Strategic Planning Case Study

STRATEGIC PLANNING CASE STUDY

OREGON

INTERVIEWEE: Connie Gallagher

Background on Strategic Planning in Oregon

Oregon’s strategic process is more effectively described as a “statewide needs assessment initiative,” rather than strategic planning. Project Director Connie Gallagher said that “I don’t call this a ‘strategic plan’ because other things we are doing will eventually be part of a bigger strategic plan.” For example, the Attorney General has been doing a lot of work in the areas of sexual assault and domestic violence, and has established specific priorities for sexual assault. As Gallagher noted, “the state has additional clear agenda items – goals around sexual assault that need to be incorporated into an overall strategic plan.”

A competitive “request for proposal” for the “Oregon Crime Victim Services Needs Assessment” project was published by the Oregon Department of Justice Crime Victims’ Assistance Section (CVAS) in 2001, with the successful bid submitted by Portland State University (PSU). The project commenced in July 2001; it is anticipated to be completed within an 18-month period.

Gallagher identified two key factors that led her agency to determine a need for a statewide needs assessment. The “internal” perspective was from a management viewpoint. “We rely on our own administration and decision making to determine how millions of dollars are spent” for victim services, she said. “And we want to make sure our decision making is not subjective or influenced by politics, or people with the ‘most clout’.”

The “external” perspective focused on the CVAS’s desire to be accountable to a variety of constituencies, including legislators, victim service professionals, the public. As Gallagher pointed out, with the state experiencing a revenue shortfall in terms of general funds, it is even more important that the Oregon program be justified in its funding decisions and held accountable for the use of these resources.

Goals and Objectives for the Needs Assessment Project

Oregon’s RFP is an extremely thorough and comprehensive document that establishes a mission and goals for the overall project. As stated in the RFP, they are:

“Objectives: The primary objective of this Needs Assessment Project is to evaluate the current delivery system for gaps, the quality and quantity of services delivered, linkages between agencies, and to identify under-served client populations that have

1 experienced obstacles in obtaining victim services in Oregon. More specifically, the final written report will address the following objectives:

 Identification of significant gaps in services for crime victims  Identification of underserved populations of victims, including information indicating the reasons for a lack of quality services to the target population; model service programs should also be identified  Presentation of Contractor’s recommendations, best practice and service models along with priority needs for underserved populations, based on collected data  Assessment of how effectively crime victims’ services are linked in order to meet the needs of victims. For example, are crisis lines linked with appropriate follow-up services such as shelters and mental health services?  Identification of obstacles preventing more effective partnerships and continuity of response  Evaluation of the quality of existing services, as determined by victims’ and providers’ perception of services.  Assessment of how Crime Victim’s Rights are implemented in Oregon.”

Key Players in Planning and Implementing the Needs Assessment Planning Processes

The staff of the CVAS continue to manage this project, with Connie Gallagher taking the lead. Strong leadership and commitment are key elements in Oregon’s project and, as Gallagher said, the project is very important to her personally, as well as to her agency and state.

Its Portland State University partner has significant expertise and experience in strategic planning and needs assessment processes.

Significantly, Oregon also established a 13-member Victim Advisory Group, for which the first criterion for selection is “you have to be a victim/survivor” (although many members are victim service professionals, as well as being victims of crime). As Gallagher noted, “we felt like we had plenty of expertise in planning and management. We wanted a strong victim voice guiding how the project unfolds.” The Victim Advisory Group meets quarterly with the project team, and has helped review all survey and focus group questions, and assisted with developing victim-sensitive wording that would not be viewed as “offensive” by survey participants. Members also helped identify and reach out to victims throughout the project, and helped develop the focus groups. They are also providing input on the nature of the final deliverables for the project. Gallagher indicated that they have “provided excellent, meaningful input on many aspects of the project.”

