ERIC ED393933: State School Closure: Fort Worth and Travis Employee Surveys 1993, Parent/Family Surveys, 1993 Results.

67 Pages·1993·1.8 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
TM 024 963
ED 393 933
Kraushaar, Kevin, Comp_; Elliott, Delia, Comp.
AUTHOR
State School Closure: Fort Worth and Travis Employee
TITLE
Surveys 1993, Parent/Family Surveys, 1993 Results.
Southwest Inst. for Developmental Disabilities,
INSTITUTION
Abilene, TX.
PUB DATE
93
67p.; For a related document, see TM 024 968. Paper
NOTE
presented at the Annual Meeting of the Mid-Western
Educational Research Association (October 13-16,
1993).
Evaluative/Feasibility (142)
Reports
PUB TYPE
Tests/Evaluation Instruments (160)
MF01/PC03 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
Decision Making; *Deinstitutionalization (of
DESCRIPTORS
Disabled); *Developmental Disabilities; Employee
Attitudes; *Employees; Parent Attitudes; *Parents;
Program Termination; *Residential Schools; *School
Closing; State Programs; Surveys
Texas (Fort Worth); Texas (Travis County)
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
The Southwest Institute for Developmental
Disabilities conducted surveys of families of people being served at
two state schools and of employees of those schools about expected
school closures. All 871 families, guardians, or primary
correspondents with families members at the Fort Worth (FW) or Travis
(T) State Schools as of March 31, 1992 were mailed a survey in April
1993. Forty-four percent of T families and 507. of FW families
replied. About 87% of respondents did not want the schools to close,
and 45% of FW families and 26% of T families did not feel involved in
closure activities, with slightly higher percentages that did not
feel involved in decision making. Forty-six percent of FW and 24% of
T families said they had not been updated about closure plans,
although 91% had expressed their preferences about placement or
transfer. Family members also expressed concerns about staffing
during the downsizing process. One thousand FW employees (95% of
staff) and 1,051 T employees (84%) returned surveys. Ninety percent
at FW and 83% at T disagreed that the decision process to close the
state schools had been fair and objective. The credibility of the
central office was not highly valued by employees from either school,
and employees were not generally satisfied with their opportunities
for advancement. (Contains 8 graphs.) (SLD)
*
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
*****************************
STATE SCHOOL CLOSURE:
ch
61"
FORT WORTH AND 7RAVIS
EMPLOYEE SURVEYS
1993
PARENT /FAMILY SURVEYS
1993
U.S. DEPARTMENT Of EOUCATSON
PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS
Othce of
ducationsi Research and Impiovernont
MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY
TIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
EOU
RESULTS
CENTER (ERIC)
1///t)___641).55tY
This document has ben reproduced as
received from the person or orgamtation
onginahng
0 Mmor changes have been made to improve
reproduction qualdy
Points ot wow or opmonsstated 0 ttus docu-
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
ment do not necessanty represent official
OE RI position or policy
INFORMATION CENTER tERIOI
COMPILED BY
KEVIN KRAUSHAAR PH.D
AND
DELIA ELLIOTT M.A.
SOUTHWEST INSTITULL FOR DEVELOPMENTAL
DISABILITIES ABILENE
ABILENE STATE SCHOOL
P.O. BOX 451
ABILENE, IX 79604-0451
3EST COPY AVAILABLE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION I PARENT/FAMILY SURVEY
of Family Survey
Cover Letter for Summary
1
Responses
2
Responses
Summary of Family Survey
School
Results of Fort Worth State
5
Parent/Family Survey
Parent/Family
Compilation of Fort Worth
11
Narratives
School
Results of Travis State
14
Parent/Family Survey
Parent/Family
Compilation of Travis
20
Narratives
SECTION II EMPLOYEE SURVEY
State School
Executive Summary Fort Worth
24
Euployee Survey
26
Survey
Results Fort Worth Employee
Fort Worth
Part B Main Factors of
33
Employee Survey
35
B
Chart of Fort Worth Part
Worth
Compilation of Narratives Fort
36
Employees
School
Compilation of Fort Worth State
Evaluators About Survey
Employees' Responses to
38
Results
Quality Improvement Team's
Fort Worth State School
42
Response to Survey Results
School
Executive Summary Travis State
43
Employee Survey
Employee
Results Travis State School
45
Survey
Travis
Part B Main Factors of
52
Employee Survey
54
Chart of Travis Part B
Contents Continued
Combined Fort Worth and Travis State
55
Schools Employee Survey Results
Charts of Part B Fort Worth and Travis
62
Employee Survey
Texas Department of
Robert W RIcketts, M.S
Dtrector of Resea,ch
Mental Health and Mental Retardatitm
Dcnrul R lortcs.
