Families First Customer Satisfaction Survey, 2001 March 2003 PREPARED FOR THE Tennessee Department of Human Services THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORK OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND PUBLIC SERVICE Families First Customer Satisfaction Survey, 2001 March 2003 PREPARED FOR THE Tennessee Department of Human Services BY DAVID HOUSTON, PHD SISSIE HADJIHARALAMBOUS, PHD THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORK OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND PUBLIC SERVICE FAMILIES FIRST CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY, 2001 The University of Tennessee College of Social Work Office of Research and Public Service KAREN SOWERS, DEAN PAUL CAMPBELL, DIRECTOR The University of Tennessee, Knoxville does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability or veteran status in provision of educational programs and services or employment opportunities and benefits. This policy extends to both employment by and admission to the University. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex or disability in the education programs and activities pursuant to the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. Inquiries and charges of violation concerning Title VI, Title IX, Section 504, ADA or the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) or any of the other above-referenced policies should be directed to the Office of Equity and Diversity, 1840 Melrose Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, telephone (865) 974-2498 (TTY available). Requests for accommodation of a disability should be directed to the ADA Coordinator at the Office of Human Resources Management, 600 Henley Street, Knoxville, TN 37996-4125. The research documented in this report was funded under an agreement with the Tennessee Department of Human Services, contract # ED-02-00697-00. Project # 03027 ii THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE SOCIAL WORK OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND PUBLIC SERVICE MARCH 2003 FAMILIES FIRST CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY, 2001 Table of Contents List of Tables .................................................................................... iv List of Figures ................................................................................... v Executive Summary ........................................................................ vii Background ....................................................................................... 1 Objectives .......................................................................................... 7 Methods ............................................................................................. 9 Survey Construction................................................................................. 9 Survey Sampling.................................................................................... 10 Data Analysis......................................................................................... 11 Results ............................................................................................. 13 Current Customers ................................................................................. 13 Former Customers.................................................................................. 36 Comparison of Rural and Urban Customers .......................................... 46 Comparison of Current and Former Customers..................................... 46 Understanding the Causes of Customer Satisfaction ............................. 47 Comparison of 2000 and 2001 Surveys ................................................. 56 Study Limitations ............................................................................ 59 Conclusion....................................................................................... 61 References....................................................................................... 63 Appendix A Current Customer Survey ......................................... 67 Appendix B Former Customer Survey..........................................87 THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE SOCIAL WORK OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND PUBLIC SERVICE MARCH 2003 iii FAMILIES FIRST CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY, 2001 List of Tables Table 1. Current Customers—Importance of Service Components (Percent Responding "Very" or "Extremely Important") .............................. 15 Table 2. Current Customers—Importance of Service Components ............. 17 Table 3. Current Customers—Experiences with TDHS (Percent Responding Yes")................................................................................................ 19 Table 4. Current Customers—Satisfaction with Families First Services ..... 25 Table 5. Current Customers—Satisfaction with Families First Services ..... 26 Table 6. Current Customers—Satisfaction in Interactions with TDHS (Percent Responding "Pleased" or "Delighted").............................. 29 Table 7. Current Customers—Assessment of Specific Programs ................ 33 Table 8. Former Customers—Importance of Seeing the Same Caseworker 38 Table 9. Former Customers—Experience with Service Components (Percent Responding "Most of the Time" or "Always")................................ 39 Table 10. Former Customers—Satisfaction with Families First Services.... 42 Table 11. Former Customers—Satisfaction with Families First Services.... 43 Table 12. Logistic Regression Analysis for Current Customers Overall Satisfaction with Caseworkers ........................................................ 50 Table 13. Logistic Regression Analysis for Former Customers Overall Satisfaction with Caseworkers ........................................................ 52 Table 14. Logistic Regression Analysis for Current Customers Overall Satisfaction with Families First Services ........................................ 53 Table 15. Logistic Regression Analysis for Former Customers Overall Satisfaction with Families First Services ........................................ 54 iv THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE SOCIAL WORK OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND PUBLIC SERVICE MARCH 2003 FAMILIES FIRST CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY, 2001 List of Figures Figure 1. Current Customers—Number of Caseworkers Worked with Last Year By Region of Respondent....................................................... 21 Figure 2. Current Customers—Overall Satisfaction with Families First Services ........................................................................................... 23 Figure 3. Current Customers—Overall Satisfaction with Families First Services by Region of Respondent.................................................. 24 Figure 4. Current Customers—Overall Satisfaction with Caseworkers....... 27 Figure 5. Current Customers—Overall Satisfaction with Caseworkers by Region of Respondent ..................................................................... 28 Figure 6. Current Customers—Comparing Importance and Satisfaction of Selected Service Items..................................................................... 30 Figure 7. Current Customers—Comparing Importance and Experience of Selected Service Items..................................................................... 31 Figure 8. Former Customers—Overall Satisfaction with Families First Services ........................................................................................... 41 Figure 9. Former Customers—Overall Satisfaction with Caseworkers ....... 44 THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE SOCIAL WORK OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND PUBLIC SERVICE MARCH 2003 v FAMILIES FIRST CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY, 2001 Executive Summary Under contract with the Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS), the University of Tennessee College of Social Work Office of Research and Public Service (SWORPS) conducted a study to assess customer satisfaction with services provided under the Families First program. Data for this study were collected from telephone interviews administered during June 2001. The telephone interviews were administered to a random sample of 425 current and 365 former Families First customers. The response rates for the current and former customer samples are 64.3% and 75.9%, respectively. The primary objectives of this study were to identify the components of service delivery most valued by Families First current and former customers, and to assess their satisfaction with service provision by TDHS. Evaluators also sought to identify the factors that correlate most highly with customer satisfaction. The main findings of this study are listed below. Important Service Attributes: ♦ The service attributes that were most highly valued by current customers pertain to customer interactions with caseworkers: being treated with respect, seeing a caseworker familiar with their situation, and receiving explanations of what is necessary to continue receiving benefits. ♦ Rural and urban customers have similar attitudes about the importance of casework staff and support staff dimensions of service delivery. However, urban customers were more likely to place a higher value on procedures than were rural customers. ♦ The 2000 and 2001 satisfaction surveys provide similar findings about the relative importance of various service items to customers. THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE SOCIAL WORK OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND PUBLIC SERVICE MARCH 2003 vii FAMILIES FIRST CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY, 2001 Experience with Service Attributes: ♦ The following aspects of service delivery are "well done" (i.e., these