Performance & Quality Improvement 2021 Annual Summary Report
A cornerstone of Hope House’s philosophy and approach is creating a culture of improvement – an environment in which all agency staff are committed to bettering our processes, refining our services, and ultimately improving client outcomes. As part of this process, Hope House programs encompass a wide variety of data measures and metrics. Program goals and benchmarks are established and analyzed to assist and support the agency in its efforts to improve effectiveness. This report summarizes some of that data.
Where would you be without Hope House? *This question is posed to clients in a voluntary satisfaction questionaire "Still be in an abusive home."
"I don't know." "May be dead honestly." "If I hadn't gotten a bed when I did, it would have [sic] been a matter of time before my son's father tried to get me again."
"Be homeless on the streets."
2021 Agency-Wide Outcomes In order to measure the quality of all programs and services, Hope House utilizes a wide variety of qualitative and quantitative methods. At least annually, Hope House examines the results collected through these methods to plan, manage, and evaluate services, as well as to make any changes to the data it is collecting and measuring. Results are utilized to improve services, create new programming, or make changes to existing programming. Information regarding 2021 outcome results that are measured across the program at Hope House are shown below.
Safety
98.50% of clients reported they know more ways to plan for their safety. (722/733)
Resources
97.87% of clients indicated they know more about community resources. (506/517)
Support
95.94% of clients stated they felt supported and/or respected by the staff person who helped them. (331/345)
Hope
98.81% of clients reported they know more about how to cope with the effects of domestic violence.(830/840)
2021 Summary of Major Accomplishments Program and Personnel Expansions
Accelerated Housing Program: In April 2021, through funding received from the Marion and Henry Bloch Foundation/H&R Block and KC Regional COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund, Hope House expanded its housing related programming and implemented an Accelerated Housing Program. The Accelerated Housing Program provides case management and direct financial assistance to survivors to assist them in overcoming their barriers to securing and/or maintaining safe housing and achieving self-sufficiency. Program staff also provide resource referrals and linkages to other Hope House or community supports. Co-Responding Advocacy Program: Hope House’s Co-Responding Advocacy Program is a new and innovative way to target and provide services to victims of domestic violence. At this time, no other domestic violence service provider is offering such services in Jackson County. Through funding received from COMBAT, in October 2021, Hope House hired one full-time Advocate who works directly with the Independence Police Department to ride along and respond with officers to domestic violence related calls for service. After the scene has been assessed for safety, the Advocate meets with victims to provide crisis intervention services such as safety planning, assistance with filing an Order of Protection, lethality assessments, assisting with accessing safe shelter; resource referrals and linkage; and follow up services as needed. Additionally, the Advocate provides weekly follow up services with victims to ensure their continued safety, answer additional questions, and provide additional resources and referrals.
Accreditation
In August of 2021, Hope House was re-accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA) – an international, independent, nonprofit, human service accrediting organization. In fact, Hope House was expedited through the review process as a result of not receiving any out of compliance ratings in any of the fundamental practice standards reviewed by COA. COA accreditation reaffirms that an organization meets the highest national standards of best practice and establishes the organization’s credibility as effective and professionally sound. In addition, it provides assurance to all of our stakeholders that Hope House is delivering needed, high-quality services in our community, conducting its operations successfully, and managing its funds effectively. Achieving COA accreditation means our organization is among the best in the field. We are proud to be a part of this community of excellence.