Unlocking the Code of Effective Systems Change

Sponsored by
The Community Living Exchange Collaborative at ILRU
and
The Technical Assistance Partnership Operating the
National State-to-State Technical Assistance Program for Community Living

This Colloquium that was held January 11-13, 2005 in Houston was designed to generate analysis of what “investments” by stakeholders are most effective in generating desirable consumer-centered system change that is sustainable over time. The Colloquium is one step in a process which includes 1) discussions held with CMS and other technical assistance providers over a period of several months, 2) the development of three draft papers for discussion at the Colloquium, “Some Features of a Good Quality Community Service”, “The Character of Personal Empowerment”, and “Key Components of Systems Change”, 3) The Colloquium, 4) a panel presentation to be held March 1, 2005, at the annual New Freedom Initiative conference “Building Sustainable Systems for Independence” in Baltimore, 5) a panel presentation to be held at the May 15-18, 2005 “21st National Home and Community Based Services Waiver Conference” in Orlando, and 6) other activities that evolve from these efforts. Stakeholders include all levels of government, i.e. municipal, State and Federal; consumers; families; advocacy groups; community agencies; professionals, etc. Discussion sessions at the Colloquium focused on three key aspects of system and community building that are critical for positive results in people’s lives.

These are:

1. What is a genuinely good community service?

2. What constitutes positive state enablement of change that produces consumer benefit?

3. What are the various degrees to which consumer empowerment can be achieved in practice?

Through large and small group discussion we identified the crucial factors which contribute to these desired outcomes, the interrelationship of these factors to each other, and the obstacles that present themselves to be engaged and overcome. Once these were clear the final question was:

What investments should be made by change agents (of varying kinds) to maximize the likelihood of an outcome of authentic systems change?

The Colloquium used the following format and structure. Participants were assigned to one of three discussion sub-groups. Each sub-group established the key ingredients for change, how the ingredients work together and the obstacles that must be faced and overcome to achieve success. The discussion sub-groups include:

Discussion Group One: This group examined the question, “what is a genuinely good community service as it relates to tangible benefits for consumers?” Put another way, what are the characteristics of optimal services and what “investments” will most likely foster the creation of optimal services?”

Discussion Group Two: This group examined the question, “what are the various degrees to which consumer empowerment can actually be achieved in practice and what produces these results?” In other words, what are the levels or degrees of empowerment that can be offered and what “investments” will most likely bring about optimal empowerment?

Discussion Group Three: This group examined the question, “what constitutes positive state enablement of change that produces eventual consumer benefit?” This group will define the leadership role(s) that states can take to ensure that desirable consumer outcomes are more likely to be achieved.

Each group participated in four half-day sessions of small discussion and resolution. These are described below.

Day One/Session One: Identify the active ingredients of positive change in relation to the sub-group’s area of focus.

Day One//Session Two: Identify how these key change factors interrelate with each other.

Day Two/Session Three: Identify the key obstacles that need to be addressed and overcome.

Day Two/Session Four: Identify the key “investments” that will be needed to overcome the obstacles identified to achieve the desired outcomes.

Each sub-group reported on its findings to the plenary group each day and the plenary group convened on January 13th to address the final question, “what are the specific investments that should be made by informed change agents (of varying kinds) that would help bring about authentic systems change with significant consumer benefit?” The last session on the morning of January 13, 2005 attempted to resolve this question.

Participants who attended
Notes
Day Two Images: Systems Change and What is Next

Papers discussed include the following:
Some Features Of A Good Quality Community Service
The Character Of Personal Empowerment
Key Components of Systems Change
Promising Practices in Long Term Care Systems Reform: Common Factors of Systems Change

and link to final papers

For further information on the Colloquium contact:
Darrell Jones at dljones@bcm.tmc.edu
or Sharon Finney at sfinney@bcm.tmc.edu