Results
Women and children get better at House of Ruth. Many do so well that they leave after two years ready and able to make it on their own. Those who will always need help to sustain their safety and stability also make great strides.
Results are measured frequently and in several ways.
Seven to 10 outcome goals are set for each program and look at critical indicators of progress such as the percentage of women who sustain psychiatric stability and sobriety; the percentage of women who have healthy, nurturing relationships with their children; and the percentage of children who are emotionally stable and practicing social skills.
At the individual level, assessments of each person’s capacities and strengths, as well as their needs, drive the creation of a plan tailored to that person. There is no “one size fits all” solution to homelessness and abuse. The women are involved in creating their own plans, with help from staff to set goals that are realistic, worthwhile and challenging.
At our residential programs, we are interacting with the women and children every day, so we know that nearly all of the families are making substantial progress toward lives that are far more safe and stable than before they came to House of Ruth. Each individual’s progress is measured against their goals in regular case management meetings. Typically, these meetings take place every week at our residential programs. They are private meetings, just the woman being served and her case manager. For families, the meeting will always include the mother and often one or more of the children.
At Kidspace, we are working with the children five days a week and we are able to closely monitor their progress. Thorough assessments of each child’s developmental levels drive an individualized plan for that child. The children’s progress is monitored daily by their teacher and discussed frequently with the child’s parents. The progress of the more severely distressed or developmentally delayed children is discussed by their teachers and therapists on at least a weekly basis.
At the Domestic Violence Support Center our contact with each participant is usually limited to one counseling session per week, part of which is normally devoted to assessing their progress toward their goals for that period of time.
We also monitor the health of the organization. The Finance Committee of the Board of Directors meets monthly to review House of Ruth’s financial position and actual expenses compared to the budget. The Board meets six times a year to review all the main operational areas of the organization: programs, finances, operations, development as well as progress toward the goals for that year. An independent financial audit is conducted annually and an Annual Report is prepared summarizing the main activities, accomplishments and challenges of each year.