C-Stat is a performance-based analysis strategy that allows every program within the Colorado Department of Human Services to better focus on and improve performance outcomes. By identifying areas of focus, CDHS determines what is working and what needs improvement. By measuring the impact of day-to-day efforts, we are able to make more informed, collaborative decisions to align our efforts and resources to affect positive change.
Each division within the following offices collects data examined on a monthly basis in C-Stat meetings: Behavioral Health, Children, Youth and Families, Early Childhood, Economic Security, and Adult, Aging and Disability Services.
Together, CDHS executive leadership and office staff analyze the data to identify positive trends and opportunities for improvement. Divisions determine strategies for improvement and implement these strategies, while executive leadership helps reduce barriers to the divisions' success.
C-Stat moves CDHS to an outcomes-oriented and collaborative approach to affect change at every level. The goals are to collect timely data, increase transparency, conduct regular executive meetings to assess the effectiveness of the strategies, and identify new performance measures, all in support of continuous quality improvement.
- Guide to Attending
C-Stat is a management discussion, focused on real-time data and performance goals. The parties in the discussion are the CDHS office and division staff along with the C-Stat leadership team. Meetings take place virtually.
The meetings are facilitated by CDHS's office directors, who determine the order and direction that meetings take. The office directors start with a particular slide, ask questions, and then establish the course of the meeting. Questions are generally directed to the division directors. Members of the C-Stat leadership team are also invited to ask follow-up questions.
The CDHS Performance Management Division prepares the C-Stat slide deck.
- C-Stat meetings are scheduled in a regular rotation, but times and days are subject to change:
- These are management-level discussions, not public hearings. Those in the audience should be respectful of the process and keep any conversation to a minimum.
- Entrance and exit should be through the door at the back of the room.
- Restrooms are located in the hallway behind the elevators.
- Copies of the PowerPoint slide deck are produced for the C-Stat leadership team but are otherwise not reproduced for the audience.
Please note that this is an internal work meeting. However, if you are interested in attending the C-Stat meeting, email CDHS_CountyC-Stat@state.co.us.
- Wildly Important Goals
As part of the development of CDHS's annual performance plan, the department establishes up to five Wildly Important Goals (WIGs) each state fiscal year. The department's executive leadership develops WIGs that will advance its strategic policy initiatives. Each WIG is designed to be measurable, responsive to change and transparent.
- Celebrating Our Successes through C-Stat Awards
C-Stat awards are presented to celebrate and distinguish top C-Stat performers across CDHS and its partners. C-Stat awards are selected based on consistent, significant improvement in performance demonstrated by a Colorado county or an office, division or facility within CDHS or its partners.
The department frames its activities and the feedback received into three Wildly Important Priorities (WIPs). These WIPs lay the foundation for everything CDHS does as "people who help people." The three Wildly Important Priorities make it clear that CDHS will strive for all Coloradans to have the opportunity to:
- Thrive in the community of their choice,
- Achieve economic security through meaningful work, and
- Prepare for educational success throughout their lives.
To better illustrate how C-Stat has aligned with these WIPs, the C-Stat awards are organized by the WIP they help accomplish.
Thrive in the community of their choice
- Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo: a) Reduction of Waitlist for Competency Examinations and b) Reduction in Discharge Barriers to Thriving in the Community - March 2013
- Rifle Veterans Community Living Center: a) Reduced Unplanned Weight Loss/Gain, b) Reduction of Anti-Psychotic Medication Usage, and c) Reduced Percent of Residents with Acquired Pressure Ulcers - March 2013
- Division of Youth Services: enhanced family engagement for a) Residential Youth Contact with Family and b) Client Manager Contact with Family - November 2013
- Homelake Veterans Community Living Center: a) Reduced Unplanned Weight Loss/Gain, b) Reduction of Anti-Psychotic Medication Usage, and c) Reduction of Falls amongst Residents - February 2014
- Disability Determination Services: Increased Timeliness of Processing Social Security Income Applications - April 2014
- Adult Protective Services: Increased Timely Responses to Adult Protection Inquiries - May 2014
- Colorado Mental Health Institute at Fort Logan: Reduction of Seclusion Use - September 2014
- Division of Child Welfare: Timeliness of Assessment Closure - January 2017
- Domestic Violence Program: Timely Assessment of Client Need and Risk - January 2017
- Community Behavioral Health: Mental Health Clients Engaged in Services - July 2017
- Division of Child Welfare: Timeliness of Initial Response to Abuse/Neglect Assessments: Immediate Response - Winter 2017
- Community Behavioral Health: Substance Use Disorder Clients Engaged in Services - June 2018
- Division of Child Welfare: Maltreatment in Out-of-Home Care - June 2018
- Division of Food and Energy Assistance: Low-Income Energy Assistance Program Application Timeliness - July 2018
- Division of Child Welfare: Completion of Roadmaps to Success - Fall 2019
Achieve economic security through meaningful work
- Employment and Benefits Division: Adult Financial Timeliness of New Applications - Fall 2015
- Office of Economic Security: Increased Timeliness of Colorado Works Application and Food Assistance Application - June 2016
- Employment and Benefits Division: Colorado Works -Work Participation Rate - October 2018
- Employment and Benefits Division: Colorado Works - Entered Employment - October 2018
Prepare for educational success throughout their lives
- Division of Early Care and Learning: Increased Accurate Colorado Child Care Assistance Program Manual Payments - August 2014
- Division of Early Care and Learning: Increased Timely Responses for Child Care a) Supervisory Inspections and b) Facility Complaints - June 2015
- Division of Youth Services: Eligible Youth Who Have a GED or High School Diploma by Discharge - August 2017
- Division of Early Care and Learning: Increased the Percentage of High Quality Licensed Child Care Providers - Summer 2019
Click here to view the governor's proclamation celebrating five years of C-Stat in 2017.
- Performance Management in the news
How Data Can Drive Performance for Social Services - Governing - March 2019
A Practitioner's Framework for Measuring Results: Using "C-Stat" at the Colorado Department of Human Services - IBM Center for The Business of Government -March 2019
Investing in Performance Management - Policy & Practice - December 2018
The role of outcome monitoring in evidence-based policymaking - Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative - August 2018
State DHS lauds Larimer County for service gains - Colorado Politics - July 2018
Our Do'ers Profile: Katie Griego, Employment and Benefits Division Director - Policy & Practice - February 2018
Mesa, Delta child welfare teams honored- The Daily Sentinel - November 2017
States Add a Human (Services) Touch to 'Stat' - Governing - August 2017
Bicha's efficiency program C-Stat gets national attention- Colorado Politics - August 2017
Insights from C-Stat in Colorado at year 5: An interview with Reggie Bicha, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Human Services - Episode #154 - Andy Feldman's Gov Innovator Podcast - July 2017
C-Stat tackles Colorado's toughest problems as DHS and Bicha mark its fifth year - Colorado Politics - July 2017
- County C-Stat
The Performance Management Division provides counties with services and resources to assist in performance improvement efforts on the county-facing C-Stat measures. Services include access to monthly performance data, peer-to-peer exchanges on effective county practices, Annual Performance Summaries (by request), and other products that establish connections between CDHS offices and six divisions.
If you would like to attend a C-Stat meeting as a County Participant or want to request your county's dashboard or report, please contact CDHS_CountyC-Stat@state.co.us.
Access County C-Stat resources below:
- C-Stat Quarterly Reports
- Contact
Valerie Cassano
Performance Management Director
valerie.cassano@state.co.us