Statement of Purpose
To improve the lives of clients during the current era of system transformation, North Carolina must focus on the content and quality of services and supports that are offered. Growing evidence finds that even some of the most popular and well disseminated programs are not evidence based and in fact can be counterproductive (Goldman, et al., 2001). The provision of quality services and supports involve the adherence to proven models and fidelity to those specific programs.
To provide guidance in determining the future evidence based services and supports that will be provided through our public system, the Director of the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services has developed the North Carolina Practice Improvement Collaborative.
The mission for the NC PIC is to ensure that each time any North Carolinian—whether a child or an adult, a member of a majority or minority, from an urban or rural area—comes into contact with the DMHDDSAS system will receive excellent care that is consistent with our scientific understanding of what works (New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, 2003).
Comprised of representatives of all three disabilities, the NC PIC will meet quarterly to review and discuss relevant programs. Annually, the group will present a report of prioritized program recommendations to the Division Director at a public forum. This forum, defined as the North Carolina Practice Improvement Congress, will feature brief educational descriptions of the practices being recommended by the NC PIC in its report.
The work of the NC PIC is primarily achieved during quarterly subcommittee meetings. At each meeting, the members review and discuss applications that have been submitted for evaluation. Members will be looking to confirm the completeness of the evidence base. Most importantly, each participant brings a unique perspective to the analysis as they examine the issues that affect the readiness for adoption in our state.
