Adult Protective Services Quality Assurance
Purpose
- Assess compliance with current laws, policies, and procedures and case practice standards.
- Evaluate the quality of adult abuse, neglect, exploitation and/or self-neglect investigations.
- Identify areas of strengths and opportunities to improve protective investigations.
- Contribute information to support the educational and training needs of APS staff to improve core competencies.
- Identify and communicate best practices across the Regions.
- Identify emerging issues to mitigate future risk.
- Continuously evaluate and improve the APS QA system to meet the needs of departmental leadership, APS staff and our agency partners that serve the vulnerable adults in Florida.
Model
The APS QA Model is based upon continuous improvement and the QA guiding principles. This model supports the Department’s quality improvement actions in many Regions. Broad communication of results and actions across the Department’s operational and programmatic staff responsible for investigations and administration is a key component of improving APS investigations and services.
Tier 1 is a QA review conducted by APS program QA Specialists in each Region and includes sample cases from each Region’s Circuits. The data are summarized at the Circuit/Region level and statewide, analyzed, and published in formal reports for each Region and ultimately a statewide report. Reports include identified strengths and opportunities for improvements in the areas where performance met or did not meet the performance targets.
QA Reviews
On a statewide basis, QA specialists conduct Adult Protective Investigations, Adult Protective Supervision, and Adult Protective Intervention QA reviews.
Scope
The statewide APS QA reviews engage all APS staff, including Headquarters program office, Region program offices and Operations. APS QA specialists are responsible for conducting, analyzing the findings, and reporting the results of the QA reviews.
Schedule
The QA reviews are scheduled based on fiscal year July 1-June 30. Each review is scheduled annually.
Guiding Principles
Quality, Service, Timeliness, Fairness, Integrity, Appreciation, Confidence, Compliance, Collaboration, Effectiveness, Responsive