To:Employment Support Providers
Date:April 3, 2004
From:Janet George, Assistant Commissioner
Ron Sanfield, Director of Management Information, Office of Policy, Planning and Children’s Services.
Re:Employment Supports Outcome Information – April 2004 Data Submission (FY 04)
CC: Gerry Morrissey, Commissioner
Thank you in advance for your cooperation with this Employment Supports Performance Outcome Data Project. We will be collecting data for the four-week period of Sunday, April 4 through Saturday, May 1, 2004. As we have stated before, the purpose of this data collection process is two-fold:
1) To track the outcomes and trends on all individuals receiving Employment Supports in Massachusetts, based upon contractual requirements (pursuant to Employment Supports RFR, October 2001, Section VI. Performance Objectives---Provider Reporting Requirements); and, 2) to supply statewide aggregate data to the National Core Indicator Project, a national research study in the MR/DD field involving 22 states.
We have made some important changes in this process:
- Data Collection Once This Year
In an effort to streamline reporting systems, and lessen administrative burdens on providers, we have decided for this year to only have one collection cycle. For that reason, we did not collect data from last October. We have selected April as the target period for collection for FY 2004.
- Tighter Time Lines
We are asking you to attend to this task directly, and to make sure the spreadsheets you will receive within two weeks are sent back to us by May 15, 2004. Please do everything possible to comply with this timeline. Forward this note, and the package of instructions and diskette that you will receive in the mail to the person responsible, and make certain the information is completed. If you would like to designate a specific person in your organization to receive this information and be accountable to DMR for it, please communicate that name and email address to Joan Scribner, as indicated at the end of this memo.
- Use of Diskettes
Because of federal privacy regulations we have moved from sending the spreadsheets over the Internet to the use of diskettes
Note: We will create the spreadsheet in EXCEL, pre-load the names and Social Security Numbers for the individuals reported to us in the last submission, April 2003. In some cases, there may be individuals listed who are no longer in your contract, or conversely, there may be a need to add new individuals to this list who do not appear on your spreadsheet. Please make each of these additions or deletions very carefully. The packet you receive with the diskette will include very specific instructions on the use of the spreadsheet. PLEASE READ THEM CAREFULLY!! Compliance with those rules is critical to the data analysis we must do. If you have questions about the spreadsheet instructions, call us.
- Summary of Past Fiscal Years
The data submitted during the past reporting periods has provided a good baseline of information. It has been used for several purposes including serving as the basis for the Employment Support RFRs, and development of performance annual goals. In addition, as mentioned earlier, it has been added to the national research project (only in aggregate counts, not by provider.) In the package with the diskette will be Table of Highlights showing aggregate data comparisons from FY 2002 and FY 2003 on a number of dimensions. It is not shown as individualized provider or contract, but as statewide and regional totals to see trends and patterns.
Your continued assistance and cooperation is appreciated. If you need to update or change an address, please contact Joan Scribner at 617/624-7731 or send email to: < > We will send the hardcopy package and diskette by the second week of April. Please be looking for it. Thank you very much. If you have any questions on the content of this letter itself, please contact Ron Sanfield at 617/624-7879 or email to: