Effective Decision Making in

Social Service Systems

Shawn Boles, Ph.D.Center on Early Adolescence

Oregon Research InstituteDeschutes Research, Inc.

A system is just a set of circumstances that makes something

happen in a certain way

– Edward de Bono

Social Service Systems• Involve citizens, values, and resources• Reflect many perspectives (duh)• Influence outcomes for specific citizens in specific

settings to achieve public values

Example: Systems to improve the lives of youth• VALUE: Increase healthy and decrease harmful

behaviors (measure prevalence)• CITIZENS (minors): Early Adolescents• SETTINGS: Primarily Middle Schools• INFLUENCES: Effective use of evidence based programs

(practices, policies, kernels,…)

Socially Valued Outcomes

AccountabilityThe ability to count what is valued

ResponsibilityThe ability to respond to what is counted

SustainabilityThe ability to maintain accountability and

responsibility across time

Features of Effective Social Service Systems

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Taxpayers’ money supports systems & change

agents . . . . . . . who may face

difficulties reaching a system to change it

Barriers Barriers

Perspectives on Barriers to Effective

Decision Making

• No Chance to Shine (problem of context)• Turnover, Including Reorganization & Changes in

Group Membership• No record of decisions• No measures of valued outcomes• Unpredictable resources• No public access to results• No Feedback about consequences• High Costs of good management practices• Capricious Implementation Environments• No scaling.

Educational and Community Supports, University of Oregon

Oregon Research Institute

Deschutes Research, Inc.

Child and Family Center, University of Oregon

Institute on Violence and Destructive Behavior, University of Oregon

Oregon State University, Department of Public Health

PAXIS Institute, Tucson, Arizona.

Taxpayers also support

The Center on Early Adolescence

Which includes the following organizations:

Three of these organizations have been developing tools to meet the requirements:

SustainabilitySustainabilityEducational and Community Supports, University of Oregon

Positive Behavior Support (PBS)

AccountabilitAccountabilityy

Oregon Research Institute Gematri

ResponsibilityResponsibility Deschutes Research, Inc.Decision Support System (DSS)

Positive Behavior Support (PBS)Provides SUSTAINABILITY by establishing a STABLE SETTING

GematriProvides ACCOUNTABILITYby MEASURING CHANGE

Decision Support System (DSS)Provides RESPONSIBILITYvia a FRAMEWORK for IMPLEMENTING INTERVENTIONS

Combining these tools provides a support for change agents

With the help of these tools change agents can more

effectively reach and interact with systems

An invitation to participate