Strategic Processes Utilized in the Needs Assessment Effort

2 The strategic processes required by the CVAS were clearly stated in the RFP, and included: . Review of available research in the area of crime victims’ services, both nationally and in Oregon. . Agency surveys. . Client satisfaction surveys. . Victim focus groups

CVAS also has a “project time line” that “tasks assignments month-by-month” with significant detail. Gallagher’s close, ongoing working relationship with PSU provides routine information about survey processes (such as their expected “target number for returns” on surveys, sampling methodology, return rates, types of respondents/ participants, status of key tasks, etc.).

PSU also provides her with a “cross walk” of surveys, which “organizes information across different survey fields.” This important process helps illustrate similar information across the different processes (i.e., agency surveys, client surveys, focus groups, etc.) to ensure consistency in data elements. As Gallagher noted, “I can walk through the information they (PSU) provide me, and know exactly what is going on with the project.”

Now, the CVAS is at the point in this project where it is talking about how the Attorney General, Victim Advisory Group, and its staff want to see the cumulative data formatted.

Outcomes from the Needs Assessment Processes

While Oregon’s project is not yet completed, Gallagher indicates that it will contribute to a strategic plan once it is done. In addition, “it will guide certain legislative agendas we develop” as a result of the findings; and “impact what we choose to fund with our current level of money.” It will also affect “what we request from the federal level,” such as discretionary grant funding, as well as “state-level funding” for victim services.

In the year following the project, the CVAS plans to present information and findings at “all statewide conferences we can possibly attend” (such as law enforcement, district attorneys, victim assistance, domestic violence, and child abuse, among others). In addition to presenting findings, the CVAS hopes to promote “action planning at the local level” based upon the information presented. As Gallagher noted, “We want to turn this into a planning tool for local communities, as well” as statewide. Resources that the CVAS hopes to provide to local communities include one-page summaries of victims’ needs by type of crime, and tools to help local victim service providers access more funding at the local level.

Evaluation of the Needs Assessment Process

Evaluation of the overall process is an ongoing activity. PSU meets monthly with Gallagher and relevant staff from the CVAS to provide updates, and the Victim Advisory

3 Committee meets quarterly. In addition, PSU is required to submit any needs assessment processes that includes “any direct contact with crime victims” to the PSU Human Subjects Committee, which approves methodology prior to its utilization. Gallagher and staff facilitate or attend certain aspects of the project, such as the public meetings and the Victim Advisory Council in addition to the project meeting, so that much of the project information and progress is known by the program outside of the formal progress meetings.

Barriers to the Needs Assessment Process

According to Gallagher, “the greatest challenge so far has been difficulty in reaching certain victim groups that we all believe are underserved.” Because of this challenge, the CVAS “had to modify our focus group approach significantly.” Some of the very issues that make particular victims “underserved “contributed to the reasons why they are difficult to identify or reach for the purposes of the focus group. In wanting to hold an immigrant victim focus group, it was logistically too difficult to manage a group of multiple cultures. Ultimately, one broad culture was selected as a focus group. These groups could not have taken place at all without an exceptional amount of help from local providers who provided the outreach, introductions and guidance to PSU for the design of the focus groups.

Another challenge was “obtaining public input” throughout the needs assessment process. Gallagher explained that PSU “had made extraordinary efforts to organize public meetings,” which resulted in “great media support” and “a lot of press attending the meetings.” Yet “the public doesn’t show up.”

She suggests a strategy of seeking public input from venues where “there is a captive audience,” such as retirement communities or college campuses.

Benefits of the Strategic Planning Process

Gallagher anticipates that the development of a strategic plan and guidelines that affect how decisions about funding for victim services are made will be clear benefits of this project. In addition, “local communities will get something of benefit,” such as tools to help with decision making about funding requests for victim assistance. She anticipates significant benefits to state legislators and public officials in terms of how the project’s findings affect their decision-making processes as well.

