Medical Assistance Long-Term Sample

Application of Research in Social Services Research and development in any large corporation such as General Electric, Cisco, or Microsoft, the application of statistical and economical data can help to make the best use of available data and apply it towards the development of better products. Large corporations place billions of dollars each year into research and development trying to improve technology and find the best ways to apply the new technologies towards improving the lives of consumers.Medical Assistance Long-Term Sample

The Social Science field is no different in this manner. Human Services agencies need to be able to apply the most current theories and data found in published articles relating to the application of research on social services towards providing better services to its clients. Like scientists that apply scientific knowledge and data to develop new technologies the social services, researchers must apply statistics, economic data, and behavioral studies to make the delivery of social services more productive.Medical Assistance Long-Term Sample

As the application of social services is costly and takes a good part of the states operating budget, state social services must also be good stewards of public funds they are trusted with and apply them where they will do the most good for the human population. For the purpose of this authors reflection on the application of research on the Social Sciences the most relevant agency to study is the leading Social Service provider in the state of Washington.

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This agency is the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) and like any large corporation, they need to be able to convert social and economic data into workable and manageable social programs. Research and Development and Department of Social and Health Services With an annual budget of over eight billion dollars the Department of Social and Health Services represents about one third of the states budget. “The agency serves one in five state residents, 1. 3 million people and two of five state children and youth by biennium end.

” (DSHS 2004) The management of over 60 human services programs depends highly on a staff of specialized social engineers and statisticians who convert current scientific, behavioral, and economic data and research into successful social service programs. These social science researchers from DSHS Research and Data Analysis Division the must be able to transform a wealth of statistical data into a form of information that can be understood and implemented into successful programs by both practitioners and DSHS policy makers.Medical Assistance Long-Term Sample

The DSHS Research and Data Analysis Division “The mission of the Research and Data Analysis Division (RDA) provides valid, rigorous, and policy-relevant analyses of government-funded social and health services in the State of Washington”. (DSHS 2004) A brief overview of the many services provided by this unit of DSHS is that the RDA provides analytical information to policy makers and program managers. “They answer their customer’s questions regarding risk, need, demand, use, supply, cost and outcomes of the human services programs provided to the public.

” (DSHS 2004) Below are listed some of over sixty human service programs provided to the public.  Economic assistance Food stamps  Medical assistance  Long-term care for the frail, elderly and persons who are disabled  Investigative and protective services for abused or neglected children and dependant elders  Mental health treatment Alcohol and other drug treatment Vocational rehabilitation for persons with disabilities  Community and institutional care for persons with developmental disabilities  Child care subsidies.Medical Assistance Long-Term Sample

Institutional and community services for juvenile offenders  Refugee services (DSHS 2004)While one considers the broad range of the services provided by DSHS, the successful management of data and information gathered by the research and analysis division makes a significant impact on the development of new programs and helps the state wisely manage the taxpayers’ funds. (DSHS 2004) Specialized Research of Clients and the Programs they use A unique service that RDA provides is the specialized analysis of the clients that use DSHS’s multiple services.

The customers that use this information are the agencies managers, the Governors office, the state legislature, federal agencies, and the general public. (DSHS 2004) The RDA also hosts the Human Research Review Board that is responsible for protecting the privacy and confidentiality of its clients and the public who participate in any study or research project conducted by DSHS. Successful Applications of RDA Research Success in the Human Services field is often difficult to measure without the application of analysis and statistics.Medical Assistance Long-Term Sample