The Experience of Developing a Package of Instruments to Measure the Critical Characteristics of Community Support Programs for People with a Severe Mental Illness

Authors

  • Brian Rush Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario
  • Ellen Tate Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario
  • Ross Norman University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario
  • Bonnie Kirsh University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
  • Meghan Prosser Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario
  • T. Cameron Wild University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
  • Steve Lurie Canadian Mental Health Association, Metro Toronto Branch, Toronto, Ontario

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3138/cjpe.0019.010

Abstract

A major challenge for program evaluators is to develop and use measures of program implementation that are both comprehensive and generalizable across programs. The goal is to understand how measures of program characteristics are related to outcomes and, ultimately, to improve program effectiveness. In this brief report, we describe our experience in developing a package of instruments to measure critical characteristics of community support programs for people with a severe mental illness. We highlight three primary methodological challenges encountered: ensuring comprehensiveness, attaining a common understanding of program boundaries, and incorporating multiple perspectives. Potential solutions are discussed. We conclude that, despite these challenges, the goal of model-free measures of program characteristics is essential to enable meaningful program comparisons and to substantiate important process-outcome links.

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Published

2005-01-21

How to Cite

Rush, B., Tate, E., Norman, R., Kirsh, B., Prosser, M., Wild, T. C., & Lurie, S. (2005). The Experience of Developing a Package of Instruments to Measure the Critical Characteristics of Community Support Programs for People with a Severe Mental Illness. Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation, 19(3), 159–166. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjpe.0019.010

Issue

Vol. 19 No. 3 (2005): Special Issue

Section

Research and Practice Notes

License

Copyright (c) 2005 Brian Rush, Ellen Tate, Ross Norman, Bonnie Kirsh, Meghan Prosser, T. Cameron Wild, Steve Lurie

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