Gallagher also explains that services for victims that are funded in the future will be “more accessible, and barriers to accessing such services will be reduced.” In addition, the project will result in “better designed services to reach underserved victim populations” and the “identification of best practices” that can be replicated statewide.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Sections 1 and 2 from the Oregon RFP (purpose and statement of work) are included as a Appendix A to this case study.

4 APPENDIX A

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, this document is available in alternate formats such as Braille, large print, audiotape, oral presentation and computer disk. To request an alternate format call the State of Oregon Department of Justice Contract Unit at (503) 378-5348 or TDD (503) 378-5938.

The Oregon Department of Justice, Crime Victims’ Assistance Section Criminal Justice Division

Issues the Following

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

OREGON CRIME VICTIM SERVICES NEEDS ASSESSMENT

Date of Issuance: April 16, 2001

Proposals Due: 5:00 P.M. May 18, 2001 at the issuing office. Postmarks will not be considered.

Issuing Office: CRIME VICTIMS ASSISTANCE SECTION Connie Gallagher, Director 1162 Court St. NE Salem, Oregon 97310 (503) 378-5348 Fax Number (503) 378-6974

5 SECTION 1 / PURPOSE/OVERVIEW

1.1 Purpose of this Request for Proposals

The Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ), Crime Victims’ Assistance Section (CVAS) wishes to enter into a contract, with one contractor, for a Statewide Crime Victim Services Needs Assessment. The Contractor will be required to collect and compile data by using scientific social data collection and research methods, statistical software, mapping and charting techniques in order to complete a final assessment report of the current state of victim services and victims’ needs in Oregon with special emphasis on identifying underserved client populations that have experienced obstacles in obtaining victim services in Oregon. Underserved populations include people of color, people with disabilities, the elderly, non-English speaking persons, isolated populations and others. The scope of the Needs Assessment is defined in Section 2 of this document under “Statement of Work.” The contract shall not exceed the amount of $250,000 and will expire 18 months from the date of contract signing. The Department reserves the right to amend the contract and may extend the contract for an additional period of not more than 6 months, for a total contract period of 24 months. Total maximum sum of this contract shall not exceed $250,000.

1.2 Overview

The Department provides significant funding each year for victims services through it’s administration of the federal VOCA Grant Program, Crime Victims’ Compensation Program, County and City Victim Assistance Programs and State Crime Victim’s Grant Program. An immediate need exists to provide comprehensive information that will facilitate responsible decision making regarding allocation of scarce resources. The Contractor will be responsible for developing measurement tools and implementation of a comprehensive statewide needs assessment. The assessment objective will be to evaluate the current delivery system for gaps in available services, the quality of service delivery, effective service linkages between agencies, and service to underserved groups. The resulting data will be used for recommendations for new program development, and for realignment, refinement and enhancement of existing services.

The Department is requiring that the project, from inception through completion of the final report shall take no longer than 18 months to complete.

Due to the magnitude of this project, the required specialized skill, knowledge and resources it would take to accomplish the projected outcomes, along with the limited workforce currently available in the section, the Department would like to contract for this personal service by using the Formal Selection Procedure.

SECTION 2 / STATEMENT OF WORK

STATEMENT OF WORK:

The Contractor will be required to collect and compile data by using scientific social data collection and research methods, statistical software, mapping and charting techniques in

6 order to complete a final assessment report of the current state of victim services and victims’ needs in Oregon.

Upon execution of the contract, Contractor shall assign a project manager/team to assist in the development and implementation of the needs assessment. This team will meet with the Department’s internal project manager, and any other key parties for the project and discuss key features of the needs assessment in order for the Contractor to provide a comprehensive project plan and implementation schedule. This project plan and implementation schedule shall be completed within 30 days of contract signing.

