At The Arc of Somerset County, quality management is the responsibility of all employees. The Quality Department has the role of providing our programs and staff with the information, resources, and training to continually assess quality and to provide opportunities and the tools needed for improvement.
The Arc of Somerset County strives to find new ways to achieve continuous quality improvement by offering programs and services that promote best practices in service delivery, staff training, IHP development, and risk management. A variety of tools are used to assess, analyze and evaluate program quality. Among these tools are satisfaction surveys, Unusual Incident Report data, audit results, licensing inspections, and external accreditations (CARF, ACA).
Specific activities of the Quality Department are geared toward the promotion of best practices in our service departments. Recognizing the need to continually change the delivery of service based on the changing needs of the individuals served, the Quality Department engages in researching and promoting current best practices and new initiative in the area of supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Quality Department is currently engaged in the following activities:
Supporting the Self-Advocacy Group that is run by consumers
Providing program departments with a monthly analysis and quality trend report of Unusual Incident Reports
Promoting staff development through the promotion of the College of Direct Support - Career Ladder project
Development, deployment and analysis of various program and stakeholder satisfaction surveys
Increasing communication through the use of a web-based communication system that is available to all staff members (THERAP)
Participating in various program audits to ensure compliance with all local, state and federal requirements
Providing continuous staff training
The agency strategic plan places great emphasis on quality and outcomes management that will lead to enhanced quality in all departments. This plan reflects the agencies commitment to the individuals served and the need to continue to work to enhance the quality of life for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
