 |
 |
|
 |
 |
Title II of CAPTA (the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act) requires that CBCAP programs implement a peer review process. FRIENDS, the National Resource Center for CBCAP, is working to provide guidelines and technical assistance for peer review for CBCAP programs. In Kansas, peer review is one component of a continuum of evaluation approaches that programs can use for continuous quality improvement. The peer review process addresses key questions for programs about the environment, culture, and practices of the agency through self-assessment and sharing. Peer review, by itself, is not a complete evaluation. For example, evaluation asks "Did our families improve?" while peer review asks "Did our program provide an environment where families could improve?" Also, the peer review process is NOT a mechanism for funders to monitor performance of grantees. Peer review is an opportunity for agencies to collaborate as mentors to share best practices and challenges with the common goal of improving services for the children and families they serve. (The preceding information was taken from the FRIENDS National Resource Center website.)
The Kansas Peer Review Model was developed by the Institute for Educational Research and Public Service (Institute) at the University of Kansas to meet the peer review requirement for the CBCAP grantees. The Model was developed with the challenges of traditional evaluation and the efficient use of limited staff time and resources in mind. The purposes of the Kansas Peer Review Model include improving service delivery systems, prioritizing systems change, ensuring availability and quality of services, increasing accountability and credibility of application of funds, providing feedback to programs and funders, and identifying areas for technical assistance. Staff from the Institute serve as the coordinators and facilitators of the peer review process in addition to providing technical assistance to the CBCAP grantees.
The Kansas Peer Review Model incorporates several data sources as part of the process for the CBCAP grantees. Accordingly, the Kansas Peer Review Model is a comprehensive process designed to develop staff capacity as evaluators, to determine the efficacy of the program, and to support staff in ongoing quality improvement efforts.
The following documents provide information about peer review and the Kansas Peer Review Model:
Peer Review in CBCAP: Current Activities and Best Practices for Building Stronger Peer Review from FRIENDS National Resource Center for CBCAP
• This document covers in depth the history, purposes and principles, steps, and strengths and challenges of peer review for CBCAP. In addition, it includes information about how peer review is being used in each state.
Principles of Peer Review: Understanding the Process from FRIENDS National Resource Center for CBCAP
• This short presentation covers the basic purposes and steps in peer review for CBCAP.
List of 2008 Kansas CBCAP Grantees
Kansas Peer Review Model Preparation Phase and Action Cycle
• This figure explains the partners and steps in the Kansas Peer Review Model.
For more information about peer review, please see the FRIENDS National Resource Center for CBCAP pages on peer review at http://www.friendsnrc.org/outcome/review.htm.
For more information about the Kansas Peer Review Model or if you are current CBCAP grantee, please see the Kansas CBCAP evaluation website at www.kansaseval.org.
