Behavioral Health Evaluation
WHAT IS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH EVALUATION?Overview
Awareness of and need for behavioral health services are on the rise worldwide as more and more people recognize the importance of prioritizing their mental health. As we devote more time, attention, and financial resources to meeting the behavioral health needs of individuals, families, and communities, we also need to use data to ensure our resources are used effectively to help people build and maintain the lives they want to live. Behavioral health evaluation uses proven tools and approaches to assess behavioral health programs and systems. It helps organizations answer questions like:
Are we providing high quality, timely behavioral health services?
Are the people we serve getting better?
Do we have sufficient workforce to meet the needs of the people we serve?
Are we improving behavioral health inequities found in our communities?
What kinds of evaluation can we do?
There are many different ways to categorize evaluations, but some common types of evaluations are:
Process vs Outcome Evaluation (how you provide services vs the results of services)
Formative vs Summative Evaluation (while you’re implementing vs after you implement)
Program vs Systems Evaluation (specific program or practice vs broader conditions like policies, statewide initiatives, or environmental factors)
These evaluation types aren’t mutually exclusive – you can mix and match these evaluation types to create an evaluation design that meets your specific needs.
What information do we use?
We prioritize using the data organizations are already collecting when designing an evaluation and customize the data we use to the evaluation’s goals. Some of the different types of data we use include:
Claims and encounter data about service utilization
Clinical assessment data
Qualitative data from service providers, people served, and the community
Surveys evaluating learning and facilitation of training and technical assistance activities
Behavioral Health Evaluation Benefits:
Measure Quality and Outcomes
Encourage public participation and use transparent decision-making frameworks.
Improve Equity
Identify and address inequities in behavioral health services and outcomes.
Increase Transparency
Share concrete information about the valuable work you’re doing to improve lives in your community.
MULTI-FACETED ASSESSMENTIn Closing
Behavioral health evaluation allows organizations to study how well they are meeting their own goals and the goals of the communities they serve. It incorporates qualitative and quantitative information to provide a comprehensive understanding of what is working well and what can be improved. Behavioral health evaluation promotes data-driven decision-making and continuous quality improvement across behavioral health programs and services by providing concrete, actionable insights into the best path forward.