HCRS earned high satisfaction marks for the services we provide to hundreds of clients across Windsor and Windham counties. The excellent ratings came in response to questions asked of virtually all active agency clients through an annual survey. Since the year 2000, HCRS has used its survey to help measure quality levels in five major service areas: adult mental health; children, youth, and family services; substance abuse; community rehabilitation and treatment (CRT); and developmental services.
Surveyed clients were invited to respond to a series of questions rating such services; they were also provided the opportunity to add comments about their own service experiences. Of all clients who received a survey, nearly 70% responded – a 21% increase from the previous year. Respondents were split evenly between males and females and had an average age of 33 years.
Of 14 specific rating areas, 10 reflected improved agency performance, and 10 earned ratings of 90% or higher. For example, a question that asked clients whether the services they received had made a difference in their lives earned a composite score of 96%. Total client ratings for all questions averaged a solid 90%.
Individual survey comments from clients highlight some of the reasons why they find HCRS services so helpful. Two examples include: “I get to create a personal treatment plan with my counselor to help me focus on the goals in my life,” and “My son has someone other than myself and his other parent to talk to. I feel as if it opens up doors for him to be able to express his feelings without fear of hurting feelings.”
The largest area of requested improvement concerned clients’ desire for more services and the staffing to support it, which directly reflects the well-documented, statewide need for increased health care funding.
In addition to the annual Client Satisfaction Survey, HCRS regularly seeks client feedback through local program standing committees, stakeholder forums, board-member input, and other forms of client communication.
“HCRS values our clients’ feedback as a critically important measure to help inform both our decision-making process and our strategic program, and it is consistent with our mission to provide creative, collaborative, and compassionate health care services that are responsive to our communities’ needs,” said George Karabakakis, Chief Executive Officer, HCRS. “We are proud of this year’s survey results, and we’re grateful for the insights they provide us as we work to help our clients lead healthier, more successful lives.”
