How do you determine the “success” of a human services program? Part of your role as an administrator is to
collaborate with your staff to determine how a particular program’s effectiveness will be measured. The
outcomes must be clear, realistic, and feasible, and how the outcomes will be assessed must be clear also.
For this Discussion, you will address the “Social Work Research: Program Evaluation” case study in Social
Work Case Studies: Foundation Year. Assume the role of an administrator in the case study to evaluate what
has occurred in the program and how you might improve it.
By Day 3
Post an evaluation of the success of the CALWORKS program based on the information presented in the case
study. Be sure to define what success would be for the program and how you, as an administrator of the
program, might evaluate whether success has been achieved. Finally, make one recommendation for
improving the program’s effectiveness.
Support your post with specific references to the resources. Be sure to provide full APA citations for your
references.
By Day 5
Read a selection of your colleagues’ posts.
Respond to at least two colleagues in at least one of the following ways:
Explain whether you agree with your colleague’s definition of success and method for evaluating success, and
why.
Critique your colleague’s recommendation for improving the program’s effectiveness.
Return to this Discussion to read the responses to your initial post. Note what you have learned and/or any
insights you gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.