Objectives: The primary objective of this Needs Assessment Project is to evaluate the current delivery system for gaps, the quality and quantity of services delivered, linkages between agencies, and to identify under-served client populations that have experienced obstacles in obtaining victim services in Oregon. More specifically, the final written report will address the following objectives:

 Identification of significant gaps in services for crime victims  Identification of underserved populations of victims, including information indicating the reasons for a lack of quality services to the target population; model service programs should also be identified  Presentation of Contractor’s recommendations, best practice and service models along with priority needs for underserved populations, based on collected data  Assessment of how effectively crime victims’ services are linked in order to meet the needs of victims. For example, are crisis lines linked with appropriate follow-up services such as shelters and mental health services?  Identification of obstacles preventing more effective partnerships and continuity of response  Evaluation of the quality of existing services, as determined by victims’ and providers’ perception of services.  Assessment of how well Crime Victim’s Rights are implemented in Oregon

Target Population: The target population of this needs assessment shall be those victims of crimes listed in Attachment A of this document. To the extent that victims of property crimes can be addressed in the assessment, such information is welcomed, although it is not the primary focus of this assessment, with one notable exception. This project is to include information meeting the above objectives, for elder victims of financial fraud. If the proposer is able to accommodate property crimes in addition to financial fraud of the elderly, it should be stated in the response to this RFP.

Final Product: The contract will be considered fulfilled when a final written report is accepted by the Department of Justice as having met the objectives outlined in the RFP and subsequent contract. A final payment will be issued within 30 days of approval of the final product and receipt of the invoice for payment.

Methodology: Contractor shall develop specific survey dissemination plans for each specific survey used, in order to achieve the maximum response rate possible. The methodology used

7 by the Contractor in implementing the assessment should include, but not be limited to the following components: Available Research

Contractor shall review available research in the area of crime victims’ services, both nationally and for Oregon. The final needs assessment report from Contractor should incorporate the findings of research conducted in this state and other states, if applicable, within the last three years. If appropriate, the assessment model will build upon earlier statistical work and research rather than duplicate information and data already available.

Agency Surveys

Contractor shall develop a community and state agency and organization survey that should include agencies and organizations providing victim services in Oregon. Contractor shall send the surveys to community agencies and organizations likely to make referrals, such as hospitals, police agencies, churches, mental health agencies, Senior and Disabled Services Division, Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Services Division, tribal agencies, local multidisciplinary teams, etc. In order to get as clear a picture as possible, the Department shall require that the Contractor gather information from as many agencies and programs as possible given budget and time constraints. The primary objective of this survey is to reveal gaps in service and weakness in interagency linkages. Agency information, client information, service information and agency linkages should all be important characteristics of this survey. The Department would also suggest that these surveys include both objective data and subjective data. Objective data may include such items as number of clients served, services provided, client demographics, etc. The subjective data will rely on the perceptions and beliefs of the service providers. Open-ended questions are recommended, and may include asking the service providers where they believe the service gaps to be, what services were needed but not provided, etc. Methods for assuring confidentiality should be addressed in the response to this RFP.

Client Satisfaction Surveys

Contractor shall develop a Client Satisfaction Survey, which will look at Oregon’s victim service network from the client’s perspective. This survey will approach crime victims as service consumers and try to determine what their needs were as a result of their victimization, and how well those needs were met. This survey shall capture both quantitative and qualitative information on services, the accessibility of those services, the response of the criminal justice system if applicable, and interagency responses. The suggested content for this survey would include four sections:

 Questions regarding the nature of the crime and victimization;  Overall victim satisfaction with the criminal justice system, victim service agencies and service referrals;  Perceived service gaps, and level of accessibility of services;  Victim demographic information;

The target group for this survey should include victims that are currently receiving services at Oregon’s victim service agencies, or victims who have received such services within the last 12-month period. Confidentiality of response must be assured. The methodology to provide this assurance of confidentiality should be addressed by the proposer to this RFP Regarding the specific surveys referenced above (i.e., Agency Survey and Client Satisfaction Survey), the Contractor shall be responsible for the creation and development of survey questions, survey dissemination, data analysis, and mapping of information when creating the final needs assessment report. The Department shall approve the assessment tools before dissemination or use.

