 2. The data link won't open/where is the data?

First be sure you have the most recent SOW worksheet posted on the State's Local MCAH Program Documents page at http://www.cdph.ca.gov/services/funding/mcah/Pages/LocalMCAHProgramDocuments.aspx. The links under the long term outcome objectives will take you directly to the file or page where you can find the corresponding data.

Also, FHOP prepared a short presentation handout on “Getting the Data you need to Complete your MCAH 2011-2012 SOW and Determining Long Term Goals” which might be helpful for reference. It is available here http://fhop.ucsf.edu/fhop/docs/pdf/mcah/local_MCAH_SOW/getting_data.pdf (opens a PDF).

If you continue to have issues or if you have any questions, please contact FHOP for one-on-one technical assistance.

Question 3. Which sections do I fill out?

Please refer to the “FY 2011-12 MCAH Scope of Work Instructions” document available from the State page for complete instructions. Materials from FHOP webinar presentations, “Local MCAH Program Scope of Work 2011-2012 - Goals, Objectives, and Performance Measures” and “Local MCAH Program Scope of Work 2011-2012 - Completing the Scope of Work Worksheet” are available on this page, including the archived recordings and presentation handouts. http://fhop.ucsf.edu/fhop/htm/ca_mcah/local_SOW.htm - which can provide additional details on filling out the SOW worksheet.

Long Term Outcome Objectives

You need to fill in numbers for all of the long term outcome objectives in Goals 1-3 with the available data. If your local priority objective falls under Goal 4, 5, or 6, you need to complete the applicable numbers for the long term outcome objectives under the respective Goal. You may delete any long term outcome objective(s) under Goals 4-6 that you will not be addressing.

Note: In the final report, you will be asked to report numbers for all of the long term outcome objectives in Goals 1-6, to support your monitoring function. However, you are not accountable for changing any of the long term outcome objectives.

Boxes in the Worksheet

Do not add detail or edit the shaded areas. List your local objective(s), activities, performance measures, and outcomes after the shaded sections.

You are required to add local objectives under goals 1-3 that reflect the specific work you are doing locally to address that particular area. List at least one objective for Goal 1 (Health Care Quality and Access) and Goal 2 (Maternal Health). For Goal 3, you are asked to list at least one objective for 3.8 SIDS and at least one for 3.9 Infant Health.

You also need to identity one Local Priority Objective that you will be working on in 2011-2012. This can be an objective under any of the goals 1 through 6. Please label it “Local Priority Objective’ within the worksheet. If your local priority objective falls under Goal 4, 5, or 6, you need to complete the applicable numbers for the long term outcome objectives under the respective Goal.

Question 4. Do I fill out the SOW with objectives and activities for new programs?

The SOW is designed to capture the work you are already doing. You do not have to create new programs to fill in the SOW worksheet. You can fill out the objectives, activities, and performance measures from what you are already working on.

Remember the SOW is asking for a 1 year time frame. The objectives, activities, performance measures, and outcomes will vary based on where you are with a program or project – for example, if you will be planning a project versus if you are in the middle of delivering program.

Question 5. My county doesn’t have any data listed or says there are “too few events”. What should I use?

If you think you should have data, but nothing is there, contact FHOP.

For too few events, use Workbook B data if it is available. The regional databook rates include two years of overlap data with what is in the Workbook B, so Workbook B isn't that out of date compared to using 3 year averages. Also, Workbook B is better than the regional databook because a county might be doing much better or worse than the region.

As a note, "too few events" is a good thing for many indicators. FHOP and the State are working on a way to report when Counties have stable small numbers or even zero. The databook does provide the raw numerator and denominator, so you can see what was recorded in the data. While you cannot report this in the SOW, you can be pleased that it is small.

Also worth noting, for a baseline that is already so low - a 5% improve by 2015 likely is not realistic. For example, for % very low birth weight, even in HP 2020, the goal for 10 years is 5% -- so you could aim for a 2.5% improvement by 2015. Or, aim to keep it the same. You can determine your objective based on the local context.

Question 6. Can I get feedback on my objectives/performance measures/outcomes?

Yes! Feel free to send FHOP draft objectives, activities, performance measures, and outcomes for comment and feedback.

Question 7. How should I calculate the long term outcome objectives?

You can establish the goals based on your capacity and what makes most sense for your communities and your programs, or you can follow the HP2020 target setting method, which aims for a 10% improvement by 2020. That would correspond to a 5% change by 2015.

FHOP prepared a short presentation handout on “Getting the Data you need to Complete your MCAH 2011-2012 SOW and Determining Long Term Goals” which might be helpful for reference. It is available here http://fhop.ucsf.edu/fhop/docs/pdf/mcah/local_MCAH_SOW/getting_data.pdf (opens a PDF).

Question 8. Why are HP 2020 goals different/higher than HP 2010 goals?

For HP2010, health indicator objectives were set based on a “better than best” model. For example, for infant mortality (16-1c), the HP2010 goal was 4.5 per 1,000 live births, from a baseline of 7.2. The objective for the US population was set based on looking at the place with the best rate, and making that a national goal.

For HP 2020, the target-setting method is a 10% improvement from baseline. The baseline for the US for infant mortality is 6.7 and the 2020 goal is 6.0. This recognizes that a goal for improvement depends on many factors and for state and local communities will start with a different baseline and have different contexts.

Family Health Outcomes Project, University of California San Francisco

phone: 415-476-5283 email: web: fhop.ucsf.edu