A
..altrnolioner
November 13, 1993
Dear Family Member,
We have enclosed an Executive Siunmary of the results of the
ParentlFamily Survey conducted between April through July, 1993. The
survey
was administered as one part of the evaluation of State School Closure process.
ut,thwest
TDMHMR will continue to "assess significant aspects of the closure processes"
nsutute tor
Nve,oprnenta,
as part of its evaluation. TDMHMR established the State School Closure
Evaluation Steering Committee with wide representation including parent,
Abenc
° O.Box
4 i1
community services, research and evaluation specialists, the central office
5 24th & Map;e
Absiene, TX
closure administrator, and employees from Fort Worth and Travis State
79604-0451
915)695.'182
Schools.
This committee developed both the family and employee
surveys. The
6911267
Fax
Southwest Institute for Developmental Disabilities Abilene (SIDDA) has been
contracted by TDMHMR to conduct surveys of employees and families.
The evaluation staff at SIDDA compiled family
responses for the
Committee to review and identify the trends included in the enclosed Executive
Summary. This summary and the full results has been shared with the
administration of both schools.
This information will be used by the state
schools to consider ways of improving the closure process for all involved.
The evaluation staff is available to meet with the parent
groups at both
state schools at their invitation. At these meetings, families can receive a more
in-depth analysis of the results and give their suggestions for improvement.
We appreciate parentlfamily's participating in the survey.
If you would
like a copy of the complete survey results, please call 1-800-524-1346 and leave
your name and address so we can mail a copy to you. If you have any
questions, leave your name and phone number at that same number,
or call
Southwest Institute at [phone] and we will return your call.
Thank you for your time.
Kevin Kraushaar Ph.D.
Delia Elliott M. A.
Director of Program
Program Evaluc..on
Evaluation
Specialist
, A
SUMARY OF FAXILY "KW= RUPONSIS
All 871 families/guardians, or primary correspondents, who
had family members at Fort Worth (FW) or Travis State Schools
(TSS) on March 31, 1992, were mailed a survey early in April,
1993.
After a reminder and second mailout survey, 44% of Travis
families, and 50% of Fort Worth families, returned the
survey.
Of the families who responded, 87% wrote in the comment section.
Closure Activities
1.
O
of families of both schools Aid not want the schools to
Approximately
87%
close.
of Fort Worth and
O
of Travis families did not feel involved in
45%
26%
closure activities.
of Fort Worth and 32% of Travis families did not feel involved in
O
52%
decision-making activities related to the closure process.
of Fort Worth and
O of Travis families said they had not been
46%
24%
updated about closure plans for their family member.
Staffing Concerns
2.
of Fort Worth and
O
of Travis families felt that each schools had
51%
33%
not kept enough staff.
O
Approximately
of families at both schools felt that each schools would
50%
not keep enough staff to take care of family members during downsizing.
Communication Activities
3.
O
of families at both schools had received recent
Approximately
64%
information about the care and services for their family member.
of Fort Worth and
of Travis families understand how their
54%
O
73%
family member will be monitored during downsizing.
Approximately 58% of families at both schools do not know how services to
4.
family members would be monitored in the community.
ULGT COPY AVAILABLE
F
Member Placement
5.
As of July 1993, approximately
O
of families, at both schools, had told
91%
the schools their preference for placement or transfer of their family
member.
of families at both schools had not been offered
O
61%
Approximately
information about what living sites or day programs were available in the
community.
0
Approximately 49% of families members at both schools had not visited or
been offered information about other schools/day programs were available
in the community.
0
of families at both schools had not bad the opportunity
Approximately
48%
to visit or been offered informatim about other state schools.
Apprwdmately 77% of families at both schools felt that their family member had
6.
been treated with dignity at the facility.
Understanding Rights Regarding Placement or Transfer
7.
Approximately 54% of families, at both sdiools, do not know about their
O
or TXMIIMIt's responsibilities, if either the placement or the service
provider changed.
of Fort Worth and 69% of Travis families understand what rights and
O
51%
responsibilities TX141-1MR has regarding placement or transfer decisions.
O
of families at both schools understand what tights and
61%
Approximately
responsibilities they have regarding placement or transfer decision&
of families at both schools did not understand their
O
23%
Approximately
rights about the need for informed consent.
