Input from Persons Served and Other Stakeholders

Dawn Farm seeks to allow clients to achieve dignity and an enhanced quality of life. To this end, we actively solicit the input of persons served to facilitate treatment, form policy and aid in long and short term planning.

Input is gathered in a number of ways, from a number of different sources. Feedback is discussed during admin meetings and is utilized to inform future program planning.

Current Clients:

1. Clients are asked for any preferences during the intake interview.
2. Goals are specified at the outset in the Client Questionnaire, the “Goals” form and the “Why are You Here?” form. These goals and preferences are used to help guide treatment planning.
3. To allow input into Treatment Plans, clients write down what they believe to be their major barriers and possible steps to address them. The client and the primary therapist discuss these and agree on a Treatment Plan.
4. Individually or as a group, clients may ask questions and make requests by submitting them in writing to staff. This is also an opportunity to formally present ideas for improving the treatment process and can ultimately result in policy changes.
5. Clients are asked to fill out anonymous Client Satisfaction Questionnaires at intake, during treatment, and at discharge. This information is presented at quarterly Quality Assurance meetings along with recommendations. Note: Questionnaires are now available electronically for clients to complete on site, but are still available on paper.
6. In addition to routine procedures, clients are often asked for feedback regarding potential changes at Dawn Farm, e.g. help in updating the Rules pamphlet.

Former Clients, Family Members, the Community and Funding/Referral Sources

1. To help represent these views, we strive to have Board members who include recovering people, former clients and family members of former clients.
2. Staff members include recovering people and former clients, who provide invaluable input to the staff in decision making and the formulation of policy.
3. Visitors to all facilities have the opportunity to fill out a Feedback Card. This allows them to express opinions on both our program and our physical plant. This information is compiled along with the Client Satisfaction Questionnaires.
4. Dawn Farm occasionally has “Stakeholders Meetings.” Some are open to all interested persons, others are targeted at specific groups (family, former clients, courts, the recovering community, etc.) or specific community needs/gaps (adolescent Tx, homeless addicts, etc.). These meetings are an opportunity for these groups to learn more about what we are doing and provide their input.

Documents

CARF Standard 1.D.1, 2