Changing the Model for Quality Improvement

About the Program

Category: Human Services (Best in Category)

Year: 2017

In the spring of 2015, to positively impact Colorado's error rates and provide more accurate eligibility determination for clients, Denver County began a targeted approach to increasing quality. Success in this area was largely dependent on a dynamic shift in the approach to addressing quality within the department. This shift is demonstrated by the following areas: • The development of the identified quality measures from a system based approach that included input from staff across multiple agencies, divisions within Denver Human Services, and levels within the organization • The use of data and LEAN tools to engage staff at all levels, measure and monitor results • The impact of county quality initiatives on statewide improvement. These efforts materialized as three initiatives: • Refining internal processes • Pre-Authorization case reviews • Providing “pull” rather than “push” training. As a result, staff at all levels were engaged in increasing quality and county and state error rates decreased significantly from Federal Fiscal Year 2015 to Federal Fiscal Year 2016.