DDT (annual staffing) Process
8.
of Fort Worth and
of Travis
felt satisfied with the
83%
families
O 68%
annual staffing of their family member.
of families at both schools felt satisfied with the
64%
O
Approximately
interdisciplinary team process regarding decisions about their family
member.
--11EST COPY MAIMS
Placement Appeal Process
9.
receive a copy of
of families at both schools said they did not
Exactly
64%
O
the placement appeals process.
of Travis families did not think the appeals
of Fort Worth and
20%
40%
O
decisions are fair and objective.
Support Activities
10.
been
of families at both schools said they had not
69%
Approximately
O
fears about placement
offered support activities to share their emotions or
or transfer.
their family
of families at both schools said that
Appradmately
67%
O
share their emotions or
member had not been offered support activities to
fears about placement or transfer.
Placement Planning
11.
in the
of families at both schools felt included
Approximately
74%
O
placement planning process.
providers
of families at both schools felt that new care
50%
Approximately
O
family
informed of placement planning for their
were not being adequately
member.
distances
of Travis families were concerned about
of Fort Worth and
12%
28%
12.
with their family member if they
and other difficulties in maintaining contact
moved to a new home.
analysis of the survey results., please
If you would like a question by question
If
address so we can mail a copy to yc
call 1-800-524-1346. Leave your name and
and phone
call the above number and leave your name
you have any questions,
call.
695-7182 and we will return your
number, or call Southwest Instinae at (915)
4
um' COPY
MAILAULE
WORT WORTH STATE WHOOL
PARR/IT/WAXILY SURVili RESULTS1
Strongly Disagree (SD)= 1
Agree
(A)= 4
Disagree
(D)= 2
Strongly Agree (SA)= 5
Neutral
Not Applicable (NA)= NA
(N)= 3
Missing or Not Applicable removed before percent
calculations.
Section A
Total N = 171
SD
A
D
N
SA
Al.
I feel I have been involved in
45%
11%
44%
closure activities as much as I
32
41
28
60
10
want to be.
N = 171
A2.
I feel I have been included in
52%
11%
37%
closure decision making
45
36
47
18
11
activities as much as I want to be.
N = 157
I feel I have helped make
A3.
46%
10%
44%
decisions and have been updated
39
35
17
52
20
about closure plans for my family
member.
N = 163
I am satisfied with
A4.
58%
15%
27%
TDMHMR's management of the
59
33
23
34
9
closure activities.
N = 158
I think that Fort Worth/Travis
A5.
14%
86%
0%
State Schools should not close.
21
0
19
124
3
N = 167
Section 11 deals with the amount of information
you have received
about closure activities.
SD
N
A
D
SA
Bl.
I have received as much
31%
17%
52%
information from rumors as
11
39
27
60
23
from official sources.
N = 160
I feel the state school did
B2.
51%
14%
35%
keep enough staff to take
40
44
22
44
12
care of my family member.
N = 162
conducted April-Junn, 1993, Results Updated Nov., 1993
1
5
A
SA
N
SD
D
20%
46%
34%
I feel I know about placement/
B3.
30
62
25
33
13
transfer forecasts/planning
activities for individuals.
N 10 163
23%
17%
60%
I feel the state school will
B4.
30
51
41
27
keep enough employees to take
7
care of my family member during
N = 156
downsizing.
54%
16%
30%
I understand how individuals
B5.
26
62
26
24
22
will be monitored during staff
downsizing.
N sm 160
Section C deals with individual/family rights issues.
A
SA
D
N
SD
54%
15%
31%
I understand my family's rights
Cl.
77
30
24
11
20
about placement/transfer.
N = 162
51%
18%
31%
I feel comfortable that TDMHMR
C2.
68
29
20
13
29
will carry out its
responsibilities about
transfer/placement. N = 159
73%
13%
14%
I feel the state school
C3.
20
24
94
9
knows its responsibilities
14
for my family memberls rights.
N .0 161
57%
13%
30%
I feel TDMHMR respects my
C4.
20
73
21
24
25
right to be involved in
decisions about my family member.
N
163
26%
13%
61%
I know what services/supervision
C5.
21
34
43
6
54
my family member will receive
after placement/transfer.
N = 158
28%
16%
56%
I know the responsibilities
C6.
30
2a
22
7
TDMHMR ha:1 if private providership 4t3
changes for my family member.
N = 135
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