Technical Assistance Options

Assessment Center Intervention Mapping is an iterative process that assists communities with deepening their understanding of why and how youth encounter and move through systems processes with the objective to support identification of areas for an Assessment Center to intervene, prevent, and divert.  Through thorough data analysis and stakeholder interviews, a map is created to depict how youth currently encounter systems.  A community convening is held to review the draft map and, collectively identify opportunities for early intervention and prevention. The community convening also allows stakeholders to identify targeted areas through a needs-assets matching process to improve systems responses to youth behavior through diversion and connection to care as facilitated by the Assessment Center.

• Resources necessary to align with Framework standards
• Referral Criteria
• Establishing a screening and assessment system
• Partnerships, policies, procedures, and activities needed for successful implementation
• Community resource and service mapping to inform referrals
• Establishing evaluation methods and measures of success
• Enhance data capacity and craft an individualized continuous quality improvement plan that aligns seamlessly with the Assessment Center Framework.

*Assessment Center Intervention Mapping and Operationalizing the Framework are often completed together for communities looking to adopt the Assessment Center Framework.  To learn more, click HERE.

Assessment Center Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)

The National Assessment Center Association (NAC) leads a coalition of assessment centers dedicated to promoting best practices through advocacy, education, technical assistance, and community involvement. The Assessment Center Framework and its standards serve as a blueprint for assessment centers to follow best practices and offer guidance and assistance to communities. This new technical assistance opportunity is aimed at Assessment Centers who are seeking support in evaluating current data capacity, operational procedures, and methods in order to develop a customized action plan aimed at improving or expanding its ability to continuously enhance quality.

Over a 12 -18 month period of time, NAC staff and consultants will actively engage with the Assessment Center stakeholders to facilitate a comprehensive analysis of data capacity. The goal is to enhance data capacity and craft an individualized continuous quality improvement plan that aligns seamlessly with the Assessment Center Framework. Throughout this collaborative effort, the Assessment Center and its stakeholders will delve into an examination of current data capacity elements, screening and assessment tools, and fidelity measures. This process aims to establish baseline measures, pinpoint areas of focus, and create a scorecard for current practice.

NAC staff and consultants will lead the Assessment Center and its stakeholders through a data mapping process. This will articulate the Assessment Center's purpose and demonstrate how its tools, practices, and processes contribute to the overarching mission, target population, and outcomes. The data map will specifically:

• Develop, update, or enhance a program logic model or theory of change.
• Define essential data indicators based on the program logic model or theory of change.
• Map and define data elements and quality for current:
• Referral processes and instruments
• Screening and assessment processes and instruments
• Care management tracking processes and instruments
• Identify strengths and gaps in current processes as it relates to achieving the stated mission and goals.
• Recommend implementation supports and fidelity practices within referral, screening and assessment, and case management processes.

Technical Assistance Deliverables:

• Program Logic Model or Theory of Change
• Data Scorecard and Map
• Operational Plan for Continuous Quality Improvement
• Recommendations for Improving Current Processes

 Technical Assistance Outcomes:

• The Assessment Center can articulate how its practices and core activities contribute to the overall mission.
• The Assessment Center has an individualized plan for continuous quality improvement.

The NAC works with existing or developing Assessment Centers in the enhancement or development of any specific core component with the Assessment Center Framework: Single Point of Contact (referral), Screening and Assessment, Case Management, Accountability, and Staff Support and Development.  Some examples are facilitating discussion with community stakeholders on establishing an equitable and coordinated referral process (Single Point of Contact) or developing a screening and assessment system for a specific population of youth served by the Assessment Center (Screening and Assessment). 

The NAC works with existing or developing Assessment Centers on topic-specific matters within the Assessment Center Framework.  Examples of topic-specific technical assistance include developing a screening and assessment system for specific target populations (i.e. commercial sexual or labor exploitation of children, gang-involved youth, LGBTQ+ youth, etc.), developing trauma-informed supervision competencies, and integrating equity CQI processes.  Communities and Centers are encouraged to reach out to the NAC if they have specific needs in any topic within the Assessment Center Framework.

The development of an outcome framework and measurement plan is critical to communicating impact of an Assessment Center.  Outcome frameworks clearly articulate what it does (activities) and how these lead to short, medium, and long term goals.  The NAC works with new and existing Centers to develop an outcome framework and associated measurement plan that both align with the Assessment Center Framework and incorporates individualized community goals.