Victim Focus Groups

8 Contractor shall conduct a minimum of 6 (six) racially and culturally diverse focus groups around the state in order to elicit more precise and in-depth information about the experiences and opinions of crime victims, particularly hard-to-reach crime victim populations. The Contractor will be responsible for the development of questions, group makeup and dynamics, group facilitation, data analysis, and assuring confidentiality of victims’ information.

Group makeup should include, but not be limited to American Indians, African Americans, Asians, Latinos, new immigrants, non-English-speaking individuals, the elderly, persons with disabilities, isolated populations and gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered victims.

The objective of the victim focus groups will be to elicit information about the types of crime that most affect underserved populations and how comfortable and knowledgeable they are about available services and the criminal justice system. Questions regarding recommended positive changes should also be asked of the focus groups.

The focus groups shall be held at neutral and easily accessed locations around the state, such as libraries, museums, community centers, etc. Efforts shall be made by Contractor to make the meetings space as appealing and comfortable as possible.

Contractor shall provide a moderator to facilitate each group and a scribe to take notes. With the permission of the participants the sessions will be tape recorded as well.

Mapping: Mapping techniques that help identify high risk/high density crime areas should be used in conjunction with victim services information to help prioritize where resources are most needed.

Other Requirements

Contractor shall have sufficient staff and resources available during the scope of this project to secure completion of each component of the final needs assessment report within 18 months from the date of contract signature.

Contractor shall provide the Department with monthly oral executive briefings on the progress of the implementation of the needs assessment.

Within five (5) days of the end of each quarter, Contractor shall submit a written quarterly summary of progress which outlines the work accomplished during the reporting period (previous quarter), and work to be accomplished during the subsequent reporting period (following quarter). The summaries shall also contain information regarding any real or anticipated problems and notification of any significant deviation from the previously agreed upon plans. The Department may request other ad hoc reports periodically, and if attainable by the Contractor, will be provided as needed at no extra cost to the Department.

Payment for all work performed under this Contract shall be distributed as follows:

9  25% of the total contract amount to be paid to Contractor within 30 days from contract signing.  The remainder of the contract cost to be paid out in equal installments over the next six (6) calendar quarters upon receipt of the quarterly progress report and quarterly invoice statement. Payment will be made within thirty (30) days after receipt of Contractor’s invoice which may be submitted to AGENCY following the end of each calendar quarter during the contract term beginning with the first calendar quarter after the contract is signed, provided that if the quarterly progress report for any quarter, which is due by the 5th day of the first month of the following calendar quarter, is not submitted timely, the Department may defer the quarterly payment until the report is submitted. Contractor shall submit quarterly invoices for work performed that shall itemize and explain all expenses for which reimbursement is claimed. The invoice also shall include the total amount invoiced to date by Contractor. Quarterly payments shall be made to Contractor following the Department’s review and approval of invoices submitted by Contractor. The Department shall issue payment within thirty (30) days of its receipt of invoice. The final quarterly invoice must be accompanied by the completed final report. Upon acceptance and approval by the Department of Justice, payment will be made within thirty (30) days.

No separate payment will be made for any other expenses related to the work.

Contractor shall not submit invoices for, and the Department will not pay any amount in excess of the maximum compensation amount set forth above. If this maximum compensation amount is increased by amendment of this contract, the amendment must be fully effective before Contractor performs work subject to the amendment. Contractor shall notify the Department’s Contract Administrator in writing thirty (30) calendar days before this Contract expires of the upcoming expiration of the contract. No payments will be made for any services performed before the beginning date or after the expiration date of this contract, as it may be amended from time to time in accordance with its terms.

Other Expenses:

All costs associated with this contract shall be included in the original negotiated contract price. No separate payment will be made for any other expenses related to the work.

Delivery Schedule

Begin: Contractor shall begin working on the project within thirty (30) days after the date the contract is fully executed and is filed with the Department of Administrative Services.

End: This contract shall expire 18 months from the date of contract signing.