Mapping Service Networks

Abstract

Most social work services rely on networks of referrals, yet tools for accessing and utilizing information technology across agencies is unavailable. This puts decision makers at a disadvantage when it comes to program evaluation, planning, and policy design. In this paper, we describe state-transition analysis (STA) as a set of techniques for mapping service networks across multiple agency databases. We then demonstrate the application of STA to a child welfare longitudinal dataset (N = 3,883 children) spanning 18 different types of services. The results include a simplified map of the service network from child welfare to juvenile justice, and an improved Cox regression model based on the service network map. Implications for information technology and knowledge management applications spanning multiple agencies and evidence-based practice are